Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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Lashon, I hope you are feeling well, remember one day at a time. Good thoughts are coming your way.
On the fingernail issue, I wear clear hard as nails on my fingernails and a dark color on my toenails. Had my 3rdtx yesterday, no problems so far. My nails have actually grown. I give myself a mani/pedi once a week now, it's my little spa tx since all of this has started!
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I woke up this morning and noticed that I was not having the tingling in my feet and hands. Yea! Luckily I have not had pain with the neuropothy. I noticed that do not have muscle spasms in my sholder. I usually get the muscle spasms on day 3 after tx. Tylenol usually takes care of it. I am hoping that I can make it through the next tx without severe neuropathy. I don't think my mind could wrap around cutting off tx 4 of 4. I am not of the school of "less is more".
The weight gain is really getting to me. I guess I'll have to watch what I am eating or start working out. I just have a hard time with both. By the time I have taste buds and feel like eating my wbc is low and cannot eat raw fruits or veggies. To make matters worse I do not like cooked veggies. There you have it, pizza, mexican food and anything with lots of spice is going in my mouth. I guess I will just tackle the weight after TC.
THINKING OF YOU LASHON!
Have a wonderful weekend Divas!!!!
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That's great news about your neuropathy, swest. You should be fine for your last Tx. I know what you mean about wanting to get all of the Tx. I don't want to give up one mg. of chemo, even tho it makes me feel like crap.
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The Nail Issue: I've been interested to read the various attempts to avoid the problems. Some push the Tea Tree Oil (problem with odor); others, product called Varisi or biotin (????). CindaD, I see you mention clear hard as nails polish on fingernails and dark polish on toenails. I read somewhere else about dark polish. Are any onc's or the onc. nurses recommending anything???? Mine simply said few have this SE and had no recommendations. I'll be having my 2nd tx Feb. 2 and would love to be proactive but am thoroughly confused...
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Hi, Ladies ~ I finished TC on 10/8, and I think I can clarify a little about nails. When some of my nails started turning dark bluish-black two weeks into my first tx, I learned that some infusion centers actually supply ice mitts to keep your fingertips cold to avoid this problem, which is caused by Taxotere. If your onc's facility doesn't have them (mine did not), you may want to seriously consider taking ice or ice packs or even a bag of frozen veggies (works fine and is easier to transport and use than melting ice cubes). You only need to use the ice during the Taxotere infusion.
Along with the ice, quite a few women used tea tree oil, which we learned from another thread. If you can find it in a paste form (comes in a little disk), the pine odor isn't quite so overwhelming as the oil itself is, and it's easier to use for this purpose. Just massage it into your cuticles twice a week. Dark polish, as babyc said, is also a good protectant.
The third thing you might want to do is take biotin, which is one of the B-complex vitamins. I started taking that for my hair right when I finished chemo, but it's also made my nails stronger than they've ever been. Knowing that now, I would suggest trying it proactively. And, speaking of B vitamins, B6 definitely helps with neuropathy.
Taxotere can be extremely damaging to your nails. Not to scare anyone, but there were two gals in my August chemo group who had to tape some of their nails on towards the end of their chemo because they were loose and coming off. (They both had regimens that included Taxotere or Taxol, but were more complex than just TC.) Anyway, if your nails should loosen, wig tape seems to be the most gentle kind to use. But you certainly want to watch closely for any problems and do everything you can not to get to that point!
Hope this helps. I am 15 weeks post my last TC tx -- still doing rads 'cause I started them late -- but can't believe how good I'm finally feeling. There definitely is light at the end of the tunnel!
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I used the icepacks durring every treatment and still lost a few toenails. My fingers were spared not sure if my gel nails on top made any difference.
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Just a word about tea tree oil - I used it twice and my nails and fingertips got incredibly dry. I switched to almond oil on the recommendation of my niece who does nails), I warm a bit and soak my fingertips and nails for awhile, then I just rub in as much as I can. So far, my nails have been great.
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I am on both drugs, just had first treatment last week. For the past two days i've had awful headaches similar to migraine. My daughters puts an ice pack on it, i take meds for pain, but so far it hasn't stopped..Has anyone else had this??
