Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
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Sandyland- I experience pulsating discomfort in my organs.and in my ovaries 3 days after taxol..its not really pain, just discomfort. Any other symptoms? Maybe you are developing a UTI?
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Hi Sandy
Last week I had a high level of liver enzymes and kinda hurt around there. This week I'm drinking a lot of herb tea with lemon and water with lime, trying to flood it out. It was my second DD taxol and taking pain meds I think is hard on the liver. In the morning I have to drink a good bit of water before i drink coffee or I have pain around there. UTI could be I think I'm border line..0 -
Thanks Ladies ~ No other symptoms, except some weird pain (comes and goes) in my neck, left side. I am on TAC chemo so I get Taxotere (Taxol derivitive) Adriamycin & Cytoxan all at once. It's a wonder my organs are functioning at all, I suppose
I think I'll try the tea and the water with lemon or lime to flush it out. Great suggestions!
SAN
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Hi All,
Just a quick check in. Grandma, glad you found a RO you like and trust. That seems so important. Kelly and Sandyland,glad you are doing better.
I have a hard time keeping up with all the posts here, but gain such strength when I visit. I am getting ready MX on Thursday and will be so glad when it is over. Working today and Tuesday and then packing etc on Wednesday and jst getting my self emotionally ready. Then I have a month off before I begin chemo and the radiation.
Hope everyone has a gentle, SE free day
Be well
Nel
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Best of luck Nel- keep us all posted. Thinking of you!
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I had my first radiation treatment today. Everyone is so friendly there. The RO saw me when I first got there and waved and had a big smile. I told the girls who did the treatment how scared I was and they were very reassuring and explained everything as they went along. They assured me that the beam did not hit my lung and made me feel that I'm in good hands. I'm even going to do a clinical trial they're participating in. It's to see if curcumin (found in turmeric and curry) will reduce or eliminate radiation dermatitis. I don't know if I'm getting the curcumin or a placebo, but I figure If I get the placebo, I won't be any worse off. I hope I'm taking the curcumin and it works.
Kelley, I'm counting down the days to your last chemo on Wednesday. You've almost made it.
Nel, I hope everything goes well on Thursday. You'll be in my thoughts.
Sandy, You're almost done too. That is so great.
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just found out that I need 6 weeks of radiation...why did they wait until the day before my last treatment to tell me I need 6 weeks radiation..I am devastated
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Kelley, I'm so sorry. I would be devastated too. It's terrible to wait until you think you're almost done and then spring it on you. I can't tell you too much about it, yet, I've only had 2 treatments, but I can say the treatment itself is uneventful. I guess the side effects, if any, don't usually show up until about half-way through. The anticipation of it is stressful, though. I know I stressed about it for 3 weeks, but I finally did find an RO that I felt comfortable with, and I feel I'm in good hands. The treatment only takes about 5 minutes. It takes me longer to find a parking place, which is usually 2 blocks away, and walk to the building, change into a poncho type top, then it does to actually get the treatment. 6 weeks really isn't very long, when you think about how long chemo took. I would have preferred the prone position, but no one here does that. Although the RO I have now was very interested in it and may incorporate it in the future. It will be ok. You're strong enough to do this. You're much stronger than I am.
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GrandmaV- thank you..I think we are all equally as strong..I dont feel strong right now..I feel frightened out of my mind..not just the radiation but this whole cancer thing in general..I just feel like it is going to haunt me forever..thanks for the support..I really appreciate it,
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Kelley, I feel the same way. It seems there's no end to it. I think it will be a part of our lives from now on, always looking over our shoulder. But I've read some posts from ladies who are several year survivors and they say it gets easier, and they learn to cope and be happy in spite of the fact that they've had cancer. So we can hold on to that hope that after treatment it gets better.
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GrandmaV- I have heard that the fear fades over time..we just have to stick together and hang on..hugs to you...
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Kelley ~ I have to do 6 weeks of rads as well. Initially, I thought I might be able to get away without it, but my margins were not clear....so here I go. I should be starting near the end of March. I hope it is uneventful for both of us.
Nel ~ Best of luck! If you don't feel quite ready to start chemo at the one month mark, give yourself another week. I actually started chemo almost 6 weeks after. That little bit of extra time to heal and recover can be really helpful.
SAN
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Thanks SAN- I was just so shocked because I wasnt expecting it..onc had told me no at the get go. Of course I will do whatever they say. I am taking a vacation March 10 and then will need to have my exchange surgery first so I will be there with you at the end of March..finishing sometime in freaking MAY!
