Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013

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  • CatsRus
    CatsRus Member Posts: 310
    edited August 2015

    Congrats on reaching your last TC, Rebecca54. I wish you a speedy recovery and health! take care.
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  • Rebecca54
    Rebecca54 Member Posts: 78
    edited September 2015

    anybody had foot and ankle swelling as a result of tc? I'm almost 3 weeks out and it's bad!

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited September 2015

    Rebecca 54, no foot and ankle swelling, but I did get really bad irritation on the back of my heels and ankles.. Lasted for about a week, could barely walk in my sneakers as it kept rubbing...then a week later it all blistered and peeled. MO says not a side effect of TC...only ACT... . So I guess there are certain side effects that you can get that are rare... Hope it goes away. Almost sounds like you are retaining water.. I had that after surgery.

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  • Thunder7
    Thunder7 Member Posts: 73
    edited September 2015

    Rebecca54,

    So sorry to hear about the foot and ankle swelling, hope you goes away soon.

    Thunder7

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  • JosieDS
    JosieDS Member Posts: 12
    edited September 2015

    Rebecca, My friend had the ankle/calf swelling with TC. It eventually went away, a FEW MONTHS after treatment ended. She did take water pills from her oncologist and was told it is a side effect. It is temporary!

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  • Rebecca54
    Rebecca54 Member Posts: 78
    edited September 2015

    Thanks you guys. I emailed my onc and no reply so I figured I wasn't dying but it's not listed as a SE. peace!


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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    My biggest SE is my lack of sleep on the steroids. I sleep about 2 hours/night for 5 nights while on them. My MO is cutting me back to one steroid/day for next round. He said 2 per day is overkill. Hopefully that will help. The sleep deprivation is a killer!

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  • Scarlett152
    Scarlett152 Member Posts: 175
    edited September 2015

    Rebecca, I definitely have swollen feet and ankles. Also my hands and wrists. Are you by chance getting Zolodex injections?

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  • Rebecca54
    Rebecca54 Member Posts: 78
    edited September 2015

    No Zolodexm but am getting Neulasta.I feel like my whole body is swollen!

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  • Sloan15
    Sloan15 Member Posts: 896
    edited September 2015

    Hi. I'm glad I found this TC group. Yesterday I finished #2 if 4, so 50% completed. The SE haven't been too bad so far aside from plunging WBC and headaches on days 4 and 5 after chemo. Oh, the headaches.

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  • pink_sg
    pink_sg Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2015

    Hi, I had my second TC infusion on 24/8, 9 days later developed hives all over the body, lips were swollen as well. Got steroid jab and been on antihistamine medicine since. Hands and feet are still with rashes. Anyone has the similar experience? Thanks.

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  • Marksgirl
    Marksgirl Member Posts: 65
    edited September 2015


    Hi Pink

    You are not alone with the rash/hives after TC.    Here is a link to a thread specifically about that.  https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/769465?page=1

    I think the rash put me at one the lowest points ever in this whole process.   Zyrtek worked great for me and then prevented it for my last infusion.   Zyrtek is in the same family as Benedryl but lasts longer.   Take good care of yourself and keep us posted!

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  • pink_sg
    pink_sg Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2015

    Hi Marksgirl, thank you for sharing the link. I am not sure if i can bare with the rash/hives through the next two treatments. I want to ask my MO next week if i can be switched to Abraxane.

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  • Sloan15
    Sloan15 Member Posts: 896
    edited September 2015

    My skin got really bumpy -not acne, but I did get a few of those, too-- and the NP thinks it was the steroids for me. They cut the steroids in half for #2, and my skin looks fine this time on day 4.

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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    Hi Sloan15 - my steroids were cut in half for #3 so I can get some sleep this round! I hope it works. Round 3 is tomorrow.

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  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,804
    edited September 2015

    Suzanne, I just finished my steroids from round one last night, and I am seriously asking for a cut also to see if I can get more sleep. Good luck with Round Three and I will be very interested to hear what difference cutting the steroids makes!

    Thanks, Octogirl.

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  • Sloan15
    Sloan15 Member Posts: 896
    edited September 2015

    Suzanne and Octogirl - They cut my steroids in half for #2, and honestly, I hardly had any side effects this time! I was tired on day 3 of second treatment, but now I feel normal again. I felt closer to nausea this time (as steroids help help the stomach lining), but I was ready to take my meds if necessary. I didn't need anything except neupogen shots. Waaaaay better for me. Good luck. Let me know how it goes!


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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    Octogirl - I was averaging 2 hours sleep/night for the 5 nights on steroids and it was brutal! My MO says that I don't need that much - it's "overkill".....plus I haven't had any reaction to the taxotere so he felt comfortable cutting it back.

    Will keep you posted!! Glad to hear that it is going well for you Sloan15!!

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  • Melrosemelrose
    Melrosemelrose Member Posts: 3,018
    edited September 2015

    Wishing each of you in the midst of chemoland the best and minimal side effects!!!! Glad each of you has found each other here and have found support !!!!

