Weekly Taxol group
Comments
-
bratmobile--like seq24, I ice during treatments. I take in flexible ice packs that I have for coolers and my nurse uses a flexible wrap to put them around my toes (over my socks). She says my funny system works better than the expensive ice socks. For my fingers she gives me a small tray with ice. I alternate putting my fingers, directly, in the ice. Since I'm alternating hands it isn't that uncomfortable. I also use ice or ice water to ice my fingers and toes at least once a day in between Taxols. (I'm icing right now while I'm on this forum! ;-)
SanL, I go to the infusions on my own. I take a bus/subway and then walk to go to the appt. Sometimes my husband picks me up from the subway stop on the return trip but I can also take a bus. I only do Taxol now. I didn't do the return trip on public transit when I was on AC which was more depleting. During those weeks my husband picked me up at Mt Sinai though he didn't like the traffic. I'm retired, though, and I don't have the demands on my time and energy that you have. I wish you well juggling everything. One thing I did to make my week smoother was sign up for a meal kit service. I use Blue Apron but there are many. I do it 2 nights a week just so I don't have to think about menu planning and groceries on those nights. You still have to cook but everything is ready.
0 -
I just joined. I have treatment #4 of Taxol and Herseptin coming up on Tuesday. I have had terrible sinus headaches and bloody noses starting on day 3 each week which lasted 2 days the first week, then 3 days the next week, and four days this week. Did anyone else have this problem or have a solution
0 -
seq24 : how much b complex and b6 are u taking?
0 -
Novbaby--I take 1 B complex capsule per day (I don't think it comes in different strengths but I could be wrong on that) and I take 100 mg daily of B 6. The B 6 amount in the in the B complex is 50 mg so that is a total of 150 mg of B 6 a day. My MO told me to take 100 mg a day (after I had already bought it) so I tried cutting the B 6 in half. It just crumbled all over the place so I just took a whole tablet along with the B complex. One other thing I was told is to buy good quality supplements. I got mine at a health food store. I am still taking both of the B supplements although I am about out of the B complex. Waiting to hear from MO if it's ok to stop taking them all together since I am now 5 weeks PFC.
0 -
Hopefulmj: I've been having bloody noses too. At least three times a day, it'll start up. Normal?? I'll be asking my doc next time I see him. They never last long, but are super annoying. Good luck!!!!
0 -
Hopefulmj, I've had the bloody nose issue, I think it started the 2nd week and I had my 9th Taxol last week. Please forgive how gross this is, but blood clots form frequently and it takes forever to clear my nasal passages each morning. I have a deviated septum as well and must use Breathe Right strips at night or wouldn't get any sleep. My oncologist suggested a neti pot, but I've been afraid to try it because my nose is so obstructed. I do think the pots are helpful for rinsing pollen under normal circumstances.
Re: the 9th Taxol being a ripsnorter, the day after Tuesday's chemo was fine (presumably due to steroids), but I felt horrible Wednesday...weak, shaky, and my lymphedema / encapsulated shoulder arm didn't respond to my usual pain meds. Friday was challenging, but the weekend was better so y'all can do it! Only three more Taxol to go so the end of chemo is finally in sight.
Lyn
0 -
VLH: I don't really have bloody noses per se, but my snot has been bloody for the last 2 months, with the blood clots issue, too. The things we talk about in here! I never even mentioned it to my MO, enough other things to talk about!
Bratmobile: I did 4 rounds of AC and then 12 rounds of Taxol. (The 12th round is today! Woot! Woot!) I didn't do any icing at all. I wanted the chemo to get everywhere, including my fingertips and toes. Plus I don't like being cold. I haven't had any nail issues at all. I have had mild neuropathy in my feet. I take 200 mg b6 daily plus drink some tonic water. That seemed to help in the beginning, but not so sure it still does. I don't feel pain in my feet, just some numbness in my toes, and my feet feel really cold from my mid calves down. My head also feels super cold and so do my teeth. It feels like I've just been eating a super cold apple. I'm blaming that on the taxol, too, because why not:)
0 -
i don't have bloody noses per se either but my nasal passages are extremely dry so I blow my nose it's pinkish snot that comes out. Sorry for the graphic description! I just had #9 of 12 and don't feel any worse than usual. I never had neuropathy but some minor nail changes with AC.
I started getting this weird feeling in my left chest area over the weekend. It feels like I have my cell phone in my pocket (I don't) and it's on vibrate. It doesn't last long but has recurred. Anyone else get this?
0 -
YAY, NotTheBoss! What a milestone for you.
