Weekly Taxol group
Comments
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Mareluna- you were supportive to me when I started AC. I remember you were always checking up on me. You are so sweet! I know it seems like such a long time. The dreadful winter we had didn't help. I am so happy to be done.
Now I have my surgery to think about. I hope that goes well. I am a bit nervous. I am getting tissue expanders. Can't wait to get through surgery and recover and finally try to get back to somewhat of a normal life. At least the long chemo is over.
Enjoy your weekend!
Thanks
Septmom
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This is my hair fuzz growth at the end of my taxol. I hope it starts growing faster once taxol is out of my system.
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Hi Septmom-I did have my last taxol yesterday!!! I felt horrible but they gave it to me because my counts were all good. He did give me an antibiotic since I felt so bad and my throat was so painful. I usually never get sick or I kick it pretty quick, but considering, I was happy to take it. I felt better in a few hours.
I am running out now, daughter has softball. I will be back..,.your hair looks good, mine isn't that long and all white : ( At least its something : )
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My hair is all white 3 weeks post taxol. Not nearly as long as yours though. Yippee on the completion of chemo septmom.
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Lonnie a lot of my hair is white too, especially on top. I plan on getting it colored in 3 months.
Mersee - so happy you finished taxol! Too bad you were so sick. Glad the antibiotics helped. I have been full of energy until just now. I was out about yesterday after I was done by noon with my last taxol. Today I cooked, did house work, ran some errands and went for a walk. Now I feel tired. Hope I sleep well tonight.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend ladies.
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Wow Septmom that's a lot of hair! Did everybody get hair growth during taxol? I've completed #7 and no sign of any yet !
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debic - I just completed taxol #9 and have about a quarter inch of baby fine white fuzzy hair, mostly on the back of my head. Also see a bit of white fuzzy growth in the "southern parts". Now I know a lot of my head hair had white roots but there was never any white down below before. Those pigment cells better wake up soon. LOL.
Any one get a lot of hiccups. When I eat or even other times I may hiccup 3-4 times in a row.
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Wow I have no hair growth at all. I am taking herceptin as well as taxol and am wondering if that's why. Anybody else have experience with herceptin and hair growth?
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I didn't see any hair fuzz growth until after week 8. Once the fuzz started growing it seemed to be noticeable more every week. My hair fuzz is not even. This photo shows the area where I have the most which is on the sides. The back and top do have growth but is a bit less. The back and top seem to have the most white hair fuzz too. I knew I had grey hair. But not that much. Oh well hair can be colored. I used to have long standing hair appointments every 4 wks for root touch up. I long for those days!
We will get there eventually ladies! Guess we have to be very patient!
Happy Sunday!
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Yes the pigment will come in later. Don't color your hair to soon It might be orange like I had. LOL
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Mareluna- good to know the pigment comes back! I will wait to color my hair
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Hello Everyone...hoping someone will chime in. My MO has scheduled me for extra fluids day after Taxol, but I really feel fine. The extra fluids last time made me feel bloated and I didn't notice any huge difference between treatment one without and treatment two with. Thoughts? I'm supposed to go this afternoon but am feeling pretty good.
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you don't have to get the extra fluids. You can tell your mo that you feel fine, if you feel you need the extra fluids in the future, the fine.
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good morning, I just had AC #3 on Thursday. I've been doing really well so far but yesterday was absolutely awful. I can't even explain what was wrong, no real physical issues, just huge BLUES. I think I cried all day long. I think it's hormones....if all was normal, I'd be expecting my period...I suppose it was all PMS without the P....
Anyway, thought I would jump in here since I start weekly taxol on 5/15. Hoping to hear some positive things....looking to see that the rumor I hear of taxol being easier is really true! Here's hoping!
Jen
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Hi Jen,
I see you are in central NJ too..I am in Hunterdon County, never know for sure if I am central or north NJ : /
I finished taxol just a week ago Friday. I tolerated the AC pretty well, and the Taxol even better. I just lost eyelashes and eyebrows on Taxol, and became a little puffy and blotchy in the face. I am having surgery after chemo, I haven't scheduled it yet, but I will probably have it the week of May 12th. I see that you had mastectomy on both. I am now deciding on one or both. I am leaning towards both for peace of mind. One question I do have, and I know from this whole ordeal that everyone is different, but how long after surgery did you start your normal routine?
Good luck and if you have any questions regarding Taxol, let me know.
Maria
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hi Maria, I'm in Somerset County - being treated in Morristown.
I'm not sure if I can answer your question about normal routine, not much has been normal around here since my dx. I still didn't feel great when I started chemo 5 weeks after surgery. I had a major turn-around day about 8 days after my first infusion....a day where I realized not only did I feel better from SEs but my body felt better from surgery too. So, I guess about six weeks? Though maybe that would have been sooner if I hadn't started chemo?
What surgery are you considering? I think recovery is easier with implants than tissue, which is why I chose that route.
I have tolerated the AC pretty well too, though I think my side effects have been worse this time than they were the first two. I'm so very emotional right now...kind of like PMS...it sucks! One more to go the taxol. Here's hoping that's easier, which would be great considering this hasn't been as bad as it could be.
