Weekly Taxol group
Comments
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mjb - at some point I figured out that I really wasn't nauseated but having heartburn. Stopped both types of anti-nausea medication prescribed by MO and started Nexium. Much better. I continued to get an anti-nausea dose in my pre-chemo cocktail though.
moth - Try generic claritin for the joint pain. Not claritin D though. I don't know why it helps but many of us find it does.
About scheduling - My treatment was Friday, the only day my MO was in the office that was only 2 miles from my house (and was that a luxury as I could drive myself that far). Once I figured out how to deal with the constipation/diaherra issue, I'd say my worse day was Sunday but I really was able to maintain all my usual activities until the neuropathy set in at about taxol 6. My labs and weight were stable throughout. But I will clarify that in that I am retired and not having to work a 40 week and deal with kids and household (my DH as been a househusband since we retired). I think the fatigue from not sleeping the first night caught up with me by Sunday but I really wasn't in any pain that I recall. (It's amazing what being a year out will allow the brain to forget!)
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate everyone and exercise if you can - even if it's a walk around the block.
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- thanks Becca,Amelia all. Nothing at all sounds scary especially every 3rd is the THP.
- I’ll try and insist on at least the Pepcid and take my own histamine before.
- Tomorrow #3 of 9.
- Good night all
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- Sorry wanted to mention my avatar those are the plastic booties with ice they slide over my feet. And then they have the hands ones too
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idkidk....I've always had Pepcid in my premeds prior to Taxol. Have never had an issue with nausea or heartburn.
Hope
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well, so much for the hope that the weekly taxol would be easier on my neutrophils than AC was. I've only had one treatment & already my neutrophils crashed
They're at 1.0 which is the minimum to go ahead at a reduced dose according to my protocol; I'm supposed to have treatment tomorrow so we will repeat labs and see. 0 -
- Moth sorry about that, I know you wanna move along, but better safe than sorry. Hang in there.
- Nona ty yes well today they gave me half the Benadryl and half the steroid and no Pepcid. The nurse said next week nada nothing at all. I spoke my concerns but she said that’s how they’ve always done it. Today since they cut what they did I already feel the burning in my feet and hands, which cane about since I just did dishes.
- I have that heartburn feeling in my chest and that tingling creepy crawling sensations here and there.
- An tired but the Benadryl omg I hope I sleep and don’t have to wait 4 days again to get sleep.
- This time I’m not hungry at all which is good. Gained and I don’t need that.
- Am considering going in SSDI and just retiring already. I’m 54, always said I’d retire at 55. But now feel like if I do it’s the cancers decision and not mine.
- Hard decisions idk.
- Hugs and blessings to all.
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- Hope you’re all sleeping cause I’m awake again omg. Lol
- Having major hot flashes now.
- Never know what to expect from this taxol.
- Half my eyebrows flew away above both eyes. Oh Lordy I look weird. Ok gonna go and try out those eyebrow tats. Should bee interesting.
- Sweet dreams warriors.
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still awake. Tattoo eyebrows eeh.
Any eyebrow suggestions ?
Oh the big D.
Any runny nose suggestions ? It just runs and I don’t notice . How embarrassing.
Also bloody dry nose ?
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Idkidk - I usually get the dried blood nose. The week I was off Taxol it went away.
I also loose my taste buds by day three. Nothing seems to taste right.
Eyebrows - I have a 26 year old fashionista personal trainer she is my go-to for all makeup needs. Anastasia"brow wiz" eyebrow pencils or eyebrow pomade and a thin brush.
Magnesium to help you sleep (beware because too much causes D). Natural calm is a nice powder brand. Mix with warm water as per instructions.
Moth - My neutrophils crashed after Taxol 5 (so I skipped 6 and went on to 7). MO isn't at all concerned about skipping one. She says it is more important to finish and get on AIs. Did you feel burnt out or tired? I sure didn't. Pump up on the nutrients from food and maybe vitamin C? Not sure how to get those wbcs up. What does your MO suggest?
