Come join others currently navigating treatment in our weekly Zoom Meetup! Register here: Tuesdays, 1pm ET.
Take our poll: Caregivers, what do you find most difficult about caregiving?
Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?

Weekly Taxol group

1…255256258260261…426

Comments

  • GlasgowGirl99
    GlasgowGirl99 Member Posts: 44
    edited July 2017
    Reading these posts makes me realise how small a world we do actually live in! It's amazing how many ladies on here have Scottish/Irish/English connections! I love reading everyone's posts!! This community has been a godsend to me since I was dx. Reading everyone's updates about their many ups and downs keeps me going on my journey. Sending hugs to all my friends on here from a damp dull and grey Donegal, Ireland 😊😊😊
  • T-Sue
    T-Sue Member Posts: 207
    edited July 2017

    Lb1234 and I_brain – congratulations on finishing your treatments! I too am on the low-dose weekly taxol, #6 down, 6 to go. Great to hear that your side effects were pretty minimum. My hair has thinned pretty drastically, but haven't had the courage to buzz cut it yet. Like you Lb1234, my MRI revealed a second tumor – which then invited mastectomy and HER+ to the party. I was also pretty shocked that my mammo didn't detect the second tumor.

    Snax – I also finished taxol #6 on Monday and have felt emotionally crappy all week. Really, crying or pissed off everyday when normally I have had a good attitude with the whole mess. I've been listening to cranky comedians on Netflix tonight which has helped J

    I_brain, I almost cried when I read that your SEs were not cumulative and that fatigue got better. I hope to mirror your experience! Also, I am staying active during treatment and drinking 12-15 cups of water daily, and I do think that has helped.

  • l_brain
    l_brain Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2017

    T-Sue - Hang in there. I know at 6 it's tough. But halfway through. It really did go fairly fast for me. If I didn't stay active though the fatigue would set in. Think the worst part is making yourself get moving. A lot of my SE went away or were minimal at the end. I thought it was going to get worse, but it actually got better. I didn't have steroids after the first couple infusions. They seem to cause a lot of side effects.

  • T-Sue
    T-Sue Member Posts: 207
    edited July 2017

    I-brain, thank for the encouragement. How wonderful that your SEs eased up in the end! I didn't know going off steroids was an option. My onc. halved my steriods after the 3rd treatment, but I still have them as a pre-med. I'll ask about that tomorrow.

  • GlasgowGirl99
    GlasgowGirl99 Member Posts: 44
    edited July 2017
    Hi everyone. Some unwanted news today - my wound has broken down for the 2nd time while on Taxol and I am back to the PICO VAC dressing. So disappointing. Had been back on my Taxol 3 weeks and feeling positive. So looking forward to being halfway this Thursday when I was due for #6. The countdown could start then to the finish line. Am feeling sad, frustrated, angry (at everyone and no one) and tired tonight.
  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    glassgowgirl99- I am also sorry you are having problems. I pray you will heal quickly.

  • T-Sue
    T-Sue Member Posts: 207
    edited July 2017

    Ugh, so sorry GlasgowGirl! Setbacks suck! Hang in there.

  • bji
    bji Member Posts: 116
    edited July 2017

    Taxol #8 tomorrow!

  • l_brain
    l_brain Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2017

    BJI - Almost there. My last 4 went by really fast. Hope you have a SE free week.

  • Tpralph
    Tpralph Member Posts: 281
    edited July 2017

    Glasgow girl. I too had a week off chemo last week so to wound infection. Sucks. Never wanted so much to be sick and looked forward to my second chemo. But on antibiotics and better this week. Restarting chemo today. Yay . The extra week in some way was nice. Felt normal again and did last talked. Caught up on gardening that I couldn't do while recuperating

    The week will go by fast and hopefully you can resume NXT week.


  • GlasgowGirl99
    GlasgowGirl99 Member Posts: 44
    edited July 2017

    Thanks KB870, Dodgersgirl and T-Sue. Setbacks really do suck!!

    Tpralph - glad to hear you were able to restart chemo this week. Have my fingers crossed I will be back on track very soon too.

    BJI - Good luck with Taxol #8. You're almost there 😊😊

  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    at the infusion center now for Taxol #8.

    White blood counts UP from last week!! 5.6!!! Last week was 4.9.

    Also port worked for blood draw so let's get this show on the road and tick off treatment 8

  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    hapb-thanks for well wishes. I am ready for the steroid induced energy jolt.

  • cdv4251992
    cdv4251992 Member Posts: 110
    edited July 2017

    Glasgowgirl, I'm sorry for the infection and delay. I know how frustrating and upsetting that is. I hope you are able to get treatment started again soon.

    #12 tomorrow and I'm ready to be done with this. I hope this neuropathy I'm getting goes away eventually. I assumed I would have a break before Herceptin only started but I am scheduled for an infusion the next week. Then do a I get a break? Just ready to not be doing this for a bit.

    Also have a consult with an LE therapist. Not sure I have any but I need PT and want to make sure no LE before I start any PT program. The bad part is all the providers are a drive from where I live and work, appointments are during work hours and I don't even have enough FLMA left to make it to next March (when it resets) for treatments let alone PT. My employer is letting people go left and right from my dept and the only reason I'm not gone, I feel, is because of the cancer. Once I'm out of FLMA and pto, which they don't have to approve, I'm sure I will be next. Sucks to know I need care I won't be be able to access all so I can avoid getting laid off from a job I hate.

  • Bmac16
    Bmac16 Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2017

    GlasgowGirl sorry to hear you have another delay. Hang in there you will make it through the other side.

