Weekly Taxol group
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I start Taxol on January 3rd, weekly, for 12 weeks. Dr, said it will be very mild, so we will see! I also have to start Herceptin, not sure if it will be at the same time, or when I complete Taxol. Chemo class at 830am on January 3rd w/ 1st treatment at 10:45. Scared and nervous!
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I had port installation on the same day as chemo class. Scared and nervous is normal. My Taxol and Herceptin are both being given with the twelve week, weekly infusions. They also give you multiple pre-meds many of which will make you sleepy. I have slept through the Taxol and Herceptin portions of the infusions.
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Gigi....I had 15 Taxol infusions. My only side effect was the neuropathy -- which I still have in my feet, 8 months post infusions. It was my understanding that Taxol dosage is according to your weight. However, if you start having any issues, they will cut it down. Good luck. We are all scared when we have to start a new drug. I bet you will be just fine.
Hope
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The nurse said it is according to an estimate of skin surface.
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I wouldn't call Taxol "very mild." But there are other chemo drugs that have worse side effects. They wouldn't do the pre-meds if it were a walk in the park. The main thing is learning to manage your symptoms so you can withstand it. DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Staying hydrated is #1 necessity.
I found using Vaseline with Cocoa Better was very helpful for the constant nosebleeds. Also use Fake Skin a lot and lotion my hands constantly. Otherwise they break out in huge open crevasses. I ice my hands and feet during the Taxol infusion with mittens and booties from Amazon. They are expensive but have worked well for me and are worth saving use and sensation of hands and feet. I will continue to use them a few times weekly to heal nerves and lessen neuropathy pain.
Finished 12/12 yesterday so if I can survive this week, things are looking better. Double mastectomy in 3 weeks, then probably Kadcyla for a year. Depends on surgery pathology. That will nuke the Her2, but will have to research Estrogen-blocking options to see what is the most effective with the least side effects. I am fat and just learned that losing a lot of weight will improve survival chances by 40% because fat produces estrogen. Powerful incentive. Plus will help with diabetes. It is hard to lose weight but will have to apply maximum will power and self control. Fortunately with the cancer and diabetes my appetite is not as ravenous as before.
You'd think we'd lose a lot of weight on chemo but guess again -- those steroids they give pre-med infusion before Taxol do NOT help with weight loss.
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104118—I had crazy bone pain my first couple Taxols when I didn't fast. The pain was like someone beat me with 2 x 4s around my hips and lumbar spine. It hurt. I fast now and have avoided that painful side effect.
Just got in the chair for Taxol #12. Yes. It has arrived!!!!!
Congratulations Cascadians! 🔔🔔🎉🎉🔔🔔🎉
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Thank you MoonGirl! Your 12 is here, good luck today. Visual that Taxol obliterating all cancer cells everywhere in the body. Gone, zap, good-bye forever you mutant cells who don't belong: Good riddance!
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Good news Ladies. They called with MRI results. My doctor out but had someone read them so I didn't have to wait. Both tumors shrunk. Little residual evidence present at the clip sites. Lumpectomy on the 4th. 20 weeks of AC and Taxol might of sucked, and having no hair but hearing those words was worth it. One hurdle down, lots more, but off to a good start. Thank you ladies for your support.
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Volleyballmom....Congrats!! Music to your ears. I wish you the best with the rest of your journey.
Hope
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Great news Volleyballmom! So nice to hear!
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volleyballmom—thats awesome news! Congratulations on those great MRI findings! Yes!
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MoonGirl, I'm starting weekly Taxol/Herceptin soon and have been researching fasting - can you describe your fast - time/how long before & after chemo sessions, and what you did/didnt have during the fasting period you chose? Was your MO supportive? Thanks for any info and so glad to hear it went well for you!
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volleyballmom- Grest news!!!! Comgrats
Cascadians and MoonGirlJess -Such exciting news that you have finished the Taxol. I finished my 12th Taxol as well today. I am very happy to be starting the new year without it. I will be going in next Friday for my first eco since my base and for the Preloading dose of the Herceptin. I’m still a little confused on that part since I have been getting the Herceptin along with the Taxol but I trust my care team and was a little sleepy when they were talking to me about it today. And then will be getting the Herceptin every 3 weeks from that point on. They will be doing extra bloodwork next week to determine what hormone therapy I will be starting.
I used mitts on my feet (I just used the ones that the cancer center had) and ice bags on my hands during the Taxol portion each week except for my first one because I had such a bad reaction but once slowed the rate down and increased the premeds I was good it just meant almost an hour longer with ice then most my Taxol portion was an hour and 45 minutes instead of an hour for most so my appointments usually took about 4 hours each time. I really haven’t had signs of neutrapathy yet with the exception of one week so hopefully that stays the case and it was all worth it
I am hoping my sinuses and nosebleeds improve now since I have finished the Taxol. This week definently has been my worse so hoping I will be going in an upswing. I usually try to be positive but I was feeling kind if bad for myself. I felt pretty crappy on Christmas Eve and Christmas. I knew it was going to be like that but I was still mad and sad. My kids and husband were so great and supportive and Tomorrow is a new day
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Cascadians, MoonGirlJess, and SisterStrong congrats on finishing Taxol!!
