Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
Comments
-
Renee ~ Thank you so much for sharing those video clips! A friend had given me "The Middle Place" just before I started chemo, and I literally couldn't put it down. It's the book that helped me get through the worst days of my first tx because it was so compelling and totally distracting. And for anyone who thinks they don't want to read a book about bc, that's actually not the primary theme, which is more about how our families shape who we are -- in her case, her Dad, who she does an absolutely masterful job of describing.
And that second clip is wonderful! Is that from another book of hers? If so, I need to find it! Deanna
0 -
Hi! I had my appt with Dr. Fox today and it took some doing because my rental car got a flat, so had to put on the donut, then went back to my sister's house for her car, then hit construction, but Dr. Fox's office was REALLY NICE, said when you get here you get here. He said 4 treatments only so I am DONE WITH CHEMO. He also said - rats - radiation is now recommended, trials have shown it makes a difference in preventing recurrence even if you had a mastectomy. It would be chest wall and nodes in neck and under arm.
I really felt the crash on Day 3 was caused by the sudden stop in Decadron, that's why I did the taper instead of the sudden stop, and Rounds 2, 3 and 4 were much better than Round 1, but maybe they would have been anyway.
Soooooo tired, but did want to check in with all of you!
0 -
Forgot to tell you a Funny for Today:
You should never complain about your hair to a chemo patient.
My sister, who has always disliked her silky, straight, thin hair, looked in the exam room mirror that's hanging on back of the door, and said "Oh my hair looks terrible today!" I declared, "well at least you have some" and popped my hat up. We both cracked up.
0 -
YAY, Annie!!!! Doesn't it feel great to be done?!!! Congratulations! And I'm very glad to hear Dr. Fox's input on both the question of 4 tx's being enough, as well as the need for RT. What he's saying is exactly what UCLA told me on both questions, and I'm glad to hear it echo'd by another top doc. Not that I'm happy that you have to do rads, but maybe we'll be on a similar schedule if you also start in January. Deanna
0 -
Annie, so glad that you are done! Best of luck with the rads.
Chris
0 -
Annie any idea how long after your last Chemo before you start Radiation?
My 4th and last Chemo will be January 7th. then I will have the 6-6.5 weeks of Radiation ( probably the 6.5 weeks because of a couple holidays in there...anyways 30 total treatments).My radiation will be Whole Breast Radiaton as I had a lumpectomy (see does not match my sign on name...LOL!, my sign on name goes with my last name).
Just wondering what the time frame is?
About the hair story....any time anyone makes a mention of finding a hair.....I am quick to say "It's not mine"....plus now we know the hair left behind in the shower IS my husbands! And when I smart off to my husband he will say "beter watch it or I'll slap the hair off of your head" I'll respond with "too late you already made me crazy enough to pull it all out" Of course this is in loving fun.
Good luck to you and I hope you still hang in here for awhile and offer others your knowledge
Denise/Onehalf
0 -
Onehalf...I finished chemo on Nov. 10 and started radiation 4 weeks after that. I am doing 30 treatments also. So far 8 down, 22 to go. It hasn't been bad just an inconvenience to be there every day. It only takes about 10 minutes for the actual treatment. Good luck on that last chemo. It's such a nice feeling to put it behind you.
Lili
0 -
Hi All -
Annie - congrats on being done with chemo - didn't you just love Dr. Fox? And, everyone there so nice about not always being ontime and just giving you the attention you need. Good luck with the rads.
Well, woke up yesterday with handfulls of hair coming out. I made it through my Christmas lunch with friends and then headed to my barber. He said are you sure? then ran his hands through my hair and came up with a handfull. Didn't want to go through the weekend dealing with that especially with my college sophmore son coming home. So, I am now bald and actually loving the relief of it all. Barber said the little stubble that's left will probably rub in my morning shower. Right now, going for a long walk in the snow - with a warm hat on!! Have a good day everyone.
Bobbi
0 -
Deanna (and Denise) ~ So are we going to start a January rads group? I was thinking and lurking on the December group but I can't imagine starting before January. I realize I have these prescriptions floating around and one is for the bone density test. I gotta do that. Plus I have an appt. to see Dr. Mehta to discuss the radiation on Dec. 29, so there you have it.
