Weekly Taxol group
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Well today was supposed to be my third treatment however, my neutrophil count is 0.9 and so I received an injection of Zarxio which is the biosimilar version of Neupogen. I was a little bumbed about this as I wasn't expecting my count to drop so quickly after only 2 treatments. My MO is considering the injection with subsequent treatments. So I go for bloodwork on Thursday and if all is well will receive Taxol and H+P next Monday.
To be continued.,..
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Nanette- i know it's been 2 different surgeries but I'm stopped your drains are still in!! My PS removed them after 3 weeks die to concern with increased chance of infection.
Lily- could your SE be more pronounced due to the bone mets? Im sorry your having such bad side effects!!
Thoughts with all you ladies!!
~Katie💗
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Lily - Did your oncologist ever agree to reduce the Taxol dosage? If not, how difficult would it be to switch oncologists?
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Steph512 - Taxol dropped my Mom's neutrophil counts after her second weekly treatment as well. She ended up in the hospital with neutropenic fever. Thereafter, she receives weekly Zarxio, as needed. You are not alone.
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Lila - Oh wow thank you. Good to know. Now I’m being extra cautious because I don’t want to develop that complication especially with the ongoing diarrhea
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Sadly it's impossible for me to change oncologist......she had always refused to lower dosage but I know my body well and cannot cope with this level of secondary effects.....I anticipate blood results will show my kidney negatively affected.....just hope not too badly damaged.
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Ipenelope - can you say more please? Is there evidence bone mets make Taxol SE worse? Interesting comment...
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Lily- my thought with that comment was you have different symptoms, I'm guessing, than most of us due to the mets to the bone so you add the side effects from Taxol which are going to exacerbate them. Increased bone pain, weakness related to change in the bones, sadly mets and Taxol both affect the GI system making that worse.. and the weakness is compounded by lack of nutrients from decreased appetite and your body fighting everything it's fighting.
I hope your feeling a little better!!
~Katie💗
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Good news. I had blood work done today and my neutrophil count has recovered after the Zarxio shot. It's amazing how quickly that happened. The weird thing is that I actually felt the aches and pains that are common side effects and the Tylenol and Claritin worked to relieve those effects. So I'm back on schedule for Monday. I will have my port inserted in the AM then receive Taxol and H+P afterwards. The nurse had to stick me twice for the lab work this morning so I'm very excited about getting the port!
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Steph, they are going to use your port immediately after placement?? My MO said my port couldn't be used until a month after placement.
I hope everyone is having a good week and side effects aren't causing too many issues!!
~Katie💗
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Katie - yes that's the plan. My oncologist and nurse reminded me to let the folks in IR know to leave the port accessed. I will keep you posted next week if there is a change in plan.
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I've just come here to say good bye to this thread. I have finished taxol 1 month ago, I'm in a surgery thread now. I want to say thanks for the incredible support I've had from all of you wonderful and strong ladies. I hope to don't need taxol again ever, but if I need, I know I will be in a IV stage forum. I wish you the best!💪💪💪💕💕💕HUGS HUGS HUGS
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Katie— I had my port put in the day before chemo and they left it accessed too.... I think it depends on your region and MO
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Bye Yndorian. Thank you for sharing your experience, and wishing you a smooth surgery.
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Hi everyone - I get to join this group starting on June 6th. Taxol and Herceptin for twelve weeks. I've been following this thread for a few weeks to get information. Thank you for being so open about SE and everything
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notdefined, glad you managed the wig at the amusement park. It sounds like you looked very normal! I have a wig (I would have been afraid that it would blow off!) but I don't like wearing it so I just wear it for special occasions and such. Maybe if I had spent money on a better one, it wouldn't feel so unnatural to me, but everyone tells me the wig looks really good when I do wear it.
Nanette, OMG---I would have died if I had to have drains that long! I had 1 on just one side after lymph node dissection for about 9 days and it was by far the worst thing in this whole process (so far...). HUGS--I hope by now you have them out!
Lily, your fatigue definitely sounds extreme!! I would discuss with your MO. Maybe a decrease in dose?? I would be afraid that there is an infection or another problem somewhere.
