Weekly Taxol group
Comments
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I didn't have any diarrhea, however, I was told that it is a symptom and my MO always asked about that and neuropathy every week.
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Hi all,
I just had #9 of 12 taxol treatments and the end of this particular road is in sight - feeling pretty good and managing anxiety. Almost feel like celebrating but not yet. No eyebrows, a few white stubbles on my head but woo hoo!
I have a rads question but not sure this is the right place. Anyone with thoughts on that please let me know and I will post here or wherever is more appropriate.
Happy spring, happy spring.
melissa
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I have had no diarrhea - a little constipation but not the other. The nurses ask me every week, though.
I am sorry that you are having to deal with this too.
m
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Thanks all for the responses. My MO doesn't seem too concerned. I am so glad for this forum, I get so much more info and support than from my medical team
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Hello Ladies,
Just wondering how many of you have noticed any swelling or puffiness in the face. I don't have any swelling anywhere on my body on taxol accept for some swelling/puffiness on my cheeks. Just wondering if any of you have noticed that also. I also have watery eyes, sometimes a bit of a nose bleed in the mornings, some night sweats. Was wondering if the face puffiness will go away soon after I am done with taxol. I will have taxol #10 tomorrow. Now the countdown has begun! Now if only the hair grows fast!
Thanks!
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facial puffiness is probably due to the steroid you are getting with the premeds. I know some women who got a lot of ankle swelling by the end also.
Nose issues are a big problem for me also, constantly have a tissue and dripping nose, lack of nose hairs and drying of the nasal mucosa cause it. I use a humidifier in the bedroom at night and some ointment in my nose, helps. Still blow out bloody chunks every morning, oly one bad nose bleed
Watery eye is also probably from dryness.
I just had Taxol #7 today, 35 more days. lost all my lower eyelashes and starting to lose the top ones. Eyebrows are almost all gone. only thing remaining is some stubborn leg hair. I am feeling some peach fuz on my scalp now, very fine and soft like white rabbit fur.
Good luck with the last 2 taxols.
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Septmom, I have had all of the above! The watery eyes are still bugging me but I have noticed that I haven't had the puffy frog face after #10 or 11. Minimal bloody noses (seemed like more earlier on, too) and definitely lots of night sweats! Good luck- finish line is in sight!
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hello crazywabbit,
I was so interested to read about your nasal issues - I have had a dry scabby nose for a couple of weeks now, bloody crusty chunks in the morning too. Put it off as allergies or our very dry SW climate but wow - sounds like it could be taxol related. I had no idea. I just had #9 and 3 to go. My eyebrows are gone, some peach fuzz on my head, and noticed a straggler on my chin (which never would have made me happy before but did today!) I wear contact lenses during the day and have noticed how much dryer they feel too.
Who knew?! Thanks so much for sharing. And good luck - hope the rest of your treatments fly by!
m
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Hi Maria,
How did your treatment go? Are you on #10 or 11 now? I just had #9 yesterday, so 3 to go. Hope all goes well for your remaining treatments! I am looking forward to being finished, but nervous too. Are you going to have radiation after chemo? At the beginning I was told that radiation would follow chemo due to 2 nodes and 3 cancer sites but two weeks ago MO said radiation not indicated. And she was one who said it was at first! It all feels confusing and makes me uncomfortable so I am meeting with radiology onc. tomorrow for clarification. Curious if anyone else is in this boat.
Best to you as you finish up the taxol!
melissa
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While I was doing taxol I had daily nosebleeds in the shower. I tried AYER nose gel . It helped with dryness. Nosebleeds stopped 1 week post chemo. I did not really have too many issues with the runs or constipation that I recall. I had runs on AC usually for like a day like 4 days out of chemo.
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Hi Ladies ... I'm coming up on #20 weekly taxol this Monday. I've had dry eyes, dry mouth, dry nose & skin; yes, the eyes run (do use artificial tears) as well as the nose. I find I sneeze a lot more too, figure it has to do with the taxol as I don't usually have allergies. Since Feb. I've developed swelling of the ankles and calves; seems to get worse on my week off and sometimes will go away, only to return! The hair went the first 6 weeks of tx, then the eyelashes, then the brows; that has been the most difficult adjustment for me. I use to have beautiful, thick hair. I ice my hands and feet during the infusion (frozen bags of peas) and suck on ice; so far no nail issues (also use dark nail polish the day of infusion to help keep the light out). However, I have some mild neuropathy starting. I'm taking L-Glutamine, B6 & acetyl L-carnitine for that. In addition, I get random body/muscle pains; never know where or how severe and I need to be careful not to damage the muscles/tendons, etc. As tough as this can be, I've heard other chemos can be tougher. Also, I find the fatique can be overwhelming, but I try to go with it and rest when my body says rest, something I never did in the precancer days! The good news is, the first 2 scans I've had have shown the beast responding, so, I continue on. Hang in there!
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summer70 - good to know that a lot of the SE are consistent with all of us. Happy to hear that the puffy frog face does go away. I had taxol #10 today. Two more to go!
Crazzywabbit, we are very similar with our SE. I have the dry bloody crustys in the morning. I lost all my eyebrows except like three strands of hair on each eyebrow around week 7 or 8. I have like three eyelashes on top and two or three tiny ones on my both my bottom lashes. I have like a five o'clock shadow where the eyebrows were. I can feel stubble but can't tell if it's growing back or the shadier is left from where it fell off. I have very dark hair. I get night sweats and often have to change shirts in the middle of the night. I have hair fuzz and some fine hair fuzz is half an inch long. But it's not even yet. A lot of areas that haven't grown yet. I also noticed a chin hair straggler last week. I have a puffy face but no swelling anywhere else. I have two more to go. Can't wait to be done!
But I have decided to get a BMX so I am not done yet. I had a lumpectomy in September. At the time I thought it was the right decision. But now feel that BMX is right for me. I have dense fibrous breast tissue. My Breast surgeon has told mammograms aren't good enough for me and I would need MRIs. Also I keep getting fluid filled breast cysts. I had to see BS twice due to lumps I found on the good side that turned out to be cysts. So I decided that BMX is the best option especially after my BS my breasts are hard to follow. My BMX surgery is scheduled for May 9 if my taxol goes per schedule. I will get TE put in. Just wondering is any of you ladies are getting surgery after taxol is done. Feeling a bit nervous about surgery. So I won't be done for a while. I am petite. Don't know if that makes surgery easier or not.
Thank you ladies for all your support and allowing me to vent. Lots of hugs to all of you. Have a wonderful weekend!
Septmom
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Deblc,
I have had a little diarrhea but mostly really loose stool several times a day. I'd rather have that than constipation! I have had 4 taxol treatments. I've also had a horrible time with my nose being dry and bloody. I bought some saline gel to try today. Hope it helps! Good luck on the rest of your treatments.
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Hi Melissa~
Yes #10 today...2 more to go! I can't wait, but I have to say, I am nervous..I think I read someone on this board had built up a resistance to taxol and of course my crazy mind keeps thinking "what if I am". I am having surgery after chemo due to the size of tumor (4 cm). All my scans and mri results were good, they showed no lymph node involvement, but who knows for sure until surgery time. I go to see the surgeon on Tuesday. It was my idea to make the appt and my MO agreed. I wanted to keep going to get this over with. I have to wait about a month after last taxol for surgery, so I want to schedule any scans, mammos or mri. We didn't talk details of surgery during my inital diagnosis (last Oct), so it depends on how small tumor has become. I'm sure my surgeon will give me plenty to think about. My MO said if I have a mastectomy, most likely no radiation and if lumpectomy, I will have radiation. I know nothing about reconstruction or tissue expanders, so I may be picking your brain if you are up to it : )
Good luck to you!
