Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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Brenda - I'm having cravings, too. I've eaten Kraft dinner every day for lunch this past week. Normally I hate the stuff!!
StillVerticle - hang in there. Glad to hear you're starting to feel better.
Paddlegirl - I took my daughter to the movies Saturday afternoon to see The Tooth Fairy. It was a cute movie and she enjoyed it. About the popcorn....I found it had no taste to me whatsoever. I could hardly even taste the salt and the topping only helped it slide down my throat. We ordered a combo that came with Twizzlers and I could at least taste them. Thank goodness for the Twizzlers and my daughter's Skittles!!!
Have a great day ladies!
Sherri
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Hey everyone -
Sixth and last TC for me tomorrow! I saw my onc this week and he said the next month would be the worst as far as SEs go. I think I'll ask for weekly fluids for the next month. Can't hurt, right? Oh wait, my veins are disagreeing with me on that one. ;-)
The cravings are weird, aren't they? Lots of meat and cheez doodlez for me. Even my eyes have gone traitor and refuse to acknowledge the salad beckoning from the fridge, peeking out from behind the 12 pounds of meat.
Did anyone have hair sprouting before they finished chemo? I noticed it about a month ago. There isn't a ton of it, but my head is definitely fuzzy.
Paddlegirl - Someone suggested sucking on ice chips during treatment. I started it beginning with treatment #2 and found that it helps a lot with mouth sores and the whole tastebud thing. It doesn't completely negate the effects, mind you, but it does help.
Good luck to everyone!
E
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Enjoyful - that's inspiring about the hair sprouting. How are your brows and lashes doing? Did they hang on? Or, if not, are they sprouting, too?
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enjoyful - congratulations and good luck with your last treatment!
I always had some pretty thick but short fuzz on the top of my head all during chemo, and I still have my eyebrows. My 6th and last treatment was on 1/6 and the bald spots on the sides of my head are starting to get a little peach fuzz (or I'm imagining it). What I'm not imagining is that hair is sprouting on my legs already.
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Sugar - The lashes are completely gone and I think there are about 15 individual hairs left in my brows. No sign yet that they're coming back, darnit. I just have fun with the brow kit and walk around looking perpetually skeptical (one brow higher than the other) or comically surprised (both brows in the middle of my forehead). They go along with the Tim the Enchanter hat I plan to wear to tomorrow's treatment,
Lottie - Thank you! Oh, I forgot to mention my legs. They're getting that sandpapery feeling so perhaps the hair's trying to come back there as well.
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Lottie, Chynadollsmom, Sherri, Brenda: thanks for your kind words. This board is a great place for me right now, I check it several times a day.
Lottie, I hear you.. last time I went into it bull-headed, full steam ahead, worked straight through it. (2 preschoolers, contract work, no disability insurance, and a brand new partner). I was too scared to even know I was scared. I didn't feel anything till much later, a totally bad scenario. Ten years later, all those things are better. So I am trying to get to the feelings before chemo, but it's hard to schedule that.
About hair the second time: I remember good things about hair from last time... no more tweezing, smooth legs, the result was the best perm I ever had! full and curly, when it finally came in.
This time I am really looking forward to naked armpits, since I dont' dare shave any more. Anybody have advice about shaving??
Blessings to all, Kit
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Paddlegirl - Don't feel guilty!!!! Feel blessed. I pray you'll keep going through this thing with very little side effects. I'd gauge mine as middle of the road -- not extreme but not light -- but I still don't want anyone to feel the way I did if they can help it.
The hair thing is kind of funny. I'm not liking the growing out stage on top of my head... seems like it's going to take forever before I have an actual full head of hair. My eyebrows were all but gone, but they seem to be coming back. When I'm drawing in my brows I can tell I'm coloring in hair in spots. I actually like drawing in my brows. First time in my life I have matching, nicely shaped brows! LOL But I'm loving the fact that I've only had to shave my legs once. About a month ago I had managed to grow some hair on them and shaved -- and it never grew back. My underarms are still smooth too! The area between my brows is smooth as a baby's bottom. And to make things even better, no period since at least October. So yes, there can be some good things about chemo.
