Starting Chemo July 2013
Comments
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Hannariggs, I attended one of the "Look Good" meetings in my area after I was diagnosed. It was really nice and they give you all kinds make up tips plus, a lot of free make up.
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Thank you Jeri Grace. This certainly has been an incredibly difficult ordeal, but I am getting through. I'm definitely my daddy's daughter. He always said he was a winner and there is nothing wrong with that. This is one game I have to win, we have to win. We have no other choice.
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Yes. AC was horrible. This time the Taxotere Cytoxin wasn't as bad but it still sucks.
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Hello Ladies! Today is day four of my 1st taxol infusion. I felt SO good Saturday the day after, but it all came crashing down on Sunday. The infamous muscle pain has taken hold. It's not just muscle pain, it's what I'm referring to as the "zingers" these random bolts of what feels like electricty striking random places on my body. Man. It sucks. It's uncomfortable and not fun, but it is bearable, for now anyway.
On the up side, I don't feel foggy or that my legs are going to give out on me any minute if I'm up walking around. I sure wouldn't say taxol is easier, just different. Only 3 more to go...
Hope everyone is doing well and having a greart start to the week.
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2bluestars, the zingers could be nerves regenerating if they are at your surgery site, but if it is in random places it sounds like a neurological response to an overload of stress. It has happened to me too.
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Hi everybody! This cycle, I felt a little introverted and wasn't on here posting. I think it's sometimes in my nature to be like a turtle pulling into my shell. Third TC cycle was definitely worse for fatigue and I had my worst bad day yet (day 5). I hope it doesn't escalate much more with my remaining three cycles.
Right now, I'm in the period that was major nosebleeds my first two cycles. I've been religiously spraying saline since Saturday and I've managed to forego them this time out. I feel like I learn something each cycle about how to manage the SEs better, which is a good thing since they could be getting worse like the fatigue, which has lasted two days longer than previously.
I think I also feel those zingers for a few days, especially on my bad day. I've compared it to my body feeling like the sky when fireworks are going off - random explosions in unpredictable places, although I also have achey joints and bone pain from the neulasta. I have had two days the last couple cycles that I've needed the narcotics to ease those pains and to feel comfortable just sitting or laying down.
Welcome to Donna and Girlstrong! I hope you'll find the support you need here if you don't have it elsewhere.
Donna - I'm curious as to how they found lymph node involvement after 5 months? I had a positive lymph node and I'm worried about more in future. Was that a CT scan? I'm so sorry you have to go through this for a second round! Once is beyond bad enough.
Congratulations to TwoHobbies and NC for finishing! I've been envious of those of you on the dose dense plan. I asked my MO last visit if we could speed things up and do every two weeks with my remaining TC since my WBC was good with Neulasta after two weeks but she said no. There's a DD clinical trial with TC I found online, but the results aren't published yet, so too bad for me.
I've missed too much to address everyone individually, but I'm sorry to see that the Taxol is so tough on some of you! My first MO, who was pitching AC - T for me said T was easier, but I guess everyone reacts a little differently.
Lark - is it possible that the rash is an allergic reaction? If so, Claritin could help if you aren't taking it daily, or possibly an OTC allergy or hydrocortisone cream. I got a rash my first cycle on my neck from TC. The allergy cream stopped the itch, but it kept spreading. The hydrocortisone cream made it go away.
I have to say that like the term warriors much better than survivors too. Let's get through this, sister Warriors!
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Mellie- i wondered if it was an allergic reaction too, but its gotten better so Im not too worried about it. Hope you're feeling better.
I think that hannariggs was right.. The grass is always greener. If we get dd we wonder if weekly is better and vice versa. I feel like I had a lousy 10-11 days and only 4-5 that were ok. I hate being down for so many days in a row. Hoping next one will be better but I think Im getting a cold and not sure how thats going to effect tx in 2 more days. Dreading it.
My best to everyone. -
Lark I have an itchy spot on my back and my chest both. Nothing I've tried has relieved it. I was on different chemo than you but I believe it is related to that.
Hugs to all. -
Marsha, haven't had surgery yet so it's not that, could be stress I guess. I don't feel stressed though. Maybe I am and just don't recognize the symptoms.
The "zingers" seem to be less today. Thank goodness! They are totally random and show up in the oddest places, big toe, the spot between my thumb and finger, my thighs, feet, the worst place, my ovaries...damn those hurt.
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OK I officially do not like Taxol! Day 5 after first taxol and I'm finding it hard to keep a positive attitude. I got through AC with minimal SE's and really thought T would be even easier. I'm achy, tired and I've lost my taste buds. Left work early yesterday and stayed home today - unusual or me as I've pretty much worked through all of this. Cancer really sucks!
