Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013
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StrongEnough--
How did it go? I hope you are in a better place, as everyone says the first one is the hardest.
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It went. I was really dreading that first treatment, but that was actually the easy part. The 1st couple days were pretty uneventful, just the bad taste thing, and I got half a dose of Neulasta shot the day after chemo. I pretty much tried to go about my normal activities, just dealing with minor SE like tiredness, itchy head, constipation, indigestion/gas/heartburn, fuzzy tongue, metallic or cardboard taste, until day 6, when the back pain, migraines, and extreme fatigue hit me like a truck. I worked from bed that day (Monday), then dragged myself off to get blood drawn, then back to the couch. Then on day 7, a trainload of all that stuff hit me again. Took the day off, but had a follow up toxicity check with the MO, so hubby piled me into the car & took me there, where we were told, very calmly, that my WBC was very low and my temp was over 101, so I would need to go directly to the hospital. So that's neutropenia. Don't try it, take my word for it, it's no fun. I'm home now, feeling much better, got lots of IV fluids, 2 kinds of antibiotics, and neupogen to increase WBC. Also have another 5 days of antibiotics, and I have to go get some gum graft surgery that I was putting off before my next chemo. They say that is the most likely source of my unidentified infection.
Last Friday I talked to the surgeon about the port. She was completely ok with not doing it, but said she would double check with the MO to make sure there wasn't some other reason he wants it. I only have 3 more treatments, so we decided that we will take it one at a time and if I need it later, it can be done on short notice. She did show me where she puts them, a little lower and in from the bra strap. As I said, I have complete trust in her, but I feel like I should quit while I'm ahead! The last surgery was almost painless. I don't want to mess that up!
Looking forward to the next adventure! Here's hoping the worst is over. They are going to give me a bigger dose of Neulasta next time. Also, I will probably take it a bit easier.
SueBe, you start next week right? Don't let my experience freak you out, just learn from it! Drink lots of water before, during, and after, especially after. It was hard for me after the 1st day or so b/c water just tasted yucky. Stock up on Gatorade or some drink mix packets to put in water. I found one in my cabinet, citrus flavor crystal light energy, which has caffeine and b vitamins that works well as a coffee substitute, but then I didn't want to drink it too late in the day. Milk, oddly, also tastes just fine to me, and I've always liked milk, so drinking more of that. You don't want to get dehydrated! Also, monitor your temp, and if you get a low grade fever start taking Tylenol or Motrin to get on top of it. If your fever hits 100.4, call the doc or go to the ER. Maybe call the doc even before then. And rest, even if you don't think you need to. Those are my key take-aways from this week. Oh, and we are also going to pack a hospital go bag, just in case. Underwear, new toothbrush, deodorant, phone charger, all the stuff I wanted but didn't have with me when I left the house on Tuesday...
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so sorry strong enough...the huge thing is to drink a lot which is hard ! 100 oz daily was recommended a few days before , during and after chemo...I tried doing that and would chart my fluid intake to make sure I got near there...always had neulesta shot from the start...I only had a fever the 5 th treatment and called when it was 99.0 to stay on top of it..then got cipro and luckily in a couple of days it went away. But I do believe hydration is important...I also overdid it a few days after my first infusion...felt ok and went shopping...then it hit me like a Mac truck! After that I realized just because I felt good one day didn't mean I could resume normal activity....you just learn what your body needs...
Hoping your next one is easier!! Rosie
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I have a question for you ladies... Anyone having nail issues? My MO said one of the drugs (can't remember which one) can cause the nails to soften and possibly fall off. I'm resigned about the hair, but losing my nails would just add insult to injury! They seem to have had a growth spurt in the past week, and seem a bit sensitive... Is this any kind of indicator?
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StrongEnough - Taxotere definitely can cause nail problems. Many of us "iced" our nails in hopes of not losing them. I used frozen peas. For my hands I just put the peas in ziploc bags & dug my fingers in on a towel on my lap. For my toenails, I got insulated lunch carriers and wrapped the ziploc bags w/peas around my toes. Toss them in the freezer when you get home & re-use. Icing is best 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the 90 minutes Taxotere so I switched bags in the middle when they got too warm. I didn't ice my toenails the first time & I am losing my two big toe nails. I haven't lost any others. Like everything else with this darn cancer, some ladies lost all their nails & some had no problems at all. I was at a major medical center and no one else iced, nor did the nurses know much about it, but I swear by it. Some centers even have "cold gloves" for their patients. Good luck.
