For those starting TAC in March/April 2006....

hey, I finally figured out how this thing works! LOL What is TAC?

Karen,

Even with TAC there are different protocols. I am in a clinical trial and the steroids start the day before chemo and go for 3 days. In fact, they had to cut my dose in half because I was reacting to the decadron. so I guess the withdrawal does also depend on how much and hhow long we have to take the sterouids.

Jeannette

I took ambien from the first chemo on through the end of radiation, so almost 7 months. I thought I was going to have a problem getting off of it, but I ran out and just went cold turkey, but never even noticed a difference. It might have been because during radiation you are tired anyway.

Shannon

Hello TAC sisters

I wish you all the best with getting through your treatment.

Day 11 of round 4 and like y'all say, this ain't no joke. This has been the worst so far and I hope it doesn't get worse than this cuz they'll be taking me out of the infusion room in a wheel chair. I am also starting to dread the infusion room, even for the Neulasta shots. I get sad now when I have to go there.

Withhope, TAC is the chemo regimen of Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cytoxin. I get blessed with 6 rounds of it every 21 days with a Neulasta shot on day 5.

Ferne

I certainly hope all you experienced TAC sisters stay around to encourage those of us who are closer to the starting line than the finish line.

I am at #1 plus 14 days. I have felt remarkably well for the last week. I feel normal and healthy, but I know I still have a long way to go and it's probably going to get a lot harder with successive treatments. It does feel good to know that I'm fighting this beast with the toughest stuff out there.

Darlene

Hey everybody! I just had my first radiation treatment today. It was nothing compared to TAC. lol Lay on the table, zap, zap, cya later. (for the next 7 weeks though)

Darlene - congrats on getting thru the first one! I felt pretty much normal after the first 3 treatments, then I got tired on number 3 and 4, then it got a bit harder. Hang in there and enjoy the moments you feel good.

Jackie - 107 degrees?? Yikes! Makes me want some water just thinking about it lol

Molly - never saw that link either, going to check it out after this. Good luck on #6, almost done!

Oh, I took the steroids day before, of, and after for my first 2 treatments, then after that they just gave them to me in my drip, since it was too much for me.

My mind is still squirrely 4 weeks after mt last TAC. LOL I finally lost the TV remote. It's the one for the complicated TV too, it figures!

Paula

Dear Shelley, we have all been where you are mentally; I wanted to quit really badly after chemo #3, it made me so sick and weak. But I am facing round #5 TAC next Thursday and wish it would get here already so I can get this whole thing over with (I will have six total, just like everyone else here). It IS worth it; you are fighting to save your life and TAC is on your side, even though it does not feel like it when we are feeling like crap. I spent today in bed, totally exhausted, and it's day 11 since my last TAC so I did not expect this to happen today. I also had nausea today, which I would have thought would have happened sooner. So, yes, TAC is not fun. And if you had two positive nodes (which is what your post says), then you need the chemo. I also had two positive nodes. My biggest fear is that the TAC will not find the cancer and I will have to go thru this again, but that's not something I can do anything about. I am starting to ramble, sorry. Just want to encourage you that you are doing the right thing, even though it is hell to go through .. we are all going thru it and by sharing our feelings here, we can help each other through .. Hang in there!
Hugs, Brigitte

I've been thinking about asking the onc to skip rounds 5 and 6 and see if we can go on to surgery. Been thinking about it alot lately. I have the feeling he might not be so keen on it, though. The thing that sucks is that it's either chemo or rads after surgery and knowing my dumb luck....chemo might be the better option.

Thank you MarciaA for your encouragement.

I know deep down the best thing is to finsh the chemo, and more likely than not, I'll hang in there. But I'm still going to see if there is anything my onc can do to make it easier. They tested my blood at my GP for all sorts of things to see if there are any other things making me feel so ill. I just feel a bit despondant with the whole thing, but so far today, I feel decent. I hope it continues to get better before round 5.

I know so many others have gone through this and much worse. I just feel a bit puppyish when I'm feeling ill, and feels like I'll feel this way forever, although I won't.

Thank you again,
Ferne

Jackie,

just remember "this too will pass" and like so many others , we will be feeling tons better, with energy and back to full-time living in a few months.

Jeannette

Brigitte,

I have been borderline anemic for the last 3 cycles. Have managed so far with taking iron - now do 2 every other day, and add laxative to keep from seizing up. Anything to avoid yet more drugs. So far I am holding my own this way.
I wqas exhausted in cycle 3 - probably inpart because of the borderline anemia. Am doing ok at this point.
Hope the iron, etc. work for you. My doc also said lots of red meat, liver if you can hack it, and red fish like salmon.
Now having said that, my apetite doesn't much fancy any of that stuff right now so its a catch-22. Oh well, this will soon be over. Haning in, hanging on.

Jeannette

Hey TAC sisters!

