Cytoxan Taxotere Chemo Ladies- February/March 2013
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Thanks for the tips! Day 4..yesterday was the worst..so diff between 1 and 2 for me..was felt everything little worse and also instead of being on the "mend" day 4..it was the added on with day 3. Today, day 5..is on the mend day...where frankly I feel like a really bad hangover (haven't drank in 14 years..but my how that feeling comes back..lol!). Don't think a bloody Mary will help this though!
Melrose-Im glad to see you are still in here as you have always been a wealth of great info and tips! I appreciate you sharing them!
Sara-Jeez! Foot pain sound awful!.. I haven't had any bone or foot pain ..have been taking clariten, even though not getting that shot..but figured what the hey! It can already be in me and I have allergies anyway..Having said that the first..and especially this time..I have had muscle spasms really bad..kidneys (when I try and do the smallest thing!) and diaphrahm and one day in my liver area, when I leaned the wrong way. It wasn't constant but enough that it hurt and brought on me taking muscle relaxers almost the whole time. Maybe your pain will skip the next time..here's hoping, right? How many do you have left?
Bikergirl-Thanks for tip! Hubs went out and got me some..and does seem to work..especially with dry mouth! Got the gum too.
FormyGrand-What are your thoughts about tea tree oil for the scalp? My stylist recomended using that some..they even use it as a therapy of some sort at their salon.
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sarajaneevans, check out the ingredients in the butter for allergens @ http://shop.jlexi.co.
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ckmoss,
typically, the natural properties in tea tree oil help to cure scalp issues like infections, itchiness and promotes a healthy and natural hair growth, which is possible only when you have a healthy scalp.I hope this helps.0 -
Franky + Nocompromise,
So far I'm feeling great, too! Today is day 10 for me from my first T/C treatment; my side effects are minimal to none . . . could be because I, like you Franky, ocassionally experience some of the SE in my regular life: allergies/sinus headaches, acid reflux, a little lower back pain every now and again and I eat plenty of fiber foods so loose stool is a somewhat regular for me. Keeping a positive attitude has a lot of value + benefit.
Let's keep the side effects at bay!!!
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Ckmoss..I started using shampoo with tree tea in it when my scalp got itchy and blotchy and it helped. I am using my husband's dandruff shampoo with tree tea...convenient since we had it in house.
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Well done for my granddaughter - keep up that +ve attitude - I am convinced it makes a world of difference
)
My spell check just changed you to 'dorky granddaughter ' !!!!0 -
Well, my stylist gave me a shampoo that has tree tea oil, peppermint and lavender in it. I tried it for first time today..of course, hasn't had time to work..but did make my head feel like a ball of ice...however, wasnt too unpleasent and smelled good!
This 2nd chemo will not go away. I woke today, my 6th day, with cold sweats and jittery feeling. I was in peri menopause (Im 47) when I was diagnosed..so today kinda felt like a bad day of that..although have been weak and tired. But, tonight feel like maybe I should feel better tomorrow..as this wasn't bad as yesterday. I have 2 more to go. I keep thinking about the whole pain in feet like walking on marbles (big ones!) ...hopefully not. I can tell you, after the first one..I was like oh I got this! Totally doable...! Now, I'm like a dog turned on his back to the chemo gods.."please dont hurt me". lol..
Well, I hope all of ya'll are having a peaceful evening!
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May I add-I used Miaderm during radiation and my skin did amazingly well. I would like to recommend it. I'm wishing ALL of you a great tomorrow.
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Wishing all of the Cytoxan/Taxotere gals a wonderful weekend and minimal side effects!!!!
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Hi, hope y'all can give me some insights! I had my first TC on 8/13, and by 8/18 started in with a real itchy rash. My MO, after trying to treat me for yeast (mouth and vagina also involved, and WBCs down to 1.2) - sent me to the Derm yesterday. He shot me up with 40 mg of kenalog, gave me a topical steroid and said he thinks it's a reaction to the TC. The rash is much better today.
What, in y'all's experience, is the MO likely to do? I'll call on Monday, of course, but I'm kinda antsy about it right now (of course, that could also be the kenalog ; ).0 -
Hi all. I guess I belong in this group. I had my first treatment last Friday and felt really good Friday and Saturday. I had an episode of dizziness and nausea on Sunday morning that lasted about an hour but then felt good again. Had to start the neupogen shot yesterday and I think that made me achy and feverish all last night. Today I feel yuck...like I have a mild case of the flu...achy and a weird pain in my side.
I guess it's all pretty normal for all the toxins floating around my body. Time to slow down anyway, I've been doing way too much!
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hi ladies, I started tc last weds and felt pretty good until today. Diarrhea and vey low back spasms. I have a desk job so didn't do much of that today, just trying to find a comfortable position. Anyone else have spasms?
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Yvonne, did you have neulasta? I didn't have mine until a week post 1st infusion, and THEN started in with back pain.