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Hi my ladies,
I had a hard time with taxotere too, but I have no body ach, just tingling fingers, taste bud yuke n fatigue but it got better 8 days later. So sorry that you ladies have to go thru this. Hope feel better soon.
May I ask about your diet during chemo treatment? Do you include antioxiant in your diet? Example(cabbage, spinage,kale,blue berries and ect.). I'm talking about in food or drink not supplement. Some articles that I read and some MO totally against antioxidant in food or drink and supplement during chemo. my MO said eat whatever I want I need to gain some weight hmmmm. -
Soirya, I think you can eat whatever makes you feel good. Some doctors say no to supplements, but if you get antioxidants in your food that can never be bad. I know kale is good for me but when I have no appetite and food tastes weird I eat whatever will keep me sustained, even if that's just ice cream, and I feel no guilt. This is coming from someone that eats a whole foods, gluten free diet.
So I'm stressing out because I asked my boss for work accommodations and he said I needed to talk to HR. HR said it needed to come from my doctor and disability company. Im currently out in short term disability. I didn't ask for anything that we haven't given to people in my group before who are going through less than I've been through. Also he kept saying he preferred me to be back at 100%. He knows its not possible, so why say that? Why would they prefer me to be on disability than come back part time and accommodate me so I can add some value? I'm sure I will contribute more part time than some people do full time, and he knows it. This "we are concerned about your health" thing is such BS. I can judge whether I feel well enough to work. I've been out of work since May 9. I'm sure I'm overreacting, but I really expected them to be more supportive.
Also my doctor has not responded to my request for a doctors note. I'm afraid this cycle will be over before I get approved to return to work, which of course affects me financially. Not to mention I am bored out of my mind. -
Finished my last infusion last week. JUst as I prepare to celebrate the end of chemo, I broke out in hives all over my body. Doctor can't say if it's reaction to the drug or caused by something else. Taking a lot of antihistami and itchy all over. Anyone had this? I'm hoping this gets resolved quickly so it won't deter the radiation.
marsha, this happend to me too. Company wants to "write us off" - if you're disability, the money is paid by the diability company
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Option, were you able to get them to let you come back while in treatment? If my doctor says I can work, and she will, I don't know they can deny me just because it isn't full time. Also I should be allowed reasonable accommodations under the ADA.
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Thank you Marsha, I guess I just whatever I want. I eat pretty healthy, but not enough protein, which I'm trying to. Sometime, I eat milk with cereal. I don't kno if milk is good for you or not. Sometime I craved for donut, but donut is too sweet so I'm afraid to eat. I want to eat bacon, but too much fat.
Sorry to hear about your work place. I kno my work place is suck too. -
Hello sisters, I am back. My 3rd chemo on weekly taxol on Monday, and tuesday was busy clearing work.
Today is my 2nd day after chemo, and I am experiencing hot flushes, heart palpitations, dry skin, teary eyes, neuropathy and faitugue. After first two experiences, I think I will be at my worst on Friday. Any one experiencing heart palpitations? I feel like my heart is jumping out from my mouth. And the hot flushes, like my ears are going to be fire soon. I cannot even perform simple tasks like tying a knot, opening up my shampoo etc.
I asked the nurses on my side effects, was told that they will not change the drug if the side effects are bearable. Changing to another chemo drug is no good for the body since I was already on my 3rd dose. And if the cream works for my yeast, then it should be fine.
Well, I should be glad then, at least next Monday onwards, my chemo is counting down to single digit. Another 9 sessions to go.
Hi GMA04, Lark, Twohobbies, Marsha, Rambo...thanks, I think I used my water jet spray too hard. And with the yeast infection, the skin was thin so I must have aggravated it! The Triderm cream prescribed by my General Practitioner is working and it has mostly recovered.
Hi Lana, just wondering if you are drawing blood from the port? My oncologist has special instructions not to draw blood from my port in case of blood clog.
Hi Girlstrong, sorry to see you here but you will find great support. Hang in there. I had a very hard time with AC, I did four AC. Now I am on my weeky taxol, same as you, 12 weeky taxols. The taxol is better, more manageable for me. If you read on though, everyone has different experiences.
Hugs to all...I am thinking of everyone and hoping every treatment is on time and quickly end the ordeal.
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One question, my weekly chemo drug is paclitaxel. I was told that it is taxol, all the same. Seems like most of you have dose dense. I asked about it, the nurse said weekly is better...lesser side effects.
just FYI.
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Hi Cherri
Taxol is paclitaxol - natural yew tree derivative
Taxotere is docetaxel - synthetic
Weekly is a lower dose more frequently = less SEs ?????
