Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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I'm gonna make this quick, and just post the TC schedule for this coming week:
Mon. July 14: Kim1965 (TCH #1), KLG (#1)
Tues. July 15: dellmonica (#6-done!), deecsw (AC dd #3 of 4), MariaG (#1), sherri38 (#1)
Wed. July 16: Lenny (#5 of 6 dd), pmwelser (#3), texasmom (TCH #3 of 6), catlover44 (#3 of 6)
Thurs. July 17: Tigwin (#6-done!), RJ62 (#5 of 6), slortiz (#2),
Fri. July 18: RNKaren (#6-done!), nmjohn (#4-done!), LizC (AC #3), wdornan (#3 of 6), chloecat (#2), terridwo (#2)
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CaliforniaRN also said she is sterting TC this coming week, but I don't know what day she will start. gk2bc0 said her first tx will be on July 17, but I cannot tell from her posts whether she has learned that she will be getting AC+Taxol(Herceptin) or Taxotere/Cytoxan/Herceptin.
Be sure to send me a pm or post here if there are any corrections or updates.
otter
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I too was under the impression that the chemo would shut down my ovaries so it was a real surprise to get a period again. This I definitely could have done without! Shall be with my med onc on Friday so will hear a lot more then. Thanks for the nputs.
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Not happy about starting chemo tomorrow (monday). It's been put off 3 times now due to various complications from BM healing. I'm about ready to just say forget it if it gets put off again.
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Hello to All !!
Gina M. - I experienced the "diaper rash" after my first tx as well - it was very painful - it would be a good idea to call your Onc. or NP to discuss what they might or might not want to do for it - I was prescribed Mycolog cream topically as mine turned out to be a yeast infection (probably from the Decadron and Chemo etc.), the cream cleared it in a few days and I felt much better - Did not happen during Tx 2. Hang in there !!!
Hope everyone has a good day!!! - I'm grateful for this wonderful community of women here . . .
TC-Chickadee
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I am starting TC on Thursday. At this point, I just want to get it done. Have really learned a lot from reading about everyone's different SE's, and all the interventions. Hope it will help me, and hope my experience can help all of you.
to Young79 starting today, Good Luck and hang in there.
To everyone else, have a great day!!
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Just to have another worry...is anyone else concerned about the risk of leukemia from this? I've looked in vain for actual numbers as to the percentage of people who ended up with it--any of our crack researchers here have any info? I've just read that it can happen even years after chemo is done. I'm just looking for some hard facts about the actual likelihood, and I'm not finding any.
To you who are just starting, the general consensus does seem to be that this regimen is not as brutal as some, so be thankful for that and, like the rest of us who are still in the midst of treatments, keep your eyes on a happy, healthy fall!
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Catlover,
Below is a link reporting on the risk of AML (acute myelotic leukemia) from Taxotere. It appears that 3 of 740 patients (0.4%) in some study were effected, a rate about twice that of the known risk from conventional flouracil therapy. One more thing to worry about:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/568864
Gina-M--I got the nasty diaper rash thing too, and old-fashioned baby Desitin fixed it up good.
Barbara--You will be getting your first T-C the same day I'm getting my second. Good luck to us both.
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Catlover,,,hear your fears but, I have the thoughts of I really do not want to know any risk of another cancer. My logic is to just go on living as if I am fine. If I had to know some risk then I believe my onc would tell me and we would be testing and watching for a big risk. I had cancer 19 years ago. It was not breast cancer but it was in my lymph system. The breast cancer is not in lymph system just my left breast. Could there be a connection...possible...could I have done anything about it...No...so I love that I just thought I was cured for the last 19 years. I truly was cured and this came on its one in my mind. I have lived a healthy lifestyle so I know I could not have done anything different. I really do understand the fear of another or this one coming back and I did have the coming back fear for about 5 years. Every once in a while if I got really sick with a flu or cold I might think about it over the years very briefly but I am glad that I could put if behind me. I think your fears are normal. Just hang in there and take it day by day.
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I can't remember who asked about how long the fever lasted after being on antibiotic. (can't even think of the name right now) but I still ran a low grade fever for at least 5 days. I was on the antibiotic for 10 days. I was surprised, I was told it was real strong and expected fever to end after a day or two. I felt ok though, except for headache everyday around noon, temp norm in the morning then I'd get the headache and sure enough 99.2-99.5.