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Thanks chynadollsmom, I am feeling fortunate.
What is this tingling all over my skin, kinda creepy sensation I've been getting all day?
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Hi Paddlegirl - I had that tingly thing happen, too. It goes away after chemo. I had this thing I did when the tingles started - in my mind, it was angels touching me, like they were there to help me with the fight. Maybe this is something that will give you comfort. Or you may think I'm a nut job. Either way, you're going to do just great. Hang in there. XO, Mary
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enjoyful: Congratulations on completing your final round. You must feel like a world champion boxer. You have definitely kicked some major cancer butt.
Sherri: Are you feeling a little better every day, in preparation for the final round? Are you getting as excited as I am?
4 years ago they could not find a vein during my final round. My veins behaved until the final round. I better get them warm and ready by the 8th.
Take care...
Brenda
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Brenda - yes, I'm getting excited. In fact, I'm getting together with a bunch of ladies from work on Friday, Feb. 5th for pre-celebration luncheon. I'm off work now so I really look forward to lunches and get togethers with my co-workers on my good weeks.
I'm feeling good right now and the yucky taste is pretty much gone. I started feeling better yesterday. Being home is making me want to redecorate my house. I'm hunting for a small flush mount chandelier for my living room right now. The countdown in on...although I want to enjoy these two good weeks.
I'm hoping my veins hold up. The nurse messed up twice on tx #3 and she had to get another nurse to finally get the IV inserted. I then bruised a lot. I think the days of taking Advil for my injured tooth leading up to the treatment probably thinned my blood causing the bruising.
Mommaof2 - how are you doing? Is your last treatment on Feb. 8th, too?
Juanelle - I hope rads are going well for you!
Lottie - are you on the mend now that you're done with chemo?
Sherri
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I know I'm sort of jumping in here, but I just joined the board, and I'm on Taxotere and Cytoxan, as well.
Sugar77- I've had a gross taste in my mouth lately, too. Did you do anything to get rid of it, or did you just wait it out?
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Rose325 - I've chomped on ice chips during the Taxotere infusion. So far I've not had any mouth sores. Not sure if it also helps with the yucky taste and lack of taste buds but that seems to clear up, along with my gurgling stomach, exactly a week and one day after the treatment. All three tx have had a similar pattern but #2 was worse as far as the stomach was concerned. This time I craved Kraft Dinner for lunch every day last week so maybe that's why my stomach was better. I've not had any nausea, thank goodness. Mainly I've had some aches days 3-5 and fatigue along with no taste buds on those three days. One more treatment to go on Feb. 8th!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Sherri
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chynadollsmom : Chemo ended my menses too.. sudden chemical menopause is said to be harsher than normal.. and I had hot flashes to die for, for quite a while. I was perimenopausal before, so the ending was expected but sudden. I delayed starting tamoxifen for several months because the hot flashes were so disruptive. It was at least 7 years before I wore a turtle neck again!
Today I had my first T/C treatment, going for Neulasta tomorrow. The treatment went okay. But I'm on predinisone yesterday, today, and tomorrow, so I know my decision-making skills are far suppressed, while my energy is surging - a dangerous combination! I've promised my partner to not make any decisions for a few days, but my 12-year-old is cleverly trying to push for decisions she wants right now. Good thing we're all being upfront about all this..
Thank you all for walking through this together. Blessings, Kit
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Sugar 77 - thanks for asking about me. I've been lurking on the boards almost every day, but haven't posted much on the thread lately. I'm doing well....have the icky taste thing going on...it's starting to get better, so maybe just a couple more days of that. I'm scheduled for my last treatment on the Feb.10th. HOORAY! I am going to plan something REALLY BIG to celebrate. I'm worried about my veins holding out too. I wonder what they do if they can't get an IV going? Oh well, I'm not going to start worrying about that already! Have you met with your radiation onc yet? I am having a consult with another rad onc next week. Just want to get a second opinion, this one deals only with BC patients, so to me that is already a BIG plus and she is a woman too...another big plus! Might end up changing rad onc's too. Again, thanks for asking about me and take care.
