Weekly Taxol group
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Ha ha! I know how you feel, I stay away from big crowds after chemo, I just don't want the risk of any infections and I probably act a little anal about it myself lol.
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I just started Taxol, I had to take 5 of my steroid pills the night before. I immediately noticed more energy, I had just finished AC which would wear me out. The next day after Taxol I started getting numbness and tingling in my feet, it was so severe it started becoming painful. My doctor put me on nerve pain meds, and now I have an appointment to have a nerve test done. My feet have been feeling this way since! I hope I don't have any real nerve damage. I was at just 3 more treatments left but now, it will be spread out due to having to lower the dosage on the Taxol.
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Yay!!!! You are done!!!! I'm so happy for you !!!!
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krissyj - just wonder why the MO didn't give out this nerve meds before hand? Shouldn't we ask for it before the infusion
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Hi Cherry, Here is the link to my post about my experience with Weekly Taxol so far:
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...
I posted on both this board and the Triple Positive board on August 4. Hope this helps. My experience with weekly Taxol and Herceptin has been manageable. I hope it is for you too. Let us know how you do on Monday. I'll be thinking of you while I am sitting in the infusion chair also!
I am 47 years old, and yes, I think one of the hardest parts of this has been dealing with my 9 year old's reaction. He is old enough to understand what cancer means. He knows too much actually; he has memories of my mother-in-law going through BC chemo. For his personality, he wants to trust that we are telling him everything, though he doesn't really want to talk about it.
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Hi T-Sue, thank you for the link, I found your post yesterday and red through it. Very helpful info. I will post tomorrow If I will be able to. I have called an oncolgist today who hallen to be a mom of one of my youngest classmates. I will ask for second opinion in the clinic where she works. She was upset how my clinic so far addressed th problem about clarifying my diagnosis to my daughter. Last year one of teachers lost her young sister to cancer, everybody in school knew, my youngest came and told us that. This was her only encounter with c, this is what it is to her and I am terrified to tell her without getting any professional help. Good luck tomorrow to you to. We were discussing about how I felt today and this doctor she said I understand that you feel it is unfair and I said it is not like this, I do not want somebody else would get it instead of me, it is just when I see everybody living their normal lives and I am preparing for an infusion that will give enormous se and will for sure damage my body hopefully only short term, well, yes, it is unfair for all of us. Hugs, Cherry
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Hi Cherry - I will tell you two things that worked for me and my family. Maybe they will help you also.
First, my son also only knew one "cancer" experience - his grandma who ended up having a recurrence and dying in 2013. So, he associated "cancer" with death just as your daughter does. It helped him for me to talk about other people I knew who had breast cancer, were treated, and are doing fine now. I showed him pictures of those people and talked about them. You have said that you don't know others who have had BC, but I you may find that you begin to hear and be connected to women once the word gets around that you have BC. If not, you may want to directly ask your local friends to put you in touch with other women who have gone through this. It was helpful to my son to meet these other women when they came to my house for a walk. It has also been VERY helpful for me to talk with women who have experience BC and chemo.
Second, I was also extremely upset about my diagnosis and terrified to begin chemo. The scariest part about chemo was not knowing how my body would respond. Once I had finished my first chemo infusion and gotten through the first week, I had a better understanding of MY personal SEs to taxol. This made me feel much better to know what to expect from chemo. Yes, some weeks are harder than others, but generally my SEs have been consistent.
I hope this helps! Hugs!
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Hi T-Sue,
Thank you! When it comes to chemo this is exactly how I feel, I will be able to understand what to expect even If the effect is cumulative I will know how I react. There is no any other way, I have to do it. I hate it, I am really scared that I will get an anaphylactic chock tomorrow or If I in the long run after all the treatments and being on antihormonals will not be able go for the run in the woods, I still have to do it. I want my life back and I can't have it. When it comes to my daughter this is exactly the case, we do not know anybody who had bc and so far my clinic did not suggest any contact group for bc patients, I only read bloggs and talk to you guys. In that case I may as well sit down with her and explain that many women in this forum have been through the treatment and survived. I do not think this is the right way though I have to talk to the clinic about the councelling tomorrow. I saw the nurse writing it down but they always forget things, I am not satisfied with them at all. My onc did not send any prescription on nausea medication, I had to callthem yesterday, he told me on Thursday that he is going to be my doctor all the way through the treatment and on Friday the nurse told me he will be off for some educational training for two months and I will get a second doctor. All this unnecessary stress. I so to speak belong to this clinic, I can switch but this is a largest and considered to be the best one and is just 15 min drive from my place. I will talk to them tomorrow. Good luck to both of us. Cherry
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Hi guys, when is it better to take my Zofran? Now, 10 hours before chemo or right before it starts
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cherry-sw: I would take your Zofran was prescribed by your MO. We don't know what pre-meds you will be given nor what dose of chemo you will be given
I can tell you I did not have a lot if nausea with Taxol. Nauseousness was more a SE of AC, for me. And that I did get an anti-nausea IV premed with every Taxol.