Went and got a wig and hat today, my sister is on her way over to shave my head and going to the Look Good Feel Good program tonight. It started coming out Thursday, thought I'd last to next weekend, but not!!!!! At least i had a good excuse for not cooking, "You wouldn't want that in your food would you?" was all I said to my family over the weekend and pizza it was!! Love my wig, chose a style that I always wanted but couldn't do because my hair was too wavy. Thought I might as well have fun with it. But after wearing it just a bit today, I can see that I will mostly use scarves and hats for comfort or who knows maybe go au natural. Have a good day and feel good all.
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Hi All -
Well I'm starting to feel a bit better. Only two problems are the vag/rectal yeast infection (thanks for the tip Chickadee - I called my onc this morning and was referred to my family doc who was able to see me right away this morning who gave me a prescription for a cream that should relieve it in the next couple of days). Also gave me a perscription for an anti-histamine for the couple of hives that appeared overnight. But these things seem so much more controllable that that horrible sick feeling with constipation on days 3-5. My energy level is pretty good and I'm back working at my home office for at least part of the day.
Good luck to all those having treatments this week!
Gina_M
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Terridwo, I was the one who asked about continued fever after starting levaquin. I did call the onco nurse again today and told her nothing had really gotten better. She was very low key and said to use tylenol every 4-6 hours. So I started that but the latest problem I've developed is diarhea which always happens when I take antibiotics so I am back on the BRAT diet which I had to do for 6 days during TX1. YUCK! I HATE bananas. Maybe I'll drop a few pounds.....I just want to be well enough to have my last Tx next Monday.
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Anyone ever get a rash/hives on their neck around day 6? Looks like I've had an allergy to a necklace (though I haven't worn one for quite awhile). Very itchy. My family doc perscribed an antihistamine, but I'm curious if anyone else saw that. Also have been trying to fight a vag/rectal yeast infection before the WBC nadir sets in. Am using a prescription anti-yeast topical cream treatment, but have no idea how long these usually take to work. Just starting using it this mroning, so two applications and no relief yet. Yuk! I feel okay, but these things worry me with the WBC dip on me now. (They don't give white cell stimulators here unless the WBC doesn't rally in 21 days.)
Gina_M
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catlover44--This has been my biggest concern about doing chemo. Yes my tumor was large, fast growing and I'm young but on the other hand I have no gene, Onco score of 2, bilateral mastectomy, etc. and so on which is great but I'm still concerned that I will be that in .4% that gets another cancer just from the treatment. My chemo was put off several times and had they put it off again today I was not going back since I feel that it would be some sort of sign that I should not do it. But alas we started today. One down, five to go!
californiaRN--Thanks for your well wishes. Everything went fine with the treatment today, though I am starting to feel kind of weird. I get my shot tomorrow so I'll prolly feel terrible by tomorrow night. But hopefully not! Good luck with yours on Thursday as well!
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Hi Wendy,
I am on the same drugs as you, TC and I have my 6th and final dose this Friday. The first dose was the worst and I ended up in hospital the first time too, with blood in my urine and stool, but it wasn't anything really, just my bodies extreme reaction. Each session since has been so much better. Also I have had a complete response with these drugs, my tumors had gone after the 4th dose, so it is worth perservering if you oncologist says it is safe for you. I would suggest using a barrier cream after going to the loo as the chemo is very strong in the urine in the first week. This really helped me to avoid soreness and itching. I also found that I was exhausted on day 4 and 5 and started to feel better by day 6. Each day after that just gets better and by day 9 and feel completely normal and can even play golf and go out for dinner. My blood count has never dropped throughout the whole thing and my nails have done really well. I have a manicure and pedicure every three weeks. I ask the staff not to cut my cuticles and only put strengthener on, so far my nails look great, they are a little dry and I have the odd white spot, but I am really pleased with them. Do don't worry it will get better! As for hair, yes it will come out, but remember it will grow back. Try to find something good to focus on when you see yourself in the mirror, I have lovely small ears and a sweet round little head. I still have my eyebrows and eyelashes!
Take care
Chris
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Hi Gina,
I am on TC and finish my last dose 6 of 6 this Friday. I had the awful soreness and used a baby barrier cream which worked like a dream, I also had intense itching in my 2nd or 3rd dose, it was awful and anywhere I lightly scratched had a rash on it in seconds. I told my oncologist and he gave me over the counter antihistermine which worked straight away. I now take one tablet for a couple of days and have been fine ever since. Good luck!
