Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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Thanks Chris,
I realize there is a wealth of info on this website, I was just hoping to not have to read ALL 125 pages, and ALL 4,000 posts, just one, LOL.
Mary
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dlb ~ I read both those articles and while the second one brought up some interesting rebuttals to the "no C during chemo" arguement, I found its discussion about chemo not being effective off-putting.
I am taking 250mg of C a day, down from my regular 1500mg. I have a cold, may take some more to beat it off.
dragon lady ~ start with this page, and then read the previous page, and so forth until you get an idea. I'll bet you don't have to read real far to get a gist. Most of us do "pretty well" in terms of having a rough time for a couple of days (think "flu-like symptoms"). I would say I start feeling bad on Day#3 and feeling better a couple days later. That following week is a little dicey but the third week I feel like myself again for the most part.
Katie ~ I have not had trouble with neuropathy yet, but have heard this can be a symptom. I did feel like my left foot was hot last week, but it went away. I had been driving a lot and use my left foot for the clutch.
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Katie, I had some twitching and tingling with tx 2, a little more with tx 3 and 4, but now 6 weeks out from #4 it's gone.
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Annie... I hadn't read that whole article, which came up when I Googled the MSK research I wanted to share. I'd just glanced at the first few paragraphs, and was glad to see someone had refutted the MSK-Vitamin C report findings. I just read the whole thing now, and see what you mean. It sounds like they have a real bias against chemo. I have no idea what the cure or survival statistics are when you take all cancers into account. I just know and am very thankful that bc doesn't have statistics anything like that! It looks like the article and maybe that entire site are out of Canada, which may have something to do with the statistics they're quoting. But, you're right, the latter part of the article is kind of weird. Deanna
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Deanna, I really appreciate you posting both links and understand that the 2nd article went off on its own agenda at the end, but I do think the breakdown of the original study was helpful. In discussing anti ox use with my rad dr, he said that in the lab, they actually protected the cancer cells - but in human study, they did not have the same results - that the variables are not able to be replicated in petrie dishes. It's frustrating that the two sides don't typically work together to give a combined tx plan. It seems to be left up to us to read both sides and make personal decisons on what we believe is best for us.
I'm off to tx 3 in a couple hours - last time my dh beat me at cards for 2 1/2 hrs - perhaps there will be some payback....
Have a great day all.
Ruth
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Hi Everyone,
Well, I just got home from tx #4. So relieved, to be done.....although in my mind I really need to get through the next couple of weeks to call it done. The nurses came over and blew bubbles and squeaked horns and yelled congratulations! They also gave me a purple heart certificate. It was a nice send-off. I also don't have to get the Neulasta shot this time because my WBC's were 12,200 and anything over 12,000 does not get the shot so I just squeaked by.
Deanna thanks for posting those links. I did read through the second article and the latter part did make me squirm in my seat. It's frustrating to think that there might be supplements we could take during chemo which would help it work better. Yet most oncs are careful not to venture to that side. As Ruth said, the decision is back in our laps as to what we think is best for us. I do think though that this is changing because I have a friend with whom I spoke to on this subject and she has a daughter in medical school who is learning both standard medicine and naturopathics as well.
Katie - I did get some mild twitching and tingling with Tx 3#, we'll see what this treatment brings. I also got a burning sensation on the bottom of my feet for a couple of days which went away.
Sue - I think being on some sort of exercise plan would have helped me both physically and mentally, if I felt well enough to do it! Between the fatigue, stomach issues, and heavy periods/hormonal changes, I just have not been able to do it. I've got big plans to start trying to do some walking on the treadmill as much as I feel up to it with this tx. We'll see.
Annie - hope your cold is better, good luck with your treatment tomorrow!
Good luck to all who are having treatment this week!!
Sherrie
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Wow thanks Deanna, I tell you it is hard to know if you're doing the right thing ;:)
Gail, I am praying for you.
God Bless,
Audrey
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Kind of quiet here today, which I hope means everyone's busy and doing well.
Sherrie... Congratulations on finishing up! And I absolutely love the way the nurses helped you celebrate! I don't think anyone else has mentioned anything like that. How cute! Was your chemo infusion place just for bc patients or a mix? Sounds like if you had to have chemo, it was a nice place to be.
