will be starting A.C.T. first week in Nov. and am really scared

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blazytracy
blazytracy Member Posts: 157
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I get my port put in on Friday, the 30th which is scary in itself! Then I finally found out which chemo drugs will be used for my chemo treatment - Adriamycin, Cytoxan, and Taxol. I will be starting them the following week which is the first week in November.

After reading all the side effects of these 3 drugs used in chemo, I am pretty scared! Are these the "standard" used or not? First of all, my immune system is already compromised as I had the kidney/pancreas transpant in 2005 and take 6-12 anti-rejection pills daily, next - alot of precautions say do not use if you have kidney disease (which I only have one transplanted kidney so the ability to "get rid of" the toxins by drinking water will take much longer than normal people take to get rid of them) and loss of feeling in hands and feet? I already have that from having diabetes for 30 years...is that going to get worse than it already is?? I am REALLY scared.

My onc is not worried so I guess I shouldn't be and I suppose everyone is scared for their first chemo. I still have a few days to "let it sink in" and I have a feeling that I will do some more phone calling at the clinic this coming week. I guess I would like to know who else has had these 3 drugs?

Oh, almost forgot, I also have to have Neulasta booster shot 24 hrs after each chemo treatment..?? This is to build your bones up or something?

I expect certain effects (hair loss, nausea, fatigue, etc) but what I really want to know is how you feel DIRECTLY after treatment? Can you drive yourself home? Do you need to go to bed when you get there? What about the next day? Can I go to work?

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch!

Tracy

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  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #2
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    Hi Tracy... Believe me, I
    Hi Tracy... Believe me, I know first hand how scary it is! I am always very anxious before any procedure, but somehow, chemo was probably the scariest! It's the fear of the unknown. I just had my first treatment yesterday. I am on Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. I thought it was referred to as TAC, but perhaps that's the difference between Taxotere and Taxol; don't know. I felt real fine after my treatment (but I still would suggest someone take you and stay there with you). I went to work today, but midday, I had to go for my Neulasta shot, which helps your body make more white cells. I am just now beginning to feel tired (although I was up @ 5:15 and began exercising for the first time in 4 months), and my muscles are starting to feel a little achey (the side affect from the Neulasta I would imagine). I guess I'm expecting to feel more tired as time goes on, but so far, so good, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined. I have heard many times on here that everyone is different. Hope I helped a little bit, Tracy. My doctor also gave me Xanex intravenously before the treatment so that it wouldn't be as terrifying I would imagine, and I must say... it DID put me in LALA land :) I'm sure you will be very fine!
  • blazytracy
    blazytracy Member Posts: 157
    #3
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    Marlene_K said:

    Hi Tracy... Believe me, I
    Hi Tracy... Believe me, I know first hand how scary it is! I am always very anxious before any procedure, but somehow, chemo was probably the scariest! It's the fear of the unknown. I just had my first treatment yesterday. I am on Taxotere, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. I thought it was referred to as TAC, but perhaps that's the difference between Taxotere and Taxol; don't know. I felt real fine after my treatment (but I still would suggest someone take you and stay there with you). I went to work today, but midday, I had to go for my Neulasta shot, which helps your body make more white cells. I am just now beginning to feel tired (although I was up @ 5:15 and began exercising for the first time in 4 months), and my muscles are starting to feel a little achey (the side affect from the Neulasta I would imagine). I guess I'm expecting to feel more tired as time goes on, but so far, so good, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined. I have heard many times on here that everyone is different. Hope I helped a little bit, Tracy. My doctor also gave me Xanex intravenously before the treatment so that it wouldn't be as terrifying I would imagine, and I must say... it DID put me in LALA land :) I'm sure you will be very fine!

    Thanks Marlene!
    Thanks Marlene, I am so scared and I am so glad that you felt fine. And also WOW, you exercised! That is awesome! I haven't went to the gym for quite a long time! My husband does plan to come with me for the first one so I am glad about that. I saw the "room" where you go and it reