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Weekly Taxol group

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  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2012

    My onc said the fatigue is cumulative, so he's not surprised, but every treatment I stay fatigued the whole week in between now, BUT, only two more treatments to go!



    Jpmom, so glad your surgery went well! I bet your so glad it's over now.



    Lady fighter, it's all cumulative, and your body is tired......that's not a bad temp, what were your latest numbers? Taxol can mess with your WBC 's, they might be a tad low.

  • MandalaB
    MandalaB Member Posts: 52
    edited July 2012

    Hi :)
    I did good with the first round of Taxol-

    The hospital bed helped- I was so anxious I took a whole Ativan rather than the usual half. I half slept most of the time.

    Today is day 3 I guess and I'm a little tired- but nothing too eventful. I had nasty bone pain with the AC and Neulasta - which is carrying over a bit- but that seems to be it.

    It messes with your mood and head too I see.
    My boss has been really good through this- I was able to take the bad weeks of the AC off work-

    I took this week off just to gauge it-

    I plan on going back to work the day after each Monday dose.... I hope I can hack it.

  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2012

    Mandala, I think you'll do fine! Let some of the A/C side effects dissipate, and I think you'll find it's much easier.



    My down day, mostly fatigue, is two days after my infusion...I slept 12 hours last night!

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Hello- Tx 6 done yesterday. But had to go to emergency over the weekend. I had a high fever so had to get antibiotics, but more importantly my RBC's tanked so had to get blood transfusion. Was so hoping to avoid it. Oh well. Otherwise still day three fatigue and little body pain are the SE's

    Sissydi and ladyfighter you guys are at number 10 this week, wow nearly there. Does ithe SE's get significantly worse as we go along?



    Welcome to all the newcomers.

  • jpmomof3
    jpmomof3 Member Posts: 198
    edited July 2012

    I just talked to my BS.  I am going to have a re-excision in a couple of weeks.  I have to heal enough to get another mammo.  they want to see if and where i still have calcifications because the DCIS part of my cancer seems to correlate pretty well with the calcifications.  He didnt think it was necessary to go to a mastectomy. He just wants to see whats still there on mammo to better plan the re-excision.  I feel better knowing the plan.  I will not have to do more chemo thank goodness. I updated my stats with the surgery info.  

    I updated my avatar finally with my photo from this past weekend.  I am putting away the scarves and feel just fine going topless.   

    Luvmyfam, hope you dont lose your hair though the tenderness is often a precurser, good luck, but it does come back fast on taxol if you do lose it.   

    Good luck to those getting your taxol this week.  another week down, at least with the weekly stuff the time does count down quickly. 

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Jpmom- sorry to hear about re-excision, bu better to get it right. Hoping things go well and this will take care of it. Your hair looks great. I don't have any growth just a small sprinkling after 6 Taxols. Hopefully it will pick up. How are your energy levels? I have to travel for work 4 weeks after my last Taxol and worry if I can do it.

  • jpmomof3
    jpmomof3 Member Posts: 198
    edited July 2012

    Hopeful my energy levels were great just prior to surgery 4 weeks after PFC.  they were very good after about 2 weeks.  You will be fine.  and getting hair to start that soon after taxol started is a good sign that you will have a fuzzy head of hair too when you travel.

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Thanks jpmom. Keep us posted on the re-excision.

  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2012

    So sorry hopeful, hope you are feeling better now!



    Jpmom, that's a bummer about the re-excision, but you definitely want to get it all! Thank goodness no more chemo! And your hair does look great!



    Slept for twelve hours last night....felt soo good! I also went to the gym for the first time and rode the exercise bike....starting slowly, but I'll get back in shape and lose the 10 extra lbs I gained from the steroids!

  • allisontom911
    allisontom911 Member Posts: 99
    edited July 2012

    Hi everyone. Just got done reading the 8 pages. I am excited to join this road with you all. The other thread just seemed to big to read it all. This is my 2nd time doing this. I had TCH in December 09 and was rediagnosed in May 2012...sigh. I was pissed to lose my hair again. It was just getting past my shoulders.

