Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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Sunshine, I will be thinking about you tomorrow when I start my first chemo. The ony dr. prescribed the pre-chemo pill: Dexamethasone. I need to take four pills today and 4 pills on Friday. Supposed to have steroids. I got so much nausea this morning, so I called the dr office and they said this is not uncommon. I hope that this is not a sign of things to come. My husband plans on taking me out for a special dinner tonight prior to getting started with the chemo tomorrow.
Ok, so I might as well just pull out my scarves, hats, etc from the last time. I didn't mind being bald. I was easier to get ready especially if you are low energy.
For my other sisters, I am former Army and one thing that the military did teach me; stand strong and face your fears. You are defeated only if you run. I am standing strong, but with some shaking going on....
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Hey goldilocks,
The dexamethasone made me jittery. I hope the nausea is "just" anticipatory - not that that makes it any easier. Ask them about Aloxi or some other long acting anti-nausea med they can put in your IV.
Did they give you a prescription for anti-nausea meds? This isn't the time to be "Army Strong" and not take meds if you need them. Do, however, be "Army Strong" and fight this cancer for all you're worth!
Enjoy your dinner out with your husband. I was afraid to eat the night before my first chemo, but we did go out to eat that evening after my first session.
I'll be sending you warm thoughts, prayers and cyber hugs tomorrow. Your sisters are here for you!
Sunshine
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Good luck tomorrow Goldilocks! Did the steroid pills make you nauseous maybe? Mine give me a terrible stomachache. I take 2 in the AM and 2 again in the PM the day before/of/after chemo. I've started taking Zantac (150mg twice a day) and it helps a lot. Keep us posted on how round 1 goes for you-- we're here when you need us
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Good luck tomorrow Goldilocks.. I go Tues and they have prescribed the steroid and zantac...6 and 12 hours before...
Sunshine - a good idea dinner afterwards...I go at 1245, so that might work out...
Thank you to all here....it is helping with all my anxiety....
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SharonS - The haircut & dentist visit went very well! Thanks!
It looks like a bunch of us have some sort of military connection. I am retired Army and served in the Gulf War. My Husband is still in and did a stint in Iraq. I know the 'double stress effect' so hang in there!
Are there any other "military folk" out there?
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I am going to start my chemo on 3/3 with t/c, how long does it normally take, I will have a port, this is my second time with bc. This spring would have been 13 years cancer free, but I will be fine and fight it. Thanks, lotodgs
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I start chemo tomorrow, Feb. 21.
Goldilocks: Sorry to hear about the nausea after taking the steroids. I took two of the same this morning after breakfast and have felt a little queasy, but I think it's just anxiety about whether I'll have side effects to the steroids! Did they tell you to take them with food or milk? I take two more steroids tonight and have been told by the onc nurse that I can take Ativan if I have trouble sleeping. Tomorrow and the next two days I take 2 steroids and Emend for nausea. Before the chemo I will get more steroid and anti-nausea (will try to remember to ask what they give me) and benadryl. I'm trying an IV rather than a port. Friday I get the Neulasta shot.
It's been good to hear from others how long it takes til the chemo really hits, since I hope to be going to work when I feel well. I was planning to have chemo on Fridays, but my onc wanted me to start on a Thursday because there are people available in the hospital the next day rather than on the weekend in case I have a reaction. Isn't that reassuring? I'll see how this first round goes, then decide whether to have chemo on Thursdays or even Wed.
Thanks for all your sharing--it's been a big help as I prepare for this.
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Hi everyone. I am a newbie and am getting the first of my 4 TC's on 2/27, 2 days after my 63rd birthday. Isn't that fun! I have read all the messages on this thread and thank goodness I found you. The doc just skimmed over s/e's and I haven't talked to the nurses yet. From reading your messages I have made a list of items to have on hand and questions to ask the onc nurses.
I am going for a haircut on Friday; I should just skip it since it will soon fall out, but it is in a bad stage now and I want it to be decent till it's gone. I had to give up my estrogen patch and now my hair is so oily. Yuck. Even though I am er/pr- my gyno said to not even think about getting my patches back! So the hot flashes are back too.
