Who is starting chemo in September 2016?
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Taxol #2 is in the books! No reaction, no problems. I got the correct amount of Benadryl this time. Not overdosed with double the amount as I was last week. No extra potassium either. That was such a LONG time to sit there for all of that to go in. I had one day after the first Taxol treatment that I was tired and felt achy. It was on day 3. It could have been because I ran around like a crazy person the 2 days after treatment because I felt great. I talked to the NP about it and she said that first, she was glad I'm staying active, but that I way overdid it on the weekend, and second that I'm not allowing myself enough time to rest. She said that all chemo patients should take at least a half hour to an hour of total down time or sleep twice a day and pace ourselves the rest of the day. Also, she thought I may have been somewhat dehydrated. Ever since the last AC treatment I have been slacking on my water intake. I thought I'd be a good patient that day and when I got home from my appointment (after 4 stops for errands after that) I decided I'd rest a little. It lasted about 5 minutes. I picked up my laptop and then remembered I had an online class I needed to finish for my job. 2 1/2 hours and one fried brain later I was done and it was time to go pick up my 6 daycare kids from school. That was my rest. Welcome to my life!!
Have a great weekend everyone and if there are any veterans or current military members reading this, thank you for your service to this great country of ours. You deserve more than a single day of recognition!
Hugs to all!
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I had Taxol #3 today...no reaction..which is good...learned another fun fact about Taxol.....the nurses seen my black nails and black hands and asked if i am having any sensitivety there..i told her my nails have become sensitive...she said that she didn't want to alarm me..but sometime Taxol can make your nails come off...i said WHAT!!!....she said after chemo is finished...they will grow back....i said OMG!...I am praying that doesn't happen.
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So glad to see you other ladies getting through your Taxol without a reaction. *whew* They told me that when it happens, it is usually the first or second Taxol treatment. If you've taken 2 without incident, the odds of a reaction go way down.
I went back in today and received my first Abraxane infusion. It went smoothly, thank goodness. Since I managed to take my first Taxol without incident, I just have two more Abraxane treatments to go. They will be every 3 weeks though so it will be VERY tight to finish before Christmas which has been my goal. Fingers crossed.
seq24 - I remembered that you had Friday infusions and am so glad you posted. I was thinking about you.
nayda985 - My oncologist warned me about the nail issue. He recommended keeping them cut short to avoid putting pressure on them and if they get sensitive, bandage them to avoid the nail coming off. Good luck!
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Nayda--I was just reading about this last night. It happens on fingernails and toe nails sometimes with Taxol. I've been putting tea tree oil on my nails twice a day since I started Taxol. This is supposed to help with nail issues. Not sure if it works, but I looked back on the papers I got in chemo class and it even says it on there to use tea tree oil so maybe there's something to it. It smells awful but if it saves the nails it's worth it I guess.
Are you experiencing any neuropathy yet? I had Taxol #2 today. I've been icing my hands and feet to try to prevent that. I don't have anything yet but was told it can start at any time or even long after Taxol is done. Its supposed to help with nail problems too.
Can we just be done with this yet?!
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Leydi...I hurried up and cut all my nails all the way down....that is not what i want...I just want to say...F*** Cancer!
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I know this may sound like a stupid question...but where can i purchase tea tree oil???
Seg...after my First Taxol ...i experienced neuropathy....i would feel pain in my thighs..then it would move to my feet...then move to my fingers...So I started the vit b6...and i haven't felt anything...i gotta make sure i take everyday....i told my MO about the neuropathy pain and he said that sinced its moving around its okay for right now...he says that when it stays in one place..thats when its a problem.
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Nayda--I bought Tea Tree Oil at Walmart. It was about $8 for a bottle. They also sell it on Amazon and I'm sure at Walgreens too. It is hard on your skin if it gets on it. Makes it very dry. I use a cotton swab and put it on that way. I can control more of where it goes. I was using a cotton ball and that was bad news for my skin. I did read somewhere that you can dilute it 50/50 with other types of oil to make it not so harsh.