Maria
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Hi,
I had a BMX following my chemo. I opted for the direct to implant route. I did not want TE. I am still dealing with the falling out eye brows. I ended chemo 15 months ago. Periodically parts of them thin out.
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Hello Septmom,
Are you having skin/nipple conserving surgery? I had mastectomy in October, nipple and skin conserving, TE, and am now really regretting not having a BMX. I am calling my surgeon next week to set up an appt to talk about options re BMX now. I had 2+ sentinel nodes, one with vascular involvement, and still have my nipple and some breast tissue I guess, so I am concerned. I saw rad onc. today who re-explained everything to me, and was very positive, but I am still feeling worried. I am supposed to finish Taxol on April 16 and will have rad. planning on April 30, then 6 weeks of radiation. aaarrggghhhh I hate this feeling of second guessing and not being sure!
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Hi Maria,
You are so close to being finished with taxol - congrats all around! Happy to share any TE / recon info with you. I think it is great to get as much info ahead of time as you can - hope all goes well with surgeon on Tuesday. Keep us posted and have a great weekend!
Melissa
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Hi Maria,
You are so close to being finished with taxol - congrats all around! Happy to share any TE / recon info with you. I think it is great to get as much info ahead of time as you can - hope all goes well with surgeon on Tuesday. Keep us posted and have a great weekend!
Melissa
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Has anyone experienced darkening skin during taxol? Just today I noticed some discoloration on my neck, and down into my collarbone area. Looks almost like dirt that has ground in (like on a little boy's knee!) but is not that
Have had an earache on and off for a couple of weeks. Some soreness and what feels like swollen glands - dr has checked though and says she feels nothing. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this? 0 -
I too feel like my face is swollen a bit and definitely blochy with redness..thank God for makeup : ) Frog face is a good description. I am down to 4 mg of Decadron so I think it is a result of the Taxol. I have had some bloody nose blows..when I go to blow my nose, its pink with some chunks (sorry so gross). No real nose bleeds. I do get redness on my chest at times and the night sweats are the pits! I typically freeze and night and use a down comforter, down blanket and flannel sheets on my bed, plus I would wear a sweatshirt to bed, but now the flannel sheets have gone, short sleeve shirt and I throw the blankets off a few times a night.
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mmb1234: I have noticed darkening of my skin on hands and feet. I also have the earache and swollen gland feeling that comes and goes. I haven't brought it up with my MO yet but with every treatment it seems I get another side effect.
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mmb1234,
I am not having nipple sparing surgery. I probably will have 3D tattoos down the line. How are the TE? Will you have your exchange surgery after radiation? How long was your recovery after your masectomy. I meet with my breast surgeon to go over specifics. I met with the PS last month. I had the sentinel node biopsy and axillery node biospy on the right cancer side in September. It was negative. The axillery node biopsy hindered movement for about 2 weeks. I stayed home from work for about 2 1/2 weeks. I am not sure if they will do axillery biospy on the good side. Maybe just sentinel node. I am hoping recovery isn't too bad. I was told I will have 2 sets of drains and that one set will likely come out in one week and the second set in 2 weeks. PS said that he would start fills about 3 wks after the surgery. He will do fill the tissue expander a bit during surgery. Is that what you had? How many fills did you have? I regular size is 34B. I wouldn't mind going to a C cup if possible. Let's see. The side I had my lumpectomy is a bit smaller now. So my bras don't fit right. My PS said exchange surgery likely will be 5 months after initial surgery. Most likely I will not need radiation after surgery?
Another side effect I have on taxol is nail bed darkening. My right thumb nail is quite dark. Hope it goes away soon after taxol.,I miss my eyebrows. Hope they start growing soon. I draw them in with Anastasia brow whiz pencil . I have the outline as I have a dark 5 o'clock shadow where my eyebrows used to be. I can feel fine stubble. Don't know if it will grow anything soon.
