Weekly Taxol group
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Dr said I am not sick. Lungs are clear. He's thinking chemo. I also have sinusdrip made worse through allergens.
My labs wee good too. So today! Treatment 7-12. Such a feeling to say I will be done with chemo next minth.
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ilovecoasters, lucky you ... tomorrow marks treatment 4/12 for me and I'm battling to get enthusiastic ... I seem to have two reasonable days out of every week and the rest are a struggle ... feel like Taxol has really beaten me up and I still have to get through the AC component when I am done. I woke up during the night last night and my face was burning, took my temp but no fever ... couldn't work out what it was until I looked in the mirror this morning and saw that I had a very red blotchy face ... called my ONC and she referred me to a dermatologist ... he says I have rosacea ... says its not side effect of the Taxol but has probably happened because my body is just so stressed. He can't give me any oral medication to clear it up because it will impact my liver which is weak so we're just treating it with face wash and a cream.
Tomorrow is triple whammy Wednesday so I have Taxol plus Herceptin and Perjeta ... hoping for a better few days afterwards.
Thinking of you all xx
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ilovecoasters- I know Taxol isn't as likely to lower WBC, but I'd have it checked anyway. If your counts are low enough, you can actually get sick from the normal bacteria, etc in your own body. I had no idea about this until I ended up in the hospital for week with unexplained high fever and zero WBC. I also almost never left the house during my months of chemo, and my kids showered the second they got home from school to make sure they were germ free before being near me, so I also wondered how in the world I'd gotten sick. I'm so sorry; it's really not fair at all to be sick on top of the misery of chemo!
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ilovecoasters- Oops, I wrote that above before I noticed you've already had your bloodwork. Glad your counts are ok, but I'm still sorry you're feeling awful!
dimccleland- UGH it makes me crazy when drs say it's not the chemo when it absolutely could be (like when mine told me Taxol is "easy" lol)! "Taxol rash" is common. I had it the entire time I was on Taxol (it's one SE my dr actually told me was definitely from Taxol). Not only did I have lots of weird breakouts, but I had a persistent red rash almost the entire time, especially on my cheeks. It would seem like it was getting better, then it would get worse again, and it was often rough feeling (making it tough to conceal with makeup) and my cheeks felt warm most of the time. Nothing I tried made it completely go away, but I did get a little relief from Walgreen's brand hydrocortisone with aloe. You can also try using clear liquid benadryl topically (the benadryl cream doesn't actually have the same ingredients, strangely enough). The liquid benadryl is a little sticky, but if you're home and able to put it on and let it sit for awhile, it may help. Try to use both after washing your face with warm water for better absorption. The good news is the redness and roughness on my face disappeared rather quickly after I finished Taxol.
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texas94, thanks so much for that ... sometimes I feel like I am going mad or just a real hypochondriac ... I've always been very lucky with my skin, never struggled with acne or breakouts at all so when I woke up yesterday morning, I really freaked out ... my rash is exactly the same as you describe - on my cheeks and my chin and the rash on my chin is quite rough, my cheeks are really warm and flushed, very loathe to use the strong acne cream that the dermatologist prescribed so I think I will just see how it goes.
I must admit that it also starting to drive me crazy when the docs say that what you are complaining from isn't connected to the chemo ... just like my stuffy head and permanently dripping nose ... grrrr ... like everyone says, it is really is the gift that keeps on giving
xxx
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dimccleland- Makes me crazy too! You'll hear plenty of others say they also had stuffy heads and runny noses. Kind of gross to think about, but no hair in your nose often causes it to be runny.
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CRAP! Went to the onco yesterday to get results of bone scan and ct scan...was also scheduled for taxol #7. Good news and bad news. Taxol cleared up lung spots and a lump that was under my arm. Unfortunately, bone mets have spread, and my liver enzymes went up in a week from 39 to 390! Doctor was not happy. No more taxol for me. He wants me to come in next week for more blood work to see if stopping the taxol will drop the liver enzymes back down. He tried to assure me that he has "more tricks up his sleeve" and not to freak out. I love him. I am very nervous because none of the medicines have worked for me so far, and progressions happen so fast. I am very concerned about the liver, and hope that there is something that can slow or stop this. At this point, I am very blessed to have minimal pain. My biggest se is fatigue, so I just sleep a lot. I hate this disease! I try to stay positive, and count my blessings, but it's hard. So much is being taken from me. I can't stop crying right now....I want to watch my baby granddaughter grow up.
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Birdlady big hugs to you. I am sorry you got this news. Stupid cancer. Those oncologists have lots of tricks up their sleeve so hang in there. There is something out there that's gonna kick cancers butt for you. At least the taxol got rid of a few problems. Thinking of you - you will watch your granddaughter grow up.
