Weekly Taxol group
Comments
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Kruise ~ I think it's totally normal. Around number 10 or 11 it was all I could do not to start crying in the car on the way to the infusion center. I know for me, it was also the fact that a change was coming up that was upsetting to me. I knew when I was done with my taxane, that I would be starting AC {backwards from most, I know} and I don't know what to expect with that.
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I vote normal too. It is the most exhausting thing ever both physically and emotionally. I was only not crying because I found rowdy women at chemo to laugh with. Is there anyone at least pleasant to sit next to? I'm still having some issues after chemo and I have cried my eyes out.....and this is still in part about being exhausted. Cry all you want, it's so good for the soul and part of this marathon.
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The good thing is....as soon as Taxol is over, you'll start to regain your energy.
After I finished I was amazed at how quickly I started to feel like my old self. It didn't happen over night, but every week, and then everyday, I started to get my energy back. Started feeling more like my old self.
Then I started rads! That's a whole nother ball game, but I had SEs from that, that most people don't get. Now, I'm getting stronger all over again.
Hang in there Ladies, there's light at the end of the tunnel!
Blessings
Paula0 -
Thank you twimmamaHeather, Susaninicking and Soteria205. It's great to know its normal - and also that it will get better.
Yes I am limping over the finish line but hopefully I will get there!
Love and hugs to you all x0 -
I too hit a wall at #10 -- started talking about "poison in my veins" and "I hate walking in the doors". But more than that, I was emotionally DONE. After #11, I started resenting my extended family because out of five siblings, only one has been in touch with me... and none have babied me at all (of course it didn't matter that I have a disfunctional family, and this was very normal behavior for them!)
Still emotionally burned out... But... only a few days till #12! I have my last Taxol/Herceptin on Thursday and my first "Herceptin only" the following week... then I'm on to a once every three week schedule for Herceptin! I'm excited at the thought of finally having part of my life back! And finally having part of my finances back! This has been stretching us thin!
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6cats - so excited you are almost done with the Taxol - good luck!
I go this afternoon for #6 of 12 Taxol and I will be so happy to be halfway through. My hemoglobin continues to drop a little each week but if I can get through the next 7 treatments I'll be so happy!
I started hitting the fatigue wall last week. A few days I just got so tired in the late afternoon and had to leave work a little earlier than normal but it wasn't a big deal; of course we had a crazy heat wave last week which didn't help.
My SEs continue - numbness in big toes and fingers but yesterday and today that hasn't been constant for the first time in a couple of weeks, hope THAT continues! My MO said that the numbness will reach the apex about a month after the end of Taxol and then it will subside. Sometimes it takes 6-12 months to completely go away. He doesn't allow supplements either because he said it only masks the numbness so we continue to monitor it.
I have been going to my chriopractor each week and it really helps. Initially I had back pain with the Taxol but that has subsided. I have nose bleeds (not gushing, just if I bump my nose or do anything that irritates it, it seems to knock something loose and I have a bit of blood).
Even with the fatigue I managed to spend 10 hours on Saturday tailgating (no beer, oh well!) and attending a football game and slept for 9 hours that night and am no worse for the wear. I think it helped because I got to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen in awhile and who are all supportive. Nothing helps me more like positive attitudes and encouragement.
Good luck to all of you!!
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I will be starting weekly taxol on the 12th. I am ready to start and get to the end but not looking forward to side effects. If you could only give me one piece of advice, what would that be?
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Ice your feet and hands during the infusions.
I felt really fine during weekly Taxol and I wish you the same! Pooped at the end but otherwise fine.0 -
agreed... Ice your hands and toes. I became really tired around #7. I started to feel really good around 4 weeks PFC and I am now 12 weeks PFC and I feel really good.
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BabyRuth-I start Taxol tomorrow along with Herceptin. I appreciate the great question you posed about advise. I will be taking my 4 bags of peas with me tomorrow during the Taxol infusion to put on both hands and feet. I have 12 treatments in total. What about you? I am really nervous about having an allergic reaction. They said if it is going to happen it would with the first 2 treatments. However, they did say that I will be loaded with steroids, Pepsid, and Benedryl beforehand to combat a reaction. My oncol nurse also said Taxol and Herceptin will be infused very slowly this first time, so I will be there 5 hrs! Yikes. Not looking forward to going tomorrow, but I know that it is just 1 step closer to being done with this next phase of treatment. Bring on the holidays!
