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Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?

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Comments

  • Rachel1966
    Rachel1966 Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2010

    thank you Tiffany.... I'm hoping #4 is easier as well.

    The only thing that made me really sad today was what my oncologist said about my taste buds. I told her that since treatment #1, I lost my taste buds. I can't detect salt, sweets. I can't even tell you what I'm eating. Zero taste buds, even water makes me cry. I asked her today when could I expect these to come back.. She said, you will never get  your taste buds back to normal. I went WHAT!!!   She said you'll get taste buds back, but it will always feel off and never normal.. I almost cried in the chair, I was sooo sad. 

    I also asked her if I could say I was cancer free and chemo killed every last cell in my body. She said I can't say that, I can't guarantee that you're cancer free, but I can tell you that we did everything humanly possible.  For some reason that statement left me feeling very depressed.

  • rcca
    rcca Member Posts: 13
    edited December 2010

    Rachel,

    I did 4 AC and 4 T. Finshed in August. My taste buds are back and don't feel off. There's hope.

  • Char2010
    Char2010 Member Posts: 362
    edited December 2010

    Rachel - I went through four rounds of TC this summer - lost all sense of taste.  My taste buds are back as well - no different then pre-chemo.

  • Rachel1966
    Rachel1966 Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2010

    rcca and Char2010 -  Bless you!  You have given me hope.  I hate not being able to taste anything.  I'm excited now, thank you.

  • cc4npg
    cc4npg Member Posts: 438
    edited December 2010
    Rachel:  I've seen several posts here where people have gotten their sense of taste back.  I'm not sure how many have noticed a difference between before and after, but this is the first time I've heard it might not come back normal.  Not sure if I agree with the info you got, but I believe your taste should be fine after it's done. 
  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010

    Fighter34 the sore throat was from actual sores in my throat. It is going away my nurse me doing salt water rinses every hour, bioteme mouthwash after i eat. I am also on a mouthwash script called nystatin that is working on my thrush, my tongue was white and now it looks pink. So today i feel like it's all going away, not gone, going away though.

    My wbc test came back yesterday as one. so for the enxt 3 days getting neuprogen. I am a little nerouvs bout that one. I did not get the neulasta because my neutrafils were too high this time. I hope I don't get any SE from this, i did not have any from the neulasta.

    I can log on at the doctor and hang in the lobby on their wifi so i will check back later. 

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010
    Now for anyone that needs a wig. I found a company giving away free wigs for people who cannot afford one or do not have health care that covers one. here is the website. You fill out and send them the enrollment form which asks you to chose a wig from wig.com. I picked out two choices don't know if I will get my first choice.my first was Monique by Envy which is very longand my second was Impressive by revlon which is a bobhttp://crickettsanswerforcancer.org/id4.html 
  • Rachel1966
    Rachel1966 Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2010

    Today is it... Today is my last TC treatment... I get to ring that bell and say goodbye to the chemo unit.   I have mixed feelings about today but I'm so happy it's my last treatment. I never thought I would get here but I have to say it sure went quickly. 

    October 15th was my first treatment and look where I'm at now - MY LAST!

    I hope this 4th and final one is an easy one but I'm prepared for those side effects which will ruin my Christmas but at least I know there's a light at the end of the tunnel and that is I survived cancer. I survived chemo. I will survive tamoxifen and I will feel normal again.  My hair is growing back. I still have eyelashes (for now), and I'm hoping my taste buds will return to normal soon.

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010
    Rachel congrats on being done. If you do get any SEs remember it will pass and then you are done.
  • torigirl
    torigirl Member Posts: 748
    edited December 2010

    Rachel1966:  Woo Hoo!  Great to hear that today is your last one!  Stand tall, ring that bell and KNOW that it will be your first and LAST time having to do it!  Hope all goes well today!

    Today is treatment #5 of T/C for me...one more to go! I will be in Rachel's place in 3 weeks and the place many of you have been already.  I will still have rads to do, but this part of the journey will be over and done....for good...

    Have a great day sisters!

    peace and prayers,

    Tori

    DE COLORES! 

  • TifJ
    TifJ Member Posts: 804
    edited December 2010

    Way to go Rachel!!! I'm so happy for you! May you have a wonderful day today and all the following days be SE free (okay, at least minimal!).

  • Rachel1966
    Rachel1966 Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2010

    TifJ and others:   Thank you so much for your kind words.  It's great to know you're done but I still have mixed feelings about it.. I guess it will take a little while for that to go away.  I feel great right now... Neulasta shot is coming tomorrow and then the side effects will start. I am usually at my worse day 7 thru 18 so I'll be out flat on my ass starting Xmas Eve thru New Year, but that's okay, at least I know once those are done - so am I and I can start my new normal life..

    Thank you all so much for the great support, the great advice and allowing me to share my journey with you and being part of yours.

  • torigirl
    torigirl Member Posts: 748
    edited December 2010

    Hey all,

    CONGRATS Tifj for being done!  Doing the happy dance for you! 

    Treatment #5 is done for me!  One more to go and it's ALL done! 

    peace and prayers,

    Tori

    DE COLORES! 

  • TifJ
    TifJ Member Posts: 804
    edited December 2010

    Tori- not done yet- one more on the 30th! I will be doing the happy dance that day!!!. When is your last? I am currently on day 10 post tx 3 and feeling fine!!

    Happy Saturday Everyone!!

