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Weekly Taxol group

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Comments

  • Maya15
    Maya15 Member Posts: 112
    edited March 2016

    Hi kymberly, AC is Adriamycin and Cytoxan chemo

  • Mmesamom
    Mmesamom Member Posts: 5
    edited March 2016

    strange question ladies! I just finished taxol number 11 out of 12. My fingernails have all started to peel back and are sore and numb. So are my toes. My one big toe is completely whitish grey underneath. Yesterday I noticed a funky smell. I thought it was maybe wearing my shoes without socks. All I can wear comfortably are flip flops, uggs and ugg clogs. But I think the smell is coming from my toenails.

    Anyone have any experience with this? Am I losing my mind even more than I already am? They aren't black but are completely detached on the one side.

    Thanks girls!!!

  • Nolagirl1126
    Nolagirl1126 Member Posts: 178
    edited March 2016

    Mmesamom- It's probably a nail fungus that started to grow in the moisture under your partially lifted toenail :-(. I have heard this happens with Taxol. I would call your MO to see if they have anything they can call in for you to clear it up. The good news is that you have one more inusion to go!! Congrats!

  • Mmesamom
    Mmesamom Member Posts: 5
    edited March 2016

    Nolagirl-thank you so much. That makes so much sense! I'll call them tomorrow. I can't believe I'm almost done!

  • Praline
    Praline Member Posts: 101
    edited March 2016

    LouisianaJoined: Jan 2016Posts: 88

    Post a reply

    5 minutes ago Praline wrote:

    I had my 6th Taxol treatment today. I AM HALF WAY TRHOUGH CHEMOTHERAPY!!!! I feel pretty good tonight. Last week I was very tired just about all week. Tonight I do not feel quite as lightheaded as I usually do but my hands are pretty shaky. I have lost more than half my hair. I have a wig but I have not worn it yet. I just wear a hat.

    Are you ladies who are doing weekly Taxol only getting the infusion through a port or a vein? I do not have a port and I thought I had pretty good veins BUT last week it took 3 tries to get the IV needle in. This week just one try but I feel like we are running out of good veins. One vein that was used twice now has a small bump just past where the needle was put in... maybe scar tissue? The vein that was used last week has swelling, bruising, and soreness past where the needle was put in. I talked to my MO and he said that we would see what happens next time. He also said that if we had to we could do 1 or 2 treatments in my other arm, on the side where my surgery was done. Only 1 or 2 nodes were taken out.

    He suggested drinking plenty of fluids, especially the day before chemo and the morning off. He also said to get a small ball and squeeze it. He said it would help the veins pop up. I will try that. The nurse said warming up the arm before putting in the IV. Maybe I could go in the bathroom and run my arm under very warm water? Or a heating pad? I have one.

  • Deaconlady
    Deaconlady Member Posts: 86
    edited March 2016

    Praline, congratulations on being halfway done! My MO mentioned a port after #2. My nurse said I have good veins in my left arm which is the only one I can use, but it could change after 2 sticks each week. So, I got a port 2 days before #3, I was a little freaked at first, but it works beautifully. Very nice to have just one stick and that's all. Good luck in whatever you decide.

  • LoveMyVizsla
    LoveMyVizsla Member Posts: 526
    edited March 2016

    Praline, yes. Drink lots of water beforehand and they have hot packs they can put on your arm to help your vein pop out.

  • LiLNutmeg
    LiLNutmeg Member Posts: 8
    edited March 2016

    Number 6 Taxol completed .... and there go the toenails!   Ughh

  • ladyhumps
    ladyhumps Member Posts: 56
    edited March 2016

    Praline definitely try some of those tricks suggested. I have a port but I'll be getting Herceptin til Jan of next year. Sounds like you're tolerating the chemo pretty well otherwise. Keep on fighting!

    LiLNutmeg sorry about the toenails.

  • MissBee123
    MissBee123 Member Posts: 24
    edited March 2016

    I think I'm slowly bleeding to death from all these bloody noses. Thanks Taxol. Yuck! SickTired

  • Sawyer
    Sawyer Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2016

    hi all-

    Well 9 Taxols down and 3 to go and it has officially kicked my a$&. I am so sore and emotionally spent . I cried all morning for no particular reason and ended up taking an Ativan which helped. I think it's just the cumulative effect of 6 months all the surgeries the chemo's and I haven't had a good night sleep since October !

