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Abraxane

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Comments

  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 740

    I'm sorry teachermom. It is upsetting. All I can say is its easier to get ready in the morning without doing hair. Probably doesn't help much. I have some stubborn little fuzzies that don't want to fall out, so my head looks like my grandpa's head. He was bald with a few short hairs that stood straight up. Hopefully the cold caps will work. 

  • klmpk
    klmpk Member Posts: 50

    Hi Everyone,

    I had my CA15-3 last week and it finally came down. From 343 to 290. Wow, I'm happy. But realistic now and know that's not a guarantee for the next one. I'm on the Abraxane 3 weeks on, 1 off and the Carboplatin. I'm actually going to be off for 3 weeks for a trip to Mexico. Hope it still keeps working. I should have a scan in mid Feb. after my 3rd cycle. I just finished my 2nd. My hair has almost all come out. Wearing caps at home and a wig in public. Last scan didn't have mets in primary organs just around colon. Who knows if it will stay like that. That's what frustrates me the most. No knowing much of anything about the future. I heard some sad news today about ladies leaving on other threads. We just have to try to be optimistic. There are so many long survivors on this site. It does give me hope.

    Karen

  • Teachermom2
    Teachermom2 Member Posts: 56

    Karen,

    Mexico sounds dreamy!! I start the same regiment Friday, but will be cold capping. I am praying it works. How are the side effects? What are you worst days?

    I hope everyone is feeling well!

    Amy

  • GracieM2007
    GracieM2007 Member Posts: 1,255

    I had number 16 on Abraxane today. Start of month six. I've had really good results in it, but just had a break, so praying it's still going to be as effective!



  • klmpk
    klmpk Member Posts: 50

    Hi Amy,

    Good luck with Abraxane. SEs haven't been too bad. I know I'm having some neuropathy , but i really don't know how to measure it. A little intestinal discomfort here and there, a little weird feeling, but nothing that flattens me out. I'm old and retired and I think you may have a young family. I actually do better when I'm busy. The hair loss is miserable so good luck with your cold capping. I keep trying to figure out which days are good or not so good. Maybe it has to do with when I'm busy. I can't seem to pin point which days. I'll just keep trying. This past week I had a very slight nausea on days 2 & 3 so I took a pill. It really seemed to take care of it. First time I've done that.

    Karen

  • Minnie72
    Minnie72 Member Posts: 46

    hi everyone,

    Started Abraxane today. I’m on every 3 weeks. When should I expect the hair to go? It seems most are on weekly. I would like to get a shirt hair cut to minimize the trauma or just have it shaved but not sure when to do so. I’ve had taxol before do I know how painful it will get.

    I wonder if I can still cold cap on my next one. This was a fast decision because the cancer has become aggressive they have to stop Keytruda and switch to chemo

    Thanks

    Minnie

  • Teachermom2
    Teachermom2 Member Posts: 56

    Minnie. I also started Abraxane today three weeks on, one off, with Carboplatin the first infusion of every cycle. I am cold capping and hoping for the best, but it has been suggested the combo is as hard as AC on the hair. I haven’t heard or read on this site of anyone else who has done it, so I have no idea. It is my understanding you must cap from the first infusion.

    I wish you all the best luck. And I hope everyone else is feeling well

  • Minnie72
    Minnie72 Member Posts: 46

    hi teachermom, I figured it’s too late so I am ordering wig and scarves on line instead. I am still trying to figure out when to cut/buzz. I shall wait and see when the shedding begins.

    Thanks and happy weekend to all!

  • Minnie72
    Minnie72 Member Posts: 46
    Hello everyone, well forget about the hair issue! I just had my first Abraxane this Friday and woke up very very stiff this morning! My whole shoulder muscles were spastic it was so hard to move! Is this a common side effect? I took Claritin since I had also Zometa at the same time. I and also taking Valtrex for shingles. It’s so hard to tell where SEs are coking from!
    Thanks
    M
  • GracieM2007
    GracieM2007 Member Posts: 1,255

    I've never experienced stiffness in abraxane. I have however had pain in places I knew hadbtumors.

  • Texan12
    Texan12 Member Posts: 3

    I am on the every 3 week dose (almost 5 weeks in). I had minor shedding about 2 weeks after first dose and major shedding 4 weeks after (such that I ran my hands through my newly veryshort hair and most of the remainder came out). I did cold caps my first time around 4 years ago so the bald thing is new and taking some getting used to.