Jen
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Hi Jen,
I go to St. Barnabas for treatment and will for surgery. My surgeon is recommending mastectomy of both breasts, but is leaving it completely up to me. My left breast is healthy, but I have decided to have both done. Peace of mind means a lot to me, not having to go for mammograms every 6 months and potentially hearing "we need additional views" or "lets do an ultrasound" would be so stressful and lower my quality of life. I have met with my plastic surgeon, I will have tissue expanders put in and will decide after that about implants or tissue. I will need radiation after surgery, so the final stages of reconstruction won't happen until after I finish radiation and heal from that. I hear that I will have better symetry having both done.
I am glad to be over chemo, but the Taxol was easier for me than AC, but a big difference I will tell you is that the Taxol was every week, and for 12 weeks, I had AC every other week for 4 treatments. My oncologist said it will take it's toll on you and by the end he was right. Not so much the chemo drug, but the whole process...45 minute drive, sitting in waiting rooms, etc. I had the roughest week around #8, not sure why, but for me, rough meant my tastebuds were shot, more numbing of my finger tips, night sweats which kept me up at night. I was worried it would be worse each week after, but it wasn't...thankfully. My oncologist lowered my steroids down each week down to 4 mg. I did not like the side effects from the steroids, puffy, blotchy face, but that could have been from the Taxol also.
My kids went to high school in Somerset County (catholic school)..one left, my daughter who is a sophmore...then one more to college and that's it!
Good luck to you, and I hear you about nothing being normal after our dx...I hope someday soon to be back to "normal"
Maria
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Hello ladies,
I start my weekly taxol on Friday. Did anyone do it without a port? I had dd AC x4 without one but am a little concerned about finding a vein every week.
TY
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hi Jules, I have done 4x A/C and am now doing weekly taxol without a port. I have had no problems, just make sure you drink plenty of water the morning of treatment to plump up your veins. Good luck!
LIL
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Hi Jules- I managed 12x without a port, too. Tip from the nurses- keep your arm wrapped in warm, snug clothing for a few hours before treatment and like Diamond said, tons of water. The very few times we had any difficulty, I ran my arm under hot water for a few minutes & had no further issues. Best of luck!
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thanks do much ladies. I'll start drinking now!! Lol. They used warm packs for AC so I'm sure they will use them again. Feeling a little more at ease
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Mersee,
My MO is Dr. Brown at the cancer center at St. Barnabas. My breast surgeon is Dr, Michelle Blackwood. My left breast was also healthy but I too opted for the double for the same reasons as well as a strong family history. My sister just had a reoccurrence in her healthy breast 6yrs after having a lumpectomy. I have expanders in now I just started rads, this week will be a full week. So far, so good. Dr. Grann is my RO. Good luck.
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I go for taxol #4 tomorrow. And this is the closest I've felt to normal in a long time. For me, taxol is so much easier and would take it over ac any day. It's also easier on the kids seeing me up and about doing normal stuff. I do have a hard time sleeping the first couple of nights then I have 1 bad day where I'm super exhausted and my stomach can yet decide if it wants to be constipated or have diarrhea, but other than that no other really bad side effects. Still
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My MO is Dr. Brown also : ) I had a great experience with him. My surgeon is Santoro and now I am even more convinced I am making the right decision for a double hearing what your sister went through. I hope she is doing well. How are you feeling on rads? I am hoping to schedule surgery soon as I just finished Taxol on April 11th. I am so happy you are doing well. I will be having radiation at my local hospital as St. Barnabas is about a 45 min drive depending on traffic on 78.
The best of luck to you.
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I really wanted to skip the port for mine but I was told I had to have it. I hated it. I am glad I have it out but sometimes I hurt in the area it used to be in. I can say that Gone are the days of feeling wonderful. I am lucky to be alive and lucky for a good moment or two. LOL So tired of pain.
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Mersee,
So far rads are good. No noticeable side effects. I'm using miaderm right after each treatment and then again before bed. No tiredness at all. My RO reminded me that it is cumulative so about mid treatment I may experience some side effects
. Fingers are crossed that they are minimal if it occurs. I met a few ladies that have Santoro and they are very very pleased. The entire team at SB breast and cancer center are phenomenal. I love that they have those weekly calls and each doctor knows what is going on. Have you chosen your plastic surgeon yet. I chose Dean Cerio. I'm pleased with how the expanders look but can't wait to get them out!!!! I'm sure you chose someone closer to home.My sister is doing well. She still has the draining tubes and absolutely hates it. It's been two weeks and she still has a lot of fluid. Those tubes are the worst part of having the mastectomy. Here's a tip that my plastic surgeon gave me. Buy some long shoe strings, place them in the large opening of the safety pins and tie it either around your neck or waist (whichever is comfortable), makes it much easier to shower .
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Hi guys, I had my first taxol treatment yesterday, and today woke up, after my big 2 Hours of sleep, with my checks looking like sunburn and red splotches on my arm, both are warm to the touch. Anyone else have side effects like this?
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You NJ ladies are making me homesick. I grew up in Livingston a half mile form St Barnabas. My father was one of the early donors when the " new hospital " was built moving it from Newark. I did my Candy Striping there. Have not lived there for almost 40 years. My father was there several times as a patient before he died in 2006. The hospital has really grown over the years. One of my high school friends is an anesthesiologist there.
Barbara
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I used a lanyard and safety pinned the drains and wore it around my neck while showering. It worked very well.
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Njmom3, the redness is from the steroid that you got in your pre-meds. Noone warned me about it either, and I thought I had developed a fever or something. I never got red splotches on my arms, but definitely had rosy cheeks for a day after each infusion.
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