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Weekly Taxol group

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  • bbwithbc45
    bbwithbc45 Member Posts: 367
    edited July 2015

    Karabesque, I used to get Pepcid too in my premeds before Taxol, in addition to Benadryl, Zofran and steroids.

  • StefLove
    StefLove Member Posts: 201
    edited July 2015

    karabesque...pepcid is right! I get it too and had to ask the nurse if I heard her right. I get Benadryl, Pepcid, Decadrone (I think that's the steroid??), and I want to say one other thing. On AC days I had 12mg of decadrone. When I switched to Taxol and Carbo I got 20mg the first time, then 8mg for just the taxol weeks. And I want to say 12mg when I have both taxol and carbo together? I'm drawing a blank!

    So has anyone else had serious low blood counts, high liver counts, etc? My numbers are all over the place and it's driving me insane. I need to stop googling. :(

    When I was on AC, all of my numbers were 'normal' as normal can be. WBC was high bc of the neulasta shot. All other numbers were on par with someone on chemo. Not too low but close. I started taxol and carboplatin and I'm now officially a mess. My first week of taxol/carbo and it started on a bad note. My hemoblobin was 7.6 so they made me do a blood transfusion immediately after chemo #1. That was such a longgggg day. Week #2 the hemoglobin went up to 8.7, which they thought would go higher due to the blood transfusion but still OK'd me for treatment. Also Week #2 though my liver enzymes started to really increase. Bilirubin was 1.3, and the AST and ALT were also borerline high. This past Friday was #3 and the numbers were even worse. Bilirubin did go down slightly to 1.1 but AST and ALT shot through the roof. My hemoglobin also dropped down to 8 so they threatened with another blood transfusion but said they'll hold off one more week just to see what happens. My MO ordered a full iron workup and all of my iron numbers are crazy low except for my ferritin which is high in the 400s. :( I just don't know what to do anymore. Googling is driving me nuts and making me think I have liver mets. I talked to the nurse practitioner today and my MO wants me to do an iron infusion and didn't seem concerned with anything else really. Just said that they'll keep monitoring all of my numbers. Anyone else having crazy numbers? I have to go on Wednesday for more blood work before chemo on Friday. Crossing my fingers that something goes right.

    Sorry for the venting!!!

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited July 2015

    Steflove, Vent away! I have a friend who has had several blood transfusions because her hemoglobin was in the low 7s for much of AC and Taxol. Mine has been in the 9s and 10s. My white count is around 3.2 and my red count is around the same. My liver enzymes have improved since AC. The only thing "off" is my BUN/Creatinine ration, which I don't think they worry too much about.

    I have always had 20 mg Dexamethasone as my dose in the premeds. I did request they decrease it this week since I broke a bone in my foot and it can impact healing. They said they would. We'll see what they reduce it to. Taxol 10 of 12 tomorow.......... wooooohooooooo! The end is in sight! I did have my rads consult today, so really my finish line will just bring be to a new starting line downstairs! I feel like I am moving from the penthouse to the basement (chemo is on the top floor and rads in the basement).

  • ninjamary
    ninjamary Member Posts: 67
    edited July 2015

    Stef - My numbers are crazy on Taxol also. My AST and ALT are through the roof though no one seems to care. My whites are low as are my reds...a LOT lower than they were on AC. No iron or blood transfusions for me yet. I always go for my blood work the day of chemo or at the end of the day before chemo. I have this "thing" that if I wait long enough my numbers will be better. Even my nurse told me not to go in two (2) days before..said it was too early.

    I just did a google search on TNBC and bummed myself out. It's been 3 months since I did anything that stupid/silly. What was I thinking?

  • melb44
    melb44 Member Posts: 64
    edited July 2015

    Leigh - I hope you are right about it going away after Taxol. I have gained 10 pounds since I started chemo. Ack! I need to start exercising more though I know.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited July 2015

    Taxol can often cause water retention which can lead to weight gain. The steroids can also give you the munchies which contributes as well. It varies. Like Allison, I've lost weight. I have lost about 2-3 pounds, so not much, but honestly, I am on the thin side, so I do not want to lose.

  • rainnyc
    rainnyc Member Posts: 801
    edited July 2015

    I've also lost weight on Taxol, mostly because I had nausea and diarrhea in the very beginning. I also had a nasty cold that started around the 3rd week and went on for about three weeks, so I just didn't feel like eating for several weeks. I've noticed, though, that I'm very hungry right after I come home from a treatment and assume it's from the steroid. I get decadron, pepsid, and hydroxizine (used to be Benadryl) as premeds. I try to be sure that I have something low-cal around that I can munch on until the urge is gone. One of the reasons I'm nervous about starting AC because I've heard weight gain is such a common side effect.

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    They told me I was almost certain to gain weight on Taxol and I didn't. I also lost weight on AC so don't think just because they tell you that, it will happen to you.