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Congrats to all of you wonderful ladies finishing!!! Those 12 weeks go so slowly but in a couple of months you’ll think I guess it didn’t take that long after all. I did not ice (but kept my body on the cool side by wearing sandals and not using blankets) and only got a little neuropathy in the bottoms of my feet. I also did fine without a port. I didn’t look but I’m sure I gained weight through chemo—I had a strong ice cream craving and ate it every day. A lot of women get sugar cravings, I think because sweets taste the same. The feeling bad part for me was just a very heavy, low energy feeling. Re: Herceptin only, I didn’t realize until my first one that it’s three times the dosage of what you were getting weekly with Taxol. I hate to tell you but I think the runny nose is more related to the H than the T. I’m still dealing with it and expect to until I finish up in May.
For those just starting—hang in there. This too shall pass.
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Does anyone NOT lose their hair in Taxol (only) weekly dose?
I’m going to look at wigs but my onco made it sound like I wouldn’t lose it.
Just want to be prepared.
Thanks!
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Best to be emotionally prepared. Mine is already thin, so... I think oncos might be a bit evasive on the subject, because they don't want their patients killing themselves with vanity.
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Sorry, Lee—everyone I've heard of loses their hair.
Meant to report that I'm going through my second round of losing eyelashes.🙄
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Leee, my MO strongly recommended cold capping and said on the weekly Taxol she's seen great success with it, so I'm planning to do it. Taxanes also were the type of chemo where alopecia mitigation had the best results in one of the trials that led to FDA approval of cold capping. Insurance co's are starting to cover it since the FDA approval and I've been told I'll get help with the right coding etc, plus I'm lucky my work insurance is Aetna which has already recognized Dignicap & Paxman - so I expect to get it covered. After all, insurance pays for wigs and a lot of other alopecia SE "treatments" so why not pay to try to avoid it in the first place! Rapunzel project has a lot of info on it and everyone from my MO to my PS & all their nurses etc. are very positive on the results they have seen.
Maybe worth some investigating if it is important to you.
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boogirl—I PM'd you!
My hair has grown a bunch during weekly Taxol. I actually look like I need a haircut. My friend tried to cold cap with her AC and she's balder than I ever was (she was so mad she wasted the money). I didn't even know cold capping existed when I started chemo. The eyebrows and eyelashes came out with Taxol. No signs of life there yet.
Thank you Misha for the Elf Congratulations! I ❤️ Will Farrell
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I have slept eleven hours since eight o'clock last night and I am sleepy/groggy now. How far out of the normal is this?
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Leee I think it depends on who you talk to. My infusion nurse tild me that because I'm only getting "small" taxol doses weekly my hair should ONLY thin! Buy when I saw my MO this past week and told him m6 hair is really starting to come out a LOT hexsumoly smiled and said "Mrs T.. it's totally normal." "Will I lose it all?" "Most likely .. most do... But it will eventually come back."
MCBaker for me sleeping a lot within the 1st 3 days of treatment is 'normal' for me. All any of my drs or nurses has to say is that my body probably needed the sleep.
Today was an important day for me. Out to dinner with my 2 sons and 1 DIL to celebrate my birthday, Christmas and their anniversary. Was really a great time. We are at the restaurant soooo long just chatting away and catching up. BUT Today however WAS NOT the day to have the RUNS!! OMG good thing I learned to carry extra panties and pads with me but even still I was embarrassed to say find me a key to the ladies room and meet me there!! I wasn't prepared for water runs and trust me I popped those yummy Imodium pills like the onco center told me too 8(
Oh and my oldest son got me a new phone and added me to his plan!! Woowhoo!! I feel so very much loved and special today!!
Update on my hair. . My oldest biy rold me "Mom it's getting really thin. .." "Yes I know so let's just get pics in whike I still have some lol" later on while riding down the road (mind you I'm sitting in the back seat) my DIL goes "Mom it's snowing uo herw and out the window!" It was at that moment tooooo funny not to laugh!! Oh well hair comes and hair goes... and from Frosty... "it'll come back one day"
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MCBaker I sleep about 9-10 hours 😀 my last Taxol was on Dec. 4th. But granted, this time of year can be tiring, kids at home and one of them has birthday party which adds to all the family gatherings 🙂 Pre-cancer I had enough sleep with about 7 hours a night
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I'll have to check my fitbit, but I slept from 7:30 to 5:00 according to my estimation. Feeling much better.
My family lives quite a distance away, so I was not much busier during the season. In fact, my sister and bil stopped in Friday night to do some housecleaning for me, they brought some lasagna and cookies, too. My bil had a military career, so the bathroom was shiny.
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Hello ladies! The hair??? My Dr said I may shed, but shouldn’t loose my hair!... ????! Should I prepare myself for this also? Meds start January 3 and I’ll be in the count down to March 2019 when the 12 weeks is over. Thanks for everyone’s info!! Congrats to all who have finished! Love this group. The info is so helpful 😘
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Thanks Ingerp.! You just answered my hair question 🙄! It’s all good, it’ll be ok!!“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”
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Hi Leee, that’s what my Dr said too. But, I’m going to prepare myself!! With all the expert advice from everyone, it’ll be a good idea to prepare
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Awesome news volleyballmom! News like that is like a breath of fresh air!
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