    Miss bee 123 I can relate the bloody noses are the worst. I literally think I am down a pint a day! I am down to 2 a day now from 6. Using lots of saline spray and saline gel. Lotion tissues.

    And the darn nails! My finger nails are so painful and some are changing color so I know they are going to fall off now. The toenail pain started last night.

    I am on the couch today; the MO says chemo is cumulative ...... I get that now.

    I feel for you all, this is tough. We can do it though .... Just good to vent to those going through the same.

    Sawyer

  • Gabby56b
    Gabby56b Member Posts: 32
    edited March 2016

    Its good to hear from everyone. I finished my 8th taxol last Thursday. Bone pain today. Nails are hurting and changing color. All I want to do is sleep, everyone (non cancer people) say to push through it. MO says take it easy. I just want to scream. Husband is out of town and daughter was supposed to help, but she has cramps.

    sorry just feeling alone and sorry for myself. Tomorrow will be better...
    s

  • Sally22
    Sally22 Member Posts: 9
    edited March 2016

    Hi Ladies,

    For all of you on Taxol, can you advise me of your experience of what you have done for the joint aches? And how long they lasted? Also have many of you noticed what I was told was "Chemo spots" I have noticed them on my hands. Has anyone tried to fade them or do they go away


  • Sally22
    Sally22 Member Posts: 9
    edited March 2016

    Hi Gabby56b,

    Hang in there, I feel for you too, I am expericing the joint pains. My husband traveling too. Tomorrow a better day.

  • Nolagirl1126
    Nolagirl1126 Member Posts: 178
    edited March 2016

    Chemo spots? Oh no, haven't heard of that one yet ☹

    Hang in there Gabby56b and Sally22! Down days for me are typically followed by better days.

    MissBee- right there with ya! I can't go ANYWHERE without tissue to shove up my nose to stop the blood!

    I am pre-menopause...and just finished Taxol #4. I was not given much info AT ALL about what to expect Taxol to have on my periods. All was normal until this weekend, I am experiencing break through bleeding. And my neck, yes, my neck is covered in acne under my ears. How pleasant!

    Can anyone please share their experience of chemo enduced menopause? I would just like to know what to expect

  • Sawyer
    Sawyer Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2016

    hi again :)

    I haven't heard of chemo spots...

    The MO told me that chemo forces menopause . I am 48 and was still having periods until this all started and now I am in menopause after 12 wks of AC and 8 Taxols .

    The bone pain is tough I don't find anything works but I use some biofreeze which seems to help a bit to take the edge off.

    This is getting tough.

    Sawyer

  • Nolagirl1126
    Nolagirl1126 Member Posts: 178
    edited March 2016

    Thanks Sawyer. I hope you have a better day tomorrow too! I think I have heard whispers of Claritin for the bone pain? Have you tried that?

  • Sawyer
    Sawyer Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2016

    my MO said Claritin only helped with bone pain from nulasta so I stopped taking it after that....

  • Nolagirl1126
    Nolagirl1126 Member Posts: 178
    edited March 2016

    Sawyer- OK, that makes sense...did MO suggest anything else for Taxol bone pain

  • Valstim52
    Valstim52 Member Posts: 833
    edited March 2016

    Hello All

    I have 'chemo spots' My MO said some women get them. The joint and bone pain was awful, only relief I got was when I called MO and she said to try my tramadol, that I use for my arthritis as a last resort. Hooray it worked. Just my 2 cents. I get dose dense taxol (every two weeks) We will see if it works, if I get the bone pain again.

  • Gabby56b
    Gabby56b Member Posts: 32
    edited March 2016

    My MO has put be on a regime for bone pain with taxol. 3 advil 3 times a day, 1 claritin twice a day and 1 pepcid once a day.... The advil takes away the pain, and claritin and pepcid helps protect your stomach from the advil....

  • LoveMyVizsla
    LoveMyVizsla Member Posts: 526
    edited March 2016

    I haven't started taxol yet, have one more AC left to go. However, I have noticed the so called chemo spots. I have two on the palm of my hand, WTH? On my palm? I thought it was from my cutaneous lupus, but I guess not. Some of my existing moles have gotten darker too.

