Chemo in June 2015

Hello Beautiful Warriors!

You are right lizannee - We can do this!

Today, I am celebrating the Midpoint of TC! 53 more days until the last scheduled chemo!

I am not sure if the changes in meds have done anything (no more Perjeta / no Benedryl pre-H), but my side effects are totally unpredictable. I never know what the day will bring. Cycle 1 & 3 - hungry all the time / bone pain/ no fatigue / pill managed nausea. Cycle 2 - no appetite / no bone pain / extreme fatigue / nausea. Cycle 1 & 2 - neuropathy. I guess I am like my kid with his schooling - consistently inconsistent!

My WBC bounced back to Cycle 1 levels this time, but my RBC and platelet have been consistently low. I am going to add more spinach to my diet and see if that helps. Before knowing I had cancer, I was getting crazy bruising on my legs after a soccer game. I took more vitamins and ate more spinach, which helped.

Finished 8/12 for my weekly taxol. I wonder what this week will hold for side effect increases or anything new. So far, my mouth which had been steady for a while had me thinking that I had too hot a coffee or soup yesterday, but of of course not, just a sore mouth. Losing what is left of my hair faster too and that doesnt usually start until Wednesday. May be an interesting week.

hopkins2015, sorry that you are having such a hard time of it. I started Taxotere + Cytoxan on June 18, with second treatment on 7/7. I had terrible bone pain after my first Neulasta shot. Try adding 2 Extra strength Tylenol every 6 hours to the Tramadol. I needed both to get comfortable. They reduced my Neulasta dosage from 6 mg to 4 mg for the second treatment. (My WBC count went from 4-18). I think the pain was more manageable the second time around, but I also was more pro-active with the meds. I'm still following the Claritin regimen as well, although I'm not sure it is doing anything!

It sounds like your trip to the Netherlands may have worn you out more than you think. Get more rest and drink as much as you can. I have discovered carbonated water on ice with a lemon wedge works for me.

Have the standard instructions on thrush not worked for you? From day1-10 I do a salt water rinse a minimum of three times a day. So far so good for me. ( I know it is yucky, but if it works, it's worth it!

Good luck, you can get through this!,

My hair started falling out at 14 days and on day 18 I had it buzzed. Now at day 34 I still have short dark hairs but the gray seems to have grown a bit and I have not lost hair anywhere else. Is there a point where it all goes?

zzlady I'm on weekly taxol but it came before AC so you're still going to pushing that out of your system the first month. I seem to be reverse of almost everyone taxol, then AC then radiation then surgery.

For me, the first 3-4 weeks were quite easy. I almost felt like a fraud. The benadryl to avoid the allergic reaction put me to sleep for a few hours but that was it. My hair started mass thinning on week 3, and now only the grey is left (I shaved it). But I'm guessing the AC probably took yours already so it may start a slow regrowth of some while on taxol (or not).

Starting in week 5 is when I noticed the biggest changes. Fatigue which has been slow to that point slammed into me. I get chemo on Monday and Thursdays totally suck the big one. I've been able to work until now but as of this week am taking Thursdays off and have arranged for people to run my kids ragged on Thursday evenings. This week the joint pain in areas where I already had some arthritis flared up (knees and the thumb on my writing hand are worse). I kinda hobble around. Wednesday is a bit of a ramp up and Friday a ramp down of Thursday.

Things could be worse and I know will be on AC but overall weekly Taxol isn't bad most of the days of the week. I've finished 8 of the 12 weekly treatments.

Have someone with you the first appointment for sure though to actually watch you. I know a few people who even with the dexamethasome and benadryl still had the allergic reaction (you'll know fast).

But it's working so in some ways that makes it "worth" it. My tumor is noticeably shrinking and I'm hoping the 8 million or so nodes affected are also seeing the cancer die off. That is what keeps me going, every week.

lizannee - I am nine days out from my second TC, so you are a bit ahead of me! I have some of those red bumps you mentioned on your scalp, but I have seen a lot of people mention them. I read baby shampoo and hydrogen peroxide can help, so I am going to try that. So far with Claritin really no bone pain on the Neulasta and just one really tired day this cycle. My WBC dropped really low after a week the first cycle, but bounced back really well so they didn't even test it this time. Hope that's okay! I had a gentle massage two days after chemo and it felt very healing. I actually felt better this round than last, so maybe it helped? I have a fitbit and have tried to make my goal 8,000 steps a day through chemo. On down days it can be 2-3,000 but on many days I can do over 10,000 and I really think the walking mitigates the overall SE's because mostly I feel good. Feel good, ladies and hang in there!

