Weekly Taxol for Stage 4
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well I'm still in hospital going insane. I've just been told that I likely need a couple more days of IV antibiotics. I had an ultrasound and they drained a lot of fluid. There is talk that they may need to remove my implant.
I feel fine in fact I'm going stir crazy but I'm never going to get another chemo treatment until my Onc thinks we're on top of it so I'll have to grin and bear it.
Unfortunately my 19 yo and 16 yo will have to cope home alone for another couple of nights
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Shazzakelly,
I hate being in hospital, too, and that was before I had BC. Now I hate it even more. I can understand the stir crazy feeling especially when you feel OK. I am not a good patient, or very patient sometimes for that matter.
Sorry that they have a question mark over removing the implant. If it is the source of the infection, it may be best in the end, even if it is not what you wanted.
Did they drain the fluid from around the implant? You didn't say in your last post.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that you are able to get home to your children very soon.
Hugs, SW
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Hope things are getting better, Shazza. Will you be out today? Good luck.
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so it looks like I'm in till Monday now. The improvement is very very slow. As the infection is very deep seated they feel it will take sometime to sort out and I will likely be on some form of antibiotics for sometime. No chemo till I stop antibiotics. I'm not sure how I feel about that
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Shazzakelly, Wow, you are certainly being put through the ringer. Well, at least it sounds like the antibiotics are kicking in. I'm sorry about your kids having to be at home by themselves. If they're anything like mine were, they really don't mind it, in fact, often enjoyed it. As far as the chemo goes, don't know what to tell you other than the infection must go, first. Chemo makes your body less resistant to infection. Hang in there!
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Sorry to hear that you are going to be in hospital over the weekend. But at least things are getting better slowly and not staying the same or going the other way.
I understand your concerns about having your chemo delayed. Are you still taking the tamoxifen while all this is happening? It might help to keep things in check. Just my thought, I really don't know a lot about it.
Hope you can finally go home on Monday.
I have a kidney infection, Went to my GP this morning and have a prescription for trimethoprim. Dipstick was positive for blood, pus and protein. Sample went off to the lab and as long as it is sensitive to the antibiotic they have given me I should be able to have chemo as usual next week. This is the second one I have had in a month. I hope it is just coincidence and not anything more serious with my kidney. My last scans did not show kidney involvement.
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Shazza, I'm sorry to hear that you'll be stuck in hospital for another few days. Although it's good to know that the antibiotics are dealing with the infection, it's frustrating that it's working slowly. Thinking of you, hugs
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thanks guys for your good wishes. I think things are improving. My temp is under control now. My breast is still very very swollen but I think a bit less red. The dr told me this morning that my inflammatory markers are very high so things still aren't settled. I'm booked for another ultrasound on Monday but when I asked if I was going home after that he wasn't prepared to say. They have let me out for a few hours today between antibiotic doses and hopefully again tomorrow. I'm at home doing laundry and dishes.
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great to hear your doing a little better, always good to get time off to do the dishes; some thing's never change when your a mother.
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ShazzaKelly,
I hope you got home again today (Sunday - I have to keep in mind the time difference) between your antibiotics and that the infection is looking better.
I have my fingers crossed that the US on Monday shows enough improvement that you can go home with some oral medication.
I was a bit breathless this morning. I have put it down to taxol SE's (really tired today) and trying to do more around the house now that I have got rid of my stick and have both hands free, when getting about.
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Had my 3 month scan today (have had a total of 23 taxol infusions); results were "STABLE." Yes, I'll take that. Very slight reduction in 2 out of 3 liver mets, in mm; bone mets appear stable. After a long stretch of constant progression, this is defin. good news. So far, have had stable scans since beginning taxol at end of Sept. See MO tomorrow; little concerned cause of some neuropathy, not sure if there will be any tx/dose changes or not. Hate to "fix it" when it's working.
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Yay SyrMom that is great news 0
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Great news SyrMom! I hope your meeting with your MO goes well. I am not clear but did you have progression on taxol or were you on some other chemo when you had progression?
ShazzaKelly, Are you at home, or are you still in hospital?? How is the infection?
My UTI appears to have cleared up on the antibiotics based on the fact that I don't want to cry each time I go to bathroom. So I should be on track for No. 6 later this week. My onc was going to scan me after 6 treatments but is now scanning after 8. He is happy with my response so far based on symptoms. A bit of tingling in my left hand since the weekend so peripheral neuropathy may be starting.
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after over a week of fairly hard core IV antibiotics there is no improvement so I'm still in hospital and the implant is coming out tomorrow. Hopefully that will move things along.
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Shazzakelly,
I am so sorry to read that you are having to have the implant out. I hope that it will allow the infection to finally clear up. I am sure this is not something you wanted but it sounds as if it is needed as the infection hasn't cleared up with antibiotics alone.
I will keep my fingers crossed that all goes well.
Hugs,
SW
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ShazzaKelly & Springwatch ... thank you. Wishing you a quick recovery from your surgery, Shazza. Sounds like it needs to happen for your overall health. I've read about a number of women who have had to have this done and later have a successful surgery to redo it.
Springwatch, the tx that failed me were Femara (but got a good 18 months out of it initially), Faslodex (injection) and Xeloda (oral chemo).