Xoxo
Nancy
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Hey Birdlady, I know they have lots up their sleeves. Thinking of you as he steps back and plans the next phase of treatment. I am sending big hugs and positive thoughts your way. I know it is hard to stay positive when receiving the "bad" news. But it ain't over and you will see your grand daughter grow up.
Big Hugs
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birdlady...hugs...sometimes crying just makes us feel better. My onc tells me the same thing sometimes...stop freaking out won't solve anything. Easier said than done!
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birdlady, sending you lots of love and hope that it all works out. I've also been struggling with my liver and had to delay starting Taxol by two weeks while we waited to see what the problem is - scans and test showed nothing and it started coming down slowly on its own then, last week, my MO upped the Taxol dose and it went up again - she's decided to be more conservative with the dose and gave me less this last treatment so we will see what happens next week. Hang in there and I hope you resolve it xx
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Thank you Nancy, ladyb, dancingdiva, and dimccleland for your words of encouragement and hugs. I guess that Taxol can be hard on the liver. It's hard not to freak out when things change so drastically in only a week. dimccleland, I hope the lower dose will be better for you, and you can continue with the taxol. I think it's a good treatment---it DID help me in some ways, and I was hoping to get the full12 doses in. Now, I need to learn more about the liver. I have faith that my doctor will come up with another plan of treatment. Thanks for letting me come here and cry. Stupid cancer is like a chess game....every move I make it knocks me back or takes something away.0 -
my liver numbers went up each wk with each taxol. I was told they would go down. I have no idea where they are now. Still waiting for numbers.
On another note, my eyebrows are fully in now. I stopped taxol on dec 18, I would say they all fell out about a week or two after that, a little at a time until I had none left. A was completely hairless about 2 wks and then they came big time. My lashes r coming in now. Half waysthere.
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Hooray for eyebrows and lashes! It's wonderful how these make us feel like a girl
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My 71 year old mom will begin weekly Taxol and Herceptin. She was supposed to start tomorrow, but will have to cancel due to a snowstorm. Anybody in their late 60's or 70's taking this? I know it's not easy for anyone, but am worried that her age will make it less tolerable. I have learned so much from this board in our BC journey.
Her tumor was 1.7cm and she is Her2+ and ER+. It was not in her sentinel nodes.
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Twelve treatments down, just four to go. So happy.
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great job ilovecoasters,
I have my last taxol next wed. These last ones are getting harder. Today, the day after, I generally feel really good with the steroids. Today I feel like I have the flu, exhausted, teary, very hard to care for the seven week old babies. But haven't been able to sleep yet. And I had a break for four weeks after taxol 4 before starting up again. You straight through 12 weekers must've felt absolutely awful for the last four or five. Got my first neupogen shot last week, hurt from about 24-48 hrs after in my spine. Such a strange pain...felt like my spine was being pulled out of my body, like predator, the movie. How'd you guys feel re taxol? Next wed is the last one, then I pack up my cold caps and get ready for surgery. I slept between cold cap changes last night. All these things I was going to do, like tasks I neede to get done online, did not happen. Think I have a bit of a problem not feeling "productive enough" during chemo! Maybe I need a shrink!
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Gatomal,
Compared to AC, Taxol has been pretty tolerable. I've had 13 straight infusions now. I have neuropathy and I am just worn out. I still walk at least two miles a day, but it's hard. Beats puking 24/7.
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gatomal, be kind to urself and give urself permission to do nothing. We ar doing chemo. I always want to do do do, and I need to remind myself to just be
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Gatomal, I was one where Taxol was very hard on me. I told my MO that I wasn't sure I could do #11 and #12 but she said my counts were good and that the neuropathy was recent. I went for both but #12 knocked me out. To the point the MO and RO gave me a 4 week break between last chemo and starting RAds. They originally were planning a 2 week break. I was able to work FT during AC. I went part time after a month on Taxol and still recovering from the fatigue, aches, neuropathy, insomnia, etc. Chemo brain or fogginess was bad while on Taxol and I too felt like I had the flu all the time. With this said, Again I was one of the ones where taxol was a lot harder on me than AC. Hope you are able to get some rest and have help with the little ones.
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Gatomal, I'm with ladyb- I was utterly miserable on Taxol and SO feel your pain. Finishing Taxol might have been the best day of my life. I had all the same SEs as ladyb. I also couldn't sleep but was exhausted like you, and I had blurry vision, hearing issues and problems emptying bladder (all neuropathy related). OH and let's not forget the red, hot Taxol rash on my face! Truly, it was a lovely time.
The good news is Taxol typically works very well, and even though the SEs wear off very, very slowly, you WILL start feeling better soon. I'm OK with the SEs taking awhile to wear off as long as they continue to improve. It's a great feeling to be done with Taxol, and you're almost there!