Are you sure the pain you felt in your thighs was neuropathy? I had similar pain in my back, legs and hips on day 3 and part of day 4 after the first Taxol treatment. I'd say it was moderate pain. I mentioned it to the nurse practitioner I saw yesterday after I had labs drawn and she said that is a common side effect of the Taxol and a lot of people experience it on days 2-4 after their infusion. She said to take tylenol or ibuprofen and the B6 (I take a B complex too) and also Claritin, just like we took for bone pain from the Neulasta. They also told me in my chemo class in Sept. that I should take Claritin daily all through Taxol treatment so I've been doing that too. Hopefully the claritin and vitamins are built up enough now that there won't be the pain this time. Give it a try if you aren't already.
Take care and keep us posted on how things go for you. Have a great weekend!
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Seq....thanks for your response...I am going to Walmart today and purchase me some tee tree oil....gotta keep my nails..lol...yes I am sure it was neuropathy pain....my MO confirmed it when I told him about...I am glad the b6 is working for me b/c I haven't felt anything since I have been taking it every morning...the Claritin didn't help me with my bone pain when I was on the nuelasta injecton...lol..but hey it may help with the nerve pain if it comes back.
Everyone have a great weekend
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Nayda-what dosage of B6 are you taking? Between the B complex I take and the B6 I am getting 150mg a day. Someone else mentioned it should be 200mg a day. Then the infusion nurse told me yesterday that too much B6 is really bad for us. I wonder how much is too much?
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Seq....I read that paper someone posted in the Taxol group...it says that you can take 50mg to 100mg a day..So since I am in the beginning of my Taxol run...I have been just taking 50 mg a day(which is working)...I also read on the Taxol group thread the neuropathy usually start at the end of the Taxol run....so I think towards the end I may have to change to the 100mg a day if it starts back acting up towards the end....if you scroll back in the Taxol thread you will see that someone posted the recommended dosage for the b6 and the l glutamine
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Hi ladies! Just had my final chemo on Thursday. I'm hoping this final round is easier than the third. The third knocked me on my butt. I still hadn't fully recovered when I was going in for the final round. I'm not sure if it's because I went back to work and am not resting enough, or just the way it would be anyway. Radiation is up next on the 17th.
Not sure if this helps the ladies with nail issues, but I was told to cut the tea tree oil with coconut oil.
Stay strong ladies and keep fighting!
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Congrats, ACS74, on your last chemo treatment! Woo-hoo. I hope your SE are very tolerable as you recover from the last treatment.
seq24 - I've seen 100 mg per day of B6 recommended as safe. My nurse practitioner advised me to take 200 mg B6 per day. . .but I was already complaining of symptoms. Be careful though, as I've also seen a study that too much B6 could make neuropathy symptoms worse.I
I seem to be doing ok after my first Abraxane infusion on Friday. Dry mouth has been the worst SE. Desert cotton mouth. Drinking only helps while I'm actually drinking. As soon as I stop, dry mouth again.
Also wanted to report in on tamoxifen. I'm almost to the bottom of my first bottle (90 days) and it has been completely uneventful. Some hot flashes that seem to come and go is all. I wish all of you heading soon to hormone treatments a similarly boring experience.
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this is what I was given, re: B6. NP wrote in notes. What are SEs of too much B6? Been dealing with the Big D, but assumed it was either from Taxol or the antibiotics I'm on for my head cold? Immonium isn't helping either.
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kdtheatre...have you tried L-Glutamine for diarrhea? I finally tried it this round ( absolutely nothing has worked before including all the Imodium in the world! Lol) and the L-G has improved my quality of life a lot!!! Powder not pill. NP says take 2-3 days before chemo (I didn't this time but will next) until there's no more diarrhea.
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For those of you that have finished or are about to finish HIGH 5!!!!!
Regarding losing nails, keep an eye on the white part, if it travels toward the end of the nail. This is what mine did before I lost them. I lost 8 of my toenails 6 months AFTER finishing chemo. No pain, no blood, it just pops off & has a new nail already under it, but the new nail is paper thin & softer. I never had any black.