Does anyone on here take Protonix? I get bad acid reflux and have been taking Protonix every 3 days for awhile now. I see many of you are taking Zantac. I have a script for steriod pills for before, during and after and I sure hope they don't rip up my stomach.
You are a great group and I look forward to many conversations even though the subject is not very pleasant!
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now I'm bald. Since most of you seem to have your hair start falling out on day 14 or 15, I decided to shave it on day 13. Figured it was less traumatic to be bald. Now I have to figure out if I'll do the wig or scarf when I go to work tomorrow. Trouble is that I bike to work, so I'll have to see if the hat or wig fit under the helmet.
I should have gotten a longer wig though - last night a rash appeared like magic. Gee every day I wake up & wonder what kind of s.e. I'll come up with that day.
jt: good idea getting your haircut. Anything that will help you feel confident going into the chemo room.
lotodgs: the first time they take it slow to see how you react to the Taxotere. If you have a reaction, they stop it immediately and give you something to counter the effect. Thats when the time starts mounting up. I was in for four hours the first time. Haven't had the second so I don't know if they'll just give me more steroids in the IV straight out.
Trina: Hope you're feeling better by now.
KathyL: chemo brain is a lot like old age. It scares me that I'm becoming like my 95 year old mother way too soon. I do hope it goes away when chemo ends. I'm also having trouble typing - spelling things even worse. I have to go everything a million times.
jstohlman: my onc only does the same thing - only giving blood tests the day before treatment. I wonder if not getting something is why I've been so tired since the treatment.
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guitargrl, thanks for the advice, I guess i will just have to wait and see, as we all know, the anxiety of waiting!!!!Hang in there. I am going to get my hair cut even shorter than it is and probably will get shaved the week after the 1st treatment, hope the rash goes away, do you have something to help heal that? Have a good day. lotodgs
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Hi girls! hope everyone is doing OK. Good luck to beegirl today.
lotodgs: sorry you have to do this again. are you mets or recurrence? how long you're there depends on so much: what premeds you get, whether they check bloodwork that day or not... Here's how my center does it: Tuesday I go in for bloodwork and to see the onc. (saves me a lot of time on chemo day). Wednesday I go in for infusion-- premeds (now 3 since I had a taxotere rxn with round 2; run over about 1 hr), saline, taxotere (run over 1 1/2-2 hrs. now since I had rxn), cytoxan (run over 1/2 hr), herceptin (I'm her2+; this is run over 1 1/2 hrs.); I'm there about 5-6 hrs. Thursday I return for my Neulasta (my center doesn't always give this since there's only about 40% chance with TC of going "too low" on your WBCs, but since I ended up in the hospital after round 1 with neutropenic fever I've now "earned it"). Hope this helps. I'm getting 4 rounds of TC every 3 weeks(next week I do round 3), and herceptin for a year every 3 weeks.
beegirl: I get chemo Wed. AMs and I don't start having SEs until Friday afternoon or evening. Saturday is my owrst day, Sunday I start to improve, Monday is almost normal, Tuesday I'm pretty good. Most people seem to have it rough on days 3-5 like me (day 1 is chemo day).
jt1945: I am also er/pr- anbd they told me no hormones ever again, too. Not looking forward to menopause, but I'm 37 so hopefully it's a ways away for me. Here in DE the new thing the GYNs do is called hormone replacement pellets. They analyse what hormones you are deficient in (there are many besides estrogen), and replace only those-- so it's very individual. My friend just ahd this done and loves the results. And protonix I hear is great-- the "new Zantac"-- I'd stick with it if it's working for you.
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Good Morning all T/C sailors: I am feeling better tho I think I'm a little more tired this time than the first 2. At least constipation is gone replaced with that good old stand in - diarrhea...whoopee. At first you're just so happy to be "going" then it's like, whoa.
