Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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Hi Ladies:
Haven't been on in a while, but have enjoyed catching up with all of you and meeting the newbies to this thread.
I am headed into T/C #3 this Friday. Hardly any SEs with the second treatment...thank God! Got a sore throat and slowed down a couple of days, but not because I wanted to...one of the days I did nothting but nap and my body seemed to appreciate the rest. I have been exercising regularly and I know it is helping...no sore muscles or joints.
I, too, have an itchy port area after treatment. I attributed it to the healing of the port area since I only got it at the beginning of June. After the second treatment, I thought hummmm... and in 1-2 days, it stopped. I am going to mention it to my onc this Friday when I see him. I told the chemo nurse about it, but she just shrugged her shoulders. I can sometimes get more info from you guys than the professionals that are taking care of me. Thank you. Does anyone put an antibacterical or anit-itch cream on it?
Chemo brain, unfortunately, I know it well and it can be frustrating! However, most times, I can just laugh about it, because there certainly isn't a darn thing I can do about it and when I screw up, I have something to blame it on...and I do like that.
The nails...yep, mine are starting to turn a blackish-grey color (yuck), but not all at the same rate of speed.
Please let us know how it goes with the bank manager after you tell him/her about your experience of having to remove your hat. I am sorry that he made you do that.
Firni: thanks for the Nioxin tip. Do we begin this after our last treatment or now?
Boy, oh, boy...(sigh) what a journey. I am so thankful for this board and you ladies...you are all so wonderful. I treasure your honesty and sensitivity.
Blessings to you all.
Take care and stay focused on healing!!0 -
Kathimdgd & Madge24: I started letting my finger nails grow before the last treatment and have found the fingernails and toenails grow real fast. They have the lines and spots and look terrible...with the two fingernails and 3 toe nails that are pulling slowly away from the nail bed, I protect them. So many things that I wasn't told when the chemo journey had started and only thing I have been told really is it will take a while to long while to be "normal" again.
I used Nioxin years ago and it is a good product and I loved the smell. I use baby shampoo on my scalp...when I get a little more hair I will switch to Nioxin. I had such curly hair and baby fine...my wish this time is to have thick straight hair...oh well no matter what it comes in as is fine with me...I love those peach fuzz hairs they are so wild and seem to grow so fast.
Hope everyone is having mild SE's.
Nadine
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afighter, I would think you could start using Nioxin right away. I know of quite a few people who grew hair all thru chemo. Not me of course.
Nadine, I had been using baby shampoo. My hairdresser pitched a fit. She said baby shampoo is the worst thing you can put on your head because it totally strips your hair. She also told me to go home and clean my bathtub with my baby shampoo. She said it will be sparkling clean of soap scum faster than anything else I've ever used. So, then why do we use it on our babies??? I guess it's the "no more tears" thing. I'm hoping the Nioxin will speed up the hair growth in the bald spot. We're going to a big BBQ next Sat. at my daughter in law's mother's house. Lot's of people I won't know will be there. Then Aug. 6 my niece is getting married and again tons of people I won't know. But I guess it is what it is. I can wear a baseball cap to the BBQ if I want, if it isn't too hot. But I don't have any pretty hats to wear with the dress I got to wear to the wedding. Guess I'll just have to be bald and proud of it.
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I just reported for my first Taxotere session a couple of days ago. Did fine with the premeds, but as soon as the Taxotere hit my bloodstream, I had an acute allergic reaction. A code was called and I was rushed to the emergency room. Leave it to me to make a big production out of anything. My oncology nurse told me she had been working in the field for 13 years and she had never seen a reaction like mine. She admitted she was terrified. I'm fine now. Meet with my oncologist in a couple of days to discuss another care plan. Looks like they will be trying another agent on me. Of all the things I worried about over chemo, an allergic reaction was not one of them, but I got through it and will continue on this journey.
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Firni, I started using Nioxin shampoo and scalp therapy conditioner immediately after chemo, along with the follicle booster. I am 13 1/2 weeks (3 months) post chemo and use the follicle booster and scalp treatment twice a day. I know it has helped with the growth progress. I have also stopped wearing wigs and confining hats and am going commando except in the sun, and it is also helping. Keep going, ladies!!
