Weekly Taxol group
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MOONGIRLJESS- I have not been icing my hands or feet during Taxol. I have again been having acupuncture consistently. Every week. I have had 5 taxol our of 12 at the moment. I also put my hands around a "bumpy" surface a lot. The worst part of taxol for me has been a "veil of tiredness" that comes out of the blue. It makes me sleep a lot. I do exercise (lift light weights and some short cardio) at least 2 times a week also. I find it hard to get out though, (maybe the weather) but I push and get out.
I had a period when my upper cheeks itched like crazy. It finally stopped. I just assumed it was from the taxol. It's amazing how each time is different and each side effect is it's own!
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Penny -This week will be #6 for me. If I work out on treatment day, I will do so before the treatment. Most weeks I am able to do so. After treatment, I'm really too tired.
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Between blood draw and chemo, I walk to Walgreens and back. When I get home, I have no choice but to sleep off the Benadryl. The next day, I have to exercise off the steroids. I have just started at a gym, and intend on getting a schedule of two days off, one day on. I am on cycle 8, and eager to finish so I can start working on losing weight. I sort of messed up on my diet last night, craving some sweet, empty calories.
I am growing broccoli sprouts for my smoothies. They taste peppery, like nasturtiums. I have three trays, now I have to figure out a schedule for starting a new tray, and how much to start at a time.
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McBaker GOOD for you on growing the sprouts. I did it too last yr. Threw them in my salads. Also peas are easy to sprout and very healthy. So glad your thinking outside the box
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Hi everyone,
I'm now 2 weeks out from my last chemo (I had it weekly for 12 weeks). I'm starting to feel a little better - losing some of the stuffiness and fewer nose bleeds. I think my gut is starting to get somewhat back to normal, although it's not completely there. I think my joint pain has somehow increased, but maybe I'm just noticing it more now since the other SEs have decreased.
Penny, I had the day after red flushing every week throughout. It really freaked me out the first time, but my MO also said it was normal. I started calling it my Friday Flush (since I had my treatments on Thursdays) to all my co-workers so they knew not to worry about it.
I found I was pretty wired from the steroids a few hours after my treatment ended, so I'd do 45 minutes or so of exercise biking, just to get some movement in since it's too cold for me outside. I always slept terribly the night after treatment. I also definitely put on a few pounds over the course of the treatment - some days I really just wanted ice cream and sweets. I'm trying not to worry about them too much until I finish radiation.
A few other thoughts in case they're helpful to anyone: I iced my hands and feet every week, and had just a touch of tingling in my index fingers by the end, but that seems to be going away. I eat a mostly vegetarian, occasionally pescatarian, diet and didn't change that during treatment. I didn't have any issues with anemia or other blood counts. I was constipated throughout, I used Colace and then a combo of Colace and Miralax, and ate a bunch of fiber rich foods (whole grains, dried prunes and apricots, lots of veggies) and drank lots of water. It was really the worst SE that I had.
Hope you're all doing well and treating yourselves with love.
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Moongirl - forgot to as you what is your name on IG?
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My last chemo was December 20th. I finally had to shave my legs. Haven't had to since August. It felt so good. My eyebrows and eyelashes are back. Hair slowly but mentally you feel good knowing it is coming in and I feel pretty again (sounds weird but mentally during chemo it made me feel unattractive and not myself). I have gotten all my energy back which has been great. I start rads next week so I am sad that I will lose my energy level again but this time I know there is a silver lining after it all.
Keep you chin up girls, good things await.
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Started my #1 of 12 yesterday. Other than the sleepiness yesterday feeling good this next morning. Been reading other posts and will let you know side effects if and when they happen. Happy Valentine's Day😍
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I'm set to do my 3rd Taxol and Carboplatin tomorrow, after finishing up 4 AC treatments in January. I actually felt better after week 2 on T/C than I did week one. I wonder if it was getting the AC stuff out of my system. That stuff is nasty!
I definitely need to sleep the Chemo off on during the weekend, but by Monday was able to put on pantyhose and lipstick and go into the office. By Tuesday, I was still crashing early in the evening, but basically felt normal.
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Had #6 yesterday. I definitely feel like my emotions are all over the place. Im usually pretty calm and can stay pretty neutral in every situation, but I've been getting worked up over the silliest things...both anger and crying, sometimes within minutes of each other LOL. Not sure if its the steroids or hormones, as I have finally stopped having a period (this is the first month without one). They told me since my AC treatments that menstruation would stop....but it held on. Wish my hair had held on that long!
I feel like I have ADD x 1000. It is so hard to stay on track and get things done at work and at home. While I don't have the physical symptoms that I had with AC, mentally and emotionally, I feel like I am a mess with the Taxol!