Welcome all of you new gals, glad you found us and truly hope that you can glean some good information but please don't get too scared reading about some of the side effects.....we are all so different and while we may share the constipation and fatigue, our other s/e's run the gamut. You will have your own unique experiences to share.
Susan: Congratulations on the bald-do. Can you just throw your wig or hat into a bag and put a knit cap under your helmet? You're lucky to be in CA - at this point up here in the frozen north I can't wear anything outside that isn't a wig with a scarf over that or a fleece hat that covers my head entirely. I'm looking forward to spring when I can just throw a baseball cap on to run to the store.
JT: Hopefully you won't end up in the hospital! I don't think that many do and often times your reactions may not show up for several days. I get my tx's on a Friday and have the weekend to recover. Are you getting Neulasta shots post chemo? We seem to all agree that it is THAT that we notice the most dramatic s/e's from. I'm going to suggest that you get some Prevention Mouthwash - they have a line designed strictly for the oncololgy patient....it's helped me - I haven't developed thrush since my first tx by using this.
I'm off to swim, love to get into that pool and stretch these muscles out. My leaden legs also love the whirlpool massage......hope you all have a good day.......((hug)) Trina
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I started t/c on 2/13/08. Took the Neulasta shot 24 hours later. The next morning I woke up with a rash and hives. Took 50mg of Benedryl every 3 hours for two days. It was really miserable. I am to see an allergist this Tues. to see what caused the reaction. Has anyone else experienced this? I have been so happy that I only have to have 4 treatments so I don't want to change. Someone told me to put tea tree oil on twice daily to save nails and toenails.
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Good luck today beegirl!
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Hi All and welcome to all the new posters!
Well, I had my 3rd treatment Friday and it was by far the worst. I had to take ds to the E. R. on Monday for xrays on his knee which he injured over the weekend. While there, I ended up have a fainting spell much like during #1. I was so embarrassed. They had a nurse come get me to the restroom and she gave me a whiff of smelling salts. I know it was all do to the stupid constipation just as it was first round. Managed to get past all of that and feeling well enough to drive home which I was glad cause ds, had injured his right knee and of course could not drive us. All was well until Monday night. I woke up feeling very fluish - with achy bones. Took some Tylenol and went back to sleep till had to get youngest ds to school. This is the first time I have really felt the whole sore achy bones. I also for the first time had the numb mouth feeling where everything just tasted like cardboard. Just laid around on Tuesday but was really unable to sleep which drives me crazy. Early that evening finally got things moving in the bm department, thankfully. I ended up crying on and off for about 4 hours that night which I have not been through that feeling either. Just totally feeling sorry for myself.
Yesterday I felt much better physically and mentally. I ended up going to a BC support group meeting last about nutrition. One of the ladies there who had just finished her treatment last month actually had hair last night! I was glad to see that hers had grown so much in one month and it looked straight so far.
Today I feel a bit achier than yesterday, but no where near like Tuesday. Today is usually the day I start with the Neulasta spasms. It usually starts around 5pm. I have been doing the Claritin experiment, though. I started the Claritin Monday morning before I went to get my shot. I have taken one everyday. I really don't think it is going to make a difference, but we'll see. I usually don't have this achy feeling on this day post treatment, so who knows.
I did get a bill for my first Neulasta shot yesterday. It was almost $600. I would guess that is probably why some doctors don't automatically give it. I have already fulfilled my out of pocket for this year, so I may as well keep getting it, if the insurance is going to pay for it.
Hope everyone is doing well. Good luck to anyone getting infusions today and tomorrow!
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Morning Ladies!
I have round 2 today. Took my dexamethasone yesterday and went into a mad house cleaning frenzy.
Then our pastor dropped by cuz we work on the church bulletins on Wednesdays and I was just chattering away like I was on speed! We always have fun together, but I about fell off my chair when he said, "Well, I'll get out of your hair now." I pulled my cap off and said, "There's not much to get out of!!" He was really embarrassed but I told him I thought it was funny and then we started laughing about it. Thank God for a sense of humor!