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Lissak,
What a story! I'm glad you are okay. I know someone else that the same thing happened to--she was switched to a/c and is doing fine on that protocol. Hope you and your onc find something that works well for you.
Jo Anne
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Chelev, I didn't get the booster. My hairdresser didn't think I needed it. But maybe I'll get some. I've only been using the Nioxin for 3 days so it's hard to say if it's helping yet.
lissak, you seem unbelievably calm for the ordeal you went thru. You are one strong woman. I hope your next agent will work better for you.
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I'm a little over 4 months out, so for anyone who had TC and is out a ways....
Having the same trouble with my eyes again. Eyelashes falling out, so dry I can't wear my contacts and vision is worse. I had this during chemo. Knew the eyelashes will keep falling out at times for a long time after, but anyone else have eye trouble?
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kmmd, my vision has changed. Last time I had chemo (CEF) it also changed but after a few months it went back. I am assuming the same thing will happen this time.0
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thanks hrf
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Had my first of 6 TC treatments Friday (4 days ago) and am, thankfully doing well so far. However, I am wondering how long the numb tongue/fried taste bud thing lasts. Does it fade at all before the next cycle or will it be like this all through tx?
Best wishes to all.
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Lori, the fried taste bud thing should go away as you get closer to your next tx. After my 4th tx tho, it was pretty permanent until I finished chemo. Food tastes so marvelous now. I'm glad your feeling pretty good otherwise.
kmmd, my eyes have pretty much returned to normal. They had been real dry, red and swollen. I'm 4 months out from chemo. My lashes and brows fall out as fast as they come in. I hope that stops soon. I'm getting tired of drawing on my face everyday.
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NEWPORTLORI....My fat and hairy tongue disappears about day 10 and by day 14 my taster is back. I have been using a mouthwash with 1/2 tsp baking soda and salt mixed in with an 8 oz glass of water. I rinse with that then brush my tongue and it has seemed to help. I just had my third TC tx today......only one left to go......YIPPEE SKIPPY!!! I have been very lucky that I have been able to get by without the Neulasta shot. I really attribute that to the supplements I am taking (approved by onc.) and acupuncture. Also, FYI, Astralagus builds white blood cells, so I know that is helping as well. Just thought I'd throw it out here for anyone interested. Patti
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Lori - I'll chime in on the taste bud thing; my taste for food normally returns to close to normal by about day 5. It takes til day 7 or 8 for coffee to taste good again. Everyone is different though, as you can see by the responses.
Pap - I agree; I haven't needed neulasta either and am so glad.
Went to plastice surgeon yesterday for my next to last expansion - woohoo!
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I had my last TC 6 weeks ago and it took almost 6 weeks for my mouth and taste to recover.
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I guess the taste buds react differently each time. When I saw the list of foods to stay away from while on chemo, it made me sad to see spicy foods on it. I LOVE spicy foods. Therefore, I simply had to test the waters...so, after my first treatment, I had spicy food. No problem.
I was excited and continued to eat what I wanted in this category. Howwever, treatment #2 brought about a different reaction. I continued consuming spicy foods after the second treatment and although I brushed and rinsed regularly throughout the day (as I did during Tx #1) my gums and tongue felt like they had sweaters on them for at least 12 days and NOTHING I ate tasted good!!
I think this is why I regained some lost weight...I was trying to get some flavor from the foods I was eating, but it was not happening. Boy, it will be nice to be able to eat without restrictions, again.What a journey....
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Firni - my hair guy said the same thing about baby shampoo. We stopped using it on our grandaughter - she can deal with a little tears during shampoo time.
My eyes continue to be dry and the brows are still a no show even after 5 months - weird.
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I had tx 2 of 4 two weeks ago. Am doing pretty well except I feel like a walking water balloon. I have never had this problem before. Anybody else dealing with body-wide water retention? Have you found anything that helps?
