April 2015 Chemo Crew... Starting in April? Please join us!

I finished my last dose dense AC last week and am supposed to start weekly Taxols next Wed. I see that some people are on dose dense Taxol. How is that going? Does anyone still do the old protocol of every three weeks? Since I am doing the cold caps I would love to have less visits. I saw a PA today and she said she had never heard of anyone getting dose dense Taxol. I detest this PA and she made it seem like I was crazy to think others do something other than the 12 visits.

I really would much rather not have to go every single week this summer. With the cold caps I need to stay and extra 4 hours after the chemo so it is a long day.

Melissa, I know Jen and I are doing dose dense Taxol. I had two consultations with MO - the Boston one said 4 dose dense. When I went to the satellite MO, she said that they do ~95% of the patients with 12 weekly Taxol because it's easier on the system, and makes no difference in the outcomes. I opted for what Boston recommended, and I prefer to be done a month sooner as well as not have to go every week. I have a 2 week vacation scheduled, so that would mean having to spend 2-3 days (with travel) getting back to have treatments.

I think Jen's up for 2nd Taxol this Thursday.

I will say, it was a long day - 7 hours, but I did have a complication with my port that might have shaved off ~30-45 minutes.

Lynne

Wow. Kbeee. That just takes my breath away when I see or hear of one who has been doing this for years. And moms with babies and young children. You and many in our group included. It really puts it all in perspective. My best to you today and all our chemo sabes in the chair today.

well had my first taxol treatment and didn't have any reactions- thank god. My nurses said I handled it like a champ. I'm so proud of my body for taking it and not having any reactions. I hope the next 11 are just as easy. Now let's see what se I suffer.

Gingeel how did you do? And how did you other ladies feel after your taxol? And when did se kick in?

Rpayton: good for you, this is no time to be working full time, particularly in a stressful job. I have been on sick leave since late Feb. and have recently been approved for LTD, which should kick in late July, about the time my sick bank runs out. I have no idea how some of you are still working, plus looking after families...I have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for you! All I have to look after is myself. And my hubby does a good job of that too...

Hope this week treats you all well. I am feeling okay 5 days post chemo, just weak and sweaty if I do too much! And still tired.

Thank goodness my housekeeper is here today

Andre

Hey Mell, I am doing Dose Dense, although my MO said if I couldn't handle it, I could always switch to weekly. Well, knock on wood, its been so much easier than AC! I am working full time, except for treatment days, and maybe a few hours here and there. I get dosed on Friday, so I sleep all day that day, and wake up Saturday not feeling too bad. I usually go get Nuelasta (yep, still doing that) on Saturday morning, then wander through the farmers market. I generally feel kind of steroid buzzy and weak, but not too bad. Afternoon, I sleep. Sunday, much the same, but bone and muscle pain kick in hard. Monday, full day of work, lots of mucous in nose, sore throught that lasts through the next 8 days or so. Tuesday I generally have the steroid crash and feel the worst...weepy and achy and fluish. After that its a slow improvement every day. My energy the second week has been good...nasal symptoms still hang on, but i have been hiking and running every day. Today, I actually hiked all day for work, from 0900-1500. So its totally doable, and much easier than AC!

glad everyone is doing well and littleblueflowers the neulasta was horrible to me. I'm glad to be done with that. But the ac usually caused my body to hurt also and then the neulasta didn't help matters.

Has anyone had an issue with low platelet count? When I got my labs today, mine was low...it was 115 (normal 150-450). Wonder how low before no treatment?

GingerChi - Did you get Herceptin and Perjeta also?

Good luck to all the ladies that went today!!

Princess, Didn't get to start Herceptin today. I have to get another heart Echo tomorrow. I haven't had one since I finished AC, so they wanted to be sure there was no damage before they start Herceptin. Wont be getting Perjeta since my insurance wouldn't approve it due to no node involvement. My MO appealed it twice, but no go!

Did you get both??

gingerchi I thought that you could get perjeta if your tumor was larger than 2cm? I dont really know how my oncologist got it approved but I had no node involvment and my tumor was 1.5cm and I am recieving perjeta although the MRI did show my tumor at 2cm but that was a week after my biopsy so my dr said it was very swollen and wasn't going to move me up

Had Taxol #1 today. The Benedryl hit me hard and made me sooo drugged and sleepy, but luckily I had no reaction either. Went in at 9am, didn't walk out til 4. Loooong day. Came home, went to Target with my mom, watched some tv, put kids to bed, and now I'm on here, feeling pretty good. I know I'll crash soon from the steriods. I'm just happy I feel so good. Glad you those of you that went in today also had an uneventful morning.

Littleblue, get it checked, stat! But, I'm sure like Stephmoen said, you're on chemo, so recurrences are probably unlikely. Don't stress yourself. Relax and deal with it tomorrow. Nothing you can do about it tonight, right? Stay positive. I'll be praying.

Night ladies.

GingerChi - my tumor is just at 2 cm and I'm getting perjeta - the MO didn't mention any trouble getting it approved?

Let's hope a restful night for all!!

lymph nodes get swollen for loooots of reasons not just cancer stay positive I know that's hard to do freaking cancer sucks

gingerchi, maybe it could? It seems to be actually really near or on the base of the cord that I already have...wondering if it's scar tissue from stuff being cut in there? Not sure if I have ever prodded around so hard in that particular area, when i founder it i was tring to mas sage that cord. Now it's sore too!