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I didn't lose my nails but I had black lines going up a few of them...I finished TAC June 2 nd and now those black lines are coming back...not sure what it is but this far out I still have slight nail issues and sensitivity as well as achy weak legs...no hair, don't care...getting on with living! Good luck Strongenough13!! Rosie
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StrongEnough, i was careless and didn't ice my fingers (two big thumbs) properly during my last chemo session, thinking it's all going to be over soon.. as a result.. i've slight darkening at the edge of my two thumbs (which didn't touch the ice packs properly but i was too complacent to move the ice packs around). Other than that, nails look find, though it did become thinner and more brittle.
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I'm starting Cytoxan/Taxotere next week. Getting nervous, but I'm glad I found BCO forum. Getting a lot of good information. Thank you all for sharing your experience.
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StrongEnough- Yes, I iced.during my 6 rounds of chemo. Here is what I noticed for at least 6 months or more after chemo.... there was a slight yellow tinge to my finger nails, there were horizontal indentions in my finger nails that seemed to indicate every round of chemo I had ( aka Beau's lines), my nails seemed to chip/tear more easily and were more brittle. As time as gone on, the discoloration grew out and my nails have become less brittle and chip less. I never had any nails blacken or fall off. It takes time to recover from chemo. I am two years out from my final round of chemo. Hang in there.....
I used ice in ziploc bags and stuffed my hands and feet into some Built neoprene wine bags. I did not have to replace the ice during my 1 1/2 hour icing session during the Taxotere infusion. I also wore some hand gauntlets ( fingerless gloves) to keep the main part of my hands warm and some thin short athletic socks on my feet so that the ice was not directly touching my skin. I know not everyone wants to go through the icing process for whatever reason. I wanted to ice because I thought it would be a way to possibly prevent nail damage and perhaps prevent the neuropathy. I also keep my fingernails/toe nails polished with some light pink nail polish and kept my nails short. I also used some Playtex kitchen gloves to wash dishes and clean around the house. I also made an effort to stop using my fingernails as tools for opening cardboard boxes and pulling out staples.
Hoping you do fine.....
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HockeyCat- Welcome..... we are here to help you through your chemo. If you have questions, please post. It may look like we aren't overly active here but we are definitely here. I know that you may start feeling a little anxious as the first round of chemo approaches. Keep breathing.... and know that you aren't alone. Hugs.....
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My nails have not fallen out but they are weak and have lines in them and so far no discoloring either just hope they don't get any worse.
HockeyCat we are here with you. Ask questions, vent if you need to take a deep breath and know you are not alone. Hugs!
Have a great day everyone!!
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Thank you Melrose & Debster! I saw my MO today to go over chemo. She answered all of our questions, gave me bunch of prescriptions, and gave me a big list of potential side effects. There are a lot! Hair loss, nail problem, C and/or D, alteration in taste, mouth scores, neuropathy, nausea, fatigues, and bone pain. Did you get all of them, or just a few?
Going shopping tomorrow to pick up the meds and some supplements to manage side effects. I also make an appointment for acupuncture. Hope it helps to get through this...
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HockeyCat, I had hair loss on day 14, the big C, and the horrible D, my taste buds went away for a few days and fatigue. I stayed on top of my nausea meds and didn't have any. My experience really wasn't as bad as others. I would have TX on Monday go to work on Tues and Wed and then by Wed evening I would start to feel tired and by Thurs I would feel horrible (flu like) and Fri morning I would emerge from my room, tired but much better. Good luck and just remember this site is wonderful and really helped me through some scary moments.
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Hi ladies-
So good to read your stories. I have my second chemo next Wednesday so I'm about day 14 now after first tx. I cut my hair about 8 days ago but so far its still intact. Waiting for it to come out but maybe it won't happen until after the next chemo.