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Completed #5 yesterday. I'm getting to the point where I have to check my calendar to see where I'm at since they're blurring together. My liver function has been elevating each week with this week showing an almost doubling of my numbers. Onc wants to keep an eye on it for now but not change the treatment plan yet. The neuropathy is steadily increasing but isn't as bad as I thought it would be before starting. My fingers and toes are tingly/numb and I've discovered its hard getting in and out of the shower when you can't feel your toes - nothing to grip with lol.
My hair has actually started growing in (on my head at least) while my eyebrows are disappearing. I'm going to stop by Ulta on my way home from work and ask for an eyebrow lesson. I didn't think I'd be bothered by the lack of eyebrows but it turns out I am. It's just strange to see nothing there.
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HopeBry—I’m ‘yogamomjrob’ on IG
Volleyballmom— I just finished my 4th week of rads. I’m running 4 plus miles everyday. My energy is great. Don’t worry too much about the fatigue
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Thank you Moongirljess. I am not a runner barely a walker. I have to start exercising more. Glad rads doesn't make you too tired. I am so tired of being tired.
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volleyballmom—I hear you on the constant fatigue with chemo. I was ALWAYS tired. My energy definitely rallied after a couple weeks post-Taxol. I was afraid I would be tired forever. I also couldn’t ever take a nap. It was brutal. Honestly, rads is a breeze for me. I still have 16 more sessions (36 rads total) but I am feeling great and am in a much better mood than I was on chemo. I was a basket case. I could cry or want to start a bar brawl at any given moment. Chemo was rough for me.
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I had treatment #3 yesterday. So, 25% done! Thank you to all of you for the advice on exercise. I met a personal trainer who lives in my neighborhood yesterday. She wants to help me figure out my plan. The PS lifted all my restrictions (within reason, no pushups). My exchange surgery will be in June.
My bloodwork is still normal. I tried icing my hands and feet. Managed to do my feet about half the time. It’s so hard when I’m already freezing from the cold cap (even with warm blankets). I have very few side effects except fatigue and near constant stomach pain. The doc put me on zantac. I also noticed a bitter taste in my mouth. Did anyone else have that?
I met a woman yesterday who has the same treatment regimen she finished her Taxol in January Also did Dignicap,she lost very little hair, her eyebrows and eyelashes stayed too. That gives me a lot of hope.
Lunesta worked well again last night. It only has a half-life of about 6 hours but that’s what I need per night and I don’t wake up groggy at all. Still flushed. I’d recommend it to all of you with the insomnia side effect.
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I just completed Taxol #4. I feel fine outside of the early menopause. Cant take the hotflashes. My bald head is always sweating, headaches and hard to get a comfortable to sleep. I pray the menopause doesnt stay. Im only 41 but oncology is saying its possible it might. I stopped iceing my hands and feet from the 1st day, Im not having any issues but will do it again if necessary. Going to start working again in March, hope Im not too tired but will push through. I sit at a desk all day. I am a techy/web geek so I should be ok.
MoongirlJess- ok I requested you. thx
PennyK- Surprisingly I did not lose my eyebrows and lashes. They told me most likely it will go on AC but mine is still hanging strong during Taxol as thin as they always been. Its so funny the last time I arched them the clean arch stayed its just the hair never grew back when I started chemo, thats a plus. They are always neat. Hope it stays that way. Im not too good with eyebrow pencils to draw them on if they leave me.
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I have had pulsing tinnitus in my right ear for a couple weeks. A drumming in my eardrum. Worse when laying down. Thought it was wax and have cleared out the ear and it continues so I have been referred to an ear nose throat specialist. They are not calling me as quickly as I would hope for an appointment. I am almost done 12 week of Taxol and am also on Herceptin. Wanted to know f anyone else has had this and what ended up being done for it. One board I read said something about it being a sign for a clogged artery. Thanks in advance for anything you can tell me.
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Hi everyone.
Nearing my last weekly taxol I'm getting excited. NO MORE nausea....no more metal mouth... can't wait for these gushing noise bleeds to be a thing of the past.... and waiting for this awful BREATHLESSNESS to go away and for my energy to come back. Having 1 week off 2 weeks ago was like a Godsend... my chemo fog lifted... I still get absent minded and forget and get lost in conversation and still feel like an ADD/ADHD person but the fog was the worst!!
The neuropathy is in my lips, mouth, fingers of both hands and in my feet. I've started having shooting pains in my hands and feet that gabapentin isn't helping. I have to be ever so careful walking because it's the soles of me feet that are numb and my balance gets thrown off 8( I guess my cane will be back in business again.