My husband came home kind of sick yesterday (I could tell he didn't feel well cuz he took a nap at 4:30 PM and pretty much slept through the night. He asked if we had a "barf bucket" he could keep by his side of the bed. Poor baby! He's up this morning, but I'm wondering if he should be taking me to my appointment. I'll call the chemo room nurse and ask her if they want him in the room with me. I'd like to have him there, but maybe he can wait outside the room or peek in and check on me...
He really is a dear - I asked him this morning is he thought he was suffering the SEs from chemo - he said, "Yeah, it feels like day 5."
Goldlilocks: I hope your day is starting well and that your stomach is feeling a little less anxious today. Let us know how your first session goes.
jt1945: I had my hair cut super short (GI Jane type) on day 12 after the first treatment. I actually enjoyed it and found it to be very liberating. The short pieces that are coming out how are much more managable.
Wishing the rest of you a SE free day!
Sunshine
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Correction: All the meds I mentioned before IV were in the IV, all the pre meds were taken oral includding stool softners(which was much better than laxitives for me!)I think Emend has been my friend!
I am 3rd day of tx#2, and the metalic taste has been very intense this round, bathroom troubles much better, my chest feels heavy today had my neulasta last night I think there is a connection there. Overall feeling quite qood, more tiered this round, not as hyper taking less steroids oncs suggestion.
Sharon and All of you, my heart goes out to everyone!!!!!!!!!We will all get through this ----life will continue!
oh I have to respond to you Sunshine--my poor hubby had the flu Sunday-Tuesday and what a trooper,with my treatment on Tuesday he still managed to get the kids to all their activities. He even stopped and picked up some head scarves that day for me!!God I love him! This whole experience let's us all know what is important in life!!
Patricia
Dx 12/18/2007, IDC, 2,3cm, Stage IIa, Grade 2, 0/2 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- tx TC0 -
oh I have to respond to you Sunshine--my poor hubby had the flu Sunday-Tuesday and what a trooper,with my treatment on Tuesday he still managed to get the kids to all their activities. He even stopped and picked up some head scarves that day for me!!God I love him! This whole experience let's us all know what is important in life!!
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Everyone's comments are so uplifting. Did get to go out last night and had a wonderful dinner, came home and the the second part of the Pre-chemo drugs along with 2 nausea pills. Did not get queazy. The nausea pills were prescribed after yesterday am's challenge. All better. First chemo this afternoon, so my stomach is in knots but trying to remain calm. Whew, that's a challenge.
It1945; you are not alone on the hot flashes. Thing is that since my first breast cancer I have had hot flashes at least 2 every hour for the past 5 years. The doctors have tried everything from Px's to otc and they only would get worse. Starting with the drugs yesterday my flashes grew 5 fold. Can we say FIRE INFERNO! Super soaker instantly. My hands, ears and feet could possibly even glow in the dark. Still only about every thirty minutes, but man...so hang in there. Hopefully you are not as unique and won't suffer too badly.
Bethannew; Having been through this crazy treatment before I have also experienced the bone Pain as a side effect from the Neulasta. The first time I took the shot within 6 hours I was in such pain that as I was walking down my hallway at home my body frozen and I could not move. My poor hubby couldn't touch me, and when I could finally speak through all the tears we called the emergency ony dr. and her response didn't come for an hour..she was in a concert;( She then said to take 3 extra strength Tylenol every 3-4 hrs till we could see how I was feeling in the morning. I spent the night right where I stopped, did manage to lay down there, but you couldn't touch me, and didn't want to deal with ambulance emergency since going to the hospital couldn't have done anything else. It was the worst thing I experience doing that shot. I know now that.
So, this time I am going into this with a positive attitude AND prayers of a great outcome with minimal side effects. I made my mental request/prayer that when this is all over, I will no longer have hot flashes, my hair will return thick, curly and blonde.(this last time it was fine/thin/and ugh color). I was kicking into diabetes the first time so I also request that after this I will be done with diabetes as well. If anything I'll drink to that.
Good luck and good wishes to all facing this, and thank you all my sisters for being here to guide me and praise me every step of the way.