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Shazza,
How did the surgery go? Hope you are not too uncomfortable.
SW
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first of all: Shazza here is hoping you feel better soon. Let us know how you are when you are up and about.
Meanwhile I have had some good news today. I had an appointment with my oncologist to get the results of the CT scan from last week. It seems taxol is working for me. The tumours in the lung are gone, the liver reduced remarkably and some decrease in the bones. So it makes up for all the pain of the chemo!
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That's great news Tigre55. Yay for taxol.
I only had my surgery this morning, a couple of emergencies bumped me down the list. Everything seems to be going well. After 11 nights in hospital I hope to be able to go home soon.
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Tigre, great result!! So glad taxol is working for you. Are you continuing with weekly taxol now ?
Shazza, pleased the op is over. Have they given you an idea of when you might be able to go home?
Sitting in hospital now having no. 6. Scans booked for early June to see if it is working.
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ShazzaKelly ... so glad to hear you have the surgery behind you! Hope you are feeling well and get home ASAP!!
Tigre55 ... great news!!! How long have you been on weekly taxol? I'm very interested in your liver met reduction as I, too, have mets there. Would you mind sharing how extensive your mets were and what taxol has done so far?
Saw my MO on Tues., staying on the same course, but not sure for how long due to increasing neuropathy. Makes me real nervous to finally have something I'm responding to and then may have to take it away!
Doing what I can to fight the neuropathy with vitamins, etc.
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SyrMom,
May I ask you about your neuropathy, please?
How bad is it and how far into your treatment were you before you noticed it?
I have some very mild pins and needles in my left hand but it is not interfering with using that hand as it seems to be confined to my finger tips. It comes and goes and is not constant.
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i had my 5th taxolinfusion on Monday and am starting to get a little tingling in hands and feet its not to bad but i was reading thru the posts and it sounds like the things i have going on are all se of taxol .the first niht after chemo i cannot sleep and then about Thursday i get tired but not to bad yet ,my markers are coming down so it is working and i certainly don't want to stop it .shazz so sorry to hear you are in the hospital i hope you et out soon .
chris
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Shazza,
Are you back home yet? I hope you have recovered from your op and the infection is finally clearing up.
Chris,
I am usually 'wired' after chemo because of the steroids. I don't sleep well the first couple of nights after treatment. Day 4 after treatment I am very tired and a bit wobbly, but I seem to recover each week in time for my next dose of chemo. The tingling has stayed in my left hand. Not bad, but I am aware of it. It doesn't stop me using it normally. Just a bit 'pins and needles' at the tips of 3 or 4 fingers.
Getting a bit apprehensive about my scans in two weeks. I think the taxol is working as I have been on it almost 2 months now and logically I would expect that symptoms from my lung mets would have been more noticeable, if it wasn't. I am still asymptomatic with the lung mets. I wish I could say the same about my bone mets. My pelvic mets ache everyday but probably haven't got any worse since I was first diagnosed.
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Hi All, I got home from the hospital after a 12 day stay so pleased to be home in my own bed. I had the drain out today and things seem to be going well. My Onc says no chemo tomorrow though so that will be 3 weeks off. I know it's not long in the scheme of things but it still makes me nervous. I think the Dex must have finally cleared my system as for the first time since I started taxol in September I'm actually sleeping ok. I'll make the most of it while I can.
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Yeh! Glad your home and you are healing. I know it can be a bit nerve racking having to skip treatment but enjoy the break. I am sure you will be back on it again soon.
Hugs, SW
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ShazzaKelly, Yea! Welcome home! Glad to hear you are on the mend.
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springwatch
thank you for the information that is the same thing the steroids are doing to me I get my infusions on Mondays and they keep me up for a couple nights and by Thursday I get really tired then by Monday im doing okay and then it starts all over again ,and I just have a little tingling in my hands and feet not bad it doesn't really bother me . thank you so much . I will be thinking about you and your scans ,,I hope all is well ,,,love chris
shazzakelly,
so nice to hear you are back home and on the mend . hopefully you will get back on track and I agree take advantage of it .
love chris
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Now it was my turn to go the hospital, though only for a few days..I passed out a few times and my oncologist got me in for blood transfusions. But I have always been low on blood count even before chemo. I feel better but weirdly it was like I had a personality change.. like the blood from another person kind of gave me the personality as well. Must be my imagination!!!
Good news Shazza, great you are home again.
SyrMom I started chemo within a week of the scan results 27/02/2014.. which according to the report while the mets to the lung were clear and measurable, the liver was : "numerous ill-defined foci of low attenuation were seen throughout the liver" and the latest scan from 07/05/2014 says "there has been a reduction in the size of any of the liver metasis which now appear to be more cystic or necrotic in nature" My oncologist showed them to me and while before they looked solid - now they look like water bubbles.. This was after 8 taxol sessions. Though I must say it has been a tough time. Beside fainting, constant nosebleed, my fingers and toes are almost half black and I have constant pain. Tomorrow I go for the 10th session and I see my oncologist in a week where we will talk about what happens next. Though I know she wants me to complete minimum 18 sessions. I cross fingers for your scan results.. Hope it goes well.
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tigre55, glad to hear you are feeling better & congratulations on your scan! Awesome!!
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