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BMS
BMS Member Posts: 127
I am new to these discussion boards. I was diagnosed with breast cancer back in August. Three masses in one breast - clustered. Have gone through 4 rounds of TCH chemo (once every 3 weeks), then had to stop because of elevate liver enzymes. In the meantime, my MRI should great progress of the shrinking masses and we proceeded to surgery. Last week I had a lumpectomy and the pathology report showed all 11 lymph nodes removed were clean and the last remaining spot of any mass was only 1/8 of an inch. All has been removed.

Now I get to finish my chemo, but differently. Will replace Taxotere with Taxol and do three weekly doses, one week off, then three weekly again. After that, 6weeks of radiation combined with Herceptin every three weeks until September. Whew...it's a lot, but plowing through.

Can anyone tell me of the side effects of the weekly chemo treatments? Are they as bad as the every three week treatments?

Bonnie
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Comments

  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    Welcome
    Bonnie,

    I didn't have this kind of treatment but wanted to welcome you to the boards. I'm a two time survivor stage 4 bone mets. Your handling things very well and I wish you well as you continue your treatment, good news with the MRI!

    Terry
  • BMS
    BMS Member Posts: 127
    mom62 said:

    Welcome
    Bonnie,

    I didn't have this kind of treatment but wanted to welcome you to the boards. I'm a two time survivor stage 4 bone mets. Your handling things very well and I wish you well as you continue your treatment, good news with the MRI!

    Terry

    Thank you!
    Thanks for the welcome. Not looking forward to two more chemo rounds, but I am thinking of it as my "clean sweep." Any stray suckers will be swept away! Gotta have some fun with this, right? My treatments have become "chemotinis!"
  • mwallace1325
    mwallace1325 Member Posts: 806
    taxol
    first welcome to the site. i did 12 weekly rounds of taxol, no breaks in between. i had crazy, annoying side effects. my eyes teared all the time (use drops if it happens), i had heartburn and metal taste in my mouth. i was tired all the time (i'd done four rounds of A/C right before). i have dark circles under my eyes naturally, and during treatment i looked like a raccoon (furless of course).

    that being said, the treatment is doable. you've gotten great results from what's been done and that after all is what we want.

    be good to yourself. don't over do things. also, i've read many posts here from women who had no problems at all from taxol. my onc predicted that i wouldn't and all things considered they were really minor.

    let us know how you're doing.

    marge
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950

    taxol
    first welcome to the site. i did 12 weekly rounds of taxol, no breaks in between. i had crazy, annoying side effects. my eyes teared all the time (use drops if it happens), i had heartburn and metal taste in my mouth. i was tired all the time (i'd done four rounds of A/C right before). i have dark circles under my eyes naturally, and during treatment i looked like a raccoon (furless of course).

    that being said, the treatment is doable. you've gotten great results from what's been done and that after all is what we want.

    be good to yourself. don't over do things. also, i've read many posts here from women who had no problems at all from taxol. my onc predicted that i wouldn't and all things considered they were really minor.

    let us know how you're doing.

    marge

    Welcome BMS
    I only had the

    Welcome BMS
    I only had the every 3 weeks chemo, so can't help, but I wanted to say that we are glad you found us.
    Dee
  • woodsygal
    woodsygal Member Posts: 64
    Welcome!!!!
    I had weekly taxol treatments at the end of my chemo, I couldn't handle the larger dose every two weeks. I had no problems at all. I have heard of taxol causing joint pain, my late friend told me she had to take pain pills. I am so happy that your masses shrunk and no lymph nodes involved! Yippee!! Good luck, I am here for you!! I am doing well!!! Carlie
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    We're all different.
    I started with 4 A/C every 2 weeks - they weren't that bad at all. Hair left (most but not all), lost all sense of taste and appetite, eyes and nose ran like it was a spigot turned on, was tired 2 days out of the 2 weeks and it wasn't that bad of a tired, I could rest on those days and get relief. The Neulasta wasn't even bad for me - no pain, just went to sleep 2 hours (almost to the minute) for 2 hours after getting it. 2 weeks after last A/C I had a mod. rad. mast. and 3 weeks after that I started 12 weekly Taxol.

