Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013
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Suzanne: are you icing your hands and feet too? I do not use the cold caps but am icing feet and hands to prevent neuropathy. Agree, the first 10 minutes are the worst. I also eat ice the whole time toprevent mouth sores.
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My treatments are 3 weeks apart. I didn't ice my hands or feet last time. I actually hadn't heard about that. That on top of my caps would really make me a human popsicle. I am rinsing several times a day with salt/baking soda mixture in hopes to prevent mouth sores. So far my side effects have been manageable. I think the steroids have been keeping me up at night but last day for those were yesterday. Hopefully my sleep will improve. I feel a bit "off" at times but nothing too bad. I am just taking it day by day. I hope everyone is doing well. I try to remind myself everyday that "this too shall pass" and we will all get through this stronger and better. I am looking forward to all of this being behind me but for now, I just put one foot in front of the other.
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Going in for my last TC treatment tomorrow. D R E A D this but also can't wait to get it behind me. And oy those steroids! Sleep any body??? lol
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Congrats on reaching your last TC, Rebecca54. I wish you a speedy recovery and health! take care.0
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anybody had foot and ankle swelling as a result of tc? I'm almost 3 weeks out and it's bad!
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Rebecca 54, no foot and ankle swelling, but I did get really bad irritation on the back of my heels and ankles.. Lasted for about a week, could barely walk in my sneakers as it kept rubbing...then a week later it all blistered and peeled. MO says not a side effect of TC...only ACT... . So I guess there are certain side effects that you can get that are rare... Hope it goes away. Almost sounds like you are retaining water.. I had that after surgery.
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Rebecca54,
So sorry to hear about the foot and ankle swelling, hope you goes away soon.
Thunder7
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Rebecca, My friend had the ankle/calf swelling with TC. It eventually went away, a FEW MONTHS after treatment ended. She did take water pills from her oncologist and was told it is a side effect. It is temporary!
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Thanks you guys. I emailed my onc and no reply so I figured I wasn't dying but it's not listed as a SE. peace!
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My biggest SE is my lack of sleep on the steroids. I sleep about 2 hours/night for 5 nights while on them. My MO is cutting me back to one steroid/day for next round. He said 2 per day is overkill. Hopefully that will help. The sleep deprivation is a killer!
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Rebecca, I definitely have swollen feet and ankles. Also my hands and wrists. Are you by chance getting Zolodex injections?
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No Zolodexm but am getting Neulasta.I feel like my whole body is swollen!
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Hi. I'm glad I found this TC group. Yesterday I finished #2 if 4, so 50% completed. The SE haven't been too bad so far aside from plunging WBC and headaches on days 4 and 5 after chemo. Oh, the headaches.
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Hi, I had my second TC infusion on 24/8, 9 days later developed hives all over the body, lips were swollen as well. Got steroid jab and been on antihistamine medicine since. Hands and feet are still with rashes. Anyone has the similar experience? Thanks.
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Hi PinkYou are not alone with the rash/hives after TC. Here is a link to a thread specifically about that. https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/769465?page=1
I think the rash put me at one the lowest points ever in this whole process. Zyrtek worked great for me and then prevented it for my last infusion. Zyrtek is in the same family as Benedryl but lasts longer. Take good care of yourself and keep us posted!
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Hi Marksgirl, thank you for sharing the link. I am not sure if i can bare with the rash/hives through the next two treatments. I want to ask my MO next week if i can be switched to Abraxane.
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My skin got really bumpy -not acne, but I did get a few of those, too-- and the NP thinks it was the steroids for me. They cut the steroids in half for #2, and my skin looks fine this time on day 4.
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Hi Sloan15 - my steroids were cut in half for #3 so I can get some sleep this round! I hope it works. Round 3 is tomorrow.
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Suzanne, I just finished my steroids from round one last night, and I am seriously asking for a cut also to see if I can get more sleep. Good luck with Round Three and I will be very interested to hear what difference cutting the steroids makes!
Thanks, Octogirl.
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Suzanne and Octogirl - They cut my steroids in half for #2, and honestly, I hardly had any side effects this time! I was tired on day 3 of second treatment, but now I feel normal again. I felt closer to nausea this time (as steroids help help the stomach lining), but I was ready to take my meds if necessary. I didn't need anything except neupogen shots. Waaaaay better for me. Good luck. Let me know how it goes!