Bobbi ~ Dr. Fox is sensational, really amazing, smart and explains things so I can understand them. He seemed a little tired, kept rubbing his eyes, but said he wasn't. He seemed very serious but I can tell he has a sense of humor because of a couple things he said. He and all his staff were very kind, it was really wonderful.
Some days I like having no hair, because hair upkeep is definitely not a thing I have to do anymore. On the other hand, being wigless, I am more than a little tired of having to deal with hats tending to come down more over my eyes, especially if I have a scarf around my neck.
My sister who saw the baldy look yesterday said the head has a very nice shape. It is pretty good looking. Most of us up to now have never seen this part of us. My sister says I have some red birthmarks on the back of my head like her daughter has. Stuff like this is interesting and deepens our lives in a definite way. My sister was very thankful yesterday that we had a car to drive in, money to pay for gas, that I am well enough to need treatment, etc. A friend of hers is in hospice, and she started with breast cancer and 15 years later got stomach cancer. Is it related? No one knows, her doctors say not. She did not go for second opinions and like so many we know in the Lehigh Valley may not have gotten the best of care. You can get good care here but you have to be a proactive patient and make sure you do.
Not to be Chatty Cathy but I am all ga-ga about the recent political news that doctors, nurses, etc. can refuse care based on their own personal moral beliefs. I am sympathetic with doctors' personal beliefs but what if the patient is on an HMO and there is no other doctor for them to go to? Plus the new ruling sez doctors don't have to make referrals either. Often with an HMO you need the referral to get paid for the specialist. This doesn't seem right to me at all! Hopefully they will at least let patients go to another doctor outside the plan and get paid as if they were on the plan should this happen. That said, I have had my surgery at a Catholic Hospital of my choice even though I'm not Catholic, because it's where my doctor operates and because of all the hospitals here, care in re nurses is the best. Should I get in trouble and have to be unplugged I might have to be moved if it doesn't fit within their beliefs. Just saying I respect beliefs but we do have to take the patient's beliefs into account too.
0 -
I AM DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WhooooooHoooooooooo! We all are getting there and we all are doing this together. Tuesday was my last chemo, now to get my life back! I feel so happy.
Hey Annie, I think you will do fine with the radiation, you are the best trooper ever!
0 -
WHOOOOHOOOO, Elizabeth! I'd been watching for your big news! Congratulations!!!!!! I hope any SE's are minimal for you this time, and that you will soon have your life back, as you said. Sounds like you don't have do rads, which is wonderful.
Just thought I'd mention that I've missed having the weekly tx list that Sandra had kept track of for awhile and Donna had done for a couple of weeks, and wanted to suggest that one of the new ladies may want to pick that up again. You can go back a month or so to find one. It's so nice to know on Sunday or Monday who is scheduled for tx that week, to cheer them on and not constantly having to read back through a lot of individual posts to figure it out. It also helps you feel the flow of everyone moving through the process. Just a thought for some of the newer ladies ~ Deanna
0 -
Hi ladies
I haven't been on in awhile. Things are going well since I finished chemo. I had my CT scan on Dec 2 and all clear. Getting ready to have reconstruction surgery on Dec 22. I'm excited. I should return to work second week in Jan. Hair is coming back slowly but surely. I never wore a wig just hats, scarves and bandanas.I wish everyone well with their treatments. Have a Merry Christmas.0 -
I am depressed - I truly want to embrace this bald thing and I mostly do. But tonight, just washed my face and I look ugly. Off to bed and hopefully tomorrow and exercise will restore my resolve. Next TC is one week away. Hanging in there with all your support.
goodnight, Bobbi
0 -
Deanna ~ I was keeping that nice list, but somehow I could not get anyone to let me know who was going ... maybe it was chemo brain on my part, I got such a bad bronchitis. It would be nice if someone could pick it up, as I am going to be spending some of my time over on the rads list now.
