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Ilovecoasters
Ilovecoasters Member Posts: 199
edited October 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi Friends,

I've been on the September surgery board and now it looks like I am going to need chemo.  I just met with the oncologist yesterday.  He has recommended AC and Taxol.  I am terrified.  I don't have a start date yet.  Monday is my consult for port surgery.  I find out about radiation  next week.  My PS has said if I need radiation then the expanders will need to come out.  Just a lot to process.  I am in central Florida.  I heard mention of a thread but have not been able to locate.   Do any of you have this treatment of AC and Taxol that could share what it's like? 

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  • JoeyJamesMom
    JoeyJamesMom Member Posts: 110
    edited October 2014

    Hi, Ilovecoasters :-)

    I actually had 4 DD Taxol treatments and it really wasn't bad at all.  I was very fatigued after the first treatment, and had some neuropathy in my feet, but that was it.

    And the Taxol worked great on my tumor.  To begin with, it was maybe 1.5 cm and after the 4th treatment, I can not even find it.

    I have also had one treatment of the A/C and sorry to say, it has been rough.  I haven't been sick to my stomach or anything it is more a mental fog.  I have felt foggy before but nothing like what I experienced after the A/C.  

    But, please keep in mind, it could be completely different for you.  I know there are women on these boards that had double my dose and they worked full time jobs.

    So, you may feel good.  Unfortuantely, we do not know until we go through it ourselves.

    Good luck!

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2014

    I did A/C and Taxol 5 yrs ago.  The 4 DD A/C neoadjuvant were 'easy'.  I did loose 'head hair', about 1/2 of eye brows/lashes.  l lost senses of taste and smell and appetite.  Nothing tasted bad - it just had no taste of any kind at all.  Sound not smell anything at all either.  Eating wasn't objectionable about eating -  just never thought about eating at all.  Hubby had to call me,several times a day to remind me to eat 'something'. ( He got hooked on food shows to find recipes to cook for dinner but nothing ever had any taste.)  Thankfully, drinking enough water was never an issue - 'habit' stayed in place - I'm a 'waterholic' always having iced water close at hand so habit kept that going on.  A/C did not slow me down at all.  I did get a bit 'tired' a couple of days after each infusion but a short nap handled it.  2 days after 2nd A/C, I drove in my first Powder Puff Mud Bog and had a ball. (I had given my old IH Scout II to Son to use for 'Boggin'' and did do better than he did - I was 2nd in my class and he didn't even place.)  Neulasta was not bad at all for me - I just went to sleep 2 hours (almost to the minute) after injection and slept for 2 hrs.  Never had any pain from them as many do.  2 weeks after last A/C, I had a mod. rad. UMX.  3 weeks after surgery,  started Taxol.

    Taxol was NOT 'nice' at all for me.  Did 12 weekly Taxol adjuvant.  With Taxol, the rest of body hair left, still no sense of taste or smell or any appetite.  (Just a 'silly' - We took Son, his GF, her Mom and GMom to Deadwood for that Thanksgiving for dinner.  I love the prime rib there and the nice hot horseraddish they have.  Well because I had no sense of taste I could not taste it, so was 'shoveling' in the good but thought it was the mild.  They were staring at me like I was insane. I called the waiter over and told him I needed more but to bring me the hot that time.  Hubby said 'He did but remember you're not tasting things.'  OOPs - my bad LOL)  However, during those entire 12 weeks, I existed almost exclusively either in bed or on couch in front of TV completely and UTTERLY exhausted but could not sleep.  The 'good' thing was that the exhaustion started getting better a week after last infusion which is when I started Rads.  It continued to get better weekly.

    (Sorry for rambling on so but is my experiences and hope you can get a 'chuckle' or 2.)

    We are each so unique as is our DX and how our Dr will plan TX.  There is 'No Size Fits All' when it comes to what our TX plan is or how our body individually handles it.  For me A/C - not 'bad', Taxol '- bad' but that is not the same for everyone.  

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  • Ilovecoasters
    Ilovecoasters Member Posts: 199
    edited October 2014

    Thanks Kicks and JoeyJamesMom.  Nice to meet both of you. I'm 44. Never felt any lump, neither did the PS or BS.  In fact my mammo didn't pick it up.  I was sent for an ultrasound after they saw a cyst on my mammogram,  That quickly led to a biopsy, mri and ct scan all within a week.  I'm now two weeks out from a bilateral mastectomy.  What is the port surgery like?  I am still so very sore from the mastectomy.  