    I have had a number of aches and pains (flu like but quite a bit worse) - mainly knees, back, and thighs - it was mainly days 3-5 after first dose but days 2-7 after second dose (difference potentially due to addition of Zometa). I was not great about the Claritin D thus far but will be this next time and see if it helps. I relied on a few Percocet to get thru the worst of it, it was the only thing that seemed to help. I have a scan this week to see what Abraxane has done thus far after 2 treatments - a lymph node in my neck that was palpable seems to have disappeared so I have high hopes that it has worked well on the liver so far too.

    Hope everyone else has kicked 2019 off with a bang, a good bang!

  • GracieM2007
    GracieM2007 Member Posts: 1,255

    Hi all! I just did number 17 of Abraxane! One more and I’ll have six months on. It has done some great things for my cancer, many spots completely resolved. Will stay on it now until it quits workinf

  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,739

    Congrats Gracie, I hope you enjoy the break 🙂

  • GracieM2007
    GracieM2007 Member Posts: 1,255

    My onc gave me a break at Christmas so now I’m back to it! Hope it still works

  • Teachermom2
    Teachermom2 Member Posts: 56

    Hi All,

    Well...had my first infusion of Abraxane with Carbo on Friday, felt a little sore yesterday and crummy today, but all manageable. I am just so tense wondering if my cold capping will be successful. I hate this.

    I hope you all are feeling well.


  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 740

    Hello everyone, I am having intense itching on my hands. I've had two cycles so far. (6 treatments). My last treatment was 8 days ago. Yesterday was my day off (week 4). The itching started Sunday night and it's extreme! I'm wondering if this is a side effect or something completely unrelated. I did the sharpie test to see if it was scabies and did not see evidence but I think it could be that. I didn't think about side effects til this morning. No rash or anything (yet). Thanks everyone. Hope you are all doing great. 

    Teachermom I hope you're feeling ok and are successful with the capping. I too get body aches that feel just like I'm getting the flu. At first it started 3 day after treatment but now it's the next day. Worse at night like the flu too.

  • Wanderingneedle
    Wanderingneedle Member Posts: 220

    HLB, are you possibly allergic? I found this article and it lists rash and itching as an allergic reaction not a side effect. http://www.oncohealth.eu/en/patient-area/understanding-cancer/patient-information-support/general-information/treatment/chemotherapy/listado-farmacos/abraxane

  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 740

    Wandering I'm not sure. If I'm allergic it just started. Also it started over a week after my last treatment, so I was thinking more along the lines of side effect. May as well just go to doctor. Yet again. Thanks!

  • Wanderingneedle
    Wanderingneedle Member Posts: 220

    it does mention rash/itching as a side effect. It says it gets better when you’re finished with treatments. I haven’t had anything like that just hair loss, fatigue and fogginess. I hope you find something that works.

  • Minnie72
    Minnie72 Member Posts: 46
    Hello all,
    I had my my first Abraxne last Friday and was fine over the weekend. Then Monday til now I have lost all energy and appetite...I am pretty much asleep all day. I have 11 and 14 year old who are pretty much independent but feel bad I can’t even talk to them anymore except to ask them to get things for me since I also developed LE and my left arm so swollen cannit even lift.
    Please tell me it will get better
    Thanks
    M
  • Teachermom2
    Teachermom2 Member Posts: 56

    Minnie I also started on Friday, but I am on the three weeks on, one off with Carbo regiment. So far the side effects have been ok, just icky feeling Monday and Tuesday, but yesterday felt much better. I did need a WBC shot yesterday, not unusual for me though. I would definitely bring your arm situation to your MO’s attention...we are subseptible to clots, and once I had serviere edema in my arm bc of that...I am now on daily blood thinners and all is well. Also, maybe the three weeks on one off might be better for you, I understand the side effects are better.

    I hope everyone is feeling well.

  • Minnie72
    Minnie72 Member Posts: 46

    thanks teacher mom. I am also having herceptin so MO scheduled very three weeks so they work together. The center is also almost an hour away so it helps fir us as well to not have to drive every week.
  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 740

    Update on itchy hands: after about 3 days of relentless itching it went away and I woke up with slightly swollen hands between the thumbs and forefinger. Now the tips of those finger are numb. So I guess maybe it was a weird precursor to neuropathy, idk. Just FYI if it ever happens to anyone. Don't start tearing apart the house looking for bugs lol!

