Weekly Taxol group
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You don't want to get it infected which will delay your treatment, try not to scratch, rub it instead.
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taxol no 25 for me today. I'm still waiting for scans but saw my Onc yesterday and he is wanting to push on with taxol for as long as possible.
The hair on my head is growing like weeds but my eye lashes have nearly all gone and my eyebrows are looking very patchy. My leg hair is starting to come back a bit too. I've enjoyed not having to shave.
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Mrsparsley - me too on the itchy rash....
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I try my best not to scratch, but I do it sometimes and don't realize it. I hope they have a remedy tomorrow.
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Completed #17 taxol infusion today ... no issues like last week, all o.k.
Shazzakelly ... what's with the hair growth while on chemo? I noticed my chi pet is growing! Looks like H**l. white and stringy, but growing!! Does this mean at some point it just falls out again? I have 2 eyebrows on right and 1 one the left and the lashes are gone!
Anyone else had this experience?
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SyrMom,
I have hair growth on head starting. Will be having 7th of 12 weekly Taxols tomorrow. The hair, if you can call it that, is very coarse and White! I have one eyelash left, it just keeps hanging in there. I really want to pluck it as looks funny. Eyebrows have left with no sign of then returning soon. I am also wondering if the white hairs on my head will fall out eventually?
Pam
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Uhm actually the white hairs don't seem to fall out . They eventually end up at the ends of pigmented hair. I went and had those trimmed off as soon as I could.
And if you color them you might end up with orange. Chemo hair comes out weird colored.0 -
I am going for Taxol #7 of 12 on Friday. No itchy skin or rashes..I don't think they told me that was a SE, they are mostly concerned about tingling and numbness of hands and feet.
Has anyone else on Taxol have their dose of corticosteroid (Decadron) reduced each week? I am down to 4mg down from 20 with my first Taxol treatment. I have to say, I am still having some steriod SE issues even though this dose is the lowest they will go.
Same with eyebrows and lashes...they were fairly good on Adriamycin and Cytoxan but with Taxol, much thinner. I am still waiting for hair on my head. I've had slight stuble for weeks but no additional growth.
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Mersee
I think it was Taxol #3 that I asked to have the decadron dose reduced. I did fine with it down to 4.
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Northwindsg ... sounds like we have the same hair issues, head, brows, lashes. The stringy white drives me crazy, BUT I guess I should be grateful for anything covering the shiny scalp and signs of growth. Just not into looking like 90 yr. old yet.
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I'm actually down to 2mg of decadron. I have three more to go and my oncologist said that is the lowest he will go. I read somewhere that by the last one you don't have any steroid but he laughed at me and said no such luck.
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I saw the nurse practitioner about my rash. She thought it could be a number of things, chemo, heavy perfumed soap, detergent. She suggested cutting those soaps out and using a hydrocortisone gel or cream.
Mersee, I had my steroid dropped to 4mg on my 4th taxol. Doc said he usually does this and if I had problems he would raise it back up, but I'm good so far. I also am growing white hair and lashes and brows are coming out. Crazy!
I have another question, I am 39, I haven't had a period in a month. Np said it was common and it may come back after I'm done with chemo. Anybody else have this happen to them? di it come back or no? Im supposed to start tamoxifen after radiation.
I hate not being in control! Lol
Hope everyone is well. Now to freeze ma butt off at the ball park. Psh, spring baseball is winter baseball!
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I've been down to 4 mg since my 4th Taxol and have been blessed with tolerable side effects, so I won't complain. It is so nice to come on here and relate! I wish everyone the best : )
mrsparsley~I am older than you (50
) and I was getting my period like clockwork before my dx, never missed a month and I stopped getting my period after 3 treatments of Adriamycin and Cytoxan. My oc said I most likely will not get my period again based on my age but because I was so regular that there is a slight chance I could. I believe tamoxifen may affect it also.0 -
I need to ask my MO about reducing my decadron dose. I got 10 mg with each of the first 4 DD AC treatments and 3 weekly taxol infusions . I have had minimal side effects to the taxol (so far).Thurs is #4 and I will ask if he can reduce it . I worry about all the high doses of steroids and my bone density. I already have osteopenia and with looking at AIs for the next 10 years I need to protect my bones now.
Barbara
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I get decadron and benadryl as a premed to taxol ... the benadryl is for preventing an allergic reaction, but I'm confused as to why decadron too. I know that is suppose calm down inflammation, but are the two of them really necessary. Seems to be standard protocol. Wondering how it was explained to you.
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I was told that the steroid helps with the SE's. I haven't had any nueropathy and very little joint pain that 2 Tylenol couldn't fix. My only real issue are the darn itchy hands and feet and the weight gain. I'm a fat ass, gained 15pds and counting. I look swollen, especially my face. Besides that, I've been very very lucky with Taxol. AC however was HORRIBLE. Hang in there warriors.
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I also receive benadryl & decadron as IV delivered pre-meds. I asked my oncologist after week 3 if we could reduce the steroids and she told me it was an "all or nothing" thing & she couldn't recommend nothing. Has anybody else heard this? Also wondering are those of you who were able to reduce your dose taking it orally? I would love to cut down on the swollen frog face- not my best look
Treatment #8 today… went from virtually no SEs at wk6 to feeling like I was hit by a truck after wk7. Hugs to everybody else in the chair today!0 -
Summer70,I am supposed to have taxol #8 this Friday and I too have been feeling more fatigue after week 6. My face also swells up
I keep telling myself it's just a matter of a few more weeks. Hang in there!