    I had a really really hard time with AC. Still having effects of last Mondays treatment. I will start my weekly Taxol and Herceptin on 7/30.

    My white count goes to 0.1 with each taxol and this last round my RBC and Hemocrit tanked too. I guess not enough to get a transufsion thou. Not sure what that threshold is.

    For the eyebrows and eyelashes, when I did TCH they were the last to fall out and the first to come back. My brows were thin from over plucking but came back about the same. My eyelashes were always super super thick and long. Took about a year for them to get like that again but didnt take that long to get them back to short stubbies!

    Herceptin is a breeze, once you are on that it is golden. I also used the Nioxin line last time along with their vitamins and also used biotin vitamins.

    So cheers to you all, nice to meet you and we can all have this journey together!

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Thanks Sissydi. Doing better now.

    Allisontom- sorry to hear you hav to do this again. There are no specific numbers for transfusion. They usually wait till Hb gets to 8. But if you don't have any problems such as dizziness and extreme fatigue you could go little lower, or if you have symptoms even at higher Hb you may get the transfusion at higher values is what I was told.

    I have one eyelas left. I had very long lashes so I miss having them.

  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2012

    So sorry you have to join us Allison, but we're glad you found us! And A/C did a number on me too!

  • MandalaB
    MandalaB Member Posts: 52
    edited July 2012

    today is day 4 of #1- yesterday and today has been total fatigue and some achy legs.

    This is much nicer than AC, but it's still chemo. It's very different though. 

    a-ok so far besides the tiredness and achy bones. I wish I could sleep in but I have a 2 year old and 9 year old that prevent that.

    :)

  • ladyfighter
    ladyfighter Member Posts: 57
    edited July 2012

    This mornng, I went to get my bloodwork for WBC for #10, when they checked my temp it was 100.0 I was surprised because I felt okay since last nite after 4 days of down time which is unusual during all of my 9 weeks of taxol/herceptin with only one day downtime per week. Immediately MO said no chemo today! Ughhh!! I wanted to keep going! So he thinks I am fighting some virus which is why I have low grade fever. But my WBC is normal (whew! ) . So I went home without chemo :(

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Ladyfighter-what a bummer. I had a 101 on Saturday and had to get on antibiotics.

  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2012

    Oh poo lady fighter :(........grrrrrrrr

  • MandalaB
    MandalaB Member Posts: 52
    edited July 2012

    :( that sucks Lady..... I hope it turns around for you swiftly...

    xo

  • luvmyfam
    luvmyfam Member Posts: 53
    edited July 2012

    Hi all, looks like things are going pretty well....



    Ladyfighter-sorry you had to go home with no chemo, you're so close!



    Hopeful-sorry you had to get antibiotics, do you have to skip a treatment?



    JPMom-I'm glad you have a plan, praying it all goes well.



    I saw the breast surgeon this morning, she said I have 3 separate foci, so mastectomy for sure. They found something suspicious in the right breast that she wants to take out, but I am opting for a bmx 'cuz I don't want to take any more chances. I also have a positive lymph node in my neck which just moved me up to Stage 3. Lots of info to process today......



    Had my 3rd Taxol/Herceptin and have achy wrists, but good other than that.



    Have a good weekend all!

  • ladyfighter
    ladyfighter Member Posts: 57
    edited July 2012

    Hello all! Yes it sucks! I'm still feeling shitty still low grade fever, grrr I wish to know what it is Im fighting for!? I have been isolated at home for a week so far!



    Hopeful, what kind of infection do you have ? I wish I would have antibiotic to fight whatever I have. I'm supposed to see my MO thursday before my chemo so we shall see how I am on Thursday.



    Btw, my hair still growing but sooo soft and feather feel :( unlike what I used to have thick and strong hair booo



    Hope everyone is having good weekend !



    Xoxoxo's

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Ladyfigther- I don't know what I had but they gave me antibiotics right away and I was fine the next day. I thought antibiotics was the protocol for fever during chemo, eventhough they don't know if it is viral or bacterial. Hope you feel better.