  • DFWFLYGIRL
    DFWFLYGIRL Member Posts: 42
    edited March 2016

    My doctor put me on a regimen of Glutamine powder, amino acids, B6 daily and Aleve as needed. I am on weekly Taxol. I am on #3 and it's helping and while not 100% better than I was

  • buttaflydiva
    buttaflydiva Member Posts: 10
    edited March 2016

    I start weekly taxol (along with Herceptin and perjeta every 3 weeks) this Friday. Like so many others, im a tad nervous about how this new regimen will effect me.

  • ncsue927
    ncsue927 Member Posts: 13
    edited March 2016

    I finished my Taxol a week ago today. My chemo hits me on Thursdays and by Sunday i am usually better. This stuff is definitely cumulative, because each week has been worse. And this past week was the worst ever, even with a reduced dose! I have been in bed since Wednesday afternoon. Extreme colon spasms that hurt like hell. Weird stools. Extreme fatigue. Muscle and bone pain. My MO had written me out of work Thursday and Friday, but I couldn't even go back today. I feel awful. and still getting the abdominal pain. I, too, am having daily nose bleeds. My fingernails hurt. And now they are turning black. Nothing tastes good. And I have been running a fever off and on all weekend. I feel so bad, and I am so afraid that the people I work with will think that since I am done with chemo, I should just suddenly become my old self again! And I know that will not happen. What a journey this has been. I have an appointment on Thursday with the RO to get my radiation set up. Sometimes I feel that there is just no end to this!

  • KatG68
    KatG68 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2016

    I have completed 6 of my 12 Taxol treatments. So far, not really any side effects. I have had a couple of nose bleeds, but until I read a few posts here really did associate it with Chemo! Now I wonder. I started radiation today also and will do it 5 days a week for 5 weeks and chemo weekly for 6 more weeks. Hoping that everything runs smoothly and will be done at the same time. (fingers crossed!) Those of you ladies with the nail problems - when did you first notice that? That really worries me!

  • Sawyer
    Sawyer Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2016

    I am going in early to see the MO this week; the muscle bone pain is so bad! Also I am dehydrated and they will give me IV fluids tomorrow. They had told me no asaparin products due to bleeding concerns so I have not been able to try the ibuprofen or similar. I can't imagine the nose bleeds if I was taking them. Today I left work half day and have been resting since.

    My nail pain started taxol week 8. 2 nails are discolored so I think they will fall off. They all hurt though.

    Taxol #10 Thursday this week and I fear the weekend since this past was so bad and it's cumulative so ..... Assuming it will be tough. I got very emotional yesterday I think out of exhaustion and just not being myself. Thankful for Ativan that helped.

    Sawyer

  • Karenbo
    Karenbo Member Posts: 19
    edited March 2016

    Nolagirl112, I was premenopausal too (46 yrs old) and was having regular periods. I started weekly Taxol in early December and haven't had another period since. I finished my last Taxol on March 4. I've noticed some cramp-like discomfort and am wondering if my periods will be returning soon. My MO said that sometimes they come back after chemo and sometimes the periods never return again.

  • Nolagirl1126
    Nolagirl1126 Member Posts: 178
    edited March 2016

    thanks Karenbo! I just didn't know the process...but it seems like yours just stopped...which is great! I am having some discharge in mid-cycle, which typically never happens...so thinking it's the Taxol shutting my ovaries down. No cramps, but it was just strange to see discharge when I wasn't expecting it.

  • DFWFLYGIRL
    DFWFLYGIRL Member Posts: 42
    edited March 2016

    NCSue and Sawyer,

    So bittersweet as you are finished or close to finished with Taxol but not without lingering effects....hate you are suffering.BawlingDid you all do any icing of hands/feet as I am trying to decide if it's worth it. What about Glutamine and Lipoic Acids? It's early but doctor said it should help with pain. I am also taking Miralax pretty regularly for the constipation and funny tummy pain. So happy you both are getting to the other side of it and it will take time to get your mind, body and spirit back...don't pressure yourself or let others pressure you.


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