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Anyone experience weight gain with Taxol? I have gained five pounds even though I have not changed my diet.
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patty - count me in for 10 lbs over 13 weeks. However, with my taste changes due to Taxol I did change my diet....for the worse. Keep in mind that the weight gain may have to do with any steroids you get with Taxol.
Phyllis
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I have a question about the Neupogen shots. I started the FAC regimen today. My onc told me today that I will get 5 (count them 5!) shots, one per day, starting tomorrow. I thought "ldfsdfjweoirsdfsdlkff!!!!????" but I said, "Really, why?" She said she prefers the "mini" shots to one big Neulasta shot. The orders say "480 mcg SQ x 5 days 24 hours after chemo". . Have any of you done this?
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I had to do this once when I didn't get in for the Neulasta shot due to the fact I was too sick to get out of bed and I missed the window. It wasn't too bad other than the fact of having to go in there everyday for a week but the nurses were great and got me in and out pretty quick!
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Dechi, Thanks! I'm much more calm about it this morning. I just went and had my first one. I did get them to change the next 4 shots from 8 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. 8 a.m. came WAY to early for me. Thanks again!
Phyllis
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Phyllis-- how did FAC go for you? (Other than the neupogen shots) Hope well, Q
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I get the neupogen shots too. This time I have to have ten but my husband gives them to me at home. gives him a chance to get his aggressions out!
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bayareamom - lol, thanks! Home would be better but I'd have to do it myself and I really don't want to! Plus the hospital where I get them is really only one mile away. I think I was just having a mini freak out attack.
Quaatsi - the FAC went very well! I'm still feeling good and I went to work for 4 hours this afternoon. I am having new hot flashes and my face turns red around the mouth and cheek area plus my hands are doing the same thing. Not sure tho if it's the FAC or the Neupogen (which I found out is made from e Coli bacteria. How reassuring!) The redness comes and goes so I'll probably live with it for a few days to see if it stops.
I posted the the pre-meds and chemo dosages and some photos in the thread "T/FAC Regimen". Don't be skeert of the photos, I know they're terrible!
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An Obstacle in my Enduro Race (from my CaringBridge.org journal):
I went in today for my 5th (out of 6) treatment today. Although my anemia has not improved, I was given the okay to go ahead with the treatment. I only have one more TCH left to go that will probably be done on March 7th or 8th.
However, when my oncologist was doing my breast exam this morning, he found a small nodule about 3 cm above my mastectomy scar. He thinks it is probably just a benign cyst, but he wants me to get a sonogram core needle biopsy done, just to be sure it's not another cancerous tumor.
Thanks to my fine friends at the hospital's Breast Center, I was able to get the biopsy scheduled for today. I should get the results by Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Until then, I'll do my best not to worry (easier said than done).
So, I feel like my cancer roller coaster is going down the track full speed ahead right now, and I pray for better days soon.
Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow. ~Philip Gulley
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I also was given the neupogen shot daily between my A/C treatments. I was give Leukine shot first but had a lot of chest pain with it. Am now doing 12 weekly treatments of Taxol, feeling tired and need my afternoon naps each day!
Racerdeb, this journey is like a roller coaster for sure. Sorry you have to wait until Tue or Wed for results.
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racerdeb-Gee, I am so sorry that you have to go through that whole biopsy thing again. First of all, that ultrasound needle guided biopsy hurts quite a bit, but much worse than that is the whole emotional side of being up in the air about whether or not you have some new cancer developing. I have thought a few times about how I will react the next time I have just a simple mammogram. And I am convinced that I will be very anxious about it. If they say it is fine, I will worry that there is something there brewing that is too little to see or hiding behind something, and if they say they see anything at all, I feel like I will have a nervous breakdown worrying about it until they can make a positive determination about it. I hope the days go by quickly for you because I know there is no way you won't be thinking about it. I am hoping for the best for you.
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I am sitting here tonight browsing everyone's posts and thinking about the fact that tomorrow would be my next chemo treatment if the last one had not been my 4th and last taxotere/cytoxin. My eyes are still a little watery, but they are not pouring like they were. My fingernails are completely shot-raised, ugly, yellow and blood spotted, and everyone of them except maybe one is going to fall off. I don't know how long that will take, but I can tell a new nail is growing underneath and hope that they continue growing before they all fall off, leaving me bloody stubs on my fingers. I have had a recurrence of the metal taste the last few days. Usually, I have pretty much regained my tastebuds by now, but not this time. Some things taste better than others, like Mexican is pretty close to normal, but chocolate is completely awful and I tried to have a vanilla milkshake last night, but it was so metallic that I couldn't even drink it. I have put on about 15 pounds, and it hardly seems fair because most of what I ate was not at all pleasant over the last 3 months. I will be starting radiation in the next week, and I am hoping that it doesn't cause too much fatigue because I still have quite a bit of that leftover from the chemo. My legs especially are quite sore, and walking still hurts. I am also out of breath easily. I am wondering when my hair will start to come back. Has anyone noticed any new growth yet?