Nancybel - your experience sounds similar to me. The first couple of days seemed fine (generally except for my face and chest got flushed, warm and red). I get my nuelasta shot 2 days after chemo and it was the day after the shot that I developed a fever and I began to realize I was not feeling well. I was so tired and weak though not bed ridden, but uninterested and probably unable to do much physical activity that I normally do. In fact I didn't even want to make dinner, and my body was like a motor running (I have to check on this for next time, may be that my heart was racing). I was hungry a lot and needed to drink a lot. It got better slowly a few days later. I had minor constipation for a few days, and then a week later turned slightly into the big D. Most of these SEs were manageable...except for the weakness and fever. Also I did not have so much bone pain, but definite stiffness. I'm now feeling better though my taste buds feel burnt but I have more energy so I'm gonna try to get a lot of stuff done before my next chemo.
Hockeycat and others just starting...good luck to you and hang in there! Stay strong!
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jetgal- Welcome!!! Glad you got through your first round of chemo. Let's hope that the next round is a little easier on you. I hope you know about taking regular 24 hour Claritin in conjunction with getting the Neulasta shot. There is an on going clinical trial to determine if the Claritin helps prevent the bone pain associated with the Neulasta shot. According to the clinical trial, one takes one regular 24 hour Claritin for 7 days starting the day that one receives the Neulasta shot. After asking my onco if it was okay for me to take the Claritin, I took it for 8-9 days with the first dosage the morning that I received my afternoon shot of Neulasta. I am assuming it worked since I didn't experience any bone pain but yet I still had muscles aches and joint pain associated with the chemo. As you have probably figured out, you will determine what works best for you to handle the side effects. Wishing you the best!!!!
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Wishing each of you a very peaceful and calm Labor Day weekend. If you are still in chemo, take it easy and rest. Just remember that if your side effects start to get a little more than you can handle, call your onco to get some help. You know you can call 24/7 anytime and any day since there should be an onco on call.
Sending many good thoughts to each of you..... Hang in there....... and keep moving forward.
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For those who have completed treatment and had radiation therapy, how soon after chemotherapy ended did you start radiation? I had my second round of TC on August 22nd, and at my next visit my MO said we would discuss options for radiation oncologists. I'm anxious to know how long until this entire process will be over, just need to look for that light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks.
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Greenwichvillager- Usually, the rads begin 3-4 weeks after the final round of chemo. The oncologist may see you 3 weeks after your final chemo to check to see how you are doing. You may meet with an RO before you finish chemo or right after you finish chemo. I understand one has a mapping session/simulation prior to receiving the first round of rads. You may want to talk to your oncos ( MO and RO) about the number of rads you will receive, whether you will receive boosts, how to help your skin to recover, are there any creams/ointments suggested ( ask about the Miaderm radiation cream). etc. So glad that you have two rounds of chemo done!!! I hope you are doing okay after this second round since I know the first one was tough.
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Greenwich - Welcome. I finished chemo in December and started radiation in February - so a month & a half off. Luckily my blood work came up enough in that time so I could proceed. I was like you & wanted to know ahead so I pushed my MO for names and went to interview ROs while I was still in chemo. I felt relieved to have that decision settled and had already chosen the doc, had a tour of those facilities and a preview of how it worked several months before I started. You won't know all the details - like exactly how long - but I at least got a feeling for the progression.
When you get a chance, fill in the info on your profile page since many things depend on your personal diagnosis & stats.
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Hey friends,
Sorry I haven’t been back in quite awhile. Hope everyone is doing well and managing SEs.
Rosie, I did get my port placed in my arm. All is well so far. And my situation is exactly the same as yours – lymph nodes removed on the right side in both 2001 and 2014, port in left arm, so they take my BP on my lower left wrist or my left ankle. And yes, I did lumpectomy first, and I always said that I would have a bilateral if I had a recurrence. To top it off, I received a BRCA2 positive test result after my second diagnosis, so that just sealed the deal for me. I never worried much at check-up time. After 13 years, I was very hopeful that I would continue on cancer free. Now after this second diagnosis, I will worry all the time, I think.
My first treatment went well. Greenwichvillager, I started with diarrhea on the following Monday and am still dealing with it 9 days later, but I am not dehydrated. Everything tastes horrible except ice cream and some soups, but I have lost weight since infusion #1. I was lifeless and had no energy for Days 5-12, and finally felt like I had a little pep in my step yesterday. The Neulasta bumped my WBC back up, and one week post chemo, my WBC and platelets were both fine, although my iron was low. I've always been amenic. The Claritin did help with bone and joint pain, but I never did feel energized by the steroids.