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Checking in again ladies to say, I am back up and feeling alot better. You guys should learn by now that when I have my Pity Parties it is when I feel, physically, the worst. When my body doesn't ache, etc, is when I feel the best emotionally. So, I'm back up and fighting again!
PALady - I'm with you - this round was more about bones aching and mouth feeling awful than anything else. Not sure why but aching bones was the worst thing for me. And I am sooooooo glad that I haven't had constipation that some of you describe. I think the flax keeps me regular even during chemo. I am thankful for that small favor.
Guggerty - I always tell the nurse to write down anything I am taking and I made a point of telling her about the Echinacea. I told her I was going to do anything to keep from having that darned Neupogen shot again. My main problem now is that one of my dogs has a cold and my son has been sick. I am so hoping not to get it but this a very bad time of the year for illnesses.
Hope everyone is doing better and for those of you just starting out my positive thoughts are with you!
Cheers!
Wendy
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PA: Your post made me laugh - and believe me I'm truly not laughing AT you but WITH you. I was just picturing you at the ER with your son trying to have all the attention on him and here you pass out - ugh. I don't know how you mustered up the energy to do all the running you had to do post tx - mine post s/e's were definitely more difficult than the first two. My copay on my Neulasta shots is somewhere in the $500 range (I think the hospital charges close to $4500) so I suppose we're lucky that we are only paying 20% - even that is a shame.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who can say that after chemo when you do FINALLY have a BM, the stink is enough to bring tears to the eyes of any beast. And the farts are tart! This from a gal whose poop never stank - or should I say never stank that bad????
40Something: I'm glad you made the correction because I was gong to ask my chemo nurse how come I never got any stool softenor in my IV bag.....she'd have thought I was nuts.
I am getting way to used to baldness. I'm in and out of the shower faster, no bad hair days, no lugging my hair dryer, mousse, shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, etc., to the health club and I cut 15 minutes off my dressing time. And hey, no touch ups, no hair cuts, no worrying about running out in the rain. I just may stay bald!! Ok, just kidding.
Not sure why my italics are flipping on and off - who knows......I'm off to get another cookie.......take care
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Just got home from session #2. Easy again - we'll see how the next few days are. With session #1 I didn't experience the "Mack Truck" thing until about day 4 or 5.
Had blood drawn again - am never sure what they all mean, although I looked them up the first time. WBC, HGB, NEU are high, LYM and MONO are low. Everything else was within the normal range. I'll compare it with my first blood test. I guess nothing was out of range enough to concern them.
Am drinking my water and also taking something called "Peter Gillham's Natural Vitality, Natural Calm". My sister who has always suffered from chronic constipation said she finally found something that works. I guess it has magnesium in it. It seems to be working for me. If not, I can still use the MiraLax.
So, how are the rest of you with treatments today?
Sunshine
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Just got home a bit ago from my first chemo treatment. It was a bit challenging, however I am just tired. Got extreme nausiated, they gave my meds through the IV, got a headache, got Tylenol. Got home and took more nausea pills, pain pills cause they said that the pain in the bones will put me on the edge. I have nausea pills and pain pills. I can not take Neulasta due to being allergic to it the first time around, so I have to go in the dr's office every day for small dosages in hopes that this will keep my blood count up. Great thing, the dr's office said the insurance would consider each day I went for the shot as an office visit I would need to pay my $30.00 co-pay. Yea, my money in the back yard for some reason is empty. Doc instructed the staff to wave the fee. Wonderful surprise. Feeling worn out so going to get some rest. Take care. Thanks everyone for sharing and being here. It is nice to have some place to share with people that truely understand what I am going through.
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I had my first treatment today and feel a little light-headed--I even walked home since I fortunately live 3 blocks from the doctor's office/hospital.
Goldilocks: So sorry to hear that you had a rough time of it; hope you're able to rest and will feel better.
KathyL - Thanks for the suggestion re: timing. I've made my next appointment for Wed., though I'll wait and see when/what hits me this weekend.