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hello to all
I'm having tomorrow my #7 taxol treatment of 12. but I'm really terrified because I have rectal bleeding as side effect. The truth is that started after 5th treatment and constipation that I had. I have red blood on the toilet paper. I know i have hemorrhoids for sure because I had a colonoscopy back in 2010. My onc doesnt' seem very concerned about this he told me to eat properly for the constipation and to take a gel for the area in case there is a tear...
Also my GI doc told me that taxol has that as SE. Also I've an IBS because of my anxiety. Has anyone has this as a SE of taxol? I also have nose bleeding (not so much).
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- Thank you Amelia for the info.
- I’m still awake despite taking a Xanax. Oh the big D is a problem, been taking Imodium like crazy.
- Sorry to hear about you bloodwork. Seems taxol 5 based on others input here seems to be a problem starter. You get to miss one, happy that doesn’t bother you. It’ll give your body a little time to heal.
- Yes the taste buds also suffer with me. It’s true everything has a metallic taste. Try using plastic instead of regular utensils it may help.
Notered if the blood is red that’s a good sign. And since you know you had constipation issues then it’s most likely a hemmoroid.Well I’m still awake so guess I’ll just watch some tv and see if that puts me to sleep. Doubt it however but too weak to do housework right now.0 -
NoteRed - would you be ok to taking a tsp of coconut oil daily? It helps get things moving, is 100% natural and should also have antibiotic and antimiotic properties. I put it in my morning coffee (it has a melting point of about 72°). Smooth sailing from there on it.
I am also taking probiotics even though MO says it is a waste of money. But if I can repopulate my digestive tract each week for a few days, I figure it is better than nothing.
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Thank you Amelia, I 'm a little concerned about the bleeding but I hope that stops when I m done with constipation...I will try the coconut oil. I will also discuss it with my onc tomorrow..
Also thank you ldkidk, yes the blood is red and I dont have it everytime I'm going to the bathroom but I 'm still concerned
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- OMG IM STILL AWAKE LOL I’M going crazy 🥜🥜🥜
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I had taxol 2 at a reduced dose yesterday. Everything went well & I had a good night. I'll be having to do grastofil shots from now on though; not looking forward to the bone pain. When I used it once during AC I was in a fair bit of pain, even with claritin and otc pain meds.
idkidk - are you still getting steroids & benadryl pre treatment? I've read that in my protocol after a certain # of treatments with no rxn, the doctor can authorize removing the pretreatment. You might be reacting to both pre-meds. There are people for whom benadryl wires them up instead of making them sleepy...0 -
- Good morning Moth, ladies. I’m hoping you don’t get too much bone pain due to the shots. Try the suggestions for helping with that.
- Yes I was given half the dose of Benadryl and steroids this past Wednesday. Next week they will stop everything, no pre meds at all. Scares me a little nothing at all, but hopefully it’ll be alright.
- Finally fell asleep at 2AM this morning. Hadn’t slept since Tuesday night. Insane.
- My hair is growing back. I am kind of obsessed with it. Can’t stop touching it. Talking to it asking it to hurry and grow.
- So far taxol #3 and 2 thumbs are black and a little on another finger.
- I get cramps here and there and some pain which just comes out of no where and goes away. Not bad at all. Developed a cough and have that bloody nose thing going on.
- Pins and needle feelings also come and go and yesterday I cleaned, shopped and did bbq for the family and notice my hands and feet are swollen today and easily fall sleep.
- I can feel the tumor is just shrinking away. I can hardly feel it and it was huge.
- I’m starting to think more about the next step which is surgery after the chemo, probably in August. I really don’t wanna lose my breast and the thought of it makes me an emotional reck. I’m gonna speak to the surgeon about removing both. Then another 9 months of HP every 3 weeks. We truly are amazing creatures us women. God made us strong, Too strong for I have yet to break down. I feel it coming on at times and I take my mind away from it feeling if I break I’ll never become whole again.
