Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013
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Jabe, I also had a "very very bubbly tummy", i think it was a reaction to the steroid Decadron I was also taking. My MO prescribed pills for me to take to settle my stomach - pantoloc. I took one pill daily while I was taking Decadron and that seemed to work.
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CatsRUs--good to know! Thanks so much
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Hi everyone. Thought I would share my first round ( because I will likely forget it like everything else thes days!): first treatment last Tuesday, 9/22. I had steroids day before, with treatment, and day after. Neulasta shot on Wednesday 9/23. Took Claritin day of and two days following shot.
Tuesday through Saturday felt like I had a flu. Low temp 99 - 99.5, very tired, a little achy, little appetite , constant annoying headache. No nauseous or stomach issues. Saturday evening my first ever case of heartburn but tums got under control. Appetite started to return but taste was leaving. A little scaly feeling starting to develop in mouth. In general I'd describe the week as not enjoyable, but manageable.
Sunday was hungry, less tired more achy. Monday I woke up and knew I had a temp and body aches were hitting in full force. Temp hovered around 100 but felt like someone was hitting my lower back with a baseball bat. Called the onc when it stayed at 100.4 and had to go in for bloodwork.
Long story short, two of my counts were below acceptable low so I was admitted to be safe. Got antibiotics and no sleep.
. Good news my counts were on the way back up in the morning and I was discharged Tuesday afternoon. Went home, showered ate and slept. I woke up today and slowly realized through the course of the day I was doing things without hitting the recliner after every task. Tonight I told my daughter I almost feel normal.
So that's it so far. I see my onc on Friday for bloodwork and round 2 is on target for 10/13 so I'll let you know how rest of this round goes if things change. I'm hoping it continues like today.
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Huggss Mommadigs. Hoping the hardest part is behind you and you're feeling better.
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mommadigs, glad to hear that things are in the upswing. I definitely had brain fog along with all the other SEs for 4 days, starting Saturday PM. I went through almost the same as you except fever never went above 99.4F. My doctor gave me some pain meds and it was a relief to take them when I really needed them. I also used a heating pad on my back which helped. Also, I go to an acupuncturist (some insurance pays for it so ask) which has helped me with my immune system, energy and pain. I get dose 2 tomorrow. I know better what to expect whether it is better, the same or worse. Again, great to hear you are doing well! Cheers!
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Momma, That was some ordeal! Hope your next infusion is much less eventful.
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I have pins and needles in my hands and feet 3 days after TC infusion #3. Did anyone only do 3 of 4 treatments and then stop? I don't want this neuropathy to get any worse!
Mammadigs - glad you're feeling a little better and are on schedule for #2.
aj93 --how are you feeling after #2?
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I had 4 treatments, I had some minor bouts with pins and needles in my hands but could never decide if it was chemo related or the way I was sitting/laying down.... it didn't last. I'm 11 weeks PFC and doing very well. I wish you all well and that you only have minimal andmanageable side effects. Take care.
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Sloan, I'm doing well! I think it's because I am still on dexamethasone. Otherwise, yesterday went smoothly. No issues, not complications. Half way done - woohoo!
Sorry to ask bc I am sure you already are probably doing it, are you taking B6 and L-glutamine?
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aj - halfway done is a huge woohoo for you!! (And yes on the B and lglutamine).
Catsrus- It feels better today compared to last night, but it's still a pretty icky SE. Congrats on doing well and feeling good 11 weeks out! Yay, a positive story!
(I have to admit, though, I still want to quit...)
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Sloan - I assume the pins and needles come and go? What does your MO say? I don't think you should quit though. Hang in there! You have one more treatment, yes?
My last one is Tuesday. I can't wait to get it over with. Crumple chemo up in a ball and throw it in the garbage. Sorry if i am repeating myself.
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Sloan, sorry about the neuropathy! You've come this far...hang in there. This forum has given me the strength and encouragement to move on. This time next year, all this will be a distant memory.
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Suzanne50 - the pins are petty constant in my fingertips, and I'm 6 days out from my 3rd treatment. This is hard. I don't want regrets either way. A lady on the neuropathy thread regrets her 4th treatment because of quality of life issues surrounding her permanent neuropathy. I'm asking her a few more questions, and I'll talk with my MO Monday.
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Sloan15 - totally agree with you about quality of life. And you had 0 node involvement so the chemo is probably just precautionary anyway. What was your Oncotype score? (not sure if I spelled that correctly?) Hopefully your MO can answer all your questions.
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Poking my head in here for a minute. I'll start Cytoxan & Taxotere Oct 20. Not looking forward to it, but it beats the alternative.
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suzanne - I didn't get that test, but it was estimated to be intermediate. So, Yes, precautionary. That's why I'm okay if I don't finish. QOL is so important.