At my 5th TAC I was anemic and got the aranesp shot to bring up my hemoglobin. Or maybe it was the 4th.. lol Anyway, I am now 1 month past my last TAC, and I still qualify for the shot one more time. I'm going to go ahead and take it, since it's paid for and all. Feeling tired is the pits.

Today my husband and I were on the computers being silly, and he looked at me and said "I think someone is really feeling better finally". I sat there for a moment, stunned, as I realized that he was right. I actually feel good! I remember thinking as I was going thru the whole thing that I would never feel good again, but I do!

You gals can all do this if I can! I'm a baby about being sick, but I made it through, and I know it was the best possible treatment option out there. Dang! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Hugs for you all!

My hair is coming back in the same color as when I was a baby. Very very very light blonde, so you can still hardly see it, although I can feel something when the wind blows. Now if it gets curly too, that will really be something.

Everyone hang in there, please. Drink lots, and get rest! If you are doing radiation after this, it's such a piece of cake.

Paula

Hi TAC ladies,

Today is 3 weeks from #6 and final chemo. I saw the onc today and it was nice to leave the office feeling good, instead of dreadful. Onc did the normal questions, physicial, and I had blood drawn. I also got a shot of Lupron (to be sure I am in menopause- no periods since starting chemo and I was perimenopausal prior to BC), and will start on Arimidex (he feels Arimidex is better than Tamoxifen). Onc mentioned something about a Europeans study and survival - but i didn't write it down and once I was done, couldn't remember. I went with my 8 year old - hubby is out of town till tomorrow and this is the first appt he has missed. I thought I might take a girlfriend, but opted not too. We were talking about menopause and AI's- but I just don't remember. This week, I am finally feeling decent - have been able to sleep the past few nights (though with the help of Ativan- and onc is okay with this). horrid taste is gone from my mouth, but stomach is still sore after eating sometimes. Onc saidd to give it a little more time and if it still hurts to contact my pcp and maybe have an endoscopy done. I go for a bone density on 8/7. Started rads today. Go back to the onc in three months. If I have had my hysterectomy by then, then no more Lupron shots, other wise another shot.
Karen in Denver, stage 3A, ILC, IDC, 8+ nodes, E+,PR+, HER2-done chemo, doing rads
P.S. I brought the nurses home made cookies to say thank you for all their TLC.
Best of luck to all the gals starting or in the middle of TAC - you will get through it

Hi TAC Ladies. It has been 6 weeks since my last chemo. My hair is growing back and I have some numbness in my feet and my eyes are still tearing but I am feeling like my old self again. I have lost some of the belly fat from the decadron but I am finally feeling like exercising some. I have had 3 weekly herceptin and have 2 more weekly IVs to go before I go to a every 3 week Herceptin schedule. I have had 12 of 33 radiation treatments. My breast is a little warm but nothing major. I get a little tired toward the end of the week but it is nothing like Chemo. I am on a 3 month schedule to see my Oncologist. Kinda spooky feeling after seeing him monthly for so long. I See my rad onc weekly while taking radiation and they measure my arms for lymphadema which fortunately I have not had problems with.
I know why former posters drop off the message boards once they have finished....It is a chemo blues that hits you then you kinda just want to forget how bad you felt when you took chemo and reading posts brings back a lot of that same feeling.
I wish all of you the best and I hope we all can beat cancer.
take care
Marcia

To the girls who are taking any and all meds. and still are feeling overwhelmed and miserable. I got to the point where I was willing to try anything... had several people recommend acupuncture. Ferne, like you, I would get teary and nauseated just going into the clinic....it was becoming unbearable. I actually had dose dense AC first, and am now on weekly Taxol/Herceptin. By the time I finished my AC, I knew there was no way I could endure the next 12 wks. feeling the way I was, so I relented and went to see what this acupuncture stuff is all about. It has helped me tremendously. I had relief from the anticipatory nausea I was getting, and the Taxol/herceptin has been a breeze compared to the AC.... he saw me a couple of times per week for a few weeks, then dropped me down to once a week for a few weeks, and my last was 3 weeks apart - I started getting some pretty intense neuropathy and swelling, high BP in between - so I told him about it when I went in. Within 2 days of the acupuncture, my symptoms have dissipated. I can't really explain how it works, all I know is that it has made me a believer, and I plan to keep him incorporated in my therapy until I am done with everything. 1 more Taxol/Herceptin left and I am on to just Herceptin and rads. Hang in there girls. Anything you can do to make it bearable (that's legal!) and okayed with your oncs. - do it to get through this. Next year this time we'll be glad we did. Lori
P.S. - Most insurances do not pay for this, but if you have a health savings account, which is the tax deferred account alot of companies are incorporating into their health care plans, it will be a covered expense, so you can use your non taxed money. Some companies offer discounts for alternative medicine procedures as well, so check with your company's benefits person.