Cytoxan and Taxotere ?

Hi,Ladies:
I've gotten myself together somewhat now. Thanks for letting me freak out. There are just those moments when I'm in so much pain I can't take it. Severe pain at the base of my skull, and all around my forehead. And when I lay down, it hurts worse. On top of that, the TC has given me a very painful stomach ulcer that feels raw - like a scraped knee, but on the inside. In those moments, I feel like there's never going to be a time when this is behind me. I know that it will pass, it just hurts so much. I do plan to go to the onc nurses tomorrow. And tonight I am going to try sleeping in a seated position.

Jessie, I hope I haven't worried you.

Cynthia:
Have you tried Sitz bath yet? I sit in it twice a day. Warm water with a little vinegar. It does help.

Lisa: Curious to know what your doctor has to say abut your bad headaches...

Hi. I'm popping in from the June '07 chemo thread. I keep up with you fellow TC folks even though I don't always post.
Jessie - I was ready for all hair to go which most of it did on day 17-18. I have about as much hair left as my 8 month old grandson has on his head. Maybe that's what they mean by "thin" hair. You will need that wig.
Lisa - What does your onc say about the headaches? Allergy headaches start at the base of my skull and go to the sides of my head. Could you be allergic to chemo??? Or other stuff they are giving you? Just a thought. There is never a dull moment with this experience. I know the pain just makes it that much harder to bear. All are in my prayers.
Linda

Hi Lisa,

So glad you got a bit of relief, but I'm sorry you had to go to the ER and still had to fight for help. I'm wondering if maybe it is an allergy to the Neulasta. One of the se's I get from the Neupogen is heart arrythmias and tachycardias and I was told it's an allergic reaction. My onc nurse told me to take Benedryl. I hope you start feeling better!

Cynthia

Hi my name is Barb and I am brand new to this site....I am on Taxotere and Cytoxan and wondering the average tx number most women are receiving...4 or 6?

Thanks for your reply! I have know this particular MD for about 12 yrs, as I am a nurse practitioner and he mentioned 6 treatments with TC 3 weeks apart...I have bargained for 5 instead! I finished the second last Thursday and had more nausea,,,the first was a breeze! I am StageIIa, one node involved,mass was 12mm, Herneg estrogenpositive. I opted out of the Adriamycin secondary to the cardio effects although the MD mentioned 4 DD AC and Then 4 TC which I thought was overkill!

Hello ladies
Barbeqrn: I saw your question about 4 vs 6 cycles TC. If you find more info please let me know. My onc asked me the same question: how many do I want to have (???). I think the standard treatment is 4 cycles every 3 weeks, but it seems they do not have enough data to say if 4 cycles tx is as good as 6 or if more cycles have an advantage (the only official trial with TC I found was a comparison of 4 cycles TC vs 4 cycles AC and TC seemed to be better). It also seems to me that oncs are a bit cautious when they omit the A part and switch from the AC + T regime to TC. Quite often they tend to counteroffer 6 cycles of TC. However, please let me know if you find more because I am still trying to solve my dilemma: How many bloody cycles should I have ? ...

I really sympathize with all of you ladies who do not feel well after the chemo course. I wish I could have a magic trick to send you all my support and caring feelings.

Joanne-Elisabeth: Many people seem to have different reactions to each cycle. I hope you will get better soon. After a few days the symptoms subside. Although some say there is no accumulative effect of chemo, logic would indicate the opposite. All the damage chemo does in the healthy cells cannot be fully repaired by the time the next course hits, so I guess to a certain degree there is accumulative toxicity. I hope it is not much. Fatigue is also accumulative … and our the levels of our patience drop …

Keep your courage ladies, we will do it and be out soon.

Daphne98

Joanne, I totally hear you about the hair! Between the 20 lbs I've lost and the big bald spot, I look like a little old man.

Cynthia: I think the Neulasta is now officially on my sh%@ list
I'd like to say that the headache meds helped. But they turned out to be my worst nightmare.Yesterday was pure hell. The drugs that they gave me for my headaches (Vicoden and Tylenol w/codeine) caused a severe reaction, and I was vomiting throughout the day. I had to just lie around and wait for it to leave my system.All this while the head was pounding. I cried alot. I thought it would never end. But my girlfriends (one is a doctor) helped me through it, and by the end of the day I ate applesauce

Miraculaous good news: I got a full night's sleep, and I woke up with a minor headache today!

My onc will not be thrilled to hear that I am vetoing the Neulasta shot...but he'll have to cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it. It does more harm than good in my body.