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mustlovepoodles - Starting chemo is very stressful since you really don't know how you will react to it but I am here to tell you that I have had very few side effects from TC. I have continued to feel well enough and train for a marathon that is a month away! And I haven't missed a day of work from it either. Hopefully you will have minimal SEs as well. Take all the meds they give! Keep us posted!
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Mustlovepoodles - the unknown and waiting is the hardest part of all of this. I'm going in for my second round on Tuesday and am starting to get nervous all over again simply because it's my second round so how do I know what it will be like? See my earlier post on the first round; it was manageable and my team learned a few things about how I react to the drugs that will help with the second round. I hit my low blood count level early and ran a temp so I will get antibiotics with this round. I'm going to take Clariten longer with my Nuelasta shot and will manage the bone pain more aggressively. I truly have felt " normal" this past week, my appetite,taste and energy all came back. My team tells me the first round is likely indicative of how the rest will be with the exception of recovering, each will likely take a few days longer than the previous one.
Try to stay positive and calm, it is a strange experience. This discussion board has a lot of great info that will help you through.
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mommadigs, I hope all goes well with your second round. I had mine on 10/1 and honestly, I got back to normal about 1 day sooner with less side effects. I did things differently this time...like you, I stayed ahead of the pain, took Claritin daily for 5 days. Took zofran the moment I felt anything associated with possible nausea. Most of all, I took it much easier on myself. Worked from home more days and rested more. Not sure if tha made the difference but I found myself feeling better sooner and less SEs. I will be thinking of you!
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I had my 4th and final on Tuesday and am finally feeling like I am coming out of the chemo fog today. My experience was the first two rounds were manageable. The SEs minimal. I felt pretty good. 3rd round we lessened the steroids and I felt worse. Exhausted and didn't bounce back as quickly. Last round has been rougher than others. I am 5 days outs and turning the corner. So I do believe that they get slightly worse as you go along. But everyone has a difference experience. My stomach was off for the week and sleep was broken. I slept 10 hours/day. I hate not having energy but there was nothing I could do about it. It's my LAST one! Hang in there ladies! You will cross the chemo finish line soon! I will cheer for you when you are done!
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suzanne50: Congratulations!!! So happy for you, I can't wait for that last session to get here. Thanks for sharing your experience, I really find it helpful ( and comforting) knowing how others are reacting. Makes you feel less alone. Enjoy every minute of leaving the fog behind you!!
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aj93: thanks so much for the update. Our schedules are close. If I can stay ahead of the pain this time I will be happy. That caught me off guard the first time around. But other than that I hate complaining based on what others go through. Hope you are feeling better every day!
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I'd like to thank all of you for your help. I decided not to do my last treatment because of neuropathy. The MO totally agreed. I was having the chemo as "insurance", so he was good with it.
Suzanne - I decided to get the oncotestDX even if it is late and after chemo. Good call. Thanks.
Whew. Done.
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sloan, congratulations on finishing your treatment!
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So glad you are done Sloan!!! What a gift not to have to go through last treatment. It's all behind you now
No more SEs!!!!0 -
Suzanne, I had the same experience you did. First 2 were pretty easy, 3rd a little harder and the 4th the hardest. I'm 8 weeks out and have a little neuropathy but that's it. Hoping whatever you're feeling it doesn't last. You made it! Congrats!
I did 4 TC and cried my last one. Not sure if it was from relief or what. Never wanted to "ring the bell" because I felt like the BC sisters who did Adriamycin should do that. Looking back, here is what I know...it doesn't matter how many chemos you do, they all suck and we all deserve to "ring that darn bell"! Hoping to hear a lot of ringing around here! xo
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I couldn't agree more @Rebecca! I am starting to finally feel better after last week's chemo and I am so done with it. I never want to go through this again! I only hope and pray that it never comes back. That goes for all of us! I just want my normal life back. I can barely remember what that feels like. I keep telling myself "soon"......This will all be behind me soon.
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I'm done with my chemo, am in radiation, and my eyebrows are thinning. This is a common story. Lots of people talk about how the lashes and brows come and go for about 6 months, but I haven't heard from anyone who did 4 rounds of TC. Can someone in the TC group comment on eyelashes and brows? When do they come back and STAY?
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My eyebrows and lashes thinned as well. My last chemo was Oct. 6 and I am still losing strands of hair when I brush it in the morning. (I used cold caps so never lost all my hair). I haven't shaved legs or underarms in a long time. So nothing has come back yet. I am waiting!!!! 4 weeks out and anxiously waiting!!
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I lost my brows and eyelashes once, 2 to 3 months PFC! But both filled in very quickly so it was never as big a deal as the hairloss. The brows had a shadow of new growth right behind that is easy to follow with a pencil (heaven help me if I had to come up with a brow from nothing!!!) About 4 months PFC, I no longer looked like a cancer pt, enough hair to just look like a short haircut. So you can start to exhale, it really is almost over!
Jenny
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