Chemo starting October 2017
Comments
-
I love the tree pictures. Today is an emotional tiring day. I think you can all understand ❤️
0 -
'Twas the night before chemo, and I am hoped up on steroids. So a good day, energy wise. Trying not to dwell to much on what I am going through. Although I was upset about getting my baldy picture taken during gift opening this morning. Struggling with no hair of all things! Just being out and about and seeing women with their ponytails and top knots, gets to me. Miss my long hair but know it's such a trivial thought
Chemo #6 (of 10) tomorrow. Taxol #2.
0 -
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
0 -
I have been reading and following along the past week ladies. I just haven't mustered up much to chat. This last round of AC definitely took it out of me. Lots of side effects this time. And I'm nervous about starting Taxol tomorrow. I just wish it was all over, but I have three more months. It gets overwhelming to think about.
I tried to change my attitude yesterday a bit and focus on the fact that I am so lucky to have a treatable form of this disease and be spending Christmas with my family. It worked pretty well. :-)
I didn't feel great after breakfast with my family, so we came home and I took a zofran and an hour nap. I felt better for the rest of the day with my husband's family. It wasn't a bad Christmas, even if it wasn't quite normal.
Sara - Here's my tree. I like it, but there's a short in a couple of strands, so we are going to get a new one for next year. We all have special ornaments. My mom always got me and my brothers ones every year and I do the same for my boys. So no theme or colors scheme, but lots of memories. It's probably my favorite part of Christmas. We didn't put up all the decorations this year, but we put the tree and some of my "essentials". It was enough for this year.
0 -
Merry Christmas! Joyseeker- I know how you feel about being emotional. I have such torn feelings. Grateful to be alive and with my family but feel so sad that I am going through this. Just trying to be strong. Hang tough ladies! Taxol #2 today.
0 -
Just curious, doyou know how much your taxol dosage is? I see mine in 378 ml every 3 weeks (187/hr.)
0 -
Hi Jennifer- sitting in the chair right now and the bag says 250 m/l. I am on the once a week 12 week plan.
0 -
Hi Jennifer Tri Lady,
I too am in the chair right now receiving my fourth weekly Taxol.
The saline bag is 250 m/l but the dose is 150 mg weekly. They are still trying to tweak this as I had a severe reaction last week. They upped the benedry and the steroids and slowed the drip. So far, so good.
(Thanks Lisa for setting me straight on my math - chemo brain you know. Peanut butter in the freezer, stop at green lights- all kinds of crazy dumb mistakes)
0 -
Thank you Simbobby and Tri Lady. Yes I was in the chair today today. Appt @ 9:15am and I leave around 1:30pm when all said and done. I saw saline was added to the taxol (that put me over 500 ml when added together) plus the first saline that is started with the premeds of decadron, benadryl and pepcid. I still get those pushed due to the bag storage. My husband said I looked like a drunk after the benadryl since my nose get beat red and my face was hot.
0 -
Agatha- yes!!! My iPhone doesn't recognize my prints anymore!!!
0 -
OK weird new side effect to tonight. My face itches. Probably can't take any Benadryl since I assume I got a big dose today (not that I have any at home either). If it continues in the morning, I will call the nurse.
I washed my face with a gentle cleanser. I didn't have any makeup on today. Just a mild unscented face lotion.
0 -
Jennifer...bet it is the darned Taxol. I think we get the standard dose of benedryl. If so, you can take a dose 6 hours later. Do you have any paperwork stating what you got?