I asked the onc nurse about what to use for the nails, and she recommended Sally Hansen's Hard Finish or Nails (or some such name). I'll look for some at the drugstore tomorrow. She also suggested I take tonight the Sennoset-S generic that I have and try Tylenol-PM rather than Ativan if I have trouble sleeping.
Get my Neulasta shot tomorrow--looking forward to what reaction that causes!
Hang in there, everyone!
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KathyL, thanks for the information, this BC is a recurrance, I have gotten my nausea pills filled, but the day I start on 3/3, I am going in that morning for the port and that afternoon for the 1st chemo treatement. I leave on Friday am to the Domincian Reupublic with a girlfriend, she is so excited and I would have cancelled the trip, but couldn't do that to her, she has talked about it for the last 8 months. SO, as soon as I return the fun begins. My husband and I will go to the ocologist's office, do the blood work that day and then start the chemo, nothing was said about taking any meds the day prior. 13 years ago when I did chemo, the only side effect I had was tireness and some acne, I was very lucky, however, this time the approach will be more aggressive. I am on everyone's prayer list. I pray for all the girls on this chat group, we WILL get thru this,just one day at a time. Everyone take care of yourself and will chat upon my return.
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goldilocks: I'm so sorry, too, that your first treatment was rough. The lady next to me today apparently had a rough time on her first treatment, so today they gave her "Aloxi" in her IV which is a 90-some hour anti-nausea drug. I know it has worked for me so far.
How kind of your doc to waive the daily fee for your shot.
beegirl: good for you for walking home. It's great that your onc is so close to where you live. Tylenol PM works for me most of the time.
lotodgs: I do my bloodwork the day of chemo, too. I saves a trip and since I'm a chemo patient, they do it stat, and it's all ready by the time I see the onc. just prior to the chemo session. The only meds I take the day before are 2 dexamethasone in the am and 2 in the pm (day before, day of, and day after).
Off to bed I go...
Sunshine
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Hi girls. Just checking in quickly today as the kids are home today--we have snow and schools are closed.
Sunshine: High WBC/neut. and Hgb is good! Those are the important cells that chemo usually kills off. So if yours are high, neulasta or neupogen are working well!
Goldilocks: how nice of your office to waive those fees. Good to hear some docs are still kind that way!
lotodgs: enjoy that vaca! it's a great way to keep your mind busy before starting chemo.
To everyone who did chemo this week: hope the weekend goes smoothly. Newbies... listen to your body and don't fight it. Rest when your have to, and keep drinking!
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Morning everyone.
Feel a bit sluggish, but other than that pretty good. My blood sugar is up-so have to take a bit more meds to keep it under control Still waiting to get to g-o. With all the medications I also have cottonmouth and slightly swollen lips. Cool thing, I didn't have to pay for them.
I also have a rash on both arms, but they said that may happen since I had such a rough one. Nothing be a thing. I am going this evening to cut my hair short. Understanding that all my hair is going to go soon, I think cutting will be less stress, my hair is below my shoulders. Great to hear everyone is hangin tough. My rash is steady growing, guess I'll show them when I go for my shot at lunch time. 0 -
goldilocks - I, too, had a rash on both my arms, & a little on my upper chest, after my 1st treatment. I tried benadryl for 3 days, but finally needed some steroids ( a medrol pak ) - that did the trick. Have had 2 more treatments, since then, without any rash. Hope you feel better soon.
Hope everyone's weekend goes well.
Therese
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Good Morning - Just checking in to see how y'all are doing.
I had a bad stomach/BM day - but now that I'm a week out from my tx things are improving a little each day.
Sunshine, Goldilocks and Beegirl - Hope you 3 are doing ok with the s/e's.......beside constipation my biggest problem is the chills which always start the night of the Neulasta shot and go a good 6 hours. And they are pretty incredible......I'm hoping the Mack truck doesn't run you gals over.
We're actually getting a tad warmer weather this weekend (I think it'll be up in the 20's) so I'll be out walking and getting some fresh air.
Have a wonderful weekend.....Trina
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