Everyone stay encouraged and hang in there!
One love,
tp4ever
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Hockeycat,I hope your first chemo went well. I was on Cytoxan and Taxotere and I had my last treatment today. I feel happy but not ecstatic. The advice that I would give you would be:
1. Take your nausea medicine for three days after chem whether you feel sick or not.
2. Drink a ton of water and if you feel like you might get a bladder infection (I did) get Cranberry juice and drink right away. The nurses did not tell me that Taxotere says right on the IV bag that you have to drink a lot of water. It can harm your kidneys.
3. If you get Nulasta shots take a Claritin or some other allergy pill the night before and for one week after. I learned that from someone on this forum and it really works to stop those body aches.
4. I did not ice my hands and feet but I should have. If you don't you may experience neuropathy. For me that only happened if I got too cold. SO I had gloves available.
5. Rest for your body but do as many normal activities for your mind. I was determined not to allow chemo to take my life away. So I still worked albeit part time, and did activities with my kids. I just took it slow and rested in the car.
You can inbox me if you want to talk further I am always open to share my experiences and advice.
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hey ladies, hope all still in treatment feels better and better each day!
would anyone here be able to help me with some infor? Is blood test done prior to each cycle of herceptin, or it stops when chemo stops?
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Yensmiles - I have blood work before each Herceptin. They don't have to wait on the results before they start the infusion, but they do test each time.
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nancybel, jetgal23, Faith4Life, thank you for sharing your experiences and offering your advices. My first infusion went smoothly. Benadryl made me drowsy in the beginning which helps when starting cold caps. I felt pretty normal on the first day. Now on Day 2, I got dry mouth and a little bit of tummy problems, that's it. I feel like I have this time bomb in my body to blow up with tons of side effects soon. Try to stay positive though. Taking all the meds & supplements. Going to acupuncture tomorrow as many ladies suggested. Hope all of these would help manage side effects.
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HockeyCat- Glad to hear that you made it through the first round of chemo!!! Hope that your side effects are minimal. You may want to try the Biotene to help with that dry mouth. Biotene also makes toothpaste and a gum, too. ( I know that Walgreens, Target, etc sells these) One of the possible side effects of dry mouth is having dental problems such as tooth decay. Do drink plenty of fluids to help flush that chemo out of your body. Just remember that if your side effects are escalating and you are unable to get a handle on them, you can always call your onco 24/7 , any time, any day for some help. There is always an on call onco to handle situations that occur at non office hours. Wishing you the best and everyone who is going through chemoland now.
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Hockeycat- Glad to hear you made it through #1. I had dry mouth and a few stomach issues the first couple of days, as well. I had nausea on days 3 & 4, but that was the only SE's I have had for the last two weeks. I kept waiting on more SE's to start but as long as I drank, drank and drank I had none. I have a calendar with a list of which meds to take on which days before and after chemo. I have round #2 on 9/11 and have already started drinking and getting my meds together to start taking them on Sunday. Enjoy acupuncture tomorrow and hope you continue to have minimal SE's. Detroit Redwings fan or Hockey Mom??
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Melrose - I'm using Biotene mouthwash, also got a spray today. It helps when I was at work. I'm drinking lots of water, tea, gatorade, etc. Try to flush it out of my system. I did well for the first 48 hours, but started feeling achy this afternoon. Is this that notorious bone pains from Neulasta? I started taking Claritin since the day of infusion though. It is not too bad yet. I took Tylernol after dinner, went for a little walk, and now resting.
Nomatterwhat - I am a Kings fan! I started as a Hockey girlfriend then wife, and now a Player!
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My apologies. What was I reading, DUH!!! I am a St. Louis Blues fan. Have a great weekend and take care of yourself.
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Hahaha no prob! Good to see another hockey fan here!
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Did anyone here have weird skin reactions? This week, I got some pimples. That was annoying but I figured that my hormones are confused, but then I've also gotten a couple of ,what I'm calling, skin lesions. They are somewhat painful to the touch and unattractive. I don't even know what to put on them...
Any ideas?
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