Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
Comments
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CHJ, I had the cmf, 13 years ago, 6 treatments over 8 month period
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Re: Tigwin's post (on the previous page)
OK. I'm looking around, and I'm suddenly aware that my family room needs cleaning. There is a stack of papers related to my treatment that needs filing. A box containing packing materials from the "care package" my ds (dear sister) sent yesterday should have been tossed in the trash. I see a dirt rat (a.k.a. "dust bunny", but these are more aggressive) hiding under the chair across the room.
<sigh> Sometimes too much awareness can be a bad thing. I think I'll take a nap.
otter
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otter: I had the red, itchy bumps on my head also. I used hydrocrtisone cream on my head and they were gone within 2 days. They have not returned, thank goodness b/c it was extremely annoying.
Thanks for the info. on Ativan. I will ask my onco about it. I would definitely like something for the irritability (my family probably would too).
Debbie
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Otter - I like the name dirt rats. I really think that's what I have. They seem to have the same fur as 2 of our dogs. And a nap is always a good thing:)
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I want Ativan too! They gave me xanax and restoril for anxiety and sleep respectively, but if one thing can do both, I want that! Plus, after I read the restoril side effects I was to scared to take it.
Last round I had the eye twitches in my right eye. This time around I have them in both eyes. At the same time. And I am feeling really light sensitive -- anyone else notice that? I'm thinking I'm going to have to get those big wrap around sunglasses to make it through the summer. And then with my bald head I will look even more like some kind of alien insect.
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Hey everyone! this is my first time writing....although I've been reading all your comments for weeks. I was diagnosed on Feb 25th after a routine mammo and was found to have stage 1 IDC, 1.3 cm grades 2 and 3. ER+/PR+ HER2-. Therefore....lumpectomy, chemo T/C for 4 txs, radiation for 6 wks and Tamoxifen for 5 yrs. Yea, I know, you've heard it all before! My 3rd tx is on Monday the 5th. First tx was horrible, then my hair started to go, so shaving it was the best choice. Second tx wasn't as bad. Thx for all your great advice---like using the tape lint roller on my head. My kids get a kick out of it. The hot flashes are the pits! Since I'm 47, I didn't think I'd have to deal with that for a couple of years---surprise, surprise. K...I've talked long enough.....thx for listening. : )
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Otter thanks for telling me about this thread since as I read it it answers more of my questions about TC. I have finished one round and had all kinds of wild things - bladder infection (even though I drank enough water for an elephant), thrush caused by the antibiotics, and then my blood pressure bottomed out. Very scary - has anybody else had this blood pressure thing happen? I also have numbness on my face and lips. The onc said this was neuropathy, but in an usual place. Is there anyone else out there with a numb face? I felt great on day 7 and on, but have not been able to get any sleep at all. After reading this thread, I guess that is normal. Any suggestions for the sleep?
Thanks,
Karen
p.s. -did anyone's face break out? I look like a teenager.0 -
Can anyone share the reason why Adriamycin was not added to their chemo tx? Is T/C "only" a newer chemo treatment than A/C/T?
Thanks,
Nico
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Morning all - Day 4 past chemo 4 and doing ok...did the 2 ativan last night. Feel ok this morning, less foggy headed than yesterday.
Kfalls - I take tylenol pm unless I have the numb feet and hands and then I take the ativan...
Otter, there is dog/cat hair all over my house too...usually we try to get it up before chemo...but too much going on this week...maybe I will at least push the swiffer in a minute - can be my exercise for today.
Nurselisa - I am 49 and the hot flashes have been worse since chemo 3, day and night....I just try to think of it as a new part of the science experiment which we are all partaking...I like to think it is my body's way of saying you can't have all that estro/prog anymore and I am just trying to shut them down......
Hope everyone has minimal SE, and that there is some warm sunshine for your weekend.
Sharon
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Nico1012 - I honestly don't know the real answer to your question. Taxotere is relatively new on the scene, with Adriamycin being the old standard. I personally am not getting the "A" because I had it 13 years ago, and my onco said they only give it to people once in a lifetime because of the effects on the heart. But they do seem to administer all 3 drugs regularly to other patients in that practice. There was a study that came out in the breast cancer symposium in San Antonio in December that seemed to say that "T" was better than "A", but "A" has been used a lot longer. It seems to me that the choice of drugs is part science, part art, and different docs seem to have different preferences in what they use. I would say if you have questions about why you are getting (or going to get) a particular cocktail of drugs, to ask your onco directly. And if it doesn't make sense, get a second opinion...
