Weekly Taxol group
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Just catching up...have been off for a bit.
Congrats Jhodro, mommom and to all who have finished!
Clarrn, I am so sorry about your set back!!!!! The same thing happened to me. I was severely neutropenic, they did not find an infection though I just needed prophylactic antibiotics and antivirals and was only in the hospital for 3 days. But I feel your pain about the loneliness, my husband couldn't really visit that often because he had to watch the kids. and I was also very upset about missing a treatment. xoxo to you and I hope you are feeling better by now!
My last chemo was 7/18! woohoo!!!A little anticlimactic since I had to go back for herceptin one week later but that was a breeze in comparison! My side effects seem to have reached an all time high this week though. But knowing that I don't have to do anymore helps! Now onto surgery, rads and finishing up herceptin!
Homemom: Taxol was definitely easier than AC for me. I worked throughout chemo, on AC I cut back a few days and worked more shifts on my off week just before my next treatment. On Taxol I was able to work any day. And was able to take care of my little ones. I did weekly Taxol x12 and for me the middle was the easiest. I think because the first few I was still recovering from AC and the last few was the billed up of SE. More fatigue, muscle/bone aches, and mild nausea, more like an underlying feeling of ick. I also developed neuropathy toward the end. All tolerable though! From what I hear if you had a hard time on AC you will have an easier time on taxol and vice versa. Good Luck and keep us posted!
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Thanks Jules - I had the first one yesterday and although it was the first time I actually fell asleep in the chair ( snored one time!) I feel totally normal today. On the A/C I started feeling it a couple hours after I got home. I don't feel anything out of the ordinary right now. I'm even going to go out this morning and get a Christmas present for my mom I saw on sale! I really need to call the docs office though. I'm a little confused on the glutamaine dosage. They said to take 10g and when I asked what that related to in tsp or tbsp, she said to take on tablespoon (measure). When I read the label it says that 4500 mg equals one heaping TEASPOON. 4500mg equals 45g so it seems a tbsp is too much!
My first A/C was fairly rough but got worse as the treatments built up, I AM assuming like you experienced this will do the same. I too worked through the A/C - taking about 5 days off then working through my scheduled days off until the next treatment. But it's nice to start out with no SE's!
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Home mom: good for you! Glad to hear it! I don't have any input on the glutamine sorry. Did you get Benadryl in your pre-meds? I slept every infusion because of that. I actually liked the weeks that I got herceptin because one more hour of infusion time=a longer nap! Lol
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I'm not getting Herceptin but yes I did have Benadryl. I had it with the A/C as well, but never fell asleep like that. I will take a Benadryl sometimes at night before I go to bed if I have not been sleeping well. The snore was funny, it woke me up and my daughter n law was sitting across from me and I could see the look on her face. She just smiled and said "Don't worry, it was only once!" LOL
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I've been off this board for a bit while my cousin was visiting.
Congrats to everyone who has finished chemo in the last week: Jhodro, mommom, Jules and anyone else! Yay! So excited for you. I'm not far behind.
Clarrn- sending you positive thoughts and hope you are feeling better soon. Sounds like you have been through the ringer and feel free to vent away.
I had Taxol #10 this past Monday (I go for #11 this coming Monday). SE's seem to be the same: nail discoloration on almost all toes now but so far other than a lifting nail or two, still have all nails on feet. Finger nails look fine but are SUPER sensitive. Neuropathy in feet and thumbs. Not currently icing and forgot to ask my MO about L-glutamine. Feet may be getting a little worse (more toes involved) but I think hands are holding steady. Is it too late to start L-glutaime if neuropathy has already started? I've heard from others the nueropathy *usually* resolves after a month or two. I am hoping that's the case for me. Can't imagine having this be permanent.
Does anyone have any discoloration on their hands? Looks like a rash but doesn't itch or looks like sun damage spotting. MO and nurses have all said its the result of the Taxol. I've been told it could resolve but takes a long, long time.
Also, my legs have started to feel really, really fatigued. Almost like I worked out too hard (but haven't). Anyone else?
-Tina
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Home! 9 days in hospital is way too long!!!! My PICC line got a clot around it again (while I was on enoxaparin), so this is the second one I've had removed and the second round of daily blood thinner injections for 3 months! Not sure what they will do for my chemo veins other than pray!5 more taxols.... hope my veins can do it!
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CMP106, my legs get like that and still do and I am almost 2 weeks out from my last chemo infusion! I find that walking helps. The muscles are sore at first but after a couple of minutes into the walk they feel good again.
MomMom, huge congrats!! I hope you popped some bubbly and celebrated!!
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home mom, on the glutamine I took 15 grams twice a day. 15 grams was about a heaping tablespoon. My MO's office gave me some sample 30 gram packets and I measured it out. I'm not sure if different brands of glutamine have a different volume, but when I bought my own big tub of the stuff I just went with the heaping tablespoon = 15 grams.
Cmp, at the suggestion of the chemo nurses I didn't start glutamine until I started having symptoms of neuropathy. Some people do not get neuropathy at all, so no need to take it if you're not affected. So no, I don't think it's too late to start.
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Sinsin- I guess I need to keep up with my walks, even though my feet are getting numb! I've only noticed the increased leg fatigue in the past few days but sounds like I just need to push through it.
PatinMN- I'm going to ask about the L-Glutamine tomorrow. I've been experiencing neuropathy for a few weeks now, so I hope its not too late. Interestingly, my MO said there was medicine she could prescribe to help with any pain but she didn't mention this supplement.