I'm not sure but I think the latest standard is for 10 yrs of hormone therapy. It may depend on the type of hormone used, and the additional benefit of 5 more years is likely not double that of 5 yrs, but obviously the time to tolerate side effects is doubled. . Most of medicine is an art, weighing the relative benefit of treatments against the risk of side effects/hassle. That balance is somewhat subjective, and obviously varies from person to person. So, the fact that different providers have differing opinions is not surprising, though I agree it is a bit confusing! I think the MO will prescribe it so I would discuss with them and reach an agreement, taking into consideration the opinions of the others also. Hope that makes sense!
Just finished Taxol #7. Fatigue is increasing, but I am managing. Have needed neupogen injection 5 out of the 7 weeks, and that means I am at the center 3 days out of every week, which is discouraging. I am grateful though that so far I have not gotten a fever/infection, and neuropathy symptoms have been minimal, just some tingling in a few fingers on and off, it seems to peak about 2-3 days after treatment.
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I had my 6th Taxol today. Kind of, sort of. I know I at least got a quarter of my dose.
My Oncology center is great. Normally runs like a well oiled machine. I've been there for 10 infusions so far and all my labs. Never had an issue.
Today I had to wait almost an hour with only 2 other people in the waiting area. I got my labs done then waited for my infusion. My regular nurse gave me a Benadryl capsule then a steroid and pepsid through the IV. Then I get my Taxol. About 45 minutes later I have to use the ladies room and get up from the recliner. My back and jeans are wet. The Taxol was leaking. It was all over the floor, my chair, my purse and my back. I called my nurse. She came and checked and a seal by the filter had broken. It was hanging under the table so no one saw it leaking. She called MO who said I won't make up the dose since they have no way of knowing how much I got. There was about a quarter of a bag left. The nurse brought it to pharmacy to get it fixed and I got at least what was left.
Just another day of fun🙄.
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Hi ladies!
My mom did AC first and now sheis on taxol/carbo and she has swollen feet! Did anyone experience that? Could it be because of the steroids?
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Kkma, after a few Taxol treatments, I suddenly developed swollen feet. The doctor ordered ultrasound of both the legs to check for blood clot,did a blood test and said there were no apparent causes found. Asked me to wear compression socks, which resolved this problem in a couple of days.
Maybe you should ask the MO or the primary care doctor as to what they would recommend. It is good to rule out serious causes of swelling in the feet.
Hope your mom feels better soon.
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DogMomRunner-Welcome!
loiswb-Congrats on being done with 7! 5 more to go! How was your time off? I am not comfortable with my wig at all. I hate it, and it is all funky in the top back, so I always wear a hat or bandana with it. It feels very awkward. I am scheduled to meet with the org. that gives free wigs listed on the ACS site. I'm hoping they give me some tips to tame the mane. I look funky in the pictures with the hoodie over my head, but oh well. I haven't had my surgery yet, and I thought the worst part of this was the AC chemo! I didn't know the drains were worse. I was so looking forward to my surgery.
DawnS-wow, glad that you caught it with at least 25% left. I didn't even know that was possible, but I will now be on the lookout.
I had a fabulous dream that my hair grew back chin length in 1 day! Ha! It was so real, that I was disappointed when I woke up
. I am done with no 6, so half way there! I noticed some fuzzy white hair on my head, but nothing spectacular. My eyebrows are definitely thinned out, and I think I have about 5 or 6 eyelashes left in each eyelid. I will likely be sporting some fake eyelashes to go with my fake hair. I also have some eyebrow wigs that I can sport, but I'm not sporting those until my brows are all gone. My energy is doing okay so far, but I hear it gets harder after this point. I have my surgery scheduled for Aug.19th, and I am looking forward to my mommy makeover.
Hope everyone is doing well with their SE.
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NONDEFINED Does your wig look like you're wearing a helmet? As a rule, they make wigs with a lot more hair than most want. If you go to a hairdresser, they will thin and shape the wig so that it fits your face. I was able to do my own---makes a huge difference.