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Lashon ~ Thinking of you with only good thoughts on your mastectomies!!! Will look for your post and how it is going. I had a single mastectomy in July.
Ladies, I have a question about immunity. I am two months from my last chemo and darn it caught some kind of inner ear thing - dizzy spell in the morning, just a lurch as I'm getting up out of bed, but intermittent queasiness two days this week, plus running to bathroom. My white counts were good all thru chemo so my immune system should be fine, right? Is there more to this than white counts?
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Question
I had tx Jan 13, well day 8 i got mouth sores! Any suggestions to prevent them..
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You can use salt water to rinse your mouth. Or baking soda and water to rinse. You can use Biotine mouthwash or have your onc prescribe Prevent or something like that. Brush your teeth several times a day and rinse, rinse, rinse. This will heal the sores up now and hopefully prevent them next time. I use the Biotine and have not had mouth sores. I've had a sore tongue that felt totally burned for a day or two but that's as bad as it got. I hope you mouth gets better soon!!
Unique, I wonder if you just didn't pick up a bug. It is that time of the year. I think we get so centered around chemo and what it's doing to us that we can't imagine something just normal happening with our health. You should be far enough out from chemo that it isn't affecting your immune system any more. You have been sick a lot this fall and winter so maybe you are just more susceptible anyway.
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A second here on the Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash. They worked well for me also. Brush more than you think you need to and they also have a spray for dry mouth that I used a few times.
Chris
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Firni and all ~
I think I did pick up a bug. I have an 11 y.o. and seem to catch a lot of things. You are right, I am more susceptible!!! Altho he did not get this one ... I will go to dr. Monday as it has been a week, and get on the train to the antibiotic station. I read however that inner ear things are usually viral. Fortunately I'm just unsteady, not things spinning around, altho two days of intermittent queasiness is kind of yukky.
I'm going to try and post my hair-coming-back photo in here, as I loooooove my hat pic and don't want to lose it on my avatar. Plus if I can do it I'll put more to show how the hair is growing back. I'm so happy with it altho it "might" be "half" an inch now max.
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Thank you for the info! My mouth sores are healing very well since Saturday, but i do not want to go through that again. (if possible)
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Annie,
It's just a thought, but you might consider taking an OTC decongestant, like pseudepinephrine (Sudafed), and see if that helps the dizziness. I think there's a real danger in turning to antibiotics for sinus and upper respiratory symptoms unless they clearly are caused by bacterial infections. Overuse of these weapons is why "super bugs" have evolved, and I think one's immune system gets undermined in some way also the more times you have to take them. They kill off all the good bugs in your body along with the bad ones. I know so many people with ear and sinus problems, and once they start with antibiotic therapy, there's just no end to it: every time the antibiotic is over with, the symptoms come right back and the microbial agent just keeps getting stronger. There's got to be a better way. Of course, decongestants can be addicting and should also be used with caution (and not at all if you have high blood pressure). Maybe you could try saline spray and see if that helps?????
Your hair is looking good. I think maybe you're just 1/4" behind me, but at the slow rate mine is growing you will have surpassed me in no time!!!
Having a kiddo at home is definitely part of your problem. During my 40s and early 50s, when my son was school-age, I was sick all the time with one bug or another. Everything he drug home I got too, even if he didn't. If it's any consolation, now that there are no kids left at home, I rarely catch colds or anything else. Just don't have the same rate of exposure--or maybe (and I think I read this somewhere), I've finally caught most of the rhinoviruses out there and so there isn't that much left that I haven't already had!!
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Darling...just....darling. Looking good Unique.
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Hi Ladies, new to the group but I wanted to find out more about the TC combo, I had 1/4 on the 14th of Jan and bone/ muscle pain was a monster, I have never thought about suicide but if I lived on a secong floor I swear I would have jumped I was hurting just that bad for 5 days and all I was told to take was Aleve, it did not touch that pain. The pain stopped but I get tired so soon and my legs seem not to want to hold my body up and I get dizzy often. My questions ?
