Weekly Taxol group
Comments
-
crazywabbit, great story about your dad being an early donor. PA isn't too far away though. St. Barnabas is the only hospital in NJ that I will go to. I've had several procedures there.
0 -
mareluna, great idea!
0 -
Yes, I am happy with everyone and every test, scan etc. that I have had at St. Barnabas..true professionals and very caring. I have heard that the whole team of surgeons are all great, my mother saw Santoro 12 yrs ago and was very happy, so I went right to her. She has quite a few "top docs" awards. She works with a plastic surgeon in Livingston, Colon, who we met and I really liked, so it looks like I will be using him. I have heard the expanders could be "uncomfortable". I am glad your sister is doing well.Thanks for the tip with the shoe strings, I guess it keeps the weight off the drain opening?
0 -
Dr. Colon is a great PS, I didn't use him, but my friend did. My PS is in the same practice, they are all wonderful there!
The shoelaces just keep the drains out of the way. I was able to pin them to a lanyard and hang them on the shower door. Just keeps them from getting wet and tangled as you shower.
0 -
Lonnie, I live in north central PA now, about 180 miles to Livngston. Have not been back to the area since my 40th HS reunion in the fall of 2012. He area has changed so much.
0 -
Yes, Colon is great. I actually met with him but decided to go with Cerio instead.
0 -
Njmom, yes, I get the same exact reaction. I know for certain mine is from the steroid, decadron, that I am given. I wake up the next day with it and it's gone by midday. Just adj. the makeup a bit and I forgo the blush!
0 -
Jen, thanks for the lanyard tip. How long did you have the drains? I've heard it varies greatly, but I was just looking for an idea of what to expect. Also, did you wear extra big shirts while you had the drains, I am trying to prepare ahead of time.
0 -
mersee,
The drain for the cancer side was in for about 10 days, the non cancer side was about 7. I can't remember exactly. Extra large shirts worked great for me. I was conscious of it and didn't want to go out unless I had to.
0 -
I had four drains - two on each side. One of them came out fairly quickly, the last two stayed in two weeks. I don't remember which were which. I wore button down shirts - more because it was hard to lift my arms. I wore an SPI belt (Google it, it's a running thing) and pinned the drains to it instead of to my bra. That let me wear them lower and more comfortably. I had a zippered hoodie with inside pockets for drains, I didn't like it. I might have had the wrong size.... it felt bulky with the drains tucked into the pockets. ..don't spend the money on it.
They decide on drain removal based on output. They want it to be low output before they remove. I have seen people on these boards encourage others to not move around so much since movement increases output. You might be tempted to sit still to keep it low. Bad idea! The drains are there for a reason, if fluid still needs to drain then you still need the drains. As annoying as they are, you don't want them gone prematurely.
0 -
Thanks Lonnie and Jen for the drain info. What type of bra do you wear after surgery, is it given to you by hospital? I think I will go out and get some extra big shirts, probably short sleeve since it may be warm or hot weather...but who knows with our NJ weather lately. I couldn't believe I received a frost warning on my phone last night..crazy for end of April.
So it is not good to go out of the house a few days after surgery? Is it because of the pain or that it is difficult to with the drains and how they look. I like to stay home, but after a few days, cabin fever sets in : ) I have never had any sort of surgery so I have no idea and I know everyone is different.
0 -
I woke up in a surgical bra. I only wore it for a few days - then I switched to plain Old Navy tank tops under button down pj's or big shirts. Once the drains were gone I switched to Genie bras. SO comfortable! and cheap; I'm still wearing them exclusively. I got out of the house for short walks as soon as I could.
0 -
I go commando!!! No bra of any type. I wear tank tops under a shirt or sweater, that's it. I found the bras (any type) uncomfortable with the expanders.
0 -
Hi all! I'm a newbie to this thread! I just finished 3 treatments of Epirubicin and Cytoxan and am starting weekly Taxol this Monday. So far, all I know to be on the lookout for side effects wise is the neuropathy. Is there anything else I need to be concerned about and is there anything I can do to help prevent any neuropathy?? Thanks and hope everyone has a side effect free weekend!
0 -
Has anyone had a sore throat while on taxol? I had my 8th taxol treatment on Monday and have had a really bad sore throat (no fever) for the last 2 weeks....
0 -
Hello ladies. Glad to be joining this group officially! Tax #1 was yesterday and so far I feel pretty good. Granted its 4am and I'm hungry but I think that's the steroids. The worst part for me was the Benadryl it burned a bit going in but a warm pack helped a lot. I'm a little more concerned about the herceptin and perjera they can both cause severe diarrhea. Anyone else getting herceptin?
Sinsin I hold bags of frozen peas. I start 30 mins before and continue throughout the infusion until they remove the IV. I've seen other women post about using specific cooling gloves and socks. Scroll back a page or 2 on this thread I think someone posted about them here. Hopefully someone will chime in.
Alycallie it may be sores IN your throat or thrush. I got them with AC and it felt like a sore throat. To me it felt like if I could reach it I could put my finger on it. It wasn't my whole throat. Hope that made sense. Biotene mouth rinse helps me a lot. But I'd talk to your MO to just in case it's thrush you will need a script.