- Sorry for the rambling but I fear the surgery and fear it will be my breaking point. To wake up breastless I just can’t imagine the reality of it all. Through this I’ve been apologizing to them, I took them for granted and now I love them more than ever.
- I imagine them apart from me in a dark room. So creepy. Ok let me stop cause well I just realized it’s gonna be one of those semi down days.
- Breasts are beautiful. Cleavage is sexy. Oh lord.
- Sorry all
- And thanks for making me rant.
- I don’t wanna lose them. I just don’t want to
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Notered - yes I blood in my bm and almost diarrhea but mainly large soft stool while on chemo including Taxol. I even had a Cologard test that came back positive but turned out to be large benign polyp per colonoscopy. Unless it becomes far more serious I wouldn't worry but mention it to doc.
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thank you Gussy- I mentioned it to my onc and he is pretty sure that is hemorroids and taxol causing this. He prescribed me a gel that i can use at the area and i think it helped. I hope i have not another issue
because this scared m0 -
(((Idkidk)))
Glad you shared your sadness here. I’ve managed to avoid MX so far but have thought about how I would feel if it ever becomes the only option. My family wears its scars proudly. My husband said he kinda liked my new breast after the surgery two years ago (lost a big chunk that my BS referred to as a “shark bite”). I’d like to think if it happens to me, I’d try to think of it as part of my life journey—another new scar, although a much more meaningful one. After this recent dx, one of my kids suggested I just chop them both off. He said I’d be a double amazon—that I could learn to shoot a bow on both sides.
Continue to think. Continue to process. Remember we’re always here.
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Notered - I sure understand the scared part. I could not have the colonoscopy until I had finished the chemo - MO said it was too risky. So, I spent four months worrying about what might be going on. I have no family or personal history of colon cancer but when Cologard says they have 93% accuracy I freaked. However, my primary doc and the GI doc told me that when all of their patients with positive Cologard tests are scoped at least 50% are actually negative. It gave me hope and turns out that mine came back benign polyp. Having breast and colon cancer at the same time is rare but not unheard of. And I used to say that I was "medically boring". Not anymore.
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Gussy yesterday I tried for the first time the gel that onc gave me and when I went again to bathroom no sign of blood. I have also pain when I go so I believe it is hemmorroids plus I think , signs of colon cancer while on chemo is little rar
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Hi - I'm new to the site. Diagnosed in January with stage II invasive breast cancer in right breast. Went through the 4 first treatments of AC and started the weekly Taxol 3 weeks ago, about to go through 4 this Thursday. So far, way better in terms of side effects when compared to AC. Not nauseated and more energy. I'm concerned about the Dexamethasone which is part of the pre-treatment before the Taxol once a week. I hear you can experience a lot of weight gain so wondering what others' experiences have been. I have not experienced neuropathy so far. I did start Acupuncture so hopefully that will work and help mitigate. My nails have turned dark (but that started with AC). My hair - well I cut my hair off going through any real hair loss during AC. Didn't lose eyelashes or eyebrows thus far. I also have noticed that the tip of my fingers are sore. Almost tender feeling but no neuropathy, no tingling, or numbness just almost like the nail beds hurt. Anyone else on the Dexamethasone, weight gain, fingers? Thank you.
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i don’t do much dexamethasone only 4mg (cut back from 8 as per my insistence) starting Taxol 4 so I can’t comment on weight gain.
As for finger tips I have some slight redness on one or two of them and was advised to wear gloves when cleaning and use a 5% urea hand cream for nourishment (could be caused by effects of dehydration which is the probable cause of nail beds lifting). I’ve been slathering cream on at night for the past 2 weeks and it is getting better.
I wrote up a nail care / shared stories on another thread based on what oncology spa told me.
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- Ingerp thank you. You made me chuckle about how your scar has been referenced.