BravePoint, hmmm, that's a new one.
Although the opthalmologist couldn't see any damage, I'm still concerned about the visual disturbances. At the end of last week's Taxol, the flashing was dramatic and there's no question in my mind that it's linked to the chemotherapy. Given that the effects are cumulative and that it takes a few weeks for the drug to clear one's system, I'm wondering what the oncologist will say this week regarding my eyes. I know a number of people have stopped at #10, but would like to complete the entire regimen if possible. Still, I'm worried about permanent damage to my eyes plus the muscle weakness is daunting. I may have to resort to my Rollator to walk in for my infusion.
Lyn
0 -
I haven't posted in a while - but still read everyone's posts. I am about to start radiation tomorrow, finished with Taxol on 2/9 - but still have Herceptin every 3 weeks until November. I think the Herceptin is probably impeding my hair growth - as I just have very faint, soft white fuzz...which I haven't bothered measuring. I go back/forth between using the Nioxin shampoo/conditioner/scalp treatment and a concoction of my own mix of avocado oil, Jamaican black castor oil, and coconut oil. I also rub Tea Tree Oil on my head too.
I did get some neuropathy towards the end of Taxol - and tried the tonic water and B6, but quite honestly -I think the acupuncture I did throughout all of 5 months+ of chemo helped the most...not just with neuropathy, but with any other side effects or ill feelings.
@Shelabela - my hair came out after 2nd A/C, and I didn't notice any grow back until after stopping Taxol...but again, because it is this white fluff, I suppose it might have been coming in during Taxol too. My eyebrows have been pretty much gone for a while now - and my eyelashes have weird regrowth that has been going on for several weeks.
@VLH & @Nayda - i have been lucky with nails so far. I was using Tea Tree Oil on them every couple of days, and I do think that helped a great deal in not losing them.
@Novbaby - my eyesight immediately got worse after my first round of AC. My first onc dr told me to wait to get checked out until I was done with chemo, but my eyesight was progressively getting bad and I could no longer see my computer monitor for work...so I finally just went and got computer/reading glasses (a cheap pair). Eager to get rechecked in a few months, with hopes my eyesight comes back.
@SanL - as others posted, I got my benedryl reduced to 12.5, and I was fine to drive myself to/from Taxol. I also requested to get the rest of the left over saline in my drip - after all the meds were done. Otherwise, they just dispose of it, and I figure I can use as much hydration as possible...so I would hang out an extra 15-30 minutes after getting the rest of what was left in Saline bag.
@Danix5 - if you don't mind me asking, how did you discover your new BC?
0 -
Congrats NottheBoss on your final Taxol lady!!
KD good to see you lady...how many radiation treatments do you have?
My hair is growing back and I haven't really noticed it...my mom told me that I didn't have to wear them wigs...I checked it in the mirror and its looks like I have a short hair cut.
0 -
KB870, I'm glad that you only had the single episode of scintillating scotoma. Between treatments, mine becomes intermittent, but I've not had a day in the past few weeks where I've been free of visual aberrations. It presents itself in different ways. For example, during and immediately after my Taxol, the flashing is very dramatic. Other things, it's minor flashes on the periphery of my vision or there will be select "pixels" that get lighter and darker like my eyes are trying to adjust to varied lighting. What concerns me, of course, is that the side effects will become permanent if I push through three more infusions. I wish we had some studies with Taxol being administered for shorter periods so I could at least evaluate risk vs. reward. I'm getting some minor twitching in my left eye, but that's no biggie.
Good to see you, Kdtheatre! I haven't tried tree tea oil on my nails. Thanks for the suggestion. I hope your radiation treatment goes smoothly.
Lyn
0 -
Thanks, everyone! Last treatment went smoothly today, and extra fast for some reason. I figure they were just paying extra attention to me to get me out of there as fast as possible.
Blood draw next week and then appointment with MO in three weeks where i will hopefully hear the plan from here on out. My MO likes to tell me only one piece of the puzzle at a time. While I know the general idea, I don't know all the specifics. Planning appointments set up for radiation next week, so that is moving along, too.
Haven't had really bad eye problems yet, but the lids are very twitchy. My eyesight is worse with my glasses than my contacts. I also have weird eyelash stubs growing back in. I wore mascara on Sunday and it actually stuck to something.
Have a little bit of chemo brain going on, too. I have trouble putting together a complete sentence together without thinking hard about the right words to use. Fun, fun.
0 -
yay congrats nottheboss, so happy for you..