    DodgersGirl glad you are 3/4 done. My white cells were 4.4 last week, I'm definitely feeling the fatigue now.

    I'm due for #12 this afternoon. Back in February when I started A/C I never thought this day would come

  • bji
    bji Member Posts: 116
    edited July 2017

    Getting premeds as I type, taxol/herceptin #8 this morning. Can see the finish line! Hopefully as smooth as other 7.

  • MollyW
    MollyW Member Posts: 7
    edited July 2017

    Had a couple of questions for this smart group of lovely ladies. Tomorrow I will receive my fifth Taxol treatment. This past week I have had bone pain (upper legs, back and ribs). I do have one bone met in lower spine, but as the pain came on so quickly I am hoping this is attributed to Taxol and not the cancer spreading. Today my MO said this could be a SE of Taxol but it would be unusual. MO is going to check my vitamin d levels and I have a follow up MRI on my lower back in 2 weeks. Anyone else have a similar experience?

    DodgersGirl congrats on your white count coming up! Could you send some of that my way? After my fourth and last round of AC, my counts bottomed out for a month. I had two episodes of neutropenic fever, and my neutrophil count has bounced around in the 1 range ever since.Anyone else have their counts improve while on Taxol?

  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    Bmac16- congrats on getting to Taxol 12! What a road we have traveled

  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    BJI- best of luck with Taxol 8 And good luck sleeping tonight!

  • TWills
    TWills Member Posts: 509
    edited July 2017

    MollyW, I had bone pain but mostly tenderness in my upper body after every Taxol. I would have my infusion on Thursdays and the tenderness would start Saturday afternoon like clockwork and would end late on Sunday. Hope you find some relief:):)

  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    Cdv4251992- Taxol 12!!!! Can't wait to get there, too.

    Will keep you in my prayers reference your job, PTO, and FMLA. Sure understand how you don't need that concern while on this journey.

  • dodgersgirl
    dodgersgirl Member Posts: 1,902
    edited July 2017

    Mollyw- I have bone/joint pain with every Taxol. My infusion is on Wednesday and by Saturday afternoon the pains starts and run thru to Monday. My MO said to take Aleve twice a day for 4-5 days. Of course check with your MO before taking Aleve. Today my infusion nurse said one reason I have steroids in my pre-meds is to counter bone/joint pain from Taxol. Can only share what I have been told but am sure there are MOs with different opinions.

    Good luck with MRI and hope you don't suffer from neutropenic fever again.

  • MollyW
    MollyW Member Posts: 7
    edited July 2017

    Thanks DodgersGirl that is very helpful. Did not realize the steroids reduced bone/joint pain. Starting to connect the dots as my steroid amount was decreased during the last treatment.

  • Bmac16
    Bmac16 Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2017

    Mollyw Did you get Neulasta or Neupogen with the AC? I had Neulasta and so when I started the weekly Taxol my WBC was quite high. It's gradually fallen during the 12 weeks of Taxol. Still within normal range but at the low end. I've had a little joint pain somewhere in the middle of the Taxol path, but not for the last several weeks. As someone else posted, I haven't noticed the SE's are cumulative with weekly Taxol. Good lucj

  • MollyW
    MollyW Member Posts: 7
    edited July 2017

    Bmac16 - I did receive Neulasta, but my MO does not think that I responded to it. I received several Neupogen shots during my last round of neotropenic fever, and the counts came way up. Unfortunately when I started Taxol, the counts immediately dropped. The MO does not want to use Neupogen during Taxol

  • bji
    bji Member Posts: 116
    edited July 2017

    MollyW- I too have bone/joint pain from taxol/herceptin. I have my infusion on Wednesdays and by Saturday start to feel it coming. My MO has me start taking claritin day of infusion and next 4 days, also tylenol as needed. I had #8 today.

  • Bmac16
    Bmac16 Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2017

    MollyW sorry to hear your white cell count dropped so quickly with the Taxol. Hang in there.

  • Cmunson5
    Cmunson5 Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2017

    I've been following this group for a while, but this is my first post. I am moving towards taxol 9 of 12 on Friday. I have been so fortunate with very little SE. Much easier than A/C. This last round had kicked my butt. Mostly fatigue and a general feeling of blah. Of course as O get towards the end, I'm afraid that my counts will drop or something will happen to create a delay. I have Aug 11 as my last treatment and praying I stay on schedul. Talking bout about dry sinuses... mine are so dry and stuffy that i actually wake myself up from snoring! It's the craziest thing. I wake several times a night from snoring. My hubby has been very sweet about it. Ugh i only have a few more to go but i getting so o this

  • fondue
    fondue Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2017

    Hello to all,

    My taxol+herceptin (x 12 weeks) treatment will start on Tuesday (July 25, 2017) I have been learning a lot from your experiences. Thanx for sharing them all.

    I have a question to my Stage 1 sisters on the same chemo regimen: Did you have any PET or CT scan before the chemo? I learned that it is not a standard for Stage 1 patients with no node involvement. My MO has been insisting on doing at least chest and abdominal CT before starting, but I do not want to do any of them because of the unnecessary radiation exposure to my body. She says being hormone negative and her2 positive with ki67 index 35 % is not a good prognosis, despite it is Stage 1 with 0.9 cm invasive, no node involvement and no lymphovasular invasion. What do you think on that?

    Thanks in advance for all your replies.

  • fondue
    fondue Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2017

    Thanks KB870. Do you know or remember your ki67 index from your pathology report?

Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.