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cherry-sw I never took any anti-nausea meds prior, only what was given premed in my IV. Actually had a prescription if needed, didn't take a one. It was never an issue with the Taxol, for me.
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Cherry - I agree with DodgersGirl and BJI. I was given an anti-nausea by IV as a premed right before my Taxol. I had a prescription for Zofran but have never needed to take it. No nausea with weekly taxol in my experience either.
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I was told to take it before the infusion If I remeber correctly, but I red that it helps If you take in advance. I get nausea very quickly, in the car If I am not driving myself, of meds. And I hate throwing up, because If I start it will not finish until everything I had in my stomach goes down the toilet. Even If I keep drinking water it will continue, the reflex kicks in. Cherry
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I didn't have any nausea with Taxol. Was given anti-nausea meds as part of the "pre-cocktail" and I did have some acid reflux which nexium handled very nicely. I really needed the gabepentin (don't think I'm spelling that right) for the neuropathy though. I lost two toenails but no fingernails. I have never seen anyone at my center ice and it certainly was never discussed with me. I had gel manicures and regular pedicures the whole time from a place I really trust to sterilize stuff. I did try to pay attention to crowds although until my neuropathy got bad I continued with my usual activity (although I'm retired with a wonderful househusband).
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I was told that I will only be given cortisone before the infusion. And that the icing is only to safe the nails but cannot prevent the neropathy, they will have to lower the dosage and give it more slowly If I get any sensation in my hands and feet. Sometimes B6 given as an infusion helps for neuropathy. I could not sleep, this all is so awful
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I agree - icing wouldn't have given me any neuropathy relief. I was just responding to the nail issues. Some people "cold cap" to try to save hair too but I didn't do that either.
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I have not checked in here for awhile. I had my last Taxol the end of April. Then I had AC. I am now 10 weeks post chemo and now my toe nails are lifting and 2 of them have just fallen off over the weekend. I did not even know that they were lifting or anything till I went to have a pedi. The lady told me that my big toe looked infected... I was like "what" She said yeah it is oozing and your toe nail is lifting. As it is summer and I do not wear enclosed shoes during the summer I never noticed.
I have an appointment with my GP to have him check them out.
Just seems weird that they would die now. I never had any problem at all during chemo.
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Shelabela, I know it can be painful, really strange it is lifting now and not in the end of the treatment. Hope it will be only this one. I experienced my nails go off sometimes when I hit them hard by accident and they fall off and new one took long to grow. I have blue toe right know, I was for long power walk in June and one of the toes was pressed inside the shoe and even if it did not hurt the nail on it did later turned blue. Well, it was not the first time, happened before, but this one will lift for sure, not caused by treatment.
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The neuropathy is back Dodgersgirl with a vengeance ! I have taken my medicine every morning and was told to take it every night as well. Can't feel my feet when I walk so I'm totally off balance, hard to work during this! Oh well, one more to go
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tonyaberry - that sucks, can't believe taxol SE can be that strong! Did you do any icing at all
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#3. I am 1/4 of the way done! So far so good. I am icing,so I hope that helps!0 -
I had my first Taxol today and it was unremarkable but I was trembling as a trapped animal in the beginning. I was given cortisone, some antihistamine and even anti-nauseous meds via iv and the nurse there were surprised that my oncological nurse told me it will be cortisone only. Herceptin, 5 ml, was given as an injection in my tie, very slowly and I was very scared but the nurse said: I have already given you a half of it. I did not feel much, maybe because it was a first time I do not know. Then the nurse went on describing how Taxol will be given, about a possible reaction, what is the protocol and how she will stay with us during the first 30 min. She was very kind and tactile, like rubbed my shoulder and telling me how tense I was. And I said I know but I cannot control it, I try to relax and breathe but later I feel my body getting tense again like on its own. She said, if you will feel bad and cannot breathe we will stop and I will push the button, many people will be here at no time, do not be afraid you are going to be fine, it does not happen often. I have to admit I was so nervous it was good I laid down otherwise they could wipe me with the sponge. I got the ice-socks and mittens. She started and I did not feel anything, the nurse checked my blood pressure three times, it went up a little but then went down though still higher when it was before. I got a bag of over 500 ml, and it is strange but I cannot remember the exact amount on it. I usually remember an image, a picture, some sort of eidetic memory, I still see the picture but I sort of cannot read it, only know that the first number was 5, because I remember me thinking it was half of liter and the last two were either 24 or 42 but I am not sure. Never happened before with a memory this fresh, chemo brain already? Another thing was when I was going to the toilet (the room btw was dull, no tv, we were two patients there, I thought this clinic could have better rooms), above the toilet seat there was a sign " If doing chemo please flash twice". I asked the nurse if I even have to do it at home and she said, yes, the drug leaves the body via urine so it has the highest concentration of it and no one at home should be exposed to it this way, it is very toxic. And I was just thinking, yes, here I am getting over half of liter into my system, over 8 liters in total. What a disease that we have to be treated this way. I wonder if my husband starts avoiding me.