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thanks for your feedback ladies! It so comforting to hear the real deal, not some whitewashed version of taxol is so much easier than AC. It's great to hear I'm not alone. I'll take a sleeping pill and try to rest a lot. Get my neupogen shot tomorrow. Crazy day here.
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I swear I jinxed myself. I woke up at 2am with the most ungodly bone pain in my arms and legs and significant neuropathy in my hands and feet. . It hasn't stopped.
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I was told Taxol was a cake walk compared to AC; I just finished my 3rd round of AC and can't put a straight thought together the chemo brain and fatigue is sooooo bad this time.
Thank you for your honesty ladies; as I too am welcome to the straight forward "here's the real deal" than the sugar coated "Taxol is nothing compared to the AC". I already have numbness in my fingers due to nerve compression in my cervical spine so I am nervous about any nerve issues; as well as I take so much just to sleep now I can't imagine any worse insomnia....there is an end to this, I know, however the fight does get tiring!
Thank you ladies for your input and experiences; I welcome all of it as we all pretty much go into this blind with only our Doctors and Nurses to "explain" what to expect.
Fight like a girl, never give up!
Lara
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I had my last Taxol today, Chemo done on to surgery and rads. One step at a time. I will be glad to be off the steroid merry-go-round and then the fatigue. I did get neuropathy in first my feet which seemed like not a big deal. It then started in my hands/finger tips, which gives me a little more concern. I did do cryotherapy, don't I have had some skin infections, also annoying but not debilitating. My hair is already coming back but is still thin particularly on top and probably about .5 inches. MO said I could take Biotin but to hold off on nioxin for 30 days. My nails seem mostly okay, discoloration from A/C is improving, but are sensitive to touch. The loss of hair and the neuropathy were my worst SEs. All others had their moments but didn't hang around. On A/C I could count on being off for the first week with fatigue days 6 and 7, but almost normal day 8 and beyond. With Taxol the challenge was it was weekly, with fatigue days 4 and 5. The best thing is it worked, so it is all worth it.
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congratulations MJS on finishing taxol! I still have a bit of tingling in my fingers and toes, but I only notice it sometimes. I am a few months out so I am hoping it will still go away.
Hugs
Nancy
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Hi Nancy and other Taxol experts - done with chemo, neuropathy in fingers and toes and sore nails - I'm grateful I got off so light. I start radiation next week.
Question - for those who took B complex and L-glutamine during Taxol, did you stop taking it after? When? I'm just enjoying clearing out my private pharmacyfrom my bathroom counter and don't know about these. Thanks! Linda
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Congrats MJS on finishing up the Taxol! I wish you the best recovery in the continued journey. I am on day 6 after AC #3 and the fatigue is better today however seems to be lingering a little longer than last time.
I already lost my baby toenails however they were struggling to be anyway! Lol My fingernails and toenails feel very thin and have waves in them if that makes sense; I take Biotin now and have since my diagnosis to try and build up and prevent nail loss completely.
I can't feel my ring and pinky fingers most the time anyway due to nerve compression in my neck so I am praying it doesn't get too much worse. These last 2 rounds of AC chemo on days 5 or 6 I feel like the circulation in my legs is really bad and I try and walk as much as possible but it's like I can't feel my feet and I trip or drag my legs a little more.
1 more of the AC to go then, 12 weekly rounds of Taxol; keep moving forward, right ladies?
Fight like a girl, Never give up!
Lara
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Booklady1, I kept taking both until I started RADs. My RO asked me to stop vitamin D and L-glutamine during RADs due to the unknown intraction. My RO asked me for a list of all prescription medicine, supplements, OTC meds that I was taking and she went over the ones to stop which were mainly supplements -- again because they may interactive negatively with RADs.
LCH, I was one of those ladies that had a harder time with Taxol than with AC.
Ilovecoasters, how are you doing?
Congrats to all coming to the end of Chemo! I was so happy when reaching this milestone. My RO gave me a decent break between last chemo and first RAD due to my level of fatigue and I am still thanking her.
I am 7 weeks PFC and still have slight neuropathy that just started improving last week. Have occassionaly bone / joint pain. The fatigue is the SE that seems to hang on but I understand that the RADs also make me fatigued so not sure what is RADs and what is a carryover from Taxol. Good thing. I am finally seeing some good hair growth. I see eyebrows and eyelashes but every so light. My hair is coming back in mostly grey and I didn't have any grey before loosing it. So have resigned to the fact that I will grey early. LoL.
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Thanks, Ladyb for your quick response! My RO will go over med list with me on Friday. The hair is interesting, isn't it? I've highlighted mine for so long that I don't know what color it was. White and dark gray now - plenty of bare patches. I'll deal with that after I get going on radiation! Take care✌️❤️Lind
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