- I realize I have no other option and I’m greatful Because things could be worse I know this .But this is my worse still and as the time gets closer for surgery and as the chemo changes me I can’t stop myself from accepting that my life and me will never be the same.
- There is no more socializing for me and although my partner is supportive I know, I can see that the changes in our social life is missed and I just wanna let it go, set everyone free. Why should others suffer too. And my children, their lives have changed forever also. No vacation this summer and not even just that, mom tries, I do, but the house reflects the sadness that exists inside. The once alive family has become quiet, sad and just plain different. I don’t feel
- Like gardening, I don’t care to open the pool etc.
- My job, a career I succeeded in and rose to the top, the best in the business and i have to let it go .They can’t function with me only there twice a week. The place has fallen apart. I am home today, just too weak to make it in. I can’t hold onto it anymore. I have to let it go. Once I do it’s gone forever.
- So this darn cancer has ruined my life. Taken all from me and I can’t stand it. I surrender, I have accepted I must create a new normal. Who
- And what I was is gone. And on top of that I’ll be disfigured, a sorry site. I have so much admiration for those who can embrace their scars. Not me, I am not looking forward to looking like a flat chested freak. This is how I will see myself. There is no super hero here. I just did what I had no choice in doing.
- A new life is not what I wanted. Although I’m still
- Alive cancer killed who I was already and it’s not done changing my life either.
- I’m sick of it all. I’m sick of acting strong, sick of acting as if nothing has changed.
- Life will never be the same and that just sucks.
- Tomorrow THP #4 in the Big Apple. I sit in that chair and look outside as everyone hustles through life.
- Inside there sit women with brave smiles acting as if all is fine. As I look at them I wonder what’s really in their hearts and all they’ve lost because of the beast we call BC.
- As I said “ I Surrender” Lord. I will start with resigning from my job. What a shame. From riches to rags I go.
- Sorry ladies but truthfully this is how I feel.
- My dogs are barking and I can’t even stand it. They need to also go.
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IdkIdk -- you post has me in tears - and I'm sure you were too when you wrote it. This is today. Tomorrow is a different day and it will bring different emotions. As will the next and the next and so on.
We have to grieve. We have to allow ourselves to grieve our many losses. There can't be acceptance with a cancer diagnosis, but we can choose to an extent how we want to manage the precious days we have of life be them few or tens of thousands. I abhor hearing of people who say that their diagnosis was a blessing. A fu**** what?? Not in my life.... Not a blessing, but without a doubt a wake up call. I am fortunate I can choose for the most part how to spend my days. Some days I wallow in self pity and yes, I DO feel sorry for myself and my family and yes will will have to sacrifice our normal summer routine but damned am I going to let this bastard take any more from me than is absolutely necessary.
I know you are scared and hating the loss of a breast but there is reconstruction. I didn't care about them chopping it off (including nipple and aerola) for all I was concerned it had let me down! I have four wonderful years of breastfeeding my son, but then my body became treasonous and for all I cared it was better off thrown in the garbage along with the many lymph nodes that were also poisoned. And in the fall I am going to have a prophylactic mastectomy on the other side, because I will not allow my other breast to sicken me too. It is all in the perception of things. I admit, I couldn't look or god forbid touch my left android area. It sickened me for months and I was afraid to even rub oil on the skin to reduce scarring. But now I realize that once the reconstruction is complete on both sides, I will have the "boob" size that I had often wish I had been born with. They will look great in a tee-shirt and they will never flop to my knees (and might like pretty out of body character when I'll be in my 80s). Yes, in my 80s. I'm going for 87 and as a second choice 92.
Life will never be the same for any of us. I hesitate to say this is our "new normal", but in these months I have gone from being utterly shocked and in disbelief to more matter of fact, as are those who talk about their experience with cancer either personally or in the family. Is it "normal" for anyone? I don't think so. But when I hear of those who talk about "oh yeah, when I had my breast cancer" as if it were having a root canal, I long to be one of them.... something that was an ugly hiccup long ago that didn't define me. It just stole a year out of my life for treatments and the occasion day here and there for controls.