I want to kick this cancer in the a%% and be a long term survivor I just didn't expect to get beat up by part of the treatment. But I refuse to become sad or lose my good attitude over this and I do get angry about all of "this".
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I do number 7 Taxol Tuesday this coming Tuesday. I haven’t been sick with any of the chemo thank goodness. I get the red face every time the next morning. I don’t have to take the steroid pills before the Taxol infusion. I do get really tired afterwards. I do have the bloody nose thing which is a PITA!
My worst problem is eating, everything tastes over salted. I need to eat more protein, but meat is not my strong suit now days.
Counting down the treatments, then surgery.
Doris
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Marnie I’ve felt like I had fluid in my ears for months now. Didn’t even occur to me it might be related to Herceptin, although maybe if it affects the nose (I blow mine like 50 times a day) maybe it also affects the ear canal
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PennyK - I started having intense left upper abdomen pain once I started Taxol too. My onc doesn't think it's related to the taxol, saying it's more likely an ulcer from the high doses of steroids they had to give me during AC and referred me to GI. I'm pending an abdominal CT and upper endoscopy to see if that's the case. They started me on protonix which helps a little.
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I'm having discomfort where my liver is. I'm going to talk to my MO on Thursday when we meet about my remaining treatment.
Ingerp thanks for hinting the nose could be herceptin. I'm going to explore this as I'll be on H only soon. I was hoping it would go away after T was completed 8(
Penny praying it's not anything serious and that they'll find the solution soon and you feel better.
Pompom I'm glad you mentioned saltiness of food I thought it was just me. Having recently gotten my sense of taste back I was saddened to find things tasted salty to me.
Hope the rest of you are well!!
Spring has finally made its way to NE Florida!! My Wisteria is beginning to bloom along with the Azalea!! Now if all that green pollen from the pine trees would hurry up and go away I could enjoy going outside!
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Hopebry, Omg I will have my 4th taxol treatment tomorrow and these hot flashes are no joke. I hope they go away. I have nausea but not bad as when I was taking AC. I'm not complaining cause I know it could be worse. I have tingling and numbness but it feels like if you sit in one place too long sort of feel. I will be glad when we make it to the last one, my eyebrows are fading but not gone. I fill them in😂 but hey we're all in this fight together. I will continue to pray for all of us.
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I did my 7th Taxol today, turned out alright. Tomorrow I will have the steroid sunburn on my face. I noticed today a red sort of rash on my arms, oncologist said is was a rash from the taxol. Also discussed the morning nosebleeds. She also said that it was a combination of Taxol & dry winter house. She told me to put soms petroleum jelly in my nose.
My numbers surprised them again. They went up or stayed the same, oncologist was very surprised as the numbers should be going down. She said I have a pretty good body making bone marrow! I’m tired right now, so should get a good night’s sleep.
May everyone get some sort of good news today.
Dori
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I spoke to the nurse today at chemo session for my second weekly paxitaxol and I too am worried about numbing hands and feet because I have felt some tingling already. I asked her about icing hands and feet and she says they don't do that for this drug. Just wondering if anyone has heard the same. There are other Taxol type of drugs that they do icing for.
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CountCa… I, too, had my second toxil treatment today. When I told my Onc about slight numbing in my toes, he told me to take "cyancobocamin" which is Vit B12 500 to 1000mg a day. It's over the counter. He said it will stop it.
Hope this helps.
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Has anyone had a fibrin sheath develop on their port? They could not draw blood from my port the last time I had a treatment and they think a fibrin sheath is to blame. If you had one, how did they treat it?
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Today is my LAST taxol treatment! MO was going to have me make up the 1 week he gave me off 2 weeks ago but he's worried about my neuropathy in my hands, feet, lips and my palate. Instead I'll just do today at a reduced dose with the lovely Herceptin.
I'm so glad it's done... honestly 12 weeks ago I never thought I would have made it to today. As awful as my SE's have been they have been manageable for the most part...except for the chemo brain
My husband and I donated 1 of his Mom's little crystal bells to our chemo center (they didn't have a bell) for patients to ring on their last day. The nurses love it and I'm so thankful for the 6 angels who work here!!
Ok it's drip time.... last set...whew!! I made it
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Congratulations, Nanette! I remember a flurry of emotions walking out of the final one. Expecting something similar when I have my last Herceptin (12 weeks from tomorrow--but who's counting?? ;-) )
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PennyK - I had the sheath at the end of my port. They injected a gel (sorry can't remember the name) into the port and it sat for an hour and was supposed to eat away at the fibers. After the hour my port did a blood draw no problem and I have had at least 8 more access's and it's working fine.
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