  • Teachermom2
    Teachermom2 Member Posts: 56

    Hi All,

    Second infusion yesterday, Abraxane only carbo is only the first week, uneventful except for the frigid cap on my head ;-(. Last week we had seen trouble with the cap temperatures...so I am praying that didn’t screw the whole thing up. Not sure when shedding is supposed to start and the anxiety of that is bothering me more than any side effects..I know that’s crazy and a little vain/stupid, but it’s my way of dealing. Ugh

    Minnie I hope you are feeling better and have looked into the situation with your arm. HLB I too have some neuropathy from past chinos...finger tips and toes, but have never had the itchy, swelling symptom..that’s crazy.

    I hope everyone is feeling well..Wandering, KLMPK, Gracie, Texan....you all are in my thoughts as we navigate this shitty disease

  • Texan12
    Texan12 Member Posts: 3

    When I did Carbo and Taxol with Herceptin my first go round 4 years ago, cold caps worked amazingly well. Hope your experience is the same Teachermom! I had my hat debut at work the last 2 weeks and everyone that didn’t know about the recurrence knows now. My kids are taking the bald head in stride, which I am thankful for, they are 15 and 11 year old girls do you never know what you are going to get!

    I had a scan on Thursday so ready to hear good news when I go in for round 3 on Wednesday. I did not have to drink the creamy barium crap, which I was thankful for, was worried I wouldn’t be able to keep it down! They switched to water spiked with something that makes it taste like it came from a bad faucet, but much better than the creamy crap.

    Hope everyone has a great weekend. We are trying to stay warm in Texas, super cold front blew in just in time so a lazy indoor weekend is planned


  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 740

    Texan, I've been wearing a hat at work and most people don't really notice because it's something I frequently do anyway when I'm cold. Sometimes my head just gets too hot and I have to take it off, which I got caught at yesterday and coworker said "awwww look how cuuute" ! Haha. I do wish it just go completely bald but I have little fluffies all over.

    I start the third cycle Monday. My tm is down to 700+ which is good because they've been in the thousands for about two years now. My left eye has been runny for about a week. I get aches and chills at night that feels exactly like the flu (or whater it is when you get sick). But not bad during the day. My Christmas tree is still up. Mostly because I don't have the energy but partly because I like it.

    Hope everyone is doing OK. Teacher I am still hoping those caps work! I ordered some scarves and a volumizer for underneath that is supposed to make it appear as if you have a huge pile of hair wrapped up under the scarf, like an African queen or something lol! But it's too much for how hot my head gets and I think the volumizer is too tight for my big head that blocks out the sun.

  • Teachermom2
    Teachermom2 Member Posts: 56

    Hi All!

    Well, third infusion today...actually just took off my last cold cap! Glad that’s over!!

    Side effects have been really doable, just fatigue and feel icky two days...nothing specific, just overall icky. My counts have been tanking, I required two shots this week, and I was nervous that I would be sent packing today, but they cameup enough. now I am wondering...when does hairloss start? I do get Carboplatin with the first infusion, so I am not sure how that effects it, but not quite sure when to expect it to start...

    I hope everyone is feeling well! Have a great weekend

  • HLB
    HLB Member Posts: 740

    Teach mine started coming out right after the third treatment I think. 

  • JCSLibrarian
    JCSLibrarian Member Posts: 548

    I lost my hair after the second treatment of Abraxane. Went for an infusion today and my WBC count is dropping again. Does anyone know something I can do so I am allowed to complete the full cycle? I am adding food recommended on several sites, but am leery of adding vitamins without talking to my MO. Very frustrating.

  • Wanderingneedle
    Wanderingneedle Member Posts: 220

    JCS, I found some gummy vitamins on amazon that don’t have any antioxidants. I follow a low carb diet and they feel like wasted carbs but once I’m done with this treatment I can go back to using more powerful vitamins. They are Vitafusion Women’s Gummy vitamins. I’ve lost 60 pounds this last year starting with Keto and transitioning to low carb. It has helped my joints and energy level. I take care of my disabled son and watch his youngest after school so I need the energy

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