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Octogirl - I was averaging 2 hours sleep/night for the 5 nights on steroids and it was brutal! My MO says that I don't need that much - it's "overkill".....plus I haven't had any reaction to the taxotere so he felt comfortable cutting it back.
Will keep you posted!! Glad to hear that it is going well for you Sloan15!!
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Wishing each of you in the midst of chemoland the best and minimal side effects!!!! Glad each of you has found each other here and have found support !!!!
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I was wondering if there are any folks on this thread getting TC for Triple negative breast cancer because I am. I had my first dose on July 31st, 2nd on August 21st and had the Third this past Friday. so far it really hasn't been too bad, no nausea at all, steroids the day of treatment and two days after do play with my sleep some but feel like the benefits of taking them outweigh the sleep issue which wears off after stopping them.Then that is when the headaches and stiff neck start up a bit and after last treatment I had an annoying sore throat for several days. All of these things , though, were easily treated with ibuprofen and Tylenol in steady doses for several days. I have not needed the neulasta shot so far as my white blood cell counts and other counts have come back in a good enough range to not need the shot. I am grateful for that and hope that holds through my last treatment October 2nd. At first I was told I would probably do dose dense AC for 8weeks then followed by twelve weeks of Taxol but the Tumor board decided unanimously that TC for twelve weeks would be a better course of treatment for my early stage cancer. I have no complaints about avoiding Adriamycin and the longer and harsher course of treatment. Most triple negatives get the dose dense AC followed by Taxol. Anyway I take it all a day at a time and am thankful that so far it has not been as bad as I expected , knock on wood. Well, just wishing all of you ladies better, brighter, easier days ahead. Just keep the faith that they will come! Oh. I will be forgoing radiation after chemo and having a bilateral mastectomy . These dense breasts are too much of a worry for me now.
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Hi Ladies - thank you for your posts. There is so much encouragement and information on here, it's wonderful. I had a bi-lat mastectomy with reconstruction and am about 6 weeks post-op. I am beginning my chemo journey soon, having a port put in on Thursday and then chemo will start within a week or so after that. I'll have four treatments, one every three weeks. I'm crazy nervous and anxious about the chemo side effects, but all of the tips and stories on here have been extremely helpful. Thank you all for taking the time to post.
xoxo
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rok1 - sorry you're here but welcome. In addition to this thread, look for a chemo of the season. Sometimes they are monthly, like September 2015 chemo. And sometimes by the season, like fall 2015 chemo. It really helped me to follow along with people in treatment the same time I was.
Cinderella - welcome to you also. What a mess. Like I posted for rok1, hope you joined a chemo board to share with.
Interesting steroid discussion. I took one the day before chemo, two the day of chemo, one the day after and one on day four. Another cancer patient told me that tapering off to one & one really helped to avoid that huge drop. Note: I avoided any nausea and that was my goal.
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I was taking 2/day for 5 days starting the day before chemo. This round I am only taking one. The first night I slept! So a good sign. Today - chemo day- I had more steroid in my premeds ....before chemo so that may throw things off for tonight.
My first round I had a major crash after coming off of them. The second round I didn't sleep again but no major crash. I do feel that the steroids take awhile to get out of my system. It has been my biggest side effect. So am hoping this round is better.
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Suzanne I hated the steroids too (so did my poor husband)!
I took 1/2 Ambien when I was on steroids so I could sleep.
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Good news - the steroids cut back has made a difference in my sleep. I slept through the night last night. I do think my tummy is "off" a bit more this round than last two rounds. Would that be due to steroid cut back? I think it helps you feel better. At least I am sleeping.
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Suzanne, at my MO apt to check in a week post round one, I asked about the steroids. He said he can cut back a little but that it does help with the tummy issues among other things...so I think that could be a trade off. Would appreciate continuing to hear your updates and hope it goes well. Glad you got some sleep!
Octogirl
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I just finished my 5 days of steroids half dose. The good news is I got sleep every night. The bad news is I definitely felt worse all around - especially tummy so I agree, it is a trade off. I see my MO next Tuesday and I will discuss with him. I definitely felt better the first two rounds. I like my sleep but I also like to feel well. I just have one more round so we'll see.
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