    Luvmyfam- sorry to hear about the Lymph node. I did BMX followed by DIEP reconstruction, it is doable. One month of downtime. if you go with implants it is even shorter recovery.







  • ladyfighter
    ladyfighter Member Posts: 57
    edited July 2012

    Hopeful, I agree about antibotic I was surprised to sent home after blood work without more specific other than that he thinks it would be virus :/ so glad you got better! Hugs

  • Sissydi
    Sissydi Member Posts: 183
    edited July 2012

    (((((((((everybody))))))))..............dropping by with hugs for all!

  • luvmyfam
    luvmyfam Member Posts: 53
    edited July 2012

    Hi all, had my 3rd Taxol/Herceptin Thursday and yesterday, I felt a NEW swollen lymph node behind my ear. Any ideas??????? I'm trying not to freak out, but it's not working so well. Maybe it's just from allergies or something? What do you ladies think?

  • gonegirl
    gonegirl Member Posts: 1,022
    edited July 2012

    Luvmyfam. the steroids gave horrible acne. so i will get a swollen lymph node and the a it would appear. check if something is infected on you; acne, a nail, etc

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Luvmyfam- since it is behind your ears I would think it is probably some infection. You should call your nurse/MO to let them know. I call about every little thing, BC has made me paranoid about everything. So you are not alone.

  • luvmyfam
    luvmyfam Member Posts: 53
    edited July 2012

    Thanks, I will call and see what they say. I have been checking my temp and it is good. I don't take steroids with my chemo, but could certainly get an infection. Like you, I am paranoid about any new "lump". And I already have so many lymph nodes involved.....

  • ladyfighter
    ladyfighter Member Posts: 57
    edited July 2012

    To this day, still fever ! Between 99.3 and 100.2 and yucky feeling. Called MO this morning about this being too long, MO said no meds and doesn't consider fever below 100.5 ugh! Sooo I just drink more water and checking my temp!!! My DH thinks I'm being overly obsessed with temp thing!???? Is he right? He said just trust MO :/ my next scheduled appt with MO before chemo is this thursday (if ever??) soo we shall see!



    Luvmyfam, I had swollen glands in my left throat once for few days back during #2 or 3 taxol tx, my MO said SE, and it went away on own. I was worried too cause it didn't feel like sore throat. Ughhh.



    I don't usually being paranoid as much but this fever thing just wont go away I would think it is something wrong! But my DH kept saying "have faith with your MO"



    Sissydi, are you getting something else besides taxol and herceptin? Other trail? Forgot the name?



    We all need group ((((hug))) !!!

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Luvmyfam- I do hope it resolves soon.

    Ladyfighter- can't believe it hasn't gone down yet. They dont give antibiotics unless it is over 100.5 that must be the reason they are not doing anything. My MO asked me to use a oral thermometer to be sure it us accurate. Did you check with an oral one?

    I agree looks like we all need some hugs.

  • MandalaB
    MandalaB Member Posts: 52
    edited July 2012

    taxol 2 today-

    I have a weird feeling of jumpiness today- like severe ADD where i am completely tired but want to be doing something with my hands. I'm an artist of a few different mediums from drawing to fiber art so this is second nature to me.
    I checked my heart rate and BP here at home and it's normal- my mind is racing though.

    eeeeeek!

    I am headed back to work tomorrow.

    The only consistent so far is the night bone pain- which my RN gave me a rx for Vicodin for just in case. I hope I don't have to fill it.

    How is anyone else's experience working during Taxol treatments going?

    Hope you feel better Ladyfighter.

    you too, Luv....

    xo

  • hopeful123
    hopeful123 Member Posts: 78
    edited July 2012

    Mandala- I think I was able to work more during AC as I really had a whole good week. With Taxol the two days after treatment and day before or ok. So 3 days out of 7. Others are quite bad for me in terms of fatigue. I just end up mostly working from home (which I can do).