Regarding neuropathy, it takes a long time to go away. I had it in my fingers, feet & face. My feet still have some, but hands & face are gone.
Recovery takes many months. They say whatever se's u have after a yr are probably permanent. For me about 1 1/2 yrs. Over the next couple of years u may or may not have chemo flashback. It feels like u did when u had your day 3-5. This for me got less & less with time.
You ladies are a very strong bunch with really good support here. keep up the good work, soon you'll have it in the rearview mirror. Hugs to all Fran
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Neuropathy seems to be the biggest problem Emily is dealing with. She is at day 5 after her 4th treatment, and it is already bad in her feet and hands. The L-Glutamine & B-6 don't appear to be helping. I'm worried this could end up being a long-term or permanent thing for her. We see her MO on Friday, so we'll bring it up again and see if they should adjust her schedule. She wants to stay on track, but I've read that delaying treatment might help.
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I was checking my blood lab results on my online patient portal and apparently my MO ran a hormone panel at my last treatment. Well, it's official. I'm in menopause. I knew it was coming and yet I'm still upset at this phase of my life being over. Silly, isn't it? It's not like I was going to have more kids and the damn hormones were trying to kill me anyway.
Speaking of hormones, I've always sweated a lot even before all this. But after each chemo treatment, I pretty much spend days 4 and 5 in bed, sleeping and sweating so much that I soak the bed. I'm convinced it is my body trying to get rid of the poison. Well, this time my dog licked me and then had explosive diarrhea the next day which she never has. I hope it was a coincidence and I didn't accidentally poison her.
I can't wait for all this be over. Good luck to all of you finishing up your treatments.
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Had AC #4 last Thursday, the last of that type. Fatigued and everything tasting bad, but going to try work tomorrow.
Doctor's appt is on Thursday, at which time I hope to find out what's next. The nurses say a PET scan 3 weeks after the last chemo. The doctor says after that more chemo (most likely), but he's not committing himself to anything. I really appreciate the way he is tailoring the treatment specifically for me, but at the same time the lack of knowing is driving me craaaazy.
docmama -- My big adventure out of the house today was to get and eat a Big Mac! The fries didn't taste good, but the burger was yummy. However, that is a lot of food compared to what I've been eating, so I hope I don't regret it.
bagsharon -- I had a hysterectomy in July, so was full speed into hot flashes before the chemo, but after the chemo? Yikes! That is really my worst symptom other than the queasiness. Hot flashes all day and night. Also, I accidently licked my lips after doing some sweating and yuck! That tasted like poison. The second week is much better than the first, though, so I hope the excessive sweating is over. (I would just assume your dog's D was a coincidence, though.)
Also, I am 53 (have 4 kids and 2 grandchildren) and chose to have a hysterectomy due to bleeding issues, but I was still sad. It's just the end of an era, I guess.
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Last chemo done, y'all. No fanfare, no bells, just the nurse congratulating and me tearing up. But I'm done, so grateful. On to surgery next year, and of course hormone therapy and ovarian suppression (appointment in a month). Hoping to have bearable SEs this week.... Thanks for including me on your journey ladies. Has been very helpful.
Sam, my doctor said if L glutamine and B6 don't help, there is a prescription painkiller for neuropathy. I don't remember the name, but can write when I pick up from pharmacy. Also Sam, acupuncture is a great help.
Bagsharon, I told my MO that I was sort of pleased that I still got my period, which meant my ovaries were doing there job. She would much rather they didn't, esp because the hormones are trying to kill me. So, no hormonal panel for me.
Best to all!
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Bagsharon-I've had that same wonder/worry about dog licking! My little shih-tzu rescue licks my legs nonstop...and I was worried she could get some of the chemo!?
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NotTheBoss, thanks for sharing that. I had my tubes tied while still in my 20s and an endometrial ablation over 15 years ago but dammit, my ovaries still worked! I'm glad I'm not the only one saddened by the official end of fertility even if it is pointless.
kdtheatre, I'm sorry if I alarmed you at my lame attempt at humor. I'm sure the dog licking and getting sick is just a coincidence or else something would have happened by now.