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racerdeb, I will be thinking of you. Waiting is all part of this rollercoaster...for the diagnosis, results, surgery, first treatment, reactions...just waiting. Please let us know...
bahamamom, thinking of you also. I started taxol this week and my feet feel like they're out of joint when I walk, legs ache and had to take a painkiller last night to sleep. Thankfully, some of the other annoying SEs from A/C are fading...no 4 day headache, not much nausea, no burning eyes. So there are things to be thankful for, but the leg pain...wow! Didn't expect it. Did anyone else see this last the whole time or just be bad for a few days after treatment?
Blessings and positive thoughts to all of you. Often in my prayers...we all have so much in common, yet such different treatments and bodies in how they react! Weird.
Also have a head cold on top of it all. So glad I was able to be a part of my mother-in-law's memorial service before my treatment on Tuesday. It helped. Long day and sad, but good in many ways.
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Andimom, I had leg pain when the decadron was reduced. I had Taxol X 12 and usually got 15mg of decadron with it. The one week it was reduced to 4 mg I had a lot of leg pain. Just me though and I chose the higher dose.
phyllis0 -
Sandy, You are getting a lot all at once with TAC. How many more tx do you have to go?
Nel, We hope everything went well yesterday for your MX. Let us know when you feel up to it.
Kelley, We're hoping everything went well for your last tx. Congratulations on being done!
racerdeb, We all know what that waiting is like. It's terrible. We're waiting with you and hoping for B9 cyst.
bahamamom3 - Congratulations on being done with chemo!
I've had 5 radiation tx so far and really nothing to report. The treatments are quick and uneventful. It is a bit of a hassle to go everyday, but well worth it to "mop up any stray cancer cells" as the RO put it. I may be a little pink this evening, but now I have two days to recuperate we'll see how I am Monday. My RO only wants me to use Emu oil, so I've been applying that a couple of times a day. So for those of you facing rads, the first week for me was very easy. I have 5 more weeks so we'll see what happens. I hope everyone has a good weekend.
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Haven't posted in quite awhile. Actually was able to have my 5th of 6 TCH treatments today. I know Racerdeb and I have been on pretty much the same schedule with a couple of glitches slowing us down. DEB...I will be thinking only positive thoughts for you and assuming what your doctor said is correct ...it's probably nothing serious. But I can understand how nerve-wracking it can be. I am already nervous cause my Onc mentioned another mammogram is in my near future. As Bahamamom already mentioned, I, too worry about my reaction to even approaching that machine! I have also had horrible taste issues, but what can we do but keep trying to find things we can tolerate. Guess the weight issue will take care of itself later on for those who gain. It's just frustrating. One thing I was happy for this past 3 weeks. I was able to work a few days and really enjoyed being back in the swing of things and feeling useful. But honestly, I think the social aspect of working with gals who are truly some of my best friends in the world made it a fun week. Between that and knowing I am now down to 1 more actual chemo session to go, it's been positive. Now I will try not to think ahead too much to the radiation treatments and the Herceptin til November and maybe I can stay positive. Hope all of you will, too. Here's to few nasty SE's and lots of rest for all of us this weekend. And, sorry if I was long-winded...guess I am hyper from the steroids.
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Deb--How awful for you! Why do we have to wait...It is the hardest part of the everything and my prayers are with you.
I was supposed to have a fill on Thursday but ended up in the ER instead. I have been having trouble breathing. I had a CT scan for blood clots and other things. I am happy to report that I am healthy in that respect. I was reading about fatigue and one of the symptoms is shortness of breath plus several others. Little things make me cry, a lot. I can't seem to stop once I start crying. I need a break and I need the ocean. I always feel better when I can walk along the ocean.
I have my last Taxol treatment on Tuesday. I have already finised the A/C treatments.
With the Taxol, my new fingernails are pushing the old ones off. My joints hurt sooooo bad after the treatment. The pain begins on Thursday and by Sunday, I cannot stand anything on my legs. Pain pills are the only thing that gets me through those days.
I hope each of you have a great weekend. I hope each of us have pain free times this weekend and times to smile. I really hope I do.
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