I just went back and looked at the week's schedule. Looks like there are 5 ladies finishing up this week! Be sure to let us know how you're doing ~ Deanna
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Sherrie ~ so glad to know you're done. And no Neulasta! Hooray! Of course we know the final tx lasts for a little while yet. I pray it's a very little while for you. Friends and family often need to be reminded of that. Aren't they wonderful at the infusion center! I felt so blessed to have a staff like that.
Deanna ~ Sherrie and I were treated at the same center although different times. I did make some friends and wish Sherrie was one of them but I finished in June. There were other cancer patients besides bc. Lots of men with lots of jokes. I never got around to reading all the magazines I brought.
I'm so behind in reading posts. I have to find time to see what I missed. I hope everyone's doing well.
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Hey everyone - glad to hear how you all are doing and supporting one another. Been too busy to check in for a while, but gosh . . . here I am - knocking on the door of chemo TX #4!!! Woohoo!!!
Thanks, Wink, for posting our tx dates and progress! Yes, I am scheduled for #4 tomorrow, and a bit apprehensive as I have had a little rougher time during the third cycle than I did in #1 and #2, however, I am so GLAD to have reached this pinnacle of treatment!!! The last few days I have had unbelievable watering of my eyes - mostly early AM's when getting ready for work and PM's while getting ready to leave work. Does anyone have an idea what's up with that, or what I might do to counteract it?
Also, thus far I have not gotten 'totally' (like 'cue-ball') bald on my head - I still have a fair amount of stubble from when I was buzzed (about 1/16th or 1/8th inch) in about week four of chemo. I am curious: What and when are the probabilities on eyelash / eye brow loss?? My hair is very thin/fine and slow growing as a rule; ditto for my eyelashes (nearly non-existant). Given my history and profile is there any way to gauge when / how they will leave or grow back?
For any of you 'newbies' reading this, please hang in there, take the advice you can from this site, and please be positive! There's no way all the bad stuff you read about will happen - just know the symptoms and be prepared to deal with it!!! I have a desk job in a very stressful environment, but have 'gone into the office' for 80% of the time that I have been on chemo; the other 20% I was able to work at home and with some extra hours plugged in on 'off days' maintain my 'normal' productivity.
Thanks for you assistance and wishing all the best to you tomorrow and ALWAYS!!!
Rickster0 -
Katie:
According to what I read somewhere, 17% of people on TC experience neuropathy, usually fingers and toes. My oncologist always asks me if I have it on my followup appts. I do think I read that it can linger for months but is not permanent. They always ask me if I have "numbness or tingling"? I don't know if that would also include "twitching" or if that would be classified as something different.
Peeps
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Rickster-I am also approaching Tx #4-Monday. I had the watery eyes last week. They seemed to tear continuously for 3-5 days but have slowed down. I did read that it is a side effect of Taxotere. I don't know if there is anything that you can do about it but I was told to be careful rubbing it so that you don't get an eye infection. I also have had some neuropathy...my fingers have tingled and itched as have the soles of my feet since I had my 3rd treatment. I started taking vitamin B6 and I don't know if that has helped or if it just is resolving on it's own but it has gotten better. I also have a fair amount of stubble on my head. I'm hoping that after #4, if the stubble is still there, that it starts growing again. I haven't lost my eyebrows or lashes either. I did read that sometimes you lose them after the treatment. Joy of joys. Just when you think you are done with the hair loss and chemo side effects. We'll see. Hopefully that won't be the case.
Good luck to all on there next treatment.
L
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Sandy & Deanna - thanks for the congrats. It feels good to have finished this part of the mountain climb. As Sandy mentioned we both did our chemo at the same infusion center with a mix of cancer patients. All the nurses were great and so many great people. One lady I met was another BC patient and kept me stocked with popsicles at every treatment!
Rickster - good luck with your last treatment! It looks like you've been up to some good fishing. My husband has been an avid fisherman for many years. It's a great hobby and a good stress relief for him. I have also been wondering about the eyebrows and lashes. My onc. said it happens at the end. My brows/lashes have thinned some, but it's not too noticeable since they were pretty thick to begin with. I hope it doesn't get too much worse!! I'm hoping to make it to a look good/feel better class tonight and I'll be sure to ask about tips for thinned brows/lashes and pass them on. I have all but some fine wispys left of my hair. I didn't shave them because my scalp is so sensitive and I have a couple of dermatitis patches so I'm living with the plucked chicken look for now.
Gail - thinking of you.
Sherrie
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Rickster, I had a fair amount of stubble left by tx 4, and now it's filling in with fuzz, about 7 weeks out from tx 4. I never lost eyebrows or lashes, at least not noticeably, so I guess it varies by individual. For the watering eyes, I used Hypo Tears (or any OTC tear replacement), and it seemed to help.
I think the twitches are part of the neuropathy. For a few days of each tx (2-4) I had a left-side eye twitch and clicking in my left ear. Weird stuff!
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Hi all ~ Did Tx. #3 today and it went like piece of cake. The only drama was whether or not the cold would clear up sufficiently or not. Yesterday I felt better altho was still coughing, sneezing and blowing a lot. Today felt very good, had a couple dry throat coughing spells but nothing major. Had infusion w/o event but do feel VERY tired today, it's either my slightly lower red counts, white counts are up. The other drama was my son has a fever with his cold, we got them about the same time and his is still raging while mine has resolved. So he was home from school today, went over to a friend's who is homeschooling for the 3 hours I was at the onco. He'll be home tomorrow too as the fever is 100 tonite. I'll drag him along to the onco to sit in the waiting room I guess with strict instructions not to cough there, not to touch anything etc. and if he needs to go in the hall. It will only be 15 minutes for the neulasta shot.
I still have very fine dark hair, like a newborns I guess, on my head and I am not buzzing it. It is about an inch all over. But the thinness is still even all over, no clumps or patchiness. Not much but I get some fringes under my hat or scarf still which is nice. I may lose it later but I'll enjoy it while it's here. I still have brows and lashes but they may be thinner. My onc said I may keep those because they don't grow very fast. Leg hair is not regrowing - I shaved it a couple weeks ago and haven't had to since. Ditto underarms. Pubic hair is very thin, don't care about that!!!
No neuropathy, altho onc did ask about it. Unless you count some warmth on sole of my left foot, but I drive with a clutch and may it was that. Also a curious thing on Halloween with a trick pen that when you click to put the point out, it gives you a shock. I kept clicking and clicking and just didn't feel anything, my friend said, doesn't it give you a shock? So I clicked again and said, yeahhhhhhh I guessssssss. Then my son came along and he tried it and yelled ow and dropped the pen. So maybe I was just really tired or something.
Lani ~ good to hear about your eye twitches, watering eyes and what to do about it, and so forth. Knowing what can happen ahead of time takes the fear out of getting a side effect and what the hell is it? Thanks.
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Hi Everyone,
Looks like lots of us are having TX #4 - that's great. I'm on day 7 and still very tired, not bouncing back with high energy but definitely getting a little more energy back each day.
Just wanted to let everyone know how I appreciate the concern & good wishes after I found an enlarged boney knob on my collarbone. Got an xray - had it seen last night and it's fine - they could find no problem with it so said it must be an old "injury" of some kind. Still a mystery to me but I'm fine with it being "nothing" to worry about. It does show me how alert I am to every part of my body that looks or feels different now. Or was it something always there and I let it scare me? Maybe this where positive thoughts & mind over matter starts being a bigger part of the treatment.
I'll now get to concentrate on the last fill for breast reconstruction coming up, then the exchange in Dec or Jan.
And I'll try to catch up with Lani who has "fuzz" after only 7 weeks!
Jeannine, you won't believe the timing of your card - just as I was leaving for my xray - you gave me courage - thank you so much.
Thanks and love to you all,
Gail
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Gail:
I am so relieved for you. Enjoy the weekend.
Peeps
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HI Gail:
So happy for you! Yeah!
Katie
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Gail, God is Good! I am so happy for you.