BTW, re my question above. The MO is having me start the decadron 2 days prior to the next infusion. All I know so far!0 -
Carol
Neulasta is best given 24hrs post chemo in order to get the boost at the time of your nadir
I had 8mg decadron by tablet night b4. Morning of chemo then 8mg I/V and the a further 3 doses night and morning finishing end of day 20 -
I had neulasta shot 24 hrs after treatment, so last Thursday. It is painful but is spasms that come every few seconds. I thought the pain from the shot would be bone pain not this.
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Carol. I took 2-4mg of decadron the night before chemo, morning and evening day of chemo and morning and evening day after treatment. I also received some in my IV with benadryl. I had an allergic reaction third round, one week after treatment and then again fourth treatment. We can only assume it wad the chemo or neualsta shot. Keep your eye on it and if you have another reaction call right away. Good luck!
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Those of you are who are receiving the Neulasta shot or Neuogen shots--- You may ask you onco if you can take the regular 24 hour Claritin for 7 days beginning the morning you receive the shot. There is an ongoing clinical trial that is investigating whether Claritin helps prevent the bone pain from the Neulasta/Neupogen. My onco did not know anything about taking Claritin until I talked to her about it. I took the Claritin and never had any bone pain. I did have joint pain and aches which are side effects of this chemo regimen.
Also... I had my shots given to me in my tummy where there is some body fat. I asked the nurse administering the shot if I could have it there instead of my arm since I didn't want a sore arm after the shot. The tummy turned out to be a good place to receive that shot.
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I'm taking the Claritin, probably it's helping. I suppose it's insurance issues that had them not give me the neulasta until they checked my wbc's one week later. Now I will always get it. I figured my counts might be low, so I had pre-taken the Claritin.
I'm supposed to start the decadron BEFORE #2 Next week, so we will see how it goes!0 -
Hi Ladies!
Ohhh My I am so glad to have found this thread. I have been reading each page for the last 3 hours. I too am on Cytoxan and Taxotere only as my chemo meds. I have two rounds to go. Third round is August 29th. I was looking to see if SEs were worse or stayed the same. I am hoping for nothing worse lol. My last treatment will be September 19th and after reading through the first 15 or so pages of this forum that healing is needed after chemo. I did not realize it would take 6 or 7 months. I have tissue expanders and my PS has said he would not do implants until after chemo is over and I am healed from it. I can't imagine waiting well into next year before I get my implants. I don't think I have the patience! LOL Thanks to all for letting me be here in a group that is more to my needs. Hugzzz to all!
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Accirding to research Bone Pain from neulasta shots should only be evident in less than 25% of patients - so grossly over exaggerated
I have self injected 2 x neulastas ( didn't have one round 1) into my tummy and have not bothered with any Claritin or pain meds and ALL GOOD - minimal pain or SEs
RC I personally am certainly not assuming it will take 6-7 mo to recover from chemo. Give me 10 days per cycle and I reckon I am pretty much back to normal energy levels give or take ( #3 definately took a day longer to bounce back - no more than that and #4 should be about the same no worse)
Unless you are having rads then I would imagine PS can proceed a month or so after chemo once your bloods are back to normal and infection is no longer a risk I would assume it is Rads that would delay procedures. More so
Hope you have minimal SEs and delays - good luck for 29th
I finish a week ahead of you on 13th0 -
RealityCheck, I don't think you'll need to wait 6+ months to finish your reconstruction... I didn't have recon but I'm pretty sure they just want your blood counts back up & no signs of illness/infection/etc. so maybe a couple months? I think the 6-7 months to recover is more about how long it will take you to feel like yourself again. I'm just over 10 weeks out and I feel pretty good for the most part but definitely have good days & bad days. Last week I was wiped out pretty much all week. Yesterday I unexpectedly just crashed mid-morning. Most days I am functioning almost normally but I suspect it will be many more weeks/months before I consistently feel well & have good energy. And unfortunately hormonal therapy takes its toll too.
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Must admit u til chemo finished I haven't even started to contemplate tamoxifen !!!!
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Good Morning Ladies!
NoCompromises and indenial - Thank you for telling me I won't have to wait the 6-7 months after chemo. I am going to call my PS after my last treatment and find out what exactly I need to do. I am not having rads. MO said I did not need those. That is why PS went ahead and put tissue expanders in during my BMx. I was expanded to the size I want to be before chemo started in July. That way when I am finished with chemo on September 19th I will be ready for implants after waiting for hopefully only a couple of months. I would like to have them by Christmas if all goes well. That way I can heal from that and let my scars lighten next year before I get nipple tattoos. I have been doing research on those during my down time.
This past couple of weeks has been so hard as far as being tired and my legs hurting when I walk. I know it's SEs but I am such an active person and this just deflates me a little. Not enough to get me depressed or anything like that, just down a little. Also my wigs itch. Can't stand them anymore. I've decided to go with the turbans and hats from this point on.