I am so not a side effect person. Usually never get any, but...Taxol is driving me nuts. My head itches all the time despite everything I have put on it. My forearms itch sporadically and I could scratch them raw if I didn't watch it. Hope you don't have itchy face for too long
.0 -
Well...no Taxol for me today. I might have strep. I knew I was battling something. I called the center on Friday and told them I had a temp of 100.4 and they put me on Levaquin. Apparently, that was not doing the trick. Last night, I discovered a nice old pocket on my right tonsil. This morning, I had a temp of 99.7 (an hour after ibuprofen) and the oncologist wanted to get me on a different antibiotic. She said the Levaquin was weak against strep. Then she sent me over to the hospital for a strep test. In the mean time, my port wouldn't work - again. They think they are going to have to give me a medicine that breaks up a clot every time I go in. :-(
I guess I'm excited to have a week off, but bummed this will go on a week longer. Oh and...my husband woke up with the stomach flu during the night. So I have to try to avoid him! Ummm...happy new year!!! Oh well. All this is temporary right?
My newest side effect is apparently from hormone changes. I told the oncologist this morning that I felt like I have arthritis. My hands/knuckles and feet are achey. She said (since I haven't had a period in two months), that it's likely from hormone changes. And we'll have to see after chemo if I end up going into menopause or getting my cycle back. I never knew the arthritic feeling was a side effect of that. Interesting.
Well - good luck to the rest of you today! I hope you fare better than I have!
0 -
Petey I hope you feel better soon! Insult to injury having a sick husband too.
Had MO apt today. Started my steroids for Doxetaxal #1 already. Got bad news that I have to go to Calgary (three hours away) for Rads rather than Lethbridge (one and a half away, could drive everyday). Upset about that. It means I will be away from my family a week at a time during Rads. Ugh. I wonder how many treatments I’ll have?
Back in the chair tomorrow. Saving grace is that I’m past the half way point
0 -
hugs Joy gl with rads n winter travels.. Can you stay in lodging through the week?
I am still having reactons to chemo 2 weeks out. I hope that comes to end soon. Hives n my chest gets tight. I start herceptin n tomixifin in jan. So nervous about more drugs. And reactions.
0 -
MrsWinnie. Yes. There is lodging. It’s honestly the fact that we will be calving then. I feel bad leaving all that to my husband and plus running the kids’ schedule. And. Since diagnosis I really hate being alone. I’ll have to take various visitors with me I suppose.
Hugs to you as well. I completely understand the fear of new drugs. I loath the unknown.
0 -
Hello ladies! Hope you all enjoyed a fabulous holiday with your family and friends. I had a great holiday, but I hit another bump in the road last night and then today I got unsettling news.
A week ago, my MO reduced my 4th Taxol by 25% because I was getting bad neuropathy as well as a host of other SEs, including fatigue, chills and fever. The reduction worked really well as I was actually functional most days, where as I was only getting 2 or 3 good days with the full strength dosage. I even had enough energy to enjoy Christmas with my extended family, and yesterday (Tuesday), after all the kids left, I had enough energy to give my house a much needed cleaning. But around 2pm, which would be Day 6 after Taxol, I started getting the dreaded chills and fever again. It followed the same pattern as the 2nd and 3rd round of Taxol except those happened much earlier in the cycle (Days 2-5) where this was Day 6. By 8pm, my teeth were chattering, I'd swaddled myself with a wool blanket AND an electric blanket, and still couldn't get warm, and my fever spiked to 101.8F. So I called the MO on call and he told me to keep my appointment to meet with the NP but that my chemo would probably be canceled. He also said I could take Tylenol to get my fever down.
I took one Tylenol and fell asleep instantly. I woke up a few times in the night desperate for water (I'm mouth breathing because my nose is so stuffed with goopy bloody mucous), and once I woke up and my entire sleep shirt was drenched. I'm so puzzled because all of these SEs had happened with the higher doses, but were mitigated after the reduction. And why on Day 6, when presumably much of the Taxol had already exited my body?
Anyway, I woke up fever free and feeling okay. Long story, to my amazement, because my fever didn't return, and my numbers were good, they allowed me to proceed with chemo. They did order a culture, but they didn't believe I had anything to worry about.
So the good news is that I am still on schedule to finish Taxol in 49 days.