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ok ladies, I have a vanity question today. Have any of you tried false eyelashes? My lashes are thinning terribly the past several days and I suspect that by the end of next week they will be gone. I have a family wedding next weekend for a very special niece and I would like to look my best. Eye makeup is now disappearing on me due to the watery eyes that increase as my lashes decrease. Just curious.
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mmtagirl - I actually used false eyelashes at my son's wedding 18 months ago. I went to Sephora and got their glue and eyelashes. I have some back up now in case I lose mine. I have not done it without any lashes though. I got the ones that are shorter at the inside of your eye and get longer towards the outside.
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thanks, home mom! I am headed to Ulta this afternoon and will see what they have. We don't have a Sephora near me.
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Hey Ladies, the easiest way to put on fake lashes is to dab the glue on your hand and then dip the edge of the lashes on the glue on your hand. Makes it ten times easier. Learned that from a makeup artist.
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Sinsin is right about that. My daughter n law taught me that.
Yesterday I felt totally normal, one day after treatment, and today I am fatigued and having some bone pain. WTH??
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thanks for the advice, Sinsin. I purchased a pair this afternoon and will start playing with them tonight to see how I do. I suspect I will need lots of practice applying and wearing them before the wedding on Friday. I sure hope they are more comfortable than my wigs. Lol!
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Boy, this topic is getting interesting, my eyelashes are all thinned out and eyebrows are too, now. I eagerly await the "clinical trials" of the glue and lashes, mmtagirl!
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me too! I have only one euelash left on the left side! But my hair has started to grow. I have had the worst fatigue still... I went out today for an hour and had to come back home to rest. I felt like the ultimate slacker.
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"Clinical trials" that's hilarious!!!!! I'm eagerly waiting too!!
Is anyone else's lashes growing in closer to the inside if you lid, on the ridge?
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homemom, thsts my "normal"... feel ok day of treatment anu until the next afternoon. Then I crash and have a full day and a half of exhaustion, crankyness and usually tears. Typically better by Wednesday evening and I can work of Thursday (monday is treatment day).
I go today for number #11.
Jen
D
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I'm having bone pain and I don't know if it is the Nuelasta shot (didn't have any with A/C) or I'm not taking the correct amount of the Glutamaine. With A/C it took me 5 days to bounce back, today is day 4 and I'm tired and in some pain (crampy constipation and my thigh bones). I need to call the MO office to make sure I took the correct amount of Glutamine. That is all I can think of. I was excited thinking I was going to breeze through the Taxol. ugh.
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Can't wait to hear how the lashes work! I have the same problem- no lashes, watery eyes and eye makeup looks almost non-existent on me. I didn't realize you could use false eyelashes directly on the skin!
Jenwith4kids- I go today for #11, too. Good luck!
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I have my lashes, but I decided not to use mascara so you don't see the lashes anyway. I use Revlon color stay self sharpening eye pencil. It is creamy and you can put it on thicker so you really don't notice no eye lashes (I think). I'm worried more about my eyebrows. I bought pricey stick on eye brows in case I lose mine!
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My brows thinned out but I have enough that I don't need to do anything to them. As to my eyelashes, it's laughable. I have two bottom lashes left on my right eye and 4 left on my left eye. I have more on the tops of both eyes (again for some reason, the left eye has more) but I haven't bothered with fake lashes. I may though get some so when I take my hubby out this weekend to celebrate his bday, I can feel and look a bit normal. LOL It's weird. I really don't care how I look when I go into public. I go topless and makeup free all the time. My cheeks have a permanent blush to them now so that's part of the reason I don't bother with make up unless I'm going out with the hubs or some special event. We took our monsters to Great Wolf Lodge for a night and played both days in their water park. I thought about getting a swim cap and then was like, whatever. I went bald the entire time and got many looks and only one stare, and that was from a kid. LOL
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I used false eyelashes this weekend for a wedding - definitely should have practiced! All in all it was worthwhile but only for a formal occasion. I use a creamy thick metal grey eyeliner to line upper and lower lids most days and no one really seems to notice the lack of eyelashes .
On another note- the adhesive eyebrows someone gave me were weird- I think I used too much adhesive and the underlay was visible. I took them off ( and in doing so ripped off what was left of the brows) and used brow powder with a wet brush to create brows- was much better.
5 infusions left and really tired of it all. Want to be healthy, want my piece of mind and my frickin hair back.
I see were are all struggling. Please know that I support and pray for you all.
Clarrn- that whole hospital stay was such a nightmare for you. Glad you're home and hope you are better. I'm with you with the veins- want to make it to end of chemo without a port. I'll deal with herceptin later.
Hang in there my sisters. There's got to be something good for us at the end of this crap.
Sandra
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Mscaruso, I'm thinking a damn rainbow with a pot of gold and sexy highlander instead of the damn leprechaun.
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I'm not liking Taxol too much either. Three more to go... blah
And I want my hair back too...and my life.... taste buds....etc etc
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Sinsin - are you thinking Jamie Fraser?
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the highlander made me laugh! Heaven knows how sexy I've been feeling lately. Maybe he can scratch my itchy head.
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mscaruso - you just made me laugh outloud!!
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HomeMom the bone pain can be from the taxol. I don't think glutamate helps that. But for me Claritin and ibuprofen took the edge off. Ask your MO about the ibuprofen. Mine limited it for me
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