DH likes my bald head, he likes rubbing it LOL, says it brings him good luck. I am currently downing water as much as possible in prep for Thursdays treatment. Not looking forward to the mouth sores again but luckily they only last for about a week and a half before they calm down.
Hope all of you are doing well today!! Hugzzz!
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Hormonal Therapy wipes you out too? I did not know this. I am to start Tamoxifen after chemo. I heard that I will go into menopause but tiredness too? I don't want that.
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I've been on Tamox for almost a year now. The side effect that comes to mind is my "not so hot" hot flashes. One can definitely feel tired because of waking up in the middle of the night from a hot flash. I do experience leg and foot cramps which is also another side effect of the Tamox. I know there are some who are not wanting to take the Tamox once the chemo is finished because of the time period that one will take Tamox. However, once one considers how powerful that one little pill can be, the idea of taking pill becomes easier to accept. I take my Tamox for me, my family, and friends and also in honor of those triple negative women who wished that they had one more tool in their arsenal to keep the cancer at bay.
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Sorry, I did not mean to scare you about Tamoxifen! It is nothing like chemo & while I sometimes wish I didn't have to take it, it's really not horrible. I've been on it only 2 months so I don't know if it will get better or worse with time. I already had hot flashes from chemo and they've continued while on Tamox. They do wake me up often and that's probably the main cause of the tiredness! Also had some insomnia but that improved when I switched to taking Tamoxifen at night instead of morning. I have several other minor effects from the med but it's really not bad at all. There are a lot of Tamoxifen horror stories online but for me it hasn't been intolerable at all. For the most part I am just living my life normally and in many ways I feel better than I have in years!
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RealityCheck- The tiredness and fatigue is not unusual as you has complete more chemo rounds. That is a part of the culmulative effect of the chemo. Part of the tiredness may be attributed to the low red blood cell count that may occur from the chemo. You can check your red blood counts on the blood lab work that you may have done prior to each round of chemo. Fortunately, one can do something to help the red blood cells by eating foods with lots of iron. You can go to the livestrong.com website and put in a search for foods with iron. You should find several articles on what to eat. In general, lean red meat, spinach, iron enriched cereals ( ie Total/ Quaker Oats Oatmeal Squares), cream of wheat are just some of the foods. Also drinking orange juice with a meal is supposed to help with the iron absorption. I did not take any iron supplements during chemo although I asked my onco if I could. She told me that it is better to eat the nutrients one needs rather than taking a supplement.
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indenial - You didn't scare me, just kinda made me stop and think. I find myself doing more and more research but always have more questions lol.
Melrose - Thank you for the suggestions. I will be bulking up on my iron supply and hope it will help with this next treatment.
I did walk better today without pain so I am hoping it will last until after treatment. I'd like to get some exercise in before I have to sit on the sofa or sit in the chair again lol.
Hugzz to all!!
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RC-I'm not sure what type of reconstruction you are doing, plus all surgeons are different. I am doing the DIEP in Charleston, SC..its all this plastic surgeon has done since 1998 and they are super picky..but he said they will not do reconstruction until I am 3 months past chemo. Which is ok with me..as I've had so many surgeries through this..and now chemo..I am just plain damn tired! lol..I'm going to do mine first of Feb. However, one thing I have learned in this website..all oncologist, PS and surgeons are different...so yours might be different.
I'm dreading my 3rd infusion. My first one was not that bad..fatigue..actually, worse part to me was the nausea/steroid meds the first two days..clouded my mind, made me horribly jittery..but was over those and chemo SE by 4 day. My second time..kicked my butt! It took 6 days before I felt even halfway ok. Mainly horrible fatigue and diarrhea..plus like Vyonne..I got horrible kidney spasms every 2-3 hours. (I used heating pad)..I am not taking any type of shot for my cell count. Onc RN said was more than likely the cytoxan is hard on kidneys because they are processing/filtering the chemo through. They all seemed a bit baffled though.
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Hi ck!
I am doing tissue expanders with implant exchange after chemo. I am going to call my PS after my last chemo treatment and will see what he says. He's a very picky surgeon and any chance of germs or infection and he will wait til all is ok to go ahead. I truly like this fact about him. I am the one who gets impatient.
Speaking of impatience, I was not one to have any patience for anything. I have asked my God numerous times to please give me some. I think this may be his way of teaching me slowly. I never once thought it would take this long to get through diagnosis, surgery, treatment, and the finish (which has yet to happen) I am learning every day that I cannot do it all anymore and I must rest when I don't want to. I pushed myself first treatment and I think the second treatment is what woke me up. I never at any time thought I would be sitting on my butt or laying down and taking naps to get enough eneergy to finish a load of laundry...Yes I am learning patience. LOL
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