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Aeryno-Your hair seems to be coming in very nicely just looking at your profile pic! Can I ask if this is a recent pic or from awhile ago? Are you just doing weekly Taxol or Herception, too? I am so curious about when my hair will start growing back as I have read after the 4th, 5th, or 6th, it starts coming back in. I am a middle school teacher (have taken a leave of absense until treatments are over and will return in January), so I am really hoping my hair will be long enough to either rock it or enough to maybe get hair extensions? I just really don't want to have to deal with my wig when going to work and teaching!
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6 Cats-Big Congrats to almost being done with T/H! I can't wait to be posting on here saying the same! I hope you have a nice celebration and go out and do something fun when you are done in a few days:)
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BabyRuth~~I did nothing to protect my nail, and had no problems whatsoever. I've known people who did everything and still had problems....icing them, wearing gloves to do dishes, wearing dark nail polish, etc.
The one piece of advice that I think is most mportant is to take Vitamin B6 and L-Glutamine to combat neuropathy. Take 100 mgs of B6 twice daily, and take 30 grams of L-Glutamine. Take the powder. You can't possibly get enough of it in pill form. My oncologist said to take it in 2 or 3 doses per day. I took 2 heaping tsps in a shot glass of cranberry/grape juice 3 times daily.
I got kind of lazy with the Glutamine, and still got some neuropathy in both feet, but even though I finished taxol on May 17, I still continue the B6. I no longer have it in my left foot and have just a little in the toes of my right foot.
Paula0 -
I have one more treatment this Friday too - yay nearly done!
all of the advice great above, I took supplements throughout except on chemo day, and found that kept me well. Also rest up - you will get tired and lethargic towards the end of treatment. Don't be hard on yourself, take it easy. A half hour walk a day is beneficial if you can manage it.
All the best ladies0 -
Baby Ruth, I also took a B complex vitamin. Also important.
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Dxat32-I am having 9 weekly treatments. It looks like most have 12 weekly treatments but I have always been a little bit different so it is not surprising that my treatment is too! Good luck today as you start your first treatment.
Thank you for all the great advice. I purchased the B6 and L-Glutamine today. I am also going to do the icing of the nails. I only have to take steroids tonight and in the morning. Much different than my last chemo. Ready to get this started so I can be finished!0 -
BabyRuth, looks like you've been down this road before - sorry you have to do it again. Will you be getting Herceptin along with your taxol? For me my first taxol and loading dose of Herceptin caused some diarrhea. Later doses I had the opposite problem, constipation. So if you haven't already done so I would stock up on over-the-counter remedies for both. I used Immodium for diarrhea which worked fine. What worked best for me for constipation was Senokot pills or Smooth Move Tea. Other things worked but caused some cramping. With the weekly dose hopefully you will get through this without major problems!
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DXat32 - My profile pic was taken when I cut my hair after the 2nd (or third?) EC chemo in June. It has since mostly come out so it kind of looks like I'm bald but I always kept about a 1/4 inch of peach fuzz for some reason.
I just finished Taxol #6 on Monday (yay, halfway through!) and my BF (of 13 years) was the first to notice that my hair is slowly starting to come back in. In fact, it seemed to start somewhere around #4. It's definitely not a lot but a) I see very little hair on the pillow at night and b) it seems to be starting to fill in so there aren't bald patches everywhere. I, too, was very curious to see when it returned. I go out without any hats, wigs, or wraps unless I'm in the sun or if it's cold in my office (which it often is). I thought about extensions as well because I loved my long hair but ultimately (so far) decided to go au naturale and not dye my hair or anything and enjoy a fresh start from perms, colorings, etc. We'll see how long that lasts, ha ha.