Also, to prevent neuropathy, my ONC recommended B12, 500mg to 1000mg a day. I've had 11 treatments and so far it's helping.
God Bless
S
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snooky1954-it forms a beehive at the back of my skull. I don't know if that's the shape or if it is the shape of my head, but I don't like it without a hat. I like the style otherwise, and outside of that, I would love this style with my regular hair. Here is a picture of my son and I at the amusement park.
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Dawn---oh no! Even your purse! Yuck. I'm so sorry that happened. I guess nobody is perfect. I'm glad you had to use the restroom before the rest leaked out! I have only had two minor glitches with my center so far. One time I had to wait nearly an hour for the blood draw. I realize that for people getting the blood and then infusion the same day, there is only so much leeway in scheduling. Then this last week, they forgot to tell me about my blood work/neupogen shot. I was all done (it was nearly 5:30 pm as this one was scheduled later than usual) and I said, "well, no one said anything about a neupogen shot so I guess my blood work was good?" And the nurse says, "No you DO need a shot! Did no one bring you a schedule?"..she said it was in my orders and the secretary was supposed to schedule it and bring it to me. It worked out fine but if I hadn't asked I wouldn't have known to come for the shot.
Notdefined, your wig looks good with the hat. You could try the hair dresser idea. Do you wear it to work with a hat? My weekend away was good. Didn't do much. A little shopping and a few restaurants. Saw my dad and other friends. I have little white fuzz on my head too. Every time I think it is starting to grow slightly more, the next day it looks less again. And my eyebrows are PATHETIC now. Only just a few sprigs here and there. I am getting better with the eyebrow pencil. I am trying to view it as, the sooner they all fall out the faster they will grow back, but, that only goes so far, LOL.
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nondefined----==sounds like it's too big....big not to worry, you are a beautiful women and the wig looks great with the hat. Much luck to you
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snooky1954-It feels like a good fit. My head is a little sore sometimes after I wear it for a long time. I think it may be the style, but I am planning to take it with me to my appt. for my free wig to see if they can offer any insight.
loiswb-Glad you had fun! Yes, I wear my wig to work with a hat, or a head band sometimes. I have only worn it once or twice without anything else. The summer temps are heating up, so I'm not sure how long I will last with my wig. I went grocery shopping yesterday, and hot flashes with 90 degree temps was not fun.
How is everyone doing? My achiness is a lot stronger today. I decided not to go in to the office after all. I was exhausted this morning. I have been able to at least get some sleep, so I am grateful for that.
I am trying to focus on the finish line. 6 weeks. I know I can do this.
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Notdefined- I am wig shopping and I hope to get something that compliments my face like yours. It may be funky in the back but I think you look really good. I wouldn’t have immediately thought “wig”
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DogMomRunner-Thank you. It does make me feel a little normal. It is so hard to find a wig! I got this one from Voguewigs and it was what I consider expensive. I love the layers of it, and I do think it was worth the money. I get a lot of compliments on the cut. This is how it is supposed to look without anything on it. The back top part is what I don't really like.
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I have her2positive grade 3 bc.Before starting chimo i did ct scan and bone scan which was cleare.I asked my surgeon if she intends to do any scan or IRM before or after surgery to make sure nothing escaped. She said they analyze l'imbroglio nodes during surgery I see if all ok but no scan until god forbid some simptom arises. She said she cannot do IRM of the intiert body but only if an area if god forbid some unusual simptom is noticed. This is not settling to me. How was your experience, no mri or scan after chimo?Thanks for responding.
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Damn notdefined, your wig looks gorgeous and natural.
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I have her2positive grade 3 bc.Before starting chimo i did ct scan and bone scan which was cleare.I asked my surgeon if she intends to do any scan or IRM before or after surgery to make sure nothing escaped. She said they analyze l'imbroglio nodes during surgery I see if all ok but no scan until god forbid some simptom arises. She said she cannot do IRM of the intiert body but only if an area if god forbid some unusual simptom is noticed. This is not settling to me. How was your experience, no mri or scan after chimo?
How many weeks to be recovered from lumpectomy? When I will be able to drive and go to work
Thanks for responding.
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