Audrey
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Hi, Gail... I'm also very happy and relieved to hear all is okay. I wonder if the chemo somehow exacerbated an old wound? I noticed my mast & Diep flap scars were looking a lot more prominent during chemo and are just starting to calm down again. Maybe you had scar tissue or something in that area that chemo somehow got into and changed? Or maybe you did injure it, but were numb there from your mast, so didn't notice when it happened. Just a couple of thoughts...
I spent yesterday at UCLA with my DH, meeting first with my wonderful PS re. Stage 2 Diep flap surgery (he's going to re-do & hide all my scars!), and also with the head of rads, which I am still having a very hard time deciding about. Evidently, rads are not the "standard of care" in my situation (mast + 1 positive node), but UCLA does tend to treat more aggressively (or so they told me), so are recommending them for me. I'm really in a quandry, because my DH and others in my family who are experienced and knowlegable in rad onc, are against me doing it. To make matters a bit more complicated, the local rad onc I plan to use if I do go ahead with them had wanted me to do the surgery first. But my PS told me yesterday that he wants me to finish rads before he does Stage 2 surgery. So, I guess I have to decide on rads first, which I'd thought I had several more weeks to mull over and research.
Oh, well... just venting a bit, I guess. Like every other decision, it can be so confusing if you aren't one to just follow what you're told without questioning, which I've never been!
Hope everyone else is doing well today and will be able to enjoy the weekend ~ Take care ~ Deanna
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Is there anyone who has experienced port removal? I have a traditional chest port that will be coming out shortly after my last Tx on Monday, and I am wondering if it is easier/harder or the same as putting one in... It's one of those joyfully dreaded things... I can't wait to have it out, but I'm nervous about the procedure!
Thanks,
Meg
PS. Excellent news, Gail! So relieved for you! Important point you make about really being in tune with your "new" body. And I agree... all along, I've felt this thing called "cancer"was just as much, or more of a mental challenge as it is physical. Blessings on you!
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Hi all, Seeing my onc to schedule my chemo treatments today. 4 rounds of TC, 21 days apart. I had 4 rounds AC in 05. My AC schedule was treatment on Thursday after work(I work every other weekend and take off the Friday before, and the Monday after on the weekends I have to work) and I took off FSS(M if supposed to work weekend)from work. That schedule worked really well for me while on the AC. Because of the steroids, maybe this time I should have my TC treatments on Wednesday, and then take off the same days I did last time?? It sounds like most people feel ok for the first 48 hours or so because of the steroids. So Chemo on Wed. afternoon, and I will work TH, and then take off FSS(M)? does this sound good, or should I plan taking different days off? Anybody have any suggestions? My job is fairly physical (CNA) so I need have the energy to take care of other people, BUT I am single so I don't want to take a lot of time off from work if I don't have too.
Mary
Mary :
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Deanna, I was told PS wouldn't do recon until 6 mo after rads at the earliest, so you probably will have to make the rad call first. It's a tough one to choose - I only have one positive node as well, but had multicentric (9 tumors in left breast) so it was enough to firmly put me in the category. It's very hard to go against the docs recommendation - and we all know we're choosing one harm on our body over another and trying to make the best bet to have the best quality life we can...best of luck on deciding what's best for you.
Mary, I have tx on Wed and am off SS - I work Th, Fri - but do take a nap. (this is on tx 3 - and without neulasta - which makes things totally different.) I was told that Neulasta will make your overall recovery from fatigue quicker - but it makes the days 4-6 rougher. Hopefully someone else is more help for you. Oh, one more thing - chemo brain/fog is definitely its worst for me on day 2-3. My hubby calls me the mumbler during that point...if I could reach him, I'd swat him.....
Best to all.
Ruth
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Hi ladies
Been very busy lately. Just want to say hi and I hope everyone's tx goes well. My last tx is 11/11. I have thin fuzz on my head also but will leave alone.lol Take care.0 -
Mary, I find that the day of treatment and the next day I fee pretty good. Then the next three days are rough. I do have the neulasta shot on day 2. Your schedule sounds pretty good, I'd try it that way.