CHJ
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There was also a study presented in San Antonio last year that showed that Adrianmycin was only effective in a sub-group of women who are her2+ and over express another gene (I think it was topo something?). So, some oncos are no longer giving it to early stage her2- patients.
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I am feeling a bit better today. I think that since I didn't get the neupogen shot yesterday that my aches are starting to decrease. Most all my eyebrows and lashes are gone. Guess to get an even start with new hair.
Hot flashes are common with this form of treatment. Hot flashes for me have been a part of my life for the last 5 years. Learning how to deal with them was challenging, but finally think I have a resolution for this: Fans, fans, fans and then I found a new product that is a wrap that is cool to cool me down. Back a few years ago they came out with these neck wraps that you had to soak in water for them to plump-up and be cool. This is much better, and convenient. They are called "Kool Klothes". You just wet them and when the air hits, it turns cold. Wonderful for bring my "heat" back down. I feel the flashes first in my hands, then everywhere else. I glow, so with even having a small ice pack when I am out to place my hands on, it helps calm the flashes.
Hope everyone has a sunny se-free Saturday.
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Wow, so much to talk about. Let's see...
revkat, you can have my Ativan. I haven't needed it so far. I'll FAX it to you. And, yes, my eyelids are all twitching. It feels like I'm squinting when I'm not. But, no, I don't think I'm light-sensitive, although it is so cloudy here today, who would know?
NurseLisa, sorry you had to join us but we're glad to see you anyway. Third tx already? You're way ahead of some of us. My 2nd tx wasn't as bad as the first, either, except for these #$%! scalp bumps! The darn things itch! Oh, and a word of advice: if you are thinking about shaving your head, be sure to do it before you get scalp bumps... No, I didn't actually do it, but I thought about it this morning so I could use the hydrocortisone cream. Oh, well...
Kfalls, no numb face here. Twitchy eyelids, that's it. For sleep, you might ask for Ativan, or try Benadryl (the antihistamine; it's also the sleep-inducing component in Tylenol PM).
Hi also to Sharon and CHJ [and goldilocks, who snuck in while I was writing] and anyone else I've left out.
Nico, I think ACT (or AC>T) is considered a more aggressive chemo than "just" AC or TC. I doubt either of my oncos would have suggested ACT for my particular situation. Things were sort of iffy about whether I would need, or benefit from, chemo anyway. As CHJ and revkat said, some oncos are dropping the "A" from the traditional regimens, or substituting something else (like Taxotere) for the Adriamycin. And, like revkat said, there is some intriguing evidence, for those of us who are HER2- at least, that Adriamycin works best in HER2+ tumors, especially those that overexpress a particular topoisomerase gene (Topoisomerase II alpha). (Don't know much more about it than that, I'm afraid.)
otter
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I have a great remedy for skin lumps, bumps and rashes: Aquaphor! Slather it on...it really works!! I also hear it's great for the "radiation redness". I'm told to put it on as often as possible during those many weeks of rays. I guess I'll be finding out soon enough
I've read that T/C has a lesser recurrance rate than A/C...but, who really knows.... I'm sorry I have to be here, too, but I'm glad I found this site and can read and share both the good and the bad between so many people. I feel.....connected, thx 0 -
Thanks for the tip about Aquaphor. I have some already, but I'm afraid to use it on my head because it's vaseline (isn't it?). It would be really good on the rad burns, and it works great on dry, cracked skin. My onco told me to use it if I get scabby sores on my hands, which I did for awhile during round #1.
Isn't this a fun adventure?
otter
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Hi everyone...still waiting for the oncotype results. I think I will receive them next week. I have been readin earlier...what is this "put your finger in ice water while receiving taxotere" mean...what does it prevent or how does it help? I must of miss something along the way.
I go in on Tuesdau=y to cut my hair so that it is short before I go into chemo. Can anyaone tell me about cool scarfs?
Thanks for all the great ingo. Definatelly scared but reading all these lets me know that it can be done!
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Roasrio, you'll do fine! I haven't done scarves much, I like hats better. I've gotten a few from tlcdirect.org, headcovers.com, and hatsscarvesandmore.com. You'll find what you like best!
I think the fingers in the icewater might be to help with the nails, but I'm sorry, I just get too cold anyway, I'm not doing that! Maybe someone else can chime in on that.