Chris
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Hi everyone. I'm feeling good this week (day 11 out from TX 3). I absolutely love the 1 1/2 weeks I have before my chemo treatments - Even though I'm still tired, I feel good and can get a lot done around the house and have fun with the kids. I've been able to work through treatments which has been a godsend. Work is truly the only place I can go and feel normal, like I did before BC. My coworkers know what's going on and they have been very supportive but they don't dwell on the topic. It's nice to go out to lunch with someone and just talk about life. Life -- that's what it's all about!
Hope that everyone has a good week with minimal SE's.
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I am (was) feeling great the last couple of days - I agree ggrose these 1 1/2 weeks before the next treatments are when things are good. But during the night I woke up with a urinary tract infection. I can't even go to work since I am in the bathroom every five minutes. I am waiting for my oncologist's office too pen this morning but I wonder if they will send me back to my regular dr. Maybe I will get lucky and they will just call in a drug. I even have cipro in the house but figure I should check with them first. I can't believe I am missing work during my good week!
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I'm Day 6 (Tx #1) and feeling fairly well. Got ran over by the Neulasta truck over the weekend, finally added a Vicodin to the mix Sat. night and was able to sleep. My biggest complaint has been the foggy brain...it's been hard to even string a coherent sentence together! I'm thinking it was the Zofran...I took my last one yesterday morning and I feeling so much clearer now. I'm not nauseous anymore--now I'm having a lot of cramping and (some) diarrhea. The onc's nurse said if I got diarrhea to let them know and they'd call in some lomotil for me, but, God, I'm sick of medicine. I don't think it's enough yet to worry about dehydration--if it gets any worse I'll suck it up and call. The bone pain only lasted through yesterday morning, and had started letting up, but then I started running a low grade fever last evening, and got pretty achy with that. But temp's normal this a.m. I'm going to go jump on the treadmill and try to get my walk in between bathroom runs.......
Blessings to all,
Sherri
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hello everyone
i got my first tx on 7-11-08. they gave me neulasta shot directly afterwards. my veins wouldn't cooperate with tried pic on 7-10 and had a lot of trouble day of chemo also. they will be putting a port in me next week? i am on a 21 day regimen.
i had a bit of trouble with nausea not too bad, but the bone and muscle pain yesterday was really bad. it was worse than i thought it would be. they gave me vicodin to help but, it only helps a little bit. the pain is mostly in my lower back-hips-pelvic region.
so far today, i do feel better-have taken 20 mg vicodin since 4 am. that's twice as much as they said but, 10mg in 6 hours is pretty worthless.
i also have some rawness in my mouth and have trouble going pee. not so much pain when going but, just not going normal and pain in pelvic area.
trying to keep a journal of what is happening so i can try to calculate it better for the next treatment. if that is possible.
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slortiz, thanks for the link to the worrisome info. I'm not dwelling on it; as you say, Tigwin--once I'm done with this chemo, I will not be worrying about it. Just wanted to be informed. I can't wait to be "normal" again and not worry about catching random germs everywhere I go. We're planning to make a beach trip in either the fall or early next year to make up for the one we missed this month due to my body not cooperating.
Gina, I had the itchy neck beginning on day 7 or so, and it became hives that, like Chris described, went crazy and itched anywhere I scratched the least little bit, mostly in areas where the skin is more sensitive, and particularly at pulse points. I was given a steroid pack, but I don't think it did much and I wish I had just toughed it out. For the better part of a week I just had to try not to scratch, and took a lot of Benadryl. Topical creams didn't do anything to help. I'm hoping you're not having all that now!
Young79, I'm also having 6 treatments, so I'll hang in there with you! I'm having #3 tomorrow and have begun to think of the summer in blocks of time to make it seem to go by more quickly. My birthday is in October and I will surely be a thankful 45 this year having all this behind me!
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This is my first post. I had a lumpectomy 2 weeks ago and am now shopping oncologists. I have met with two - one recommends TC regimen (4 visits over 12 weeks), one recommends ACT (8 visits over 5 months). I would like to go with the TC because shorter duration and less optential heart problems but I am wondering about the efficacy of TC versus ACT. How did you all choose to do TC? I was looking for comparisons on the web and stumbled on to you all. I have to start soon and am, of course, terrified. Please let me know if you can provide any info.
Diagnosed 6/23, (what is IDC?) 1.5 cm, Stage 1, HER2-, ER+ (what is PR?) Dont know grade, 0/3 nodes
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This third treatment is just doing me in! I am finishing up the Levaquin for the constant fever and still doing tylenol with it. The antibiotics gave me diarhea and so I started the BRAT diet to calm things down. Did that for 24 hours and this afternoon I came close to fainting. I think my red cells have really started tanking. I dropped the BRAT regimen and ate steak with a spinach salad garnished with hard boiled egg for my dinner. I have some pedialyte and will try some before I go to bed. I sure hope I feel better tomorrow which will be Day 17. Usually I get a few days of energy before it's time for the next treatment and even a little appetite with actual taste buds but I don't think it's going to happen this time. One more to go.....