  • pennsygal
    pennsygal Member Posts: 264
    edited July 2015

    I've also lost weight on Taxol. It's weird because I feel hungry, want to eat, but nothing seems appetizing and tastes awful.

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    I don't feel AS hungry and sometimes when I do eat, I eat a few bites and don't want anymore. It's not that it tastes bad but I do think it doesn't taste as good. I am wanting more spicy food than usual.

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 579
    edited July 2015

    my food tastes weird for days...

  • Magnolia83
    Magnolia83 Member Posts: 20
    edited July 2015

    So after Taxol 3 I now have pruney fingers 24/7 (like when you are in the bath for a long time), my palms/hands are sensitive to heat and cold, and the roof of my mouth feels burnt. Anyone else have these SE's?

  • leighrh
    leighrh Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2015

    My mouth always feels burnt.. :( doesn't affect my eating though... I do find myself eating ice cream and popsicles!

    I lost a few lbs on AC... I really had no desire to eat. But now I am making up for that I guess. Chocolate taste good to me.. I know some have lost the taste for it.... Not me!! LOL

    But starting yesterday I have decided to get a handle on eating... no more oh just because I can eating. I may not be able to control the Taxol weight but I can control what goes in my mouth. I keep saying after all this is over I am going to eliminate a lot of the bad foods I eat.... well I am gonna go ahead and start that now!

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    Leigh: Have you started rads?

  • leighrh
    leighrh Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2015

    Allison, No!! Im only on Taxol # 7 this week.

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    Leigh: I am telling you, you will get there. I just had #10 today and only in the last week has it started to grow. I am no Bekah but I finally see the growth.

  • princesstina
    princesstina Member Posts: 129
    edited July 2015

    GOOD NEWS!! I missed a week for vacation and just adjusted my end date so I'd have12 taxols still- MO says I can SKIP that week and end on the 11th taxol!! That means only 5 left, not 6! YAY!!!!!!

  • leighrh
    leighrh Member Posts: 102
    edited July 2015

    Thanks Allison, I am not sure why but I obsess over the hair thing.... I know I should care more about surviving this but it's just how I cope I guess... concentrate on something trival.....

    yeah princess!!!!!! I have 6 left including this Thurs!! Countdown begins!

    Moving to rads... ( I know jumping ahead but it's what I do :) ) How long after Chemo do you start rads? 2 weeks? 4 weeks? Just curious on the timeline.

  • suladog
    suladog Member Posts: 837
    edited July 2015

    Just finished my weekly taxol, in mid April. It totally did a number on my taste buds, which are thankfully back now, but everything tasted like dirt for a few months...except ice cream and other cold and crunchy things. I was a vegan going into this so I did add some fish and meat during chemo at my MOs insistence, tiny amounts though and I ate a lot of peanut butter. I was basically looking for anything that would give me any sort of taste sensation. Ginger, citrus and cold stuff.

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    Oh, Leigh, I get it!

    Yeah, Princess. I was secretly hoping I would get to drop one off at some point. I hated it when they delayed my first one and I still think they manufactured a reason to do it. (I was late that day and they said something about my platelet count but at one point, it was lower and I think I had AC). I wasn't watching my counts as much as now and it never occurred to me at that point to argue with her over it. But now I watch them closely.

  • Selmada
    Selmada Member Posts: 6
    edited July 2015

    Grrrr - was supposed to get week 9 (of 12) yesterday but my neutrophils were almost non-existent. I'm torn because I just want it to be over but I'm happy I wont be getting that horrid day (almost 2 now) of total suck-iness this week and no new symptoms.

    Don't my white blood cells know I'm on a schedule!

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    I am sorry, Selmada. I know how frustrating it is when you want to be done!

  • ninjamary
    ninjamary Member Posts: 67
    edited July 2015

    Sula - my taste buds are for shit right now. I feel like I'm getting mouth sores (of course I'm at the very end) I can't eat spicy foods and I tried to suck on a peppermint life saver and my mouth felt like it caught on fire. My feet are swollen every morning and I'm getting cankles. Thankfully I can wear flip-flops at work.

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 695
    edited July 2015

    Sorry Selmada. How frustrating!!!

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    image

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    image

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited July 2015

    One more:

    image

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 579
    edited July 2015

    i am supposed to finish taxol on 9/4 and my first rads appointment is 9/24. I already had my mapping and tattoos before I ever started chemo. My RO just made the 2015 best cancer docs in Newsweek :-)

  • kerryd423
    kerryd423 Member Posts: 53
    edited July 2015

    I love these beautiful pictures!!! You have a lovely head and I am sure are stunning bald-but it's so encouraging to see growth! I am on week 10 of Taxol and have curly white hairs growing in every direction out the top of my head. I feel like a bird!

  • tonia52
    tonia52 Member Posts: 19
    edited July 2015

    congratulations on your hair growth, it looks great. How any taxol treatments do you have left?

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