    The 12 weekly Taxol were another story though - it was NASTY. The rest of hair left, still no taste or appetite and complete and utter exhastion. I lived on the couch or bed only going to the bathroom other than going for the next infusion. Could not sleep - sleeping pills helped. The good thing was that the effect started leaving a week after the last one. The week after the last Taxol I started 25 rads whcih went well - feeling better with each week until after the end - burned bad.

    Didn't need Herceptin but have been on Femara for 11 1/2 months with no side effects I know of.

    Remember that we are each unique in how we handle what we are going through AND how our body handles it.

    Susan
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    Bonnie...
    First of all, welcome to the board. Very nice to meet you.

    I didn't have Taxol, but a cousin to Taxol, called Abraxane. That was after 4 A/C chemo.
    Then I had 33 rounds of rads. All of this was after mastectomy and lymph nodes.

    I did a year of Herceptin, an infusion every three weeks. I can tell you that it was easy to do. No real side effects from that, so hopefully, you will not have any problems with it.

    Best wishes,
    CR
  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    Hi Bonnie,
    I have

    Hi Bonnie,
    I have not had the treatment you are having but I did want to welcome you to the board. I have been through chemo taxotere, carboplatin,herceptin ended Oct 12Th Had surgery Nov 1, right side mastectomy and had six weeks of radiation w/bolas finished that last Saturday Whew.
    I wish you all the best with the rest of your treatment. It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on things and are in good spirits. But if there is anything we can do to help or just to talk we are here for you. So come often talk lots you now have 4000 sisters LOL
    Really it is nice to meet ya Take care Kay
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    Bonnie
    I just wanted to welcome you to the board. I had Taxotere/Cytoxan every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. Hope someone else has info for you.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • bjmom1
    bjmom1 Member Posts: 152
    welcome Bonnie
    Welcome to the board you going to meet some wonderful people here who is always there to give you support. Good luck on your treatment I hope it willl go smooth for you.

    Barb
  • bjmom1
    bjmom1 Member Posts: 152
    welcome Bonnie
    Welcome to the board you going to meet some wonderful people here who is always there to give you support. Good luck on your treatment I hope it willl go smooth for you.

    Barb
  • bjmom1
    bjmom1 Member Posts: 152
    welcome Bonnie
    Welcome to the board you going to meet some wonderful people here who is always there to give you support. Good luck on your treatment I hope it willl go smooth for you.

    Barb
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    Bonnie,
    Welcome and sorry

    Bonnie,
    Welcome and sorry you had to come here. Sounds promising that nodes were clean and the tumors shrunk. I didn't do chemo but others will chime in to let you know how they did. I will keep you in my prayers that you do well with the chemo, rads, and herceptin.
    Stef
  • pinkkari09
    pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877
    Welcome Bonnie!! As stated,
    Welcome Bonnie!! As stated, we are all different and this is just my experience with Taxol. After 4 rounds of A/C I was scheduled for 12 weekly rounds of taxol, we stopped at 11 because of the neuropathy (numb hands and feet, nerve pain). As for the other side effects, my eyes watered all the time, I was exhausted, I had the awful metal taste in my mouth, and I couldn't sleep. It's been a year now since I've had it and my neuropathy is still pretty bad, that's the biggest one for me. The metal taste, I recommend plastic silverware and of course lots of ice cream. Be good to yourself, and remember, we all react differently, don't want to scare you yet I know how nice it is to hear others experience. You sound like a true warrior!! Be kind to yourself.
    Hugz,
    ~Kari
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member