New symptom this time: neuropathy of the face. My whole face feels like I'm coming off Novocaine. Good times.
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Congrats to those finishing up chemo. I hope your bodies return to its normal state, it's new normal state, whatever that may be. I also hope your next leg of treatment is easy for you.
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So it is 8 pm and I'm still at work only because I'm trying to get up the energy to make the long drive home. How many of you still worked full time through chemotherapy?
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I've been trying to work through at my full-time job but after round 1 I've been finding it rough going the week after treatment to come in much at all due to SEs. Round 2 I made it in for a half-day out of four days I could have worked (Monday is at the clinic for IV fluids). Round 3 was a wipeout for that first week. This past time, I was in a day or so out of the 3 days I could have worked after round 4 treatment with TCHP.
Other than that post-treatment week and the actual treatment days, I've been making it in pretty well but usually not 8 hours a day.
It's definitely tiring. I was in at work today for eight hours including trips between buildings for meetings. Crashed as soon as I got home -- not as bad as yesterday when after just 4-5 hours at work, I took a 'short nap' when I got home that went from 7ish to midnight. Oops lol.
My job allows me to do a limited amount of work at home for training. So far I haven't attempted it. Most times if I'm at home and have that much energy, it gets used up catching up on errands or a little cleaning.
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congrats to the folks that has chemo in their rear mirror...waving bye bye
Bagsharon....I have worked my full time job the whole time I have been on chemo...I have chemo on Fridays and recuperate on the weekend...I did AC on Fridays when I was off on Saturday...b/c AC was hard...I wouldn't have been able to go in the next day..but now I am on weekly Taxol and it is no where near as hard as AC...just allot of fatigue with the Taxol....I am constantly sitting down at work..lol
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Wow, congrats to everyone that is finishing chemo! That is awesome!
I am also amazed by those of you who are still working! Pretty impressive!
I have some big appointments tomorrow. The first appointment is with my plastic surgeon and then with the breast surgeon. I have surgery planned for February 2nd. Pretty nerve wracking!
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Bagsharon, I have been working full time. Except since my infusions were in Tuesday or this last one Monday, I take day Thursday and Friday off. I've tried going on Thursday but had really hard time driving back or concentrating on work due to symptoms. Friday - sat were the worst , went back to work Monday. Though after round 3 fatigue and neuropathy were always in the background
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Granted, I have a desk job and I was only getting TC. My infusions were on Wednesdays and the chemo center has wifi so I was actually able to work during the infusions. I went into the office on Thursdays and Fridays since I was still on steroids. Weekends, I crashed. Mondays, I would still be weak so I would work from home. The last two infusions, Tuesdays became difficult but I still came into the office. By the following Wednesday, I'm usually back to myself. If I didn't have such an accommodating situation, I still think I could have worked full time with only taking 4 full days and 4 half days off.
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Congrats to those finished with chemo! That is great news!
I have 2 more to go and it has been rough. I am on day 6 of round 4 and I don't feel great but better than I have in the past by now.
I spoke way too soon after #3 by day 5 I was super sick and ended up in the ER on that Friday. I have all kinds of new meds to help me, unfortunately since my insurance is so messed up, I wasn't able to get them until day 4 and I needed to start one of them on day 1. I am praying that they helped anyway. My hemoglobin was 8.8 and they say if less than 8 I need to have a blood transfusion. I saw my MO last week Monday and she says she cannot feel the tumor anymore. Praying it stays that way and I am due to have my first follow up echo. Just waiting for them to call for my appointment. Praying my heart is tolerating the Herceptin.
Much love to all!
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Nayda, I also get my infusions on Friday to have the weekend to recover, but I think Sharon's arrangement is much better - I usually am running around like a maniac getting stuff done the weekends after my chemo. In hindsight, Wednesday would have been much better!. I have managed to keep working during treatment, but instead of a full 8 hours a day I'm down to 7 (it takes me a while to get going in the morning with the SE's namely the D). I have my next chemo the day after Thanksgiving!
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