The head bumps are folleculitis (or however you spell it). I wipe my head with witch hazel then I put a couple of drops of tea tree oil in some pure aloe vera gel and slather on. It took away any itch or pain and the bumps slowly heal (each week then come back the next after the next treatment as more hair falls out) . I was a complete failure this week, with my nutrophils so low they postponed my chemo until next week. It would have been 9/12. Sucks.

I posted more detail on the weekly taxol thread. Short version is my doc took my Decadron down today from 20mg to 12 mg. (I had already had an allergic reaction 1st go around).

We start the infusion. 10minutes in I have a reaction. My heart rate soars to 145 and my blood pressure goes through the roof. I start having irregular beats. I push the panic button. We stop the taxol..more steriods. I start shaking uncontrollably.

We decide to add back the extra Decadron wait a half hour and try again. 4 mind into try 2 the same thing happens. My heart rate soars and begins to beat irregularly and I break out in hives and my blood pressure sky rockets. I get more steroids.

So that's it. I've developed some sort of cardiac hypersensitivity. We switch to Abraxane next week.

I was so frightened. And I'm bummed about the switch. I know it should work the same but what if it doesnt? I'm so full of steroids I feel anxious and racy...I was at the hospital all day.

Anyone have a port? I woke up this morning with my port buldging against my skin...I have chemo treatment day after tomorrow...wonder if they can fix it at chemo...or if I need to call my surgeon....or evenif they have to do surgery to fix it? Arrrggggg!

Went for round 4 of tchp today and they wouldn't proceed due to my platelets being extremely low. First it was my liver enzymes, now this. Feeling pretty discouraged and frustrated today at the delay. Prayers for those platelets to increase would be so greatly appreciated. I hope all of you ladies are having better luck this week! I am reminding myself that God's plan is better than mine!!

Queen_Celeste, thanks for the support, I've had my port since June 5th....since then I've had 2 chemo rounds, and I can see that it is a hugh advantage - this is the first time I've noticed a problem - But after calling my surgeon, I did not get a call back....hummm.....But my Onc's nurse called and doesn't seem worried. I'll find out in the morning - we may have to use my veins instead - we'll see what happens. I think tomorrow they might be more concerned. Changing the subject....does anyone sleep regular hours - for months I've been trapped in staying up all night - then sleeping @ 5,6 hours in the morning. I'm getting plenty of sleep - just turned all around - which makes those morning appts aweful - well, just the getting their and getting started. Maybe I can nap during chemo - although I'm a terrible "napper'. I'm so proud, envious, of all you ladies who see the bright side of every thing! If any of you want to vent a little, I'll write your speach for those of you who are too nice to complain! That was supposed to be a joke - not sure it came out right - but it is 4am, I gotta be up at 7 - maybe I will just stay up. Prayers and Blessings to each and everyone!

I just finished my 4th A/C treatment. The side effects have been slim to none but infections have been my problem.

I got a superficial infection in my upper port incision after treatment #2. I was on antibiotics for 10 days.

I noticed at treatment #3 that my port was a bit sore but I brushed it off. 1 week later I woke up with a fever and ended up in the hospital from Tuesday to Sunday due to a bacterium infection in my blood.

They ended up taking out my port. I currently have a picc line as I'm getting 24 hour/day antibiotic infusions until 8/20.

They had to put in an IV yesterday for my 4th treatment. In 2 weeks, I start my dense dose Taxol treatments.

I was diagnosed 4/16 and started chemo 6/11 however we thought at first we were just going to get this sucker (3.1cm tumor) out right away then do all the other "stuff" but NOPE! Chemo (A/C) first, because this tumor is a little weird shaped.... Thursday I do round 3 then I will have one more. I really need to ask because I was under the impression we re-evaluate with MRI to determine how much its shrunk (I can feel it has, Im constantly feeling my boobies now!) then do a lumpectomy....but the more and more Im reading here a lot of people do weekly taxol for months then do surgery! I just want this crap outta me all ready....Im running out of patience..

Has anyone else had treatments postponed due to platelets being extremely low