Rose325 - the nasty taste will go away in a few days....try Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash, that seems to make it go away a little faster. The nasty taste has been my biggest complaint of all. I can't even describe what it tastes like...some people say it's metallic, but I would say it's much worse than that.
Wow, what a long post....hope everyone is doing well and for those of you just starting out, time will go by so fast and you'll be saying "wow, I can't believe I only have one treatment left"
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Sherri, you got a new picture, you look great. I am doing really good. Just about have all my energy back and so far the rads have not been too bad. The Rad Onc said I should start feeling some of the SEs next week. I just can't wait. I can't believe that you only have one more to go. Woo Hoo I know you have to be really happy that the end is in site.
Kit, I hope you do well after your tx. Just drink lots of fluids to keep hydrated.
Hugs to everyone getting a tx this week and wishing for mild SEs.
Juannelle
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Sugar77-Love the new pix.
I find that the mouth taste is back today on the eve of Tx2. I eat to get rid of it and as a result gaining weight back -frustrating. I will try ice chips tomorrow. Wintergreen sugar free mints and gum help get rid of it while I have it.
After tomorrow- I will be halfway down with chemo -Yippee.
Best,
Barbara
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Funny story behind the new pic. I changed my profile picture on Facebook yesterday, switching to a photo of me holding my dog, who turned two yesterday!! As such, I thought, why not change to that photo on BC.org, too. Well, the photo wouldn't upload and then I couldn't find the old one on my hard drive anymore...so I grabbed this one quick. Back in the summer I was goofing around on a website called www.yearbookyourself.com where you insert your photo into some crazy picture props, which I then posted on Facebook for a laugh. As such, I needed a photo without my hair at the sides so it didn't get in the way of the props. Therefore, I held my hair up and had a quick shot taken (you can see my arm to the left). That is the photo I ended up posting on here. Yearbook Yourself is so funny. If anybody here is on Facebook and would like to connect, send me a PM and we can exchange real names!
Sherri
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Thanks, Juannelle, I am totally floating. Tonight at bedtime I had to swill down 8 pills: 2 steroids, atavan, calcium, sennakot, claritin, Prilosec. Bedtime isn't really going to mean bedtime. I may be flying all night! And I got a Vitamin E cream at the coop for my breast wounds, it feels great!
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Ohhhh Pastapesto, you'll probably be awake all night, huh? I was the night before my chemo's also. Those steroids really play havoc with your head. Your body's sleepy, but the head won't follow suit! Now for chemopause..did your hot flashes and such begin right away? I'm not really having any to speak of. I have a little trouble controlling my body temperature, but I just get a little warm or a little cool from time to time. But that's what I was doing before all this began. Don't know if that means I'll not stay in menopause or not. Guess time will tell.
Juannelle,glad your rads are going well so far. I'm down to only needing 13 more total. They switched to my 7 centered just on the breast incision site before finishing my last 6 full spectrum rads because my underarm is getting sort of raw. It's only as burnt as the rest of my skin, but the constant rubbing that underarms do is causing the issue.
Take care everyone!
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sugar77- what a great feeling knowing your last tx is very soon! and celebrating is a great idea.
I am feeling normal (day 6), yesterday was actually hungry and ate a big dinner which didn't set well but wasn't miserable. I had lost 5 lbs since day 1 so I will be able to put that right back with my appetite. Think my red blood cells may be dropping, have had shortness of breath with one flight of stairs and unable to walk any distance without panting. Labs being drawnThursday, we'll see.
Stay strong!
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I may have spoken too soon about SE from Neulasta! My joints, especially my lower back and hips hurt like crazy! It is either the Neulasta or I was instructed to take an antibiotic starting day 6 - 11 as a precaution and within the hour of taking my first antibiotic, the bone/joint pain started, maybe that was a trigger for the Neulasta.