The really bad news is that I met with the substitute NP, as my normal NP is on vacation. To my dismay, after referring to my scan, she immediately located the tumor (with her fingers) that my normal NP had declared to be gone several weeks ago! She said that it appeared to be around 2cm "so smaller than it started, no?" Well, my tumor started out at 1.8cm, so NOT smaller at all. So after 13 weeks of chemo, it may turn out that my TN tumor is chemo-resistant and that I'd have been better off doing a mastectomy from the beginning. I'm trying not to panic until I talk to my MO, but he's on vacation now and I'm not scheduled to meet with him until January 10th. I've already asked several times for an US to confirm that my tumor is shrinking, and they each have told me that this is not customary. Well, to hell with custom. I want to know for CERTAIN if my tumor is responding to treatment. If it isn't, then I want to stop chemo now and schedule surgery because if it's not effective against the tumor, how am I to know that the thing isn't duplicating itself?
Argh! After all these weeks of feeling positive, what a blow. I hate cancer.
0 -
Oh Lisa. Know we all understand. Hugs!
One thing I’ve clung too in my journey is the phrase “don’t borrow trouble”. It’s wise to wait for you MO.
I’ll be thinking and praying for you.
0 -
Oh Lisa, sorry you are going through this. This cancer battle is such a roller coaster of emotions and the unknown answers to our questions and thoughts.
I pray you get a US at least for peace of mind (I am going to push for another one since I am on this 3 week taxol cycle) and some reassurance from your MO.
It could just be dead tissue to. When I got my US after AC. The volume was down 95% from original size but the actual measurement was 50-60% reduced. I have never understood the different measurements. And I feel my own breasts looking for lump and am still unsure even what I am feeling (let alone some random NP). I find lots of lumps! I have fears the shrinkage I saw with AC will grow back with taxol. Just fears in my own head more than anything I have been told
I love Sara's saying about not borrowing trouble. I do think about it frequently. Along with "this too shall pass", to help with the anxiety. Although I find myself taking Ativan more frequently (for anxiety instead of sleep) which coming from someone before BC hardly ever would even take a Ibroprofen or anything.
0 -
Lisa, wow what a bummer. I hope the other np was feeling just random tissue and you get the u/s to help confirm what's going on. You're in my thoughts... hugs!
0 -
Thanks for your support, ladies. I had a restless night and plan on emailing my MO today asking for an US asap. We shall see what he says.
0 -
Checking in with everyone, I have been keeping up with posts over the last week.
Petty, Mrs. Winnie and LisaRX: So sorry for the problems and concerns, all of you are in my prayers!!
Sara (Joy) so sorry about the drive for Rads... I live out in the country and I am an hour away from treatment, but could have gone to specialty hospitals, at UVA or Duke, but they would have been 2-3 hour drives, so chose close to home. I would also be upset at the prospect of the distance.... hang in there!!! thinking of you.
Jennifer: Concerning the reaction to Taxol, I had that too, on the day after treatment, my face looked like it was very sunburned, I worked that day and even with makeup on it was bright red, but the next day it was gone... I did not have that reaction the first time I had Taxol... but will not be alarmed if it happens again, knowing it is temporary. Mine did not itch though, which is good.
I have #3 Taxol DD this coming Tuesday... and I must admit, I have been surprised by this past week. I had one day that I took an anti-nausea med in the morning, more of precaution than necessity and I never got that feeling of being out of breath just walking across the room, I do get out of breath some walking distances but it does not prevent me from moving a lot... I feel some heaviness in my legs but nothing like #1 Taxol. I do have aching in my knees, legs and feet at night...Still no nail problems, and I have not iced during my treatments...I am not wearing polish on my toes, so I can keep an eye on them!! I have felt like eating every day and my taste returned after 4-5 days, in time to enjoy Christmas celebration& food with family. I felt well enough to walk to work yesterday, worked 6 hours straight and walk back home... I was tired, but it felt good. It is only a mile to my office, but it was 28 degrees, only downside!! But very happy with this last Taxol treatment. It gives me hope that Taxol maybe isn't so bad afterall. I am thinking maybe it was lingering SE of the A/C combined with the #1 Taxol dose that got me. Just wanted to report some good news for those ready to start Taxol... so glad to keep each other posted.