Keep a laxative handy (I like Senokot-S) and LOTS of fluids (a number of us have had dehydration problems). You can do it!
CHJ
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So, on day 11 after last tx. I've had a sore hip (muscle?) and my back hurt, though those seem to have lessened. Walking to the Dr's office and to the hospital for a support group, I go up a slight hill and get out of breath, plus my thighs hurt. I guess it's low hemoglobin levels.
Last night I couldn't sleep because we had a window open and I got all congested. I already take an allergy med and nasal spray, but tonight I'm going to add benadryl--and close the window!
Yesterday I bought a Nioxin kit, which is supposed to help with hair re-growth, at the wig shop. I read about this on another thread here. I mow have about a quarter inch of white hair. We'll see how long it takes to grow out. I found another place for hats and scarves: www.chemosavvy.com. Some of their hats are under $10!
Since I'm over 60 and can't even remember for sure when I went through menopause, I feel for those of you who also have to deal with hotflashes. It isn't fair!
Hope you all can get some sleep tonight!
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For me the adriamyacin was a no go due to my bp, which is controlled. We did the echocardiogram which looked good, but they weren't able to get 1 view of my heart they wanted, so we opted to not risk it with adriamyacin. Personally, I was thrilled. We use it at the vet clinic I work at, as well as cytoxan, and its a hard drug for pets, so I didn't want any part of it. Of course, had they pushed it, I would have probably gone with it, but didn't have to make that choice, thankfully.
One consistant thing I've had with TC#2 is a headache. It has been here everyday, all day since the treatment. Tylenol doesn't help, and since my onco told me no ibuprofen or aleve or aspirin, thats my only choice. Now I have a taste in my mouth, I can't put an accurate description too. Almost like soap or a chemical taste. I'm 2weeks, and 3 days out of tx#2, so thought this would be gone by now. No mouth sores for me at this time, have been lucky enough to not have been blessed with those as of yet. We all know that can change though, so we'll see. Oh, no menstrual cycle since #1, about 3 days after that treatment it had the nerve to add insult to injury. While in the hospital for the dehydration and bp being so low, I got my period. Thats just cold blooded of mother nature. I'm hoping its gone now, and if I'm lucky, it won't come back! At 43, what do I need it for, except to keep sweats away?
Tbird.. no mastectomy for me. I opted for the lumpectomy, which went very well. Got clear margins all the way around, so good news there. At first the surgeon was pushing for mastectomy, but I wasn't up for it. I just felt that the lump was so small, it seemed to radical to me anyway. Now, had the nodes been positive, I would probably change my mind.
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A lot of my hair came out in clumps on day 13 after my first tx, so opted to buzz it short, but what about eyelashes and brows? I'm due for my 3rd tx on Monday and still have them. Do they come out later? or if they haven't by now, they probably won't? I've found that a bandana under a floppy hat works well---it looks neat (you don't see that there is no hair) and it keeps the hat securely on my head, because, after all, hats were made for people with hair, so to me it feels a little big. I always had to hold it on my head on windy days...there's nothing worse than having your hat blow off. Imagine being out in public when that happens and people seeing this bald lady running after her hat!!
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Sorry to report that I only started to lose eyelashes around my 4th tx. Had quite a few to start so while there are less, and some gaps on my lower lids, it isn't quite so obvious - especially behind glasses. Eyebrows have definitely thinned. Figure I will have to augment with a brow liner some day soon.
Day 5 after tx 4. Been exhausted likely a combo of the regular side effects and having my parents visiting. Just feel like I should be doing things with them instead of sleeping as much during the day. Slept almost 10 hours last night though so hoping that makes a big difference. Most annoying SE had been that I am retaining fluids, bloated and swollen. Anyone else dealing with this? Recall I'm the one who switched from Taxotere to Abraxane so I don't know if that is more an effect of the Abraxane.
Hope all are doing well.
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Hi all!
NurseLisa, after 5 tx's , I still have lashes and brows, though they are thin. But at least they are not totally gone!
Artsee, where have you been? Haven't seen you lately.
So I have to ask, I know that I'm not the only one finishing up this week. I know it's debap, jt1945, and swimmer, right? Who else (because I'm not good at keeping track)? My last one is Wednesday, the 7th.