I'm ticked, b/c I have had very few side effects and if it is from the neulasta, then I am going to forgo it unless they show me that my white cell counts are too low and need the boost. Very frustrated today, walking up a flight of stairs made my bones throb, not acceptable, I'd rather live in a bubble for a few days each round then be in pain walking!
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Hi All, Just checking in and hoping everyone is doing well today.
Sherri - great pic! Thanks for asking about me. I'm still taking steroids and lasix to reduce the edema I got as a "final parting gift" from chemo. As a result, I'm a little crazy. Depressed in the mornings, anxious etc., but I keep reminding myself that it is the prednisone and that I'm tapering off, so it isn't permanent. It's been a busy week so far and I think I'm holding up pretty well. Still, my lack of stamina bothers me. Stairs are a real challenge! I get tired just looking at them.
Kit - did your oncologist give you a hard time about delaying tamoxifen? I'd really like to take a break for a month or so to shake some of the post-chemo crap before I start tamox. My doc isn't going to want to hear it, he's hard-head. I see him next week.
Juanelle, glad you're able to enjoy some new found energy. Hope you sail through rads with no fatigue. I know you have a busy schedule, work very hard.
Seems like so many women on TC also get Neulasta as a matter of course. I had 6 TC treatments and bloodwork every time. I never had any Neulasta injections. I got a little anemic toward the end, according to my labs. I'm glad I was able to avoid it.
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I'm starting on TC 6x next week. I asked the onc about Newlasta and he said he usually automatically gives the shot and I'll most likely need its help with TC. However, I would like to wait and see at least for the first tx and he readily said that's OK, too. I'll have bloodwork a week after every tx. I like my oncologist.
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Hi all!
Tx 2 was today. Uneventful so far. The good news was that my counts went way up....my onc says that it was amazing to see my white counts go from 4,8 to 31. Yippee. No shot for me. She says I must have good marrow.
Is it reasonable to expect the same side effects for Tx2 as Tx1? My onc's nurse fought with insurance company to get a heavy duty antacid to help alleviate the heartburn that was so painful last time. I am hoping that this will work.
I took the advice of sucking on ice chips to avoid metal mouth. So far so good. Thanks for all the great advice for the warriors on this board.
Best,
Barbara
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I go in for my second TC infusion on Friday. Had a port/cath placed 2 days ago so that I can avoid those IV horror stories. I am "tough stick" too. Had my head shaved today because my hair was falling out in masses. Very emotional. I hate this!
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Thanks for sharing experiences on Neulasta, I go tomorrow for my counts and I will ask my onc about it for next time. My bones are already feeling much better than earlier today, but it kept me sidelined from my favorite exercise class tonight. Exercise has some of the same benefits on our cells as any shot, so I am personally looking to forgo it next time.
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Barbara, you can expect the same side effects, but you could also possibly experience a few more or some of the original could be a little stronger. As you go along things tend to increase. Hopefully you'll be one of the women who never experience any really bad se's though!
mslrg - Hang in there. Your hair will grow back, and you'll be on the other end of your treatments before you know it. You'll find strength you didn't know you had. Among the sorrows are many joys. I hope you have many in your life!
faithfulc - Glad you like your oncologist. Sounds like he'll be a doctor who listens to you. That's a blessing. I think you're in good hands!
I'm aching all over this evening. Can't wait until the post-chemo rheumatism leaves! Other than that it's been a good week. Rads are still not as bad as I'd expected. Hope you all have a good week too!
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How many treatments of taxotere and cytoxan did you end up having? I am on the same treatment regiment and they want me to have six treatments. I was told that I would probably have four and they have now changed it to six. I was told that studies showed that six was better.
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Daysone - I'm having four TC treatments in total. My tumor was quite small so that might be why I'm only getting four. In fact, giving the size of my tumor, chemotherapy woudn't always be offered, However, I was given the option of doing four rounds because mine is hormone negative and therefore won't be taking Tamoxifen or anything afterward.
Sherri
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