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  • CinderellaNC
    CinderellaNC Member Posts: 36
    edited September 2015

    I was wondering if there are any folks on this thread getting TC for Triple negative breast cancer because I am. I had my first dose on July 31st, 2nd on August 21st and had the Third this past Friday. so far it really hasn't been too bad, no nausea at all, steroids the day of treatment and two days after do play with my sleep some but feel like the benefits of taking them outweigh the sleep issue which wears off after stopping them.Then that is when the headaches and stiff neck start up a bit and after last treatment I had an annoying sore throat for several days. All of these things , though, were easily treated with ibuprofen and Tylenol in steady doses for several days. I have not needed the neulasta shot so far as my white blood cell counts and other counts have come back in a good enough range to not need the shot. I am grateful for that and hope that holds through my last treatment October 2nd. At first I was told I would probably do dose dense AC for 8weeks then followed by twelve weeks of Taxol but the Tumor board decided unanimously that TC for twelve weeks would be a better course of treatment for my early stage cancer. I have no complaints about avoiding Adriamycin and the longer and harsher course of treatment. Most triple negatives get the dose dense AC followed by Taxol. Anyway I take it all a day at a time and am thankful that so far it has not been as bad as I expected , knock on wood. Well, just wishing all of you ladies better, brighter, easier days ahead. Just keep the faith that they will come! Oh. I will be forgoing radiation after chemo and having a bilateral mastectomy . These dense breasts are too much of a worry for me now.

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  • rok1
    rok1 Member Posts: 7
    edited September 2015

    Hi Ladies - thank you for your posts. There is so much encouragement and information on here, it's wonderful. I had a bi-lat mastectomy with reconstruction and am about 6 weeks post-op. I am beginning my chemo journey soon, having a port put in on Thursday and then chemo will start within a week or so after that. I'll have four treatments, one every three weeks. I'm crazy nervous and anxious about the chemo side effects, but all of the tips and stories on here have been extremely helpful. Thank you all for taking the time to post.

    xoxo

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited September 2015

    rok1 - sorry you're here but welcome. In addition to this thread, look for a chemo of the season. Sometimes they are monthly, like September 2015 chemo. And sometimes by the season, like fall 2015 chemo. It really helped me to follow along with people in treatment the same time I was.

    Cinderella - welcome to you also. What a mess. Like I posted for rok1, hope you joined a chemo board to share with.

    Interesting steroid discussion. I took one the day before chemo, two the day of chemo, one the day after and one on day four. Another cancer patient told me that tapering off to one & one really helped to avoid that huge drop. Note: I avoided any nausea and that was my goal.

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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    I was taking 2/day for 5 days starting the day before chemo. This round I am only taking one. The first night I slept! So a good sign. Today - chemo day- I had more steroid in my premeds ....before chemo so that may throw things off for tonight.

    My first round I had a major crash after coming off of them. The second round I didn't sleep again but no major crash. I do feel that the steroids take awhile to get out of my system. It has been my biggest side effect. So am hoping this round is better.

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  • Rebecca54
    Rebecca54 Member Posts: 78
    edited September 2015

    Suzanne I hated the steroids too (so did my poor husband)!

    I took 1/2 Ambien when I was on steroids so I could sleep.

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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    Good news - the steroids cut back has made a difference in my sleep. I slept through the night last night. I do think my tummy is "off" a bit more this round than last two rounds. Would that be due to steroid cut back? I think it helps you feel better. At least I am sleeping.

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  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,804
    edited September 2015

    Suzanne, at my MO apt to check in a week post round one, I asked about the steroids. He said he can cut back a little but that it does help with the tummy issues among other things...so I think that could be a trade off. Would appreciate continuing to hear your updates and hope it goes well. Glad you got some sleep!

    Octogirl

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  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    I just finished my 5 days of steroids half dose. The good news is I got sleep every night. The bad news is I definitely felt worse all around - especially tummy so I agree, it is a trade off. I see my MO next Tuesday and I will discuss with him. I definitely felt better the first two rounds. I like my sleep but I also like to feel well. I just have one more round so we'll see.

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  • CatsRus
    CatsRus Member Posts: 310
    edited September 2015

    Hi all... My stomach was really upset because of the Decadron so I had to take pills to counteract that. For my third infusion my MO said I could reduce the Decadron which was better for my stomach but it definitely took me longer to recover.... though it could just have been the cumulative effect. Take care all and I wish for minimal SEs for those still going through it. I'm 9 weeks out now and feeling good, you'll get there too!!

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  • jarris77
    jarris77 Member Posts: 100
    edited September 2015

    CinderellaNC, I also had TC for triple negative breast cancer. I had 4 treatments, 3 weeks apart and also had minimal side effects. I too avoided radiation by opting for a bilateral mastectomy before I had chemo. My mother and sister were both diagnosed prior to my diagnosis and I wanted to do everything I could to lower my risk of having to go thru this again.

    Best wishes.

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  • AG3
    AG3 Member Posts: 80
    edited September 2015

    Hi.  

    I'm glad i found this board. Really good info from all  my fellow TC ladies.

    I am having my 2nd infusion this Monday. My MO is reducing my decadron to 2 tablets (4mg each) the night before and 2 tablets the day of.

    My first infusion I had to take 5 tablets the day before and 5 tablets the day off. I suffered acidity and heartburn which was relieved by Prilosec.

    Hope the reduction in steroids works.


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