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My dr was fine with reducing the decadron when I asked. I wanted the benadryl lowered too but started to get facial itchiness around my mouth by Taxol #5 so didn't dare.
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I did great with Taxol til #8, started noticing the fatigue was back. #9-12 definately brought more fatigue. But one week post Taxol I felt better. (I am one month post now)
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My benadryl had to be lowered because I'm highly sensitive to it and get real dizzy and can't even stand!! So ended up going from 50 mg to 12.5 mg; however, the decadron remains. No problems with the decadron except post 1 day red face, then it goes away by that evening.
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Septmom, glad we are doing this together! You'll have to let me know how you feel after #8, Good luck!
VintageGal, I started lurking around this site a few months back & often read your honest & enlightening posts. Thanks for sharing your journey- as a newbie, reading about your experiences made it all sound less scary. Now we get to hear about you on the other side- awesome! Keep us posted on the Herceptin- I'll be doing the same every 3 wks as soon as Taxol is finished.
SyrMom- how's the swelling? Long gone, I hope.
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summer70 ... thanks for asking, so far the swelling is staying gone, but keeping a watchful eye out as the side effects seem to appear at any time. I have one muscle in my leg that consistantly begins to hurt/ache, so have a lidoderm patch on that - whatever it takes.
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OK girls. I need some words of encouragement. I received my Taxol #3 last Thursday. I have felt like crap ever since. Wednesday of this week, I had a fever of 100.5 with vomiting and diarrhea. I called my doc who told me not to come in for my chemo treatment and to go to the ER to be evaluated for an infection or the flu. So I went to the ER. All of my blood work was good except for my WBC which was 2.5. I called my doc back on Thursday who told me to come in today (Friday) to be seen and possibly get my chemo treatment today. I really did not want to push it back another week if I didnt have to. So I went in today and had my blood work repeated. My WBC was down to 2.3 and my neutrophils were only 0.9 (they were 1.5 on Wednesday). So no chemo today. Im very frustrated that I cant keep my counts up. I know it doesnt happen very often on the Taxol but for some reason it keeps happening to me. Im going back next week and if they are still low then we are going to discuss the Neupogen shots or decreasing the Taxol dose. I really dont want to decrease my dose. I want to blast this cancer away with everything we can. Have any of you had this problem? Have any of you needed the neupogen shot?. If so, what were the side effects and how did you feel on them? Im just really frustrated and upset. This is the second time Ive had to push back my treatments. I just want to get through this so I can be done with it. Any advice and words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated!!!!
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Nicole - sounds like you are on weekly taxol. Neutropenia is less likely on the weekly taxol but still happens, sound like neupogen or neulasta may be needed if you keep dropping. WBCs can also drop with a viral infection so hang in there, when are they checking your counts again.
Luckily my WBC was in the 7 range before taxol #3 so I did not get a blood count this week before #4. Will be interesting to see my counts next week. I did get neulasta shots with the dose dense AC. I took Claritin 2 days before and 3 days after and that helped to prevent the bony pain. I suspect it can help with neupogen also.
Barbara
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Has anybody else developed anaemia after while on taxol? I have only had 2 treatments but my RBC keeps dropping, it is now at 9. My Onc says she won't treat unless it drops to 8. I get very tired, sometimes dizzy, and I am worried as I have only had two treatments. Did anyone get treatment for this, and if so, what was the treatment?
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Deblc, yes it's very common to develope anemia while on taxol. I don't think my blood count got down into the 9's quite as fast as you, but it did get there after a few treatments and stayed there. I never got below 9. I was also told that if I got down to 8 I would get a blood transfusion. I know of one other person who did get a blood transfusion - she said she felt a whole lot better after that!
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Thanks PatinMN. I have to say I feel MUCH better on taxol than on the AC, but since I have only had two treatments, I am a little worried that my RBC is so low already. I tend to be short of breath if I even walk around much! Did you find that you were very fatigued, and did it get worse as you had more treatments?
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Deblc, my experience with AC every 2 weeks wasnt so terrible. I would have treatment on tuesday, Wednesday neulasta shot then by friday I'd feel awful. I'd recover on the weekend and feel good for the next week. I had Taxol #6 this past week and it has me feeling more tired, I'm guessing bc its building upin my system and I dont have time to recover before I have another treatment. My counts have been okay but I do find myself more out of breath just doing simple things like making my bed. Lol. friday and Saturday's my body hurts almost like I have the flu. I just take ibuprofen and lay around. By sunday I dont hurt anymore but am still sluggish. Then I work Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. And start the cycle all over again. 6 more weeks!!! I can do this!!! Then on to 6 weeks of rads!!!! Good luck to all of ya!
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Hang in there, Nicole. I had low counts wk 3 & 4 and subsequently received 2 reduced doses (80%). My counts then inexplicably returned to normal (with no change in routine or diet) & have stayed that way ever since (#8 last Wed). It's likely that your body is fighting some type of infection and you'll soon be doing fine. It's just not something you can control so try to rest up & be easy on yourself. If you can take the reduced dose & keep the whole process moving, go for it. My oncologist told me there is no exact science to dosage anyhow- just their best guess based on your body mass. Stay strong- you WILL be through this soon. I wouldn't have believed 6 weeks ago that times passes quickly through treatment but I promise you it really does!
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