  • torigirl
    torigirl Member Posts: 748
    edited December 2010

    Sorry to mess up TifJ...I got you  mixed up with Rachel1966 who had her last one yesterday.... This "chemo brain" really exists!  :)

    Well TifJ, you are so close!  My last one is January 7th (just had #5 of T/C yesterday)...wish I could have been done before the end of the year...LUCKY YOU!  

    Take care!

    Tori

    DE COLORES! 

  • TifJ
    TifJ Member Posts: 804
    edited December 2010

    Tori- I blame everything on Chemo brain!!! You're only about a week behind me-we will both be done before we know it!! Now I'm waiting on BRCA results. Won't know anything until mid-January.

    Tiffany

  • Fighter_34
    Fighter_34 Member Posts: 496
    edited December 2010

    YEA for all the Chemo graduates!!!! I wish you all continued sucess and normal life again!!!! Take nothing for granted and do everything in your power to stay HEALTH!!!!

    (Ringing my BELL for you guys!!!!!) 

  • dawney
    dawney Member Posts: 136
    edited December 2010

    I am 5 weeks PFC and wondering when 'normal' will be back.  I have a funny feeling that I am experiencing the 'new normal'  <sigh>

  • Claire82
    Claire82 Member Posts: 490
    edited December 2010

    it gets normaler...

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010
    dawney I am on day 15 of final chemo so still feeling the effects but i had a sore throat all week and was really fatigued with wbc down to 1,000. Got neuprogen and i am at 15,000 now and I i am gradually feeling better. HOw are you feeling ? Is it just fatigue still?
  • didel
    didel Member Posts: 733
    edited December 2010

    Dawney I completed chemo May 17th...I gave myself 3 weeks for it to be out of my system...then three months from then. I literally woke up one day and it was like YEAH no joint pain, no night sweats, no fatigue..I swear I finally felt like myself again physically anyhow.

    Good luck to everyone going through treatments this time of year. It's hard anytime but I know healing through the holidays is tough.

    Stay strong...you're almost there!

    Diane

  • Rachel1966
    Rachel1966 Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2010

    I'm day 5 post my last treatment ( #4) and so far I have bad thrush, fatigue and leg / muscle pain. I know that for me I seem to get worse on day 7 through 10 then I start feeling okay. I miss my taste buds the most.  I also got a call from my oncologist tonight to tell me that the 2nd review of my pathology came back and there is NO lymph node involvement. They had said in the 1st pathology micrometastatic lymph node which did not make sense considering left breast was DCIS.  So, it was sent to a cancer specialist pathologist and after review it showed isolated tumor which the oncologist tells me is nothing and considered node negative. No need for further surgery, no need for rads. I'm done with chemo and will be starting Tamoxifen in January. She said, have a great holiday and start living your life with no worries and your new normal. 

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010

    Rachel good news. I am on day 16 now and starting to feel much better. The 4th one knocked me for a loop. I had really low wbc this time and I ahd a sore throat. But throat getting better and energy coming back. I am supposed to get tamoxifen but not sure when that will start. I also have to get reconstruction so maybe after that, i dunno.

  • shiramg
    shiramg Member Posts: 29
    edited December 2010

    It has been almost 3 weeks since my last treatment and i got sick a week ago and just can't seem to kick it!  any advice?  for those of you who have finished chemo, are you having a hard time staying healthy?

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010

    It is day 16 since my last chemo and i got a sore throat 1 and a half ago and it's going away now. I gargled with salt water every hour pretty much. But my wbc count last week was way down and now it's up and i am feeling better so not sure if the throat thing is related. I am going on a very strenuous road trip in about 3 weeks so i have to be well. I am going to get another blood test on the 3rd and we leave the 9th just to make sure everything is ok.

  • shiramg
    shiramg Member Posts: 29
    edited December 2010

    why is my oncologist not giving me blood tests?  is it normal to get tested after chemo?

  • Carrol2
    Carrol2 Member Posts: 1,477
    edited December 2010
    shiramg I got a blood test before each chemo and 10 days after. You should ask your doctor about this.
  • lrr4993
    lrr4993 Member Posts: 504
    edited December 2010

    shira - my onco only tested my blood the morning of my next chemo.  I am sure if I had problems between treatments she may have checked it between, but I was lucky in that I had very little side effects and no real sickness because of the chemo.  

    Now, if you are not getting tested at all then I would say that is unusual and dangerous.  I think they pretty much have to test you at some point to make sure your blood counts are at a level that will tolerate the next chemo.  

  • Rachel1966
    Rachel1966 Member Posts: 57
    edited December 2010

    OMG - today is day  6 post TC #4 and I'm dying.  OKay not dying but it sure feels like it.  I am experiencing severe pain across my ass down my legs. I had my Neulasta shot on the 18th of December, (chemo was on the 17th). It is now midnite and I'm suffering. I can't sit without having pain, I can't lie down without pain.  Is this normal?  It's not back pain as I don't feel pain in my back. I feel pain across my ass , my ass and down my legs. Nothing is numb. NO fever at all.

  • cc4npg
    cc4npg Member Posts: 438
    edited December 2010
    Rachel:  I'd call your onc if it doesn't improve.  Take some Aleve maybe.  Could you have a pinched nerve in your back?  That sounds a little like the sciatica.  Maybe it's unrelated.  Does it take that long for the Neulasta to cause pain?  I had mine 2 days ago and so far no pain, but have taken Aleve and Claritan too.