Chris
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Hi, Mary... Chemo on Wednesday worked great for me. I was okay enough on Thursday to drive myself to my Neulasta shot, then waited for the worst SE's to hit, usually sometime on Friday. So, Friday, Saturday & Sunday were the worst days for me each time. And if you don't have to work on the weekends, you should really try to get a lot of rest because the degree to which the fatique will hang on after those three SE days varies each time, or at least it did for me.
Ruth... I had immediate DIEP flap reconstruction (a total of 7 hrs.) with my mast. The surgery to be done now is kind of a touch up thing where my PS will go back and revise some scars, as well as make a nipple. Do you think they'll make me wait 6 months after rads for that kind of smaller surgery? My PS just said he wanted me to do the rads first so that if there are any changes I won't have to endure a third surgery to address asymmetry. I don't think he mentioned how long I'd have to wait after rads.
I also had multicentric disease, but 3 of my 4 lesions were extremely small, so that hasn't been mentioned as a reason for rads. The concern is the small lesion in my sentinel node had extracapsular extension. (But the 16 nodes they took with my mast. were all negative.) Also, a 1 mm lesion they found in my final path had only a 1 mm margin because it was so tiny no one knew it was there until it was discovered in the path. Those are the two reasons they're citing for advising rads. Deanna
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Deanna, I don't know on the waiting for that portion - it wouldn't seem to have anything to do with the asymetry comment he made, so I would guess you don't have to wait 6 months. There is a study showing a higher local re-currence with multicentric (I think it is out of Sam Houston) - my group was already recommending the rads before they got the results on the lymph node. That just sealed the recommendation for them. I only had 1 node involved and it was encapsulated....
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Okay, got my schedule. I will be having my treatments(4 rounds, 21 days apart)on Thursdays, starting on the 20th. The first one is scheduled in the morning, but I hope to have the other ones later in the day as I don't have the kind of job where I can work only half a day
. They scheduled 3 hours for the first infusion(thats not including the lab visit and seeing the Dr.)
!! When I had AC it only took 1/12 hour at the most. Anybody know why it might take longer?? They are also going to have me use the ice mittens and slippers to help with the nail problems. The onc stated that no one has lost their nails since they have started using them. Mary
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Gail ~ I'm so glad the lump turned out to be nothing!!! I think it's very hard now to find a new health baseline, what is just old stuff, what is new stuff, what is worrisome and what isn't.
BIG QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY ~ How do you take your Decadron? I could have sworn the first round the nurse told me 2 doses day before, 2 doses on the day, 1 dose the following day and then 1 dose the second day following. She was suggesting a taper. 2nd round another nurse said 2 doses each day starting the day before ending the second day (2 doses each day for 3 days). Do you guys taper or not? I was thinking taper might help SEs a bit. Not such an abrupt end ~ usually Decadron is tapered but of course we're only taking it for a couple days.Deanna ~ My surgeon told me they are rethinking rads for cases like ours, we are pretty close in situation except my tumor was bigger. But my onc said no rads for now (???) I need a 5th opinion if I can get one with Dr. Fox at UPenn before I end in case 6 TCs might be indicated. They do like to do rads before reconstruction because the rads can mess things up. Now my nodes were single cell ca, not visible except under microscope, and only a few. Maybe your node had bigger tumors? Maybe ask your onc again why rads in your case. Oh, this sort of thing is so hard, my heart goes out to you!
Mary ~ Your scheduling sounds very good to me. On TC I follow exactly this pattern of Infusion Day and Day 2 feeling good, Days 3/4 poss 5 not good, then more or less fine until next tx.
Ruth ~ Is that hubby with his buzzed head on your shoulder? So heartwarming!!!! Somehow I was thinking he was your boyfriend because it is soooo romantic, not that marriage kills that or anything, you know what I am trying to say I hope.0 -
Hi friends,
I opted for TC rather than TAC, but I'm wondering if anyone else is doing 6 cycles of TC (one every 3 weeks). I'm on Day 11 after the first treatment. It seems most people are doing 4 cycles, and i just wondered how people have done after 6... i'll look through some of these pages but just thought i'd see if anyone recently ended or is also doing 6. thanks.
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