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KB870, I fell asleep after the infusion too, we had to stay for two hours for the observation related to Herceptin. I was hungry and after the dinner had some potato chips, something I did not even touched after the diagnosis, I have to through it out. It must be cortisone, but since that I did not feel hungry.
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Hi Cherry, you did it, one down hopefully next time will not be so scary. I go in Thursday. I want to get it started so I can get it over with!!
Stay strong!
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Kimberbir, we will follow one another sessions, the more support we can get the better. I was sucking one the ice all the time too and even was told to do it for another 20 min after the infusion, I prepared baking soda, salt, water mix and I am washing my mouth with it. You can do it too. How old are you, if I may ask. I am 45 soon.
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tonyaberryman- so sorry the neuropathy returned. My MO said if I had neuropathy in my feet that made it hard to keep my balance, they would stop my sessions.
Hopefully, you will get relief soon. Please keep me posted.
I go to a dermatologist tomorrow to see if the red spots on my arms are from Taxol killing off pre-cancer spots. NP thinks that is the case. Don't think I want to have to deal with skin cancer right now, too. Sigh
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Hi Cherry, I am 51 as of July kinda a sucky birthday present, but I am alive! Went to the dentist today they said to be careful with the salt and water rinse could dry out mouth. They recommended biotene rinse, spray, paste and the purple listerine. Do they tell you any of these little tricks befor chemo? I have a meeting with oncology team tomorrow and am hoping they give me some useful information, like I get here! And yes we can follow each other, this site is a place where I can feel normal. Thankful
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Hi Kimberbir,
I totally understand about the birthday, my husband keeps telling me the next one will be better, I really want to believe him. I also add soda to my mouth wash, in this way it will be alcaline too but I do not know If it prevents from drying but it does prevents the bakteria to grow. I also was recommended a spray with sunflower oil, I do not remember the name and it may not be the same since I am not in US, but I can look it upp. When are you starting? Cherry
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Congratulations Cherry on finishing your first treatment! I hope the next one is easier now that you know what to expect. I bet the antihistamine messed up your memory recall. It makes me feel drunk! I haven't heard the flush twice advice before. But I DID hear (on these boards, not my MO office) not to have sex while the toxins are in your body! When I asked my oncology nurse, she said just abstain for 48 hours post chemo. Not that I feel very sexy during chemo, but good to know!
Kimberbir, good luck on your first treatment! I agree, it does feel good to get started and check them off! My dentist also recommended all of those products. I found that I really only needed the special, sensitive toothpaste and the biotin mouthrinse. Welly Taxol gave me a really dry mouth at nighttime for the first few treatments, then it seemed to stop. The other product I really needed was a nasal spray (i used Ayr gel spray). My very first SE was really dry sinuses. I think those tender nose hair are the first to go.
One more thing about weekly, low dose Taxol. My hair didn't begin shedding until after treatment #4. I was shocked to keep it that long. Even once it started shedding, it wasn't that noticable until about treatment #8.
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tonyaberryman- thinking of you. How is your neuropathy? Sure hope it's better today.
My nails are still sore ... this is my first Wednesday without chemo treatment since 5/24/17. Sure hoping the Taxol SE go away quickly!
My dermatologist agreed with MO. Red spots on my arms are most likely pre-cancer and Taxol is killing them. It really itches today. But if cancer or pre-cancer cells are being destroyed, I will celebrate the itch!!
Hubby came home last night!! So we are both, hopefully, on a path to a better 201
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