Also wanted to mention that the Claritin is working miracles with the Neulasta bone/muscle pain! I just take one each morning and I have not had any of the pain I had after the first treatment. Thank God for this discussion group!
Wishing mild SE's for everyone-
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Meg, I'm with you on the walking water balloon thing. It's driving me crazy. I have noticed that once I start walking each morning, which I can do pretty much 1 week out of chemo until next round, and continue to drink a lot of water, the puffiness seems to subside a bit, but still nothing fits right.
PAP, congratulations on an uneventful round 3, good luck over the next few days.
I'm so jealous of all of you who don't have to deal with the Neulasta shot, I seriously believe that's what makes me feel so bad that 24 hours after getting it. Thanks also for the tips about Claritin, I had no bone pain this round 3.
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Hello everyone, I start 4 rounds of TC on August 13 (planned neulasta shot for day after). I've heard a lot about neuropathy (numbness in fingers & toes) during the entire chemo period as a side effect from taxotere. Has anyone experienced this, and if so, did it go away after chemo?
Shay
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ShayT, I had the same protocol and did experience the peripheral neuropathy. I am only 3 weeks out of chemo and still have the numbness. I was told it could take 6 - 9 months to improve. It's not awful, just annoying.
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ShayT: I am 7 weeks out of chemo and also still have neuropathy. Its annoying and I also was told it would go away in 6-12 months. Over time I have got used to it. I have lines on my nails and was told those were also form taxotere. Do read the postings here there is a lot of information that is very helpful. This forum helped me so much with wonderful advice.
Keep us posted on how you are doing ShayT.
Hugs
Nadine
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I was told that weight gain from Taxotere is typical and everyone in my Dec. group gained weight. I gained almost 30 lbs while on chemo. About 4-5 weeks after chemo, it all just went away in about a week. But yes, nothing fit for about 4 months. I also had neuropathy in my fingers and feet. I'm 18 weeks post chemo and my fingers are fine. I do have some tingling in my toes yet. You might ask your onc if it's ok to take Alpha Lipoic Acid and B6. Both are good for controlling neuropathy. My onc ok'd them both. Unfortunately, I already had it by the time I started taking the supplements. Taking them before starting chemo, might help prevent it.
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Shay,
I only had the neuropathy the day of my second treatment...I drank tons of water and it was gone the next day. Good luck with this. I had my 3rd tx monday past, no neuropathy this time.
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Thanks all for your responses, eases my mind a little. I'm just fearful of anything permanent. I will definitely drink lots of water and will ask my oncologist for approval of alpha lipoic acid and B. Anything that will help!
Shay
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Shay, I was prescribed the same protocol as you and I had terrible numbness on my right hand mostly. I am 14 weeks out of chemo and it has gone away. I was worried it would last for a long time, but it eventually begins to fade. Good luck!
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Shay, if your nueropathy is bad ask for Neurontin. My neuropathy got bad only after my last round of chemo. I had eye twitching that was annoying me to no end and muscle spasms especially at night. I got 100mg dose that I could take up to 3 times a day. It did the trick for me. I probably only took 15 of the pills.....just tried to suck it up since I was so sick of all the other prescriptions
Chelev I was told to take folic acid 1mg (by prescription), alpha lipoic acid 200mg (ramp up to 3 times a day), B complex vitamin 2x day and one more thing.....can't remember what it was called but I bought it then returned it. I thought I had posted it on bc but I just went through my posts and couldn't find it. I am 11 weeks post chemo and was back to somewhat "normal" after about 6 weeks or so.
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phew- and I was thinking I something wrong with me! I do have the eye twitches & finger twitches-thought I was getting parkinsons or something. I am gonna tough it out as much as I can, my Mom is on Neurontin, and it makes her so tired & loopy.
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ShayT - I'm going through the exact regimen you're prescribed and I've had no neuropathy....keeping fingers crossed before last treatment. Good luck!
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Not only did I have the eye twitches but at different times, many parts of my face were twitching.....it was wierd. I'm still getting some little eye twitches but it is definitely calming down. No one told me about this!!!!
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