FYI though, about 2-3 weeks ago my lashes and eyebrows started thinning and falling out. It seems my right eye lost a few lashes but the left one is okay. My brows are REALLY thin though and I've taken to using a stencil to fill them in. I guess it comes out in once place and returns in another, LOL! Still, I'm not having to shave which has been really nice this summer!
Good luck to you!
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PatinMN- I cannot do herceptin due to a low heart EF rate from the prior herceptin. I was supposed to do herceptin/perjeta/taxol but my cardiologist said no. The fact that I have a cardiologist is completely crazy to me. I never had heart problems before and I take really good care of myself except for this stupid cancer. I am on coreg to try to strengthen my heart. I will have another echo in November to see if the medication has helped.
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BabyRuth - bummer about the low EF rate showing up so much later. Now I remember reading that on the triple positive thread. So perjeta has the same effect on the heart as herceptin? I hope the coreg works for you.
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Baby, take the anti-emetics even if you feel fine. I noticed the nausea came up fast a furious for me on Taxol. Also, ask your nurses for a big glass of ice during the Taxol infusion and chew on it for that half hour. I had no mouth issues. I didn't ice my nails, and a lot of them fell off after treatment. Weirdly though, it didn't hurt (???) They are back now.
DX, I am 6 months post-weekly taxol/herceptin. My hair didn't grow at all during the treatment and I was completely bald. Not even one lone hair. The first month after it still wasn't growing and I was nervous about permanent alopecia, but starting the second month it was growing like a weed. I had it dyed ~ 4 months out. I would say I have about 1 3/4 inches now, but it is poodle curly and looks kind of weird and shorter. You might be different. My boss's came in stick straight, but it took about 8 months before she went without her wig. She had TCH with herceptin.
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I had my first treatment today and so far so good. I went back to work this afternoon and that helped to keep my mind clear. I have taken every ones advice and hopefully that will help with some of the side effects. I skipped taking the B6 today but will start again tomorrow. I think someone recommended not doing it on chemo day.
PatinMN- perjeta is usually given with herceptin so that is why I am having to wait on that. At this point I am not sure if I will even be able to do perjeta because it is supposed to be used only as your first line treatment.0 -
Did any of you do weekly Herceptin instead of three-week after the Taxol/Herceptin course?
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I've not heard of weekly Herceptin following the T/H weekly cycle... I thought once every three weeks was the norm. What are the pros of doing it weekly... although I doubt my doc would think about it... but curious, I start my once every three week Herceptin on Thursday..
That means I'm 5 days pfc!!
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Dumb Question:
We are flying in a couple of weeks and I am pretty sparse in the hair department... does anyone know if the TSA freaks out if you're wearing a bandana/hat, going bald, wearing a wig that looks nothing like your pictures, etc. For some reason this makes me rather nervous.
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6cats, tell them chemo if you have to and I bet this will instantly solve any problem....or stroll through bald if you are comfortable with this. No one really messed with me at all while I was bald...too scared maybe! I think you will not have a problem. Happy flying!
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I would think going bald if you're comfortable would be okay. Also, I don't think wearing a wig would pose a problem..a lot of people don't look like their IDs these days. My niece changes her hair color quite often and with weaves and color contacts many people look different than they usually do. I think as long as you look similar facially they're fine with it.
Also, my in-laws are Muslim and the women wear head scarves and they never had a problem with security so they must allow that too.
I hope you enjoy your trip!
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I would go wig!!! The might make you take a headcovering off
Im going to immigration in the end of the month and very worried about the sane thing....im going wig!!!0 -
I have to go sometime in the next 60 days to have my drivers license renewed. I'm also wondering about a head covering. I usually wear scarves, turban style. I think I'll call tomorrow and ak them.
Paula0 -
Hi All,
This is my first post. I'm getting my 3rd infusion of Taxol later today. I found the second week to be much harder than the first, but I had a lot of diarrhea on day 3 this week that really wiped me out. I don't know if it was due to the Taxol or just something I ate. I'm hoping this week will be better. I'm doing Taxol first and then AC. I know I'm backward from most.
From reading through past posts, it looks like I may not lose my hair until I get to the AC. Right now, it feels "flatter", but I haven't had any falling out.
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