    Welcome Bonnie!! As stated,
    Welcome Bonnie!! As stated, we are all different and this is just my experience with Taxol. After 4 rounds of A/C I was scheduled for 12 weekly rounds of taxol, we stopped at 11 because of the neuropathy (numb hands and feet, nerve pain). As for the other side effects, my eyes watered all the time, I was exhausted, I had the awful metal taste in my mouth, and I couldn't sleep. It's been a year now since I've had it and my neuropathy is still pretty bad, that's the biggest one for me. The metal taste, I recommend plastic silverware and of course lots of ice cream. Be good to yourself, and remember, we all react differently, don't want to scare you yet I know how nice it is to hear others experience. You sound like a true warrior!! Be kind to yourself.
    Hugz,
    ~Kari

    Welcome Bonnie
    Glad you found us. A lot of great guys and gals here. I had 4 rounds of Taxol. I did get a lot of bone pain and hands were numb, but it was doable. ANything to help rid our bodies of the beast.
    Hugs,
    Wanda
  • aysemari
    aysemari Member Posts: 1,596 Member
    Welcome Bonnie =)
    So sorry to meet you here but glad you found us so you can get
    some great advice and unparalleled support.

    I had Taxotere and Carbo, main side effects for me were nausea,
    vomiting and later on joint problems. But unfortunately everyone's
    experience on chemo is very different. I certainly hope it won't be
    too hard on you.

    I am still on Herceptin, which is not so bad. I just have symptoms
    like a slight flu.

    Hope to see you post more!

    Hugs,
    Ayse
  • PinkPearl
    PinkPearl Member Posts: 280
    Welcome!
    Glad to meet you. So happy about the shrinking masses... that sounds like wonderful news. I am having T/C for 4 rounds and I think that will be the end of chemo for me (crossed fingers) so no advice but tons of wishes for good luck with your next round.
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    Bonnie, I also wanted to
    Bonnie, I also wanted to welcome you to this amazing group of even more amazing individuals. It sounds like you have made great progress in shrinking the masses and clear lymph nodes is awesome. I didn't have the same treatments but felt that whatever was necessary to get to the desired result (NED=No Evidence of Disease), I would do it. Wishing you strength to get through the remainder of treatments. Continue to post as someone is usually here 24/7. Good luck.
  • BMS
    BMS Member Posts: 127
    MyTurnNow said:

    Bonnie, I also wanted to
    Bonnie, I also wanted to welcome you to this amazing group of even more amazing individuals. It sounds like you have made great progress in shrinking the masses and clear lymph nodes is awesome. I didn't have the same treatments but felt that whatever was necessary to get to the desired result (NED=No Evidence of Disease), I would do it. Wishing you strength to get through the remainder of treatments. Continue to post as someone is usually here 24/7. Good luck.

    Thanks to you all...
    Thanks for the warm welcome. Feels good to be among those who understand.

    I am in good spirits and recovering from the lumpectomy and node removal. Next week I head back to the oncologist to talk about these last 2 chemos. He feels it needs to be done to make sure all the cells are gone. I agree. He also feels doing the smaller, weekly doses rather than the TCH/neulasta once every three weeks like I got before, will be easier on my system and less side effects. I certainly hope so.

    Right now my hair has sprouted, but I am guessing it will fall out again when we do these chemos...then I get to do the 30 rads.

    So much fun....

    Anyone located in the Washington, DC area?
  • GayleMc
    GayleMc Member Posts: 311 Member
    BMS said:

    Thanks to you all...
    Thanks for the warm welcome. Feels good to be among those who understand.

    I am in good spirits and recovering from the lumpectomy and node removal. Next week I head back to the oncologist to talk about these last 2 chemos. He feels it needs to be done to make sure all the cells are gone. I agree. He also feels doing the smaller, weekly doses rather than the TCH/neulasta once every three weeks like I got before, will be easier on my system and less side effects. I certainly hope so.

    Right now my hair has sprouted, but I am guessing it will fall out again when we do these chemos...then I get to do the 30 rads.

    So much fun....

    Anyone located in the Washington, DC area?

    Hi BMS, I'd like to welcome
    Hi BMS, I'd like to welcome you and send my best wishes to you. I do not live in the DC area anymore, but spent most of my life between NOVA and suburban MD. Where are you located? I miss the area very much.