Dose dense is fortnightly ????
And taxotere ( with cyclophos) usually done 3 weekly guess it lessens use of beds, oncologists time and a neglible difference in survival / reoccurrence rates all depends on protocols at each location I guess
I think we all wonder if someone else is getting a better/ worse cocktail than each other
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LOL Sue. Thanks for the explanations. Hope you are feeling better as each day passes! So happy for you but jealous too. Waiting for my turn to complete..
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Hi All,had the dreaded taxol yesterday,horrible pain again,especially in my shoulders and back,my wbcs were 37,so cutting my nuelasta shot in half today should be no problem,hopefully it will help cut down on back and leg pains that are to come. Marsha,that's incredible the lack of support of your company.I'm on short term disability(half my salary)but i get paid hourly so working part time financially wouldn't be worth it anyway.Maybe you should talk to a lawyer or a breast cancer support group like Susan Komen. If the press got a hold of this info there would be an outcry,your company would be exposed for their inhumanity.Can you imagine what someone like Oprah or Dr. Oz would make of this?If you where discussed on The View,wow the support you would get would be off the charts.I'm concerned about what's going to happen when I go back in Jan.because they have replaced me with another nurse,will she just be layed off and the company let me return?I haven't even asked the ? yet,now after hearing your story i'm going to.Hang in there warriors,hugs Angela
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I don't post much, but I'm sitting getting all my premeds for chemo. On my 4th of 6 treatments of neoadjuvant TAC.
Had my half way appointment with my breast surgeon on Friday. She said she couldn't feel my tumor, which according to my MRI in July was between 3 & 3.5cm...can't remember exactly the size. When she got my ki-67 number sent me to oncology. It was 74-75%. How was it grade 2?
This morning my oncologist also said she can't feel it anymore either...yoohoo. Though she's the one who has been feeling the changes since my 1st treatment...steadily decreasing in size rather quickly.
The benadryl has kicked in.... -
I'm done with the A/C part of treatment now and can't wait for it all to be over. Starting Taxotere in two weeks and hoping for less SEs (or at least different ones). Has anybody had luck using the Brian Joseph's eyebrow and lash lotion? I used it faithfully to no avail. All I have left are a few upper eye lid lashes. I wonder if it's as individual as our reactions to the chemo.
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Dfw that's great you can see results of the chemo-evidence that its doing something.
Marsha if you we're approved for a longer disability period and want to go back earlier I think it could be a liability issue they are worried about. I don't think the accommodations go into effect until you are cleared to work.
Soriya I have heard there is a theory on antioxidants being bad during chemo but I think it is mostly related to supplements. The instructions i was given is do not take anything other than calcium and vitamin D without asking doctor. I may have heard don't juice during chemo because that is really concentrating the nutrients. i can't imagine eating vegetables and fruit in normal amounts could be bad. I am pretty confused on what to eat or which diet to follow. My brother got me re-reading some books I have on low carb and its interesting that many native populations did not have cancer before coming in contact with Europeans and these books think it is related to grains and sugar. When I think about my diet that could make sense. I grew up in fear of heart disease because I have a very strong family history. What they told us was eat less fat and more grain. Now it seems that may be incorrect for heart disease and other diseases too. So anyway didn't mean to write a book but I decided to restrict carbs and make most of my carbs fruit or veg. -
Hi All,
Just got back from #3 out 12 Taxol's. Didn't take steroids the night before, only at infusion time, so I guess we will see how this treatment differs from the others.
Lark-All my labs were low. He thought I may be coming down with seasonal allergies or a cold, so will keep you posted how I turn out. Nothing we can do if we catch something. I just feel really tired. Normally I am bouncing off the walls from the steroids so not sure if I like the hyper or run down feeling.
Soriya-I lost 40 pounds right before my diagnosis(I am sure stress related). I was really worried I was going to lose too much weight. Well, 4 months later and 12 pounds heavier I have my answer. I have watched my weight(no red meat) dieted, and exercised most of my life and I got cancer. So during my treatments if I crave it, I eat it. After the treatments I am sure I will regret it. But at this point, I didn't want to die eating a salad. I have stayed away from my fish and the things I really love and have been trying to eat red meat(due to being anemic). That way after the treatments are over I will go back to disliking the "sinful" food and stick with what is better for me. Who knows though. We are putting our bodys through hell and I will not deny it a piece of pie(ok maybe two or three)..:0
Thinking and praying for you all.