0 -
Good morning. I really don't want to ice my hands and feet....i know I should do whatever it takes, but for some reason i can't see doing that. My onc said to take vitamin B. The nurses said that they haven't had many patients ice - and the ones that did were on taxotere, not taxol. Does anyone have any advice (or experience NOT icing?)
Along the same lines, I have one more AC treatment. I have eaten ice pops with each treatment and have not had any mouth sores. Every time I think about sucking another darn ice pop my stomach turns. Does anyone have any success stories for something other than ice pops? I'm thinking maybe a slurpee or frozen grapes???
0 -
I just finished Taxol #7. I've had no mouth sores, no neuropathy, just a little finger and toe tingling. My nails look fine, I do not ice them. They are really growing, though. I get the flushed face, insomnia, headaches, and belly pain. The belly pain goes from dull to kind of painful for a few minutes, and never sure if it's peristalsis pain. I usually need a warm rice pack to ease it. I didn't get any nausea until #6, that's kind of weird. It's not severe but I've had to take the meds. My treatments are on Thursdays and I don't feel well until Sunday. I have 5 more to go and then on to AC. Have a great weekend everyone!
0 -
Yes I had sore throat with all my chemos. I used what the oncologist prescribes for radiation sore throats. It had lidocaine to numb throat.
0 -
Sinsin and Jen, I just had taxol #11, yippe one more to go. I have some mild neuropathy, tingling in toes and ball of foot area (none in hands) which actually I can ignore all day while I am busy. Mostly I fell it in the evenings. Occasionally I get some tingling up the back of my calf but it is brief. Walking actually helps it. I take B6- 100 mg, B12 - 500 mcg, L glutamine 15 gms twice a day (powder mixed in juice) and co Q 10 -100 mg. the last one I started about 6 weeks ago when I was getting more muscle pain in my legs and it really helped. No Icing for me, I actually turn on the heat in the chemo chair and snuggle under a blanket.
Best wishes for your taxol, it is really so much easier then the AC I had for 8 weeks before it. No chemo brain any more.
0 -
I meant my nails are NOT growing, lol
0 -
I just got my Taxol/carboplatin treatment. 4th round of Taxol and 2nd carbo. I have tingly arms, hands, legs, feet and face tingling. I called my doc and he said it sounded like low calcium and b12. He said the next time I come in he will test my levels and give me a b shot. Anyone have it THAT bad. I am kinda freaking out. Tingling all over!! I would rather be throwing up than dealing with this.
0 -
Crazywabbit, do the supplements help with the neuropathy? Is that why you take them? I already pop 1000mcg of B-12 just because I already have fatigue. I wasn't aware of mouth sores for Taxol but I didn't get them with my previous chemo regimen of Epirubicin and Cytoxan so hopefully I'll get lucky again. Crossing fingers.
0 -
yes they are supposed to reduce the neuropathy risk. The L glutamine also may lessen the risk of diarrhea. I have never had loose stools. No mouth sores on taxol or AC, I used baking soda rinses on the AC but stopped after a few weeks of taxol.
Barbara
0 -
crazywabbit- congratulations on just having one more taxol to go!
I finished taxol just over 2 weeks ago. I didn't get any neuropathy. I got some occasional tingling on the tips of my fingers. I did get face swelling which hasn't gone away yet., It's has gotten better though. I have a lot more energy now. My taste buds are almost normal again. I am feeling better day by day. Good luck to you ladies - you can get through this!
I do have some hair fuzz growth - it's growing slower than I would like. This is a pic of my hair fuzz taken 2 weeks after I finished taxol.
0 -
Good to know Crazywabbit and big congrats on having one more chemo to go! Woohoo!
Septmom, yea for hair! LOL I never lost all of mine, I have some fuzz hanging in there it seems. And it's growing. Haha!
0 -
Calling all taxol/herceptin ladies. Just had my first tax + loading doses of herceptin and perjeta on Friday. Pre medicated with steroids but don't have to take them after. Saturday I was good. Sunday and today I'm more tired, lots of aches and pains, a little diarrhea and nausea. I took Zofran yesterday to help with both. I'm hoping most if this is the target therapy. Especially since they were loading doses. I guess I'll know for sure next week when I only get taxol.
0 -
Jules NY - I had weekly taxol + Herceptin, but no Perjeta. I had diarrhea after the first infusion, but mostly after that it was the opposite and I had to use OTC meds to get going. I got Herceptin every week along with taxol, but it sounds like you are not? I never had any nausea at all from taxol or Herceptin - maybe it's the Perjeta. I hope it was a one-time thing for you.
0 -
Well, just got my first dose of Taxol today and so far so good. On my previous chemo regiment I would feel the worst on my 4th and 5th days. Wondering if it will be the same with the Taxol. They had me ice my fingers for neuropathy and the pharmacist said I could try the B-6 and the glutamine if I wanted. So we'll see. I just hope this doesn't kick my butt like my last chemo.
0 -
Sinsin, I just had my 22 dose of taxol today! I find day 3-5 days is usually when I get symptoms, if I'm going to. Usually fatigue, sometimes bone/back pain, lack of taste, etc. So far the fatigue has been the worse. I ice my fingers/toes and take some supplements. I have some numbness, but it remains stable and so far has not gotten worse; it's more lack of sensation then complete numbness. I'm glad to hear your facility recommended icing; I found out on my own through another pt. & figured it can't hurt me. I believe it's also saving my nails, so far no lifting or losing of nails.
0