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Hi Kathy,
Your oncologist is the one to adivse you, I was given a choice of three drugs v two and went for two, AC as this cocktail has less stress on the body and no scientific difference in results. AC has worked for me, after 4/6 doses my tumor was gone! I have my last dose of chemo on Friday and looking forward to getting it over with, but don't worry too much, for me it has been relatively easy. I have my surgery next month. Good luck.
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HI Kathy,
I will try to help, this is usually Otter's area,,,,
IDC - Invasive ductal carcinoma
PR - is progesterone - so if you are PR positive and you are also ER positive - which is estrogen positive - that means that these 2 hormones "help" to grow your tumor. Most women with this diagnosis would be put on tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor drug both of which are used to suppress or block the estrogen in your body and help keep cancer from returning.
I am sure others will chime in. Your oncologist is the one to talk to you about what is best for a chemo regime. This string is for those of us doing TC, usually 4 or 6 treatments each 3 weeks apart.
This is a great site to gain information about your particular diagnosis and type of cancer as each one can have different treatments. These ladies are a great resource.
I wish you the best!
Valerie
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Kathy, I have found several internet articles stating that the TC regimen has shown to be more effective in preventing breast cancer recurrence than AC, while being a little easier on the body (no heart damage risk, less nausea). I'm having trouble copying & pasting the links, but if you just Google "taxotere cytoxan breast cancer" you will see several articles along this line. I don't know about everyone else, but my onc just told me this is what I would be taking--I didn't have any input!
Your IDC, invasive ductal carcinoma, means the cancer cells that began in the ducts have begun to move outside the duct into the breast. (I had that also, along with DCIS, which is where the cancer is still confined to the ducts.)
Collector, I really hope you're starting to rally and I'm sorry you're having such a crummy #3. I'm going for my #3 today and just telling myself that it'll now mean I'm halfway through, since I doubt I can talk my onc into letting me just do 4 txs.
Have a great day everyone~
Terri
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Collector, I hope you are feeling better real soon. You sure had it bad. I 'm surprised that Levaquin doesn't knock infections out faster. I feel bad that you are not going to get a lot of relief time before next tx. Hang in There!!!
Kathy926, I too was given no choice as to what "cocktail" I was getting, so can't help you there. Good luck with your decision.
#3 for me on Friday, have been feeling basically pretty good for the last week or so. Have been warned to expect a little more se's with each treatment, Just keeping my fingers crossed I don't run a fever again.
Feel well everyone!!!
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My first treatment was yesterday. So far so good. I felt great when I came home, did yard work and watered the lawn, ave helped my hubby bag 130 pounds of salmon. I was extremely hyper - just couldn't sit. They went rhough the night, I woke up over and over and finally slept a solid 3 hours at 6 am. I am bright pink today and feel good still except for a pounding headache.
The nurses talked to me about the fingernails and they do an ice manicure while you are having treatment - they say sometimes works sometimes doesn't. No nausea yet thank God!
I have been drinking tons of fluid because I am suceptible to UTI's I also take cranberry extract which helps with the normal problem- I am taking those twice a day now to ward them off I hope!
Good luck to the rest of you - praying for minimal side effects!!
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Thanks for the info. I think I will probably choose the TC regimen (I like that doctor better anyway!) so I will be poking around this discussion group going forward since I will likely start next week.
Btw, I figured out that they add the stuff on the bottom of these posts after I "formally" signed in. I still don't know what grade my tumor is - I can't find it on the pathology report.
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Sherry,
If you are suceptible to UTI's you might also try eating yogurt once a day. One of the first things my Onc nurse asked me was did I like yogurt. When I said yes and asked why, she said to help ward off UTI's.
Enjoy the day, Karin
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Thanks for the good wishes. I actually had some energy this morning and quickly cleaned 2 bathrooms before I lost it. Then went out for a stitching class and managed 6 errands before returning home. I just checked my temp and it is 99.2 again so I am back on the Tylenol and will lay low tomorrow. Frustrating! I so have another protein filled dinner in the works and I just added yogurt to my grocery list for tomorrow. I forgot to pick up some more Activia and I need it!
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