Hi all...I've been watching, waiting, and learning and I figure that now I should just jump in...

My name is Kaye, dx 3/27/07 originally as "Mucinous Carcinoma" (which is comparatively less alarming - if there is such a thing), but after lumpectomy and SLND on 5/7 I was re-dx IDC, w/ one node involved. Had 2nd lumpectomy and Axillary LND 6/25 (longest two months of my life) at a National Cancer Center where they found another positive node (.5mm) making 2 of 14 total nodes taken) and residual DCIS. So presently, I'm Stage IIa, IDC, ER+,PR-, HER2/neu-. After a bone scan they found "uptake" consistant with either arthritis or met in my L4 lumbar. (I'm pretty sure it's arthritis, but I'm having another MRI on Thursday to be sure and then (if there are no surprises from that MRI) I start the TC regimen August 1st at 2:00.

We chose the TC because of the heart issues with the A. I have a huge problem with Vasovagel Syncopy...my heart stops when I vomit, so we try to avoid that at all costs!)

So right now, I'm waiting, and learning from all of you...Any suggestions for this next week to ready myself?

K

Hi Kaye,
I am on day 7 of my second tx. I have also tried to keep active, but the fatigue is overwhelming to me at times, I practically pass out especially days 4 and 5 it seems while I am just sitting watching tv or a movie. Naussea hasn't been a big issue, but driving in cars makes me somewhat queasy, headachy especially the first couple days. Those were good suggestions about trashy novels, or one of my favs Oprah magazine. I also bring snacks like a cut apple and crackers to the infusion room. My last one took over 4 hrs - which does get long. I finally told my DH to start squeezing the IV bags! He didn't but it can feel long.
Also I would get done before anything you feel has to get done the first couple days, shopping, changing sheets kind of things. I am not too productive the first few days. The good news is about a week later I am starting to remember what normal feels like.
Joanne
PS The one SE I seem to have had is insomnia - I wake at about 4am every morning.

Hi Barb,
They have me on 4, but I'm wondering about why that instead of 6...

I have 4 cycles of TC too.
I am sooooo bald now. A few hairs left, but you can totally see my scalp. So wht do I still have to shave my legs??!! That doen't seem right

Hello ladies
I am glad that most of you seem to be doing pretty well.
A quick question about hair: I still have my hair after the first TC tx (I am on day 20). Actually, everything was still in place (!) until day 17. After that day I started loosing some hair, but nothing significant on my head. In contrast, other parts of my body, particularly the pubic area, were on a glorious trip to "baldness". I have my next TC tx on Wednesday, what shall I expect ? To loose everything straight away ?
I forgot to mention that I used the cooling cap in my first tx. I don't know if it helped or simply some women loose their hair after the second round. What is your experience ?
Warm regards

Daphne98

Thanks Jessie,
I've got my chemo bag packed, and I'm ready. (Famous Last Words, eh?)
I SOOO appreciate this board.
I'll keep you posted
k

Hi Kristi
Welcome to the club. I am sorry about your troubles, we are all in the same boat and try our best. It seems to me that you have very good chances to be done for ever with the whole story soon. Have this in mind and remain optimistic. I guess you have a hormone receptor-positive tumour and that's why your onc did not insist strongly on chemo. According to the latest studies TC is a good choice for you. I am close to your age (40y) and have 4 courses of TC + 2 courses of T every 3 weeks, for a 1.4cm IDC, node negative, triple negative lump. I am having my 2nd tx tomorrow.
I found the first tx very mild. Nothing major: fatigue for 2 days, some minor muscles aches and slightly distorted taste in the mouth. I had no nausea or vomiting at all, to the point I took 1/3 of the anti-emetics they prescribed for me. I did not need any painkillers. I had tummy upset for a couple of days, but nothing significant. So far, I had no signs of neuropathy. I still have my hair, but it started thinning. Also, I have managed to carry on with work.
I saw my onc today and he was very encouraging: he said that usually the reaction to the first tx good predictor on how you will handle the whole treatment. Symptoms like nausea, pains, taste etc are not accumulative. Usually you follow the pattern that you see in the first course after each treatment (I cross my fingers !). Fatigue and neuropathy can be accumulative and you always have to be careful with infections.
Nevertheless, the side effects vary a lot from person to person and you can never predict it until you start. I was scared and prepared for the worse - I guess like you - but it has been OK. I know that other women had problems and really feel for them and would like to give them all my support and encouragement. However, overall TC seems to be "easier" and less toxic compared to other chemo tx.
Good luck with your decision. The most difficult part is to make it, once you do it you start moving.