We will never be able to get a scan or blood tests without being on edge until results are in. I take that as part of the insult to injury.
Take this year and drop everything except you and the treatments you need. I hope your children are old enough to help you along this journey. I have a 9 year old son. He doesn't know the full extent of what I have, and doesn't know the name to put to it (cancer).
I hate having to drag him and my husband on this ugly path. Who knows... maybe it will make us stronger or more united. Maybe we will be able to appreciate each other a little more and be a little more kind and compassionate....
FFS -- there has to be one, even just one little aspect of good that can come from this ..... for it has taken so much away.
A friend suggested I keep a gratitude journal and write down three things each day that made me happy. I think if we were all to do it, we would find that sometimes the simplest of gestures or accomplishments or even just a simple call with a friend will give us a greater sense of pleasure than it would have in our former lives. These are the things to hold dear ----- and be thankful for.
Be strong ladies, and when we aren't able to, at least lets kind to ourselves ....
amelia xx
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idk - I hear your pain & your grief. It's ok to be sad and to grieve this. It will be ok. You will be different, but you will find yourself again.
I have to tell you, I'm planning a *great* second half of my life. Like Amelia, I too am aiming for keeping on going till ~90s or more or so I have 40+ years of living left to fill.
I've got a mix of long & short term goals & plans. I'm retooling for a new career. I'm planning some short trips to the lake this summer & beginning to think about bigger trips for later in the year or 2019. I have a creative project that I'm reapplying myself to again as well. I have the young dog that I'm beginning to train with an eye to competing in dogsports. On the days I'm sick & fatigued & can't do much, I still think about & plan what I'll do next week, next month, next year. There is a ton of living left to do!0 -
I have to report that the reduced dose Taxol (my 2nd out of 12) that I had last week feels like *nothing*.
Even with 3 days of grastofil shots I haven't had any bone or muscle pain. The only symptoms I have are an elevated resting heart rate (even higher than it was on AC) and the loss of taste. Everything tastes bland and yucky; I keep craving things & then having them & being disappointed because the taste is not there.0 -
idkidk - first - you are having a pity party which you are entitled to BUT this is not the end of the world - at least not yet. All of these things will pass with time. Second - get an antidepressant med from your MO. It will help. Ask me how I know this ; )
Surely there is some way to save your business. Is there no one else that can hold it together until you are ready and able to go back? If you are the only glue that holds it together then perhaps some changes are needed. And how about getting your family to help with the gardening and pool care? These are things that you can get help with. If nothing else, hire someone to open the pool for you and a landscaper to prepare the garden which you will plant later. When all this is done with. And, it will be done with. I am now eight days from finishing my radiation treatments. The light is finally shining brightly at the end of this tunnel I have journeyed down. And, it will for you too. I promise. Others have recommended reconstruction - read that thread. Many have been successful and like their new look. I will probably not go that route as I had a partial mastectomy and lymph node removal instead of the mastectomy. But, unfortunately, I will be 80 years old next year and who cares anyway! My husband doesn't give a rat's you know what what my breast looks like - thank goodness. He's has been a real trooper through all of this and the rock I cling to. In that respect I've truly been blessed. You must have some blessings in your life too - look for them and cherish them and you will feel a lot better a lot sooner.
With love and regards for your healing that is coming soon.
Gussy
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Idkidk, I am so sorry that you are suffering. I know some days are so hard to deal with. It comes in waves for me and I literally have to tell myself that tomorrow will be a better day (and it always is!). I second everything that the other ladies have posted to you - wise words from some wise women. I lean on prayer a lot and you, my friend, will be in my prayers tonight!
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This made me think of us - hair gone, eyes drying & eyelashes so thin that my eyes don't look like they're there, joints all shabby.But we're real and once we're real, we can't be ugly.
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