I am really looking forward to this stage being over, though tx #5 really kept me down for a while and I imagine the final one will be no better (but I guess I can hope!) We are moving on May 19th, so we've been working our butts off this weekend getting as much stuff boxed and moved as possible. I know that I will be pretty much worthless from the 7th through at least the 12th. We are using movers for the furniture and the big stuff.
In the middle of all that, I'm going back to the surgeon for a check up and a mammogram on the 12th. People ask me often what the followup will be, and how will you know that they really got it all?? And I tell them that I'm just dealing with treatment right now, and assuming that everything is going to be fine. Still, the upcoming mammogram is making me a little nervous. But hey! One step at a time. I'm usually good at assuming things are fine until I hear otherwise.
Have a great rest-of-the-weekend everyone. It's a beautiful day in Maryland!!
CHJ
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Hi all - So far this has been the least SE of all my treatments...not really a bad day. Getting ready to head to NC for a athletic directors meeting at 4, my asst AD is going too....so just in case my side effects show up later I won't have to drive back 4 hrs alone...Will get back late tomorrow.
Glad to be past all the chemo....hoorah for all of you who finish this week....I go for bw and see the rad guy on Wed...to get that process started.
brows and lashes are thin....hair on legs still not growing and it can stay that way....ha ha...one positive to all this.
Have a good Sunday
Sharon
oh yea...what rad page to we go to.....maybe that is where bdatlanta is?
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Hi - Today is day 11 after my first treatment and I lost handfuls of hair this morning. Not in clumps - pretty evenly so it just looks thin. How long does it take for it all to go? Just wondering and waiting.
Karen0 -
Karen - Mine kepted up the clumping day 11-14, and then I just had my husband shave it. I wear hats and scarves...but after the 4th treatment...I go without a hat lots of places where I am comfortable...
Hang in there
Sharon
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Sharon - thanks - just a little scared to find out how beautiful (or not) my scalp might be.
Karen0 -
Bald is beautiful. We do get to get our hair back. The guys that don't almost hate us. Wearing fun earrings, and hat make it fun. I couldn't get into the scarves this time. Seems too much of a hassle. Last weekend couldn't go to bathroom. This weekend, can't stay away. My legs feel like I have weights on them, but pain isn't as bad when I am not moving around. Taste buds are still ok, but my tongue looks like the grand canyon. Craters everywhere. I know that my taste and mouth tenderness are just about it full swing. Since my final treatment, I just want to feel better soon. I just need to be patient. It is sunny and warm here, but just want to hide out.
My new sisters: I always had something very cold to drink during each,"cocktail". It did help keep the mouth sores down. I still have some, but I think that it could have been worse if I wouldn't had done the cold drinks.
Happy Sunday.
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CHJ, I have my last treatment on Monday, May 5th, after a all nighter with my pups having dirrarah and vomiting, I was worn out this am, they had dental surgey on Thurs.I will go back after TX #4 for a follow up with ocon and she will do some type of scan to make sure the tumor has shrunk, and get with my surgeon to scoop the cells (If any are left)and the plastic surgeon, will see what happens. I got a new PX for the aches from the Neutalsa shot, hope that will work this week, am flying high with the steriods. Hope your treatment is successful and no s/e for you this week.
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On C/T 4x. Dose dense every 2 weeks. Had my first on 4/24. Not terrible SE. Fatigue, appetite loss and fuzzy brain, but all managable.
My advice - keep moving . I always feel better after I move - exercise, yoga, a walk, dance, garden - but move. No bone pain from Neulasta - I think it's because I just get up and move. Only a few days when I couldn't. Continuing to work, have kids - so I have to move. Wig next week. Hope it doesn't fly off in aerobics class.
Grade 1, Stage 1 , .7 cm 0/2 nodes triple negative
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Chj...Hi, I'm still here. I check in every day and I've been "lurking".
Everyone has been giving good advice to the newbies so I didn't have any more to add. I do miss chatting though.
I do have one bit of advice for all that have had problems with "waste management." Now I have tried everything under the sun and with the last tx I finally bought some "prune juice". I used to think it was god awful, but you know it's not bad and does the "natural trick" like I have never had with the rest of the #$&% drugs. Drink 4 oz. of the juice every day, and you are GOOD TO GO
..HAHA!!no pun intended. I have been looking towards my last tx(4) longingly and I have been thinking of your last too CHJ. Good luck and will I see you in the Rads??Hugs and may your s/e's be minimal.
Last tx's May 8th and 9th?
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