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited October 2014

    Hello Ilovecoasters,

    We're sorry to hear about what you're going through. You may want to check out our Important Links for Newbies About Chemotherapy. It will point you in the right direction for more information. You also might want to check out the Starting Chemo October 2014 thread, to join the conversation with others going through treatment along with you.

    (((Hugs)))

    The Mods

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2014

    For me - port surger was easy but mine was done the day before the 1st neoadjuvant A/C so had not had any prior surgery.  The area was 'tender' but not painful.  I did get out of doing barn chores for 2 weeks as surgeon told Hubby I couldn't do any lifting for 2 weeks so he and Son took over barn chores.

    I had mine put in by my Surgeon in OR at the local hospital.  I woke up in OR in time to see Surgeon walking out the door. (I'm hard to keep 'knocked out')  He went to talk to Hubby and told him it'd be about 2 hrs before I'd be ready to go home so he left.  I never went to Recovery but was taken straight to Discharge.  They called him to come get me and he was still in the parking lot.  During the time it took him to park again and get up to the surgery floor, I had gotten dressed, eaten a good muffin and drank some less than good OJ (definately not good FL OJ) and was ready to leave.  Remember - everyone is different though.

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  • annika12
    annika12 Member Posts: 433
    edited October 2014

    I did 4 AC and 12 taxol , not gonna lie it sucked  BUT even after my very 1st the tumor had shrunk 60% and when I had my surgery (after chemo) I had what's called a complete response....no cancer cells could be found. I would suggest to find a chemo group on this board for the months you start, it really helped to have other women who went through the same stuff at the same time !! My bs placed my port and did a great job Placing it where it doesn't show !! Good luck and you will find a lot of comfort "talking" to women here !!!

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited October 2014

    hi ilovecoasters I am in the middle of AC + T.  I finished AC and will be starting taxol on October 14 th.  AC was no walk in the park but it was. doable.  I felt pretty crummy on days 3 and 4 then snapped out of it.  My treatments were every 3 weeks. I did have more good days than bad. I m a little nervous about taxol although my onco and the oncology nurse said it would be easier than AC.  I hope so.

    Take care

    Nancy

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  • JoeyJamesMom
    JoeyJamesMom Member Posts: 110
    edited October 2014

    Hi, Ilovecoasters.

    The port surgery wasn't bad at all for me.  I didn't experience any pain during, or after.

    I was awake too.  I felt pressure when the Dr. was putting the port into place, but that was it.

    I wasn't even given a script for pain meds. when I left.

    I thought for sure I would be calling to get some later, but never needed them.

    You will do well :-)

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2014

    I wasn't given a script - didn't want one as I already had vicodin for my back.  Hubby was given a script for oxy for me when Surgeon talked to him after implant.  Dr apparantly told him that there was no reason for me to be in pain and that it's easier to keep under 'control' than to get it back under control - at least that's how Hubby 'heard' him.  So, we had to fill it even though I didn't want to.  Got home and Hubby insisted 'Dr said', so I did take one to humor him BUT when he woke me to take another one - well lets just say this old WAC (with her 'colorful' language when called for) turned the air blue.  Hubby's can be so 'silly' at times.

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  • linzer
    linzer Member Posts: 164
    edited October 2014

    I'll be starting AC this week. Had port placed... you can read about it here:

    www.her2whoneu.blogspot.com

    I finished my 12 Taxol/Herceptin/Perjeta tx's at the end of August. For me, it wasn't bad at all. Keep up with drinking, making sure you rinse your mouth, and take something to try to prevent neuropathy. I did L-glutamine powder 30 grams a day along with a potent  B complex. No neuropathy. Also, use Biotene toothpaste along with coconut oil pulls and baking soda / salt rinses to prevent sores. If you get heartburn, don't hesitate to ask for Prilosec. Stay ahead of it. I had diarrhea, but that mostly came from the Perjeta. It can be managed with Immodium (gave me cramps) or L-glutamine or pro-biotic. Go into it with an "I can do this" attitude and you will be much better off for it. Also, try to walk or get exercise daily. It helps a lot. I walked 20 miles a week while on Taxol and it did wonders for my energy and outlook. Good luck! You've got this!

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