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Thank you my ladies, my onco said, eat whatever I can eat at this point. I can't loose anymore weight. He disagree on antioxident during chemo, he said I can eat them. I can take calcium n vit D. :-)
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Mellie...they didn't find anything lol. Just like my first tumor I found it myself. I was doing a self exam, because even though I did bilateral mastectomy my doctor told me cancer could reoccur in the nodes and on the chest wall. I faithfully did exams every month. Ironically on the morning of my first Susan G. Komen 5k I found the lump in the shower. It was 1.5 cm so even though it wasn't easy to find, you could feel it pretty well. Again the docs feel like this was most likely the result of microscopic cells that for whatever reason did not die with chemo alone. So even though this is considered a reoccurrence, I sort of view this as a continuation of my original and if my lymph nodes were removed I might have been done. Of course hindsight is 20/20 and my apparent diagnosis did not warrant it, so here I am. I am just grateful that I found it and that the cancer so far has not seemed to spread. I will however always be aware of the possibility of it coming back. I try not to focus on that. My doctors are all saying that this is still curable, even the UNC doctors, so I need to hold on to that. No matter what we just have to keep fighting the fight.
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Hi Ladies!
It's 1:30 am in Georgia, and thanks to a double dose of steroids with my first round of Taxol today, I'm still awake!!!
About 10 minutes into my infusion my throat got really sore - possible beginnings of constriction - so they stopped, gave me extra fluids and another steroid, then we started again, slower. No more problems but it took SO long!!!
Anyway, I feel okay right now... Wondering if my pattern of "bad days" 3-4 will old with this drug!
2bluestars - How are you doing on day 6??? Hate you've had muscle pain
Mellie - I was in the same "hiding" kind of mode between these rounds - something about that halfway point has made me really tired, physically and emotionally. I'm trying to get psyched up for the next 7 weeks!!! I haven't had nosebleeds, but mine runs all the time now - Kleenex is my constant companion ;-)
My MO said my counts aren't likely to fall as far on Taxol - hope so b/c of those crazy hemerrhoids and a sore on one butt cheek (from my heating pad) that just won't heal! He also said that any neuropathy that develops will more than likely abate after chemo since its such a short-term treatment (vs for lung cancer and such, 20+ weeks at times!!!).
Cherri - I almost laughed about you squirting too hard, but it's NOT funny!!! How about sitz baths over the toilet - sitting in one of those little tub things??? I've developed an odd rash-like condition, not a yeast infection, on my outer girl parts. My gyn gave me some cream that worked initially, but then my blood counts tanked and they came back
Lana - hope you're beginning to feel better!!! Don't like that you've lost taste, but I could actually use that right now!!! I've been eating everything I can get my hands on this past week - I guess I'm feeding my rotten mood!
Soriya -I'm like you wanting to eat what's good for me (even though I'm not practicing what I preach right now!). I think you have to go with your gut, and definitely try to keep taking in calories. Do you like beans (black, pintos, lentils, etc.)??? They're a good, healthy, filling choice that can be mixed with brown rice or quinoa for a yummy meal
Option - congrats on your last infusion!!! Whoot-whoot!!!!!!!! Strange you've got hives. I hope they go away soon so you can celebrate
To the port question one of you asked, I've had my blood drawn from my port 11 times so far with no issues.
GirlStrong - sending you a belated "welcome" and reiterating what's been said about the great support here
Angela - are you still having bone pain? Are they saying it's T or the Neulasta?
Dfwmom70 - hooray for your shrinking tumor:):)
Grace - I'm right there with you on the lash loss - I REALLY feel like a C patient now! I've tried all sorts of make-up tricks to no avail. If I try to apply mascara I just look scary!
Donna - props to you for your attitude and determination to "fight the fight!" One day at a time!
And, I'm going to end this incredibly long post with some AWESOME NEWS!!!
My son's BRCA test came back negative too!!!!!!!!!!! So this terrible mutation stops with me:):) I've scheduled my breast and ovary surgeries for the beginning of December.
Hugs to ALL of you - especially those I didn't mention by name this time!
Lynn -
Hi Lynn, yeah... my mum was the one who asked me if I am squirting to hard and I said yes. LOL.
Hi Angela and Hanna, we made it 3 out of 12. fighting! I was pacing around just now and counting down
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Hi Mellie, have you started on Taxol? We are on the same treatment regimen.
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Hi Lynn,
Day 6 was pretty good. Most of the pain was gone. If this pattern holds for next treatment, days 3, 4 and part of 5 will suck, but will start getting better 1/2 through day 5. I can handle that. I still have my tastebuds, eyelashes and eyebrows. Still get tired easlily, but not nearly as bad as it was on ac. I'm not feeling "foggy", I think I could finally start reading again, my favorite pastime.
My first taxol infusion took 5 hours.
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