0 -
Bobbi ~ One thing I do know. Try to remember you may feel differently in a day or two. Or not. But you may. One day I am unhappy with how I look, another I don't mind too much, or feel pretty because of something I am wearing. Today I like the No Fail scarf I got from TJHats whereas last week I just felt like I was a cancer person wearing a scarf. Today it feels pretty. And it's warm with a Cozy Cap underneath. So take a deep breath, embrace your depression about baldness, I mean it is not a great thing at all, but you may develop a relationship with your bald self that deepens during your journey. I try to celebrate my baldness, it's the first time I've ever seen my head! This head I have had for 50 years, and not ever known what it looks like!!!! So it's not real pretty but it is sure interesting.
0 -
Well, it's nice to know that I'm still good for a laugh. I was walking to my neighbors house and I fell. Two little boys saw me and once I got back up, they started to laugh. Can you imagine what they would have done if my "hair" came off! This 4th rd really increased the neuropathy in my toes and I lost my balance. Boy did I feel silly.
0 -
Hi Plakatakr,
I'm sorry you fell but I think I would have just of taken the hair off just to get your laugh as well. Sorry I'm down today. Had my 2nd treatment of Taxotere and Cyt. on Wed. and can bareley move. I feel like I'm 90 years old. Sorry just complaining.
Did you have the Neuropathy before your 4th??
Thanks,
Jerri
0 -
PinkLaddy,
I started to notice it a little with the 2nd and 3rd but it didn't last long. This time, it's a little worse and it's 2 weeks since my last Chemo. Hopefully, it will start to go away soon. BTW, I did think about taking my wig off but was afraid someone other than the kids might walk outside, I'm not brave enough for that yet.
Linda
0 -
Jerri, Linda... For the neuropathy, B6 (an inexpensive supplement you can pick up in any health-type market) really helps. That tip originally came from Lani, and many of us here and on the August 08 chemo board benefited from it.
Jerri, sorry you're feeling down. Just remember, this is all temporary, and you're done with half of your tx's. Just 2 more to go, and you'll be finished. Hang in there ~ Deanna
0 -
Hey my friends and co-surviors!
I finished 4 rounds of TC in early November. I am now 2+ weeks into radiation. Within a week or two of my last TC treatment, I started experiencing what I believe to be neuropathy in my hands and feet. I am still experiencing serious problems with my feet, and although some of the numbness in my hands has dissipated, I am having extreme pain on the inner / right side of my pointer finger on my left hand and numbness in my toes. Have any of you had similar problems, and if so, what kind of treatment, RX's, relief or recovery have you received or experienced?
At the same time, I am having overall bodypain (much worse in my legs / lower body than the rest of me) that I can only attribute to 'residual chemotherapy' (muscle type pain /effects . . like hard to get out of bed or up from a chair). Is this possible or can any of you validate what I am going thru?
Thanks a ton and Best Wishes for symptom free holidays!! Rickster
0 -
Rickster, I have those kind of joint pains but it is from the aromatase inhibitor they put me on after chemo (Aromasin -- the others can have the same SEs). If you're not on that med, and you don't have a previous history of joint pain before chemo, I would ask the onc (or primary care doc, if the onc isn't helpful) what to do for it.
0 -
Thanks, Lani....And, that is what I fear - that I am already experiencing some of the bad side effects that I might expect on hormonal therapy and I am not even there yet!!!
There is something about the total body pain that is so reminiscent of chemo pains that I feel it must be related (on the other hand, I have to admit that I have always been a bit stiff, so who knows?!?). When I mention the pain to my radiology tech's they act like they have heard that complaint from prior chemo patients, but never really validate it as a normal, ongoing / longterm side effect.
Thanks again, Rickster
0 -
YEAH!!! I am a week past finishing my last of four rounds. I originally was to do six but my onc nixed the last two because I was getting so wiped out. I will get to rest over the holidays and start radiation sometime in January. What do I expect now? I am praying that I have hair by April when I go to Florida for Spring Break...hey, maybe not hairy legs tho, cuz that would be NICe not to have to shave
Congrats to all of you that have made it this far and hang in there, you can do it!