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Ive been on Taxol for over a year with great results. I have Stage 4 MBC with two plueral effusions. I have neuropathy in both hands and feet which is a side effect from Taxol. I get Taxol three times a month with Zometa every other month. And I take Arimidex every night. The major side effect is chronic fatigue which is pretty bad. I can't walk too far and my flexibility is poor. I have to watch my balance also. My Oncologist wants to start me on Taxol only two times a month to see if the fatigue lessens as my scans have shown either elimination ,reduction of lesions or no change. Oh yeh I get UTIs almost every month so I'm constantly on antibiotics. I can't work at present and am living with my sister.
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Welcome, mkm. Over a year on taxol, wow, good for you! There is another site you also may be interested in, weekly taxol for stage 4; I find them both helpful. I'm curious to know, when you go on an every 2 week schedule, what will your dose be? The same, but given 2 weeks or do they reduce it? Hang in there!
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Septmom, I am on taxol #2 and am having low red blood count issues. curious to know what kind of blood count issues you had? Also curious to know if anyone elase had low red blood counts on taxol and have to have a blood transfusion? My MO said last week said that is possible for me if my counts are not back up next week. My Hemoglobin count is 7.7 now. Thank you all and take care.
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Hi letting go - I also had low RBC issues when I first started but it never dropped below 9, and in fact after #3 it went up a bit. I just finished #5. My MO said if I'd dropped to 8 she would give me a drug ( apparently the one athletes use to boost their counts lol) but no transfusion. I go for a weekly blood test so am hoping my count remains stable. Good luck to you!
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Lettinggo,
My haemoglobin always hovered around the 8.2 - 9.4 range for first 8 weeks. Two weeks ago my WBC count/neutrophil was low. That week I had to take a neupogen shot to get my counts up. One shot did the trick.
The following week my WBC dropped again and my haemoglobin dropped to 7.9. My MO said they normally do blood transfusions if it falls below 8.0 but my MO didn't push for a transfusion. He had me hold off on the taxol that week as my WBC was really low. I also took an antibiotic that week as I was getting fevers. The following week (the last week) my haemoglobin went up to 8.7. I had my blood work on Monday. Then had blood work again on Wednesday afternoon to check final counts before my Friday taxol and it dropped to 8.3. So now I go back again tomorrow morning to check my WBC and haemoglobin, if WBC is low then they will start the neupogen shots early. I am hoping my haemoglobin is okay.
I have been trying to eat some red meat to help with my haemoglobin, I eat a lot of spinach and other iron rich foods. I don't know if it helps or not. I know that taxol causes haemoglobin, WBC issues for a lot of women regardless of diet. I am sure you must be feeling very tired due to your haemoglobin being low. I know when mine drops I feel very tired.
Good Luck!
Septmom
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Hello Ladies-
Does anyone remember the BRAT diet when your kids were little to combat diarrhea? Bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. If you start it a day or so before chemo you can keep that horse from leaving the gate.
If you notice your nail beds turning dark apply tea tree oil to prohibit infection/fungus.
My motto as I have gone thru chemo is that I have some control over my RBCs by keeping my diet high in protein. You have very little control on WBCs or platelets so control what you can.
Wishing you all NED!
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I am supposed to have taxol #11 this Friday. So far my WBC and haemoglobin look good. I go for bloodwork on Wednesday to make sure. I am praying that I get through the final two taxols without any delay.
I have noticed that my face has become swollen. My cheeks are quite puffy. I asked the chemo nurse about that this morning and she said it's due to the cumulative effect of having steroids for so many weeks. I don't have any swelling anywhere else. Just wondering how after I am done with taxol will the face swelling go away? Anyone else have the same issue? I also feel more bloated than usual. I guess so many weeks of taxol takes a toll on the body.
Thanks!
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septmom,
I still have a frog face and had my last taxol on the 21st. I'm hoping it goes away soon. I've also gained 18pds, all related to the steroids and chemo. Hoping that I can get back in the gym and get this weight off while doing radiation. Fingers are crossed as they say radiation brings about exhaustion.
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