1. Will it hurt each time I get chemo.
2. Does everyone lose thier hair, day 12 and I still have hair.
3. Is anyone else as tired as me.
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Very nice look on you.
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Misty - So sorry your first treatment got you down. I can honestly say #2 was better for me, so I hope it is the same for you. My bone pain after #1 was actually what made me feel like my legs were going to give out on me. The tiredness was still a bummer after #2, but someone on this board once told me to listen to my body and just rest when I needed to rest. I am now going to pass that advice on to you b/c it made a big difference for me when I started to put my well being first and let the chores around the house be put off for another day. Your to-do list will still be there when you feel better! As far as hair, mine didn't start coming out in clumps until day #16...I shaved it on day #17.
Good luck to you and do come to this board for support. The women on here are incredible!
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Welcome Misty123. I hope you find the same comfort I did. Only 2 to go for me.
apuentes happy to hear everything is tolerable. Can't wait to compare grow out. How are the kids doing with the hair loss?
Renee'
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hello, no hair loss yet, day 14 of first tx, itchy scalp only. oldest son in Norfolk in Navy and young one in the hospital sick, he needs a liver transplant. I will keep you posted on the hair loss the MD and nurses say it falls out on week two.
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Welcome Misty - I hope your next tc goes better. Ask you onc for stronger drugs for the pain - it's only temporary and you shouldn't have to deal with more than you can handle . There are so many things that can help you ease the discomfort. As for the hair - I'm afraid that tingling, itchy feeling is beginning of what's to come. My onc said it's the Taxotere that causes hair loss. Mine started day 17 too and I shaved on 18. It was better to get it over with.
ANNIE - I love your new hair!!! You look great and healthy.
Hi to all - I'm day 10 after 3rd TC and feeling pretty good now. Lot's of sleep and exercise seem to help. Those lists and to-dos will be there when we feel better. Take of yourselves everyone! Last TC is Feb 6.
Bobbi
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Misty 123--all of my sympathy. I'm dreading tx#2 this week. I had such pain and weakness with tx 1, I wondered what was wrong with me reading all of these posts from everyone else talking about going back to work etc. Advise to rest wouldn't help--walking was hard enough, I was already resting. Found out part of the reason was my blood pressure was very low--despite being very hydrated. I'm just hoping the 2nd round is better as some have reported. I'm also trying to decrease steroids this next time I'm hoping the crash on day 5 isn't as bad. I don't know what to tell you to help, other then letting you know if that works or not--because the only thing that helped last time was waiting 7 more days for time to pass--and that's no help at all when you're miserable.
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One more question to those of you who have gone through TC rounds ahead of me. I'm feeling pretty good on day #18 today except for being tired, but over the last 4 days have had sinus pressure and been very stuffed up. It's not a cold, I just am very congested and having a constant low level nose bleed each morning--has anyone else experienced this?
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kmmd - I haven't had nosebleed but do get dry and congested without having a cold. I think the treatments just dry out the sinuses. I use saline spray constantly to keep my sinuses moist(remember you lost your nose hair too)but others have tried different things if you read back on the thread. Hope this helps.
Bobbi
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kmmd ~ I didn't have nosebleeds, but I recall someone else here during the August-October time frame did. At the time, it sounded like an unusual and maybe even concerning SE (I don't think she mentioned the congestion, though -- just constant nosebleeds), but her onc told her it was fairly common. Don't know the biology behind it, but probably best to ask your onc if there's anything you can do about the problem.
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Me too with the sinus stuff. I'm real congested for a few days right after Tx and then the rest of the time my nose constantly drips. Bleeds if I blow it too hard. I really should buy stock in Kleenex.
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Hi everyone.. Doing okay.. Looked at my chest for the first time today and cryed.. It was hard but i feel like i made the right choice.. I am not in a lot of pain didnt have to take any in the hospital after the surgery and was able to come home on friday. I am okay ready to get the drains taking out. will post more later. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers
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Good to hear LASHON2008. Keep us posted.
Renee
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Lashon2008-I am glad you are doing well. We were all cheering for you!
Sonia
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