Ii was reading all your post and i just laughed at all our SE's. It is hard when one is going thru it. was not bad the first few weeks but boy it was really hard starting at 9th.
Bravepoint: i know what you mean on the vibrate thing.. don't know how to explain it. I thought it was a combination of numbness and tingling? So thats what i told MO. Ive had thad since after mastectomy, on and off. I was even already taking vit b6 prior to all this. Then my skin and face gets cold too.. felt like part of my skin is separated from my body ( dont really know how to explain it). Numbness is like all over... muscle pain has started at no 9 too..Some of the SE's like eyesight getting bad, upper back pain, numbness and tingling (all over), were already there with ac but went away after my third ac since i had a break due ro shingles so im hoping that theseSE is also gonna go away after taxol is done.
Well hoping and praying our SE's not so bad this week..
0 -
I had my 4th dose of Taxol yesterday, along with my Herceptin and Prejeta. Feel ok right now. MO thinks my rash is from the Steroids she is giving me. So next week she will try a different one. I hope she finds one I can take, this rash is annoying.
She also recommended I take a pepcid daily. Anyone else taking this?
Hope today goes good for anyone going to treatment today
0 -
Shelabela,
I was not advised to take an antacid but have had issues with acid reflux both from a related pleural effusion and the SEs of Taxol. I just chew on some Gaviscon at this point but may need to consider the pills if it worsens.
0 -
Sadly, it's probably coming. Third treatment was about right for me. Had a "long" buzz cut right before my 4th infusion and will go back this week to take it all off. The short hairs are falling too fast.
My feet are cold but little numbness. Bloody noses with heavy mucus. Day 2 is the hardest - mainly because I get so constipated. Have gotten better at planning for that though.
0 -
Thanks. Good luck to you, too!
0 -
Thanks all. Nayda - I have 30 rad treatments, so 29 more to go! lol
I happened to see somewhere that Tea Tree Oil promotes Estrogen!? Has anyone else heard this? That makes me worried since i have been using it!
0 -
shelabela: i was on pepcid for 2 days when i was in the hospital (2 separate occasion) coz they dont carry zantac. My mo puts me on prilisec in d am and zantac at night. In between i take mylanta if its bad..I have stonach issues b4 chemo and i think chemo just made it worse. My premeds also has pepcid.
Taco1946: prune juice works for my constipation.i have been constipated since ac.
Anybody has hot flashes with chemo? What donu do?
Sorry if u see something wrong with my words.. i cant see right anymore. Eyesight is really bad now..prayers going up for us all..
0 -
Of course I don't mind you asking. I found a lump in my sternum area of my right breast right before Christmas. It felt hard, not really movable- all cancerous signs. But this lump hurt especially if you messed with it... which of course I did.
I wasn't worried it was cancer, I mean I had less than 2% chance I would be in BC world again after bilateral mx and total hyster/oomph in 2008.
I lived in a safe bubble that burst big time this January 2017😝😡
Daniell
0 -
kdtheatre- I heard tea tree oil does increase estrogen too. Stay away from it. I stopped using it.
Daniella
0 -
Well I joined the buzz group. I couldn't even comb it last night. And I could even taste the red wine. Red wine is supposed to be good for you right????
0 -
And here I am at work this AM. How does the wig look?
0 -
Shelabela- I think the wig looks great! I love the buz cut too. Looks very even.
We were diagnosed the same day 1-10-17! Well my second time around but same day!
Yes, lol I hear red wine is good for you!
Enjoy!!
Daniella
0 -
Your wig looks fabulous!
0 -
thanks ladies! I love my Red wine. Gonna keep having a glasmall till I can't
0 -
I'm getting weekly Taxol for 12 and every 3rd weekly Herceptin for a year.
0 -
Beautiful Shelabela !!
0 -
Tesscott6- I am in Taxol and herceptin weekly. I go to herceptin every three weeks after 12 weekly infusions. Weird how they treat us differently.
Question for you ladies, finished my first week and had labs to clear me to go to chemo tomorrow. My white cell count dropped 2but was at 5.5 in normal range. I like my onco but she is bubbly positive how easy Taxol with herceptin weekly is for 12 weeks. The chemo nurse and NP are less bubbly and expect me to not have such a great time as the weeks go by. I will have number two of twelve tomorrow. So is the dr being too laid back acting like TH is so ...easy barely chemo or are the NP and chemo nurses right?
I mean I would love easy, but it is chemo and I am thinking the dr is painting a rosy picture and I would rather be expecting the wors and be plesantly surprised by better outcome. I am confused... is this a really easy chemo?
TYIA
Daniella
0