0 -
Hair Courage. Here’s what’s left after 3 FEC treatments. I think what’s left is actually growing. I’m a bit of an odd ball with the hair I think. Three more months with toques!! We’ve got this!
0 -
Doxetaxel 1 of 3 is in the books. No reaction. And a good rest of the day. Hoping for minmal side effects. Only 2 treatments left! Woohoo!
I read a recipe for hair growth shampoo. I bottle baby shampoo. Ten drops rosemary essential oil. Ten drops lemon essential oil and two vitamin E capsules broken open and mixed in. Wash with this every other day. Leave on for ten minutes when you wash. Worth a try I think as we are all just about ready to grow hair!
Beautiful crystal-like snow here tonight. Praying for this good feeling to keep going (I know it will be a challenge when steroids wear off).
Love to all,
Sara
0 -
Thanks for the support & encouragement ladies.
Lisa - I didn't consider those two points, so thanks for bringing them up. I'm in the same boat, where I'm going back and forth between 1) the peace of mind of doing a BMX and 2) not wanting to do more surgery than absolutely necessary. I've been waiting for a medical opinion for weeks, but my surgeon and oncologist haven't gotten back to me - part of why I'm conflicted.
Jennifer - Best of luck with the taxol. I am also concerned it's too weak and don't want to go backwards, so I know how you feel.
Voilalia - Thanks for the analogy, I really do feel like it feels like a hard coral shell. Hope it's dead cells.
Hope you are all doing well.
0 -
Joyseeker I want your sideburns! I miss my eyelashes too!
0 -
Lisa, How frustrating and disappointing for you, hope you get some answers real soon to help you, and hope too that it is dead tissue hugs!
Jennifer I don't think missing hair is trivial , I personally hate it. I managed to wear my wig all day during Xmas days with extended family. I snapped at my dariling SIL who went to pull a bit out a bit that was caught. I was so scared my wig would just come off in front of nephews neices and In laws. She felt bad for me, I felt bad that I'd snapped.
Joyseeker thanks for your recipe for hair regrowth, really appreciate that. Ive been using baby shampoo daily, so I'll get the other ingredients to bring it on!
Ive just had my 4th and final AC. So that's chemo finished, just got to ride out the next 3 weeks of side effects and hope I don't get hubbies flu, were steering clear of each other.. Herceptin and AI's in 3 weeks, And rads in 5 weeks.
0 -
Trees100. The sideburns and bangs allow me to fake peopl out with a toque. It’s toque weather for a few more moths where I live so I’m hoping for no wig and hair for my sons grad at the end of May.
Binniebin I figure it’s a pretty harmless concoction. Makes me feel like I’m doing something. Lol.
0 -
Hi! I'm new to this site, and a friend suggested I find a group that started chemo at the same time as me. I'm a 44 year old single mom of an amazing 11 year old boy. I just started Taxol yesterday ( treatment 1 of 12). My hair is gone after the 4 dense doses of AC, and now my eyelashes and brows are almost gone.
Does anyone have any advice as to how to feel human again?
0 -
hey Laxmom sorry you had to join us but welcome. To feel normal.. When i feel good i try and be active. Even when im not feeling well getting up and doing something makes me feel better. Even if its sitting in the kitchen talking the kids through making dinner it helps. Hugs
Sara wish i could come n work the farm for you would love that. Hugs
Lisa thinking about you wish there was more i could say... Hugs
Felt good this morning so packed up xmas n cleaned house but now sad its gone. Dont want the new year to come i dont want another phase to start... Fk cancer.. Sad that i / we have lifetime battle n pills to go through.. Chemo was just such small part what we have to go through. %=÷+×%5
0