0 -
Rickster ~ I am 10 weeks out from my last chemo tx, and for many weeks I had severe pain in my lower right leg that I couldn't attribute with certainty to the chemo or Neulasta, and couldn't figure out what was going on. This week, it's finally easing up, but it was so bad, it would awaken me at night, and I have even had difficulty climbing stairs. I also have an issue with my top left thumb joint, which won't bend. Like you, I've found it frustrating that the docs all seem to shrug their shoulders and want to refer you back to a primary doc for further testing. However, when I Googled various terms to describe my lingering pain, I found all sorts of similar first-hand accounts of residual pain after chemo. In most cases, thank God, it does seem to go away eventually. As best as I can piece together from what I've read, I think the chemo -- and I'm not sure of it's the T or the C -- can cause inflammation that damages the tendons. So, what you end up with is pain similar to tendonitis. Just my take on it, and hope your symptoms also start to ease up soon.
On another post-chemo note, I had read here that some women lost their eyebrows & lashes up to 6 weeks post-chemo, so I was happy to get past that point with them intact. But, surprise -- mine thinned significantly @ 9 weeks -- not entirely gone, but maybe 75%. And what's even more strange is that I have to tweeze around my eyebrows for those strays that are coming in while my actual brows are extremely sparse.
So I think what's going on with your body, Rickster, are residual effects of chemo. And I can't figure out why the oncs won't pay more attention to or even acknowledge these lingering SE's. Deanna
0 -
Hi Rickster, Deanna and all ~
I am very interested in reports of lingering SEs after chemo. I have not had them yet, but the time is young for me. Hoping not to get them, but I will share what I experience. The only thing I note is that in the evenings I feel like I have expanded, and my belt and bra are sooooo tight! I actually have switched bras to a sports bra that is smaller but it's more flexible and comfy. This could be that I am now 167 pounds! Holy cow! I am going on a diet forthwith. I was 158 only two weeks ago. But it's most noticed in the evenings. The other thing is my spine seems to lose its spine also in the evenings. I can't sit, I'm so sore. It's like I have a jellyfish spine. And I'm tired. I hope this is residual chemo, I have no clue what it is. Coffee or Tylenol helps quite a bit.
0 -
I seem to be having the numb toes SE which is really bothersome. Nothing seems to work to bring them out of it. I haven't mentioned it yet to my onc. but will on Monday when I go for my 4th and last treatment. I seem to be doing pretty good after about the 11th day following chemo. I wonder if a shot of vitamin B would be a good idea. Also, I am fine until someone calls me that I haven't talked to since being diagnosed with BC...I just break down crying while they are telling me things like they are praying for me or wishing me the best. I hate this! Leaves me all puffy eyed and with my husband feeling so frustrated with me. I try very hard to not feel sorry for myself, but this just seems to be what is happening. I would rather not hear from anyone and go about my day as usual, but that wouldn't be right. Well, enough unloading for now. If you figure out the toe problem I will be very greatful! :c)
Happy Holidays!!
0 -
sewbutton- I am 2 1/2 weeks out from my last (4) treatment. The feeling just came back into the toes on my right foot. Hopefully the left will follow soon.
0 -
Hi All -
Well, I am finally used to this bald thing - not too bad and I'm using Jergens self tanner so I don't look so pale. Need to keep lipstick and earrings in place and a pretty scarf around my neck. Started with a little tingling in the fingertips yesterday but trying to ignore that. I am looking forward to tomorrow with family and then 2nd TC on Friday. Anyone else have treatments this week or next?? Did everyone see the article in the NYTimes? Merry wishes to all for Christmas and Hannukah. Keep up the posts after the holidays.
love, Bobbi
0 -
Hey Bobbi
I'm getting my second TC on Friday as well!!!! What article in the NY Times?
0 -
Lisa -
Go to NYTimes.com for Tuesday and it's called the Price of Beauty under the Health section. It's a free link and I was notified through this website so you can probably find it on here somewhere. Good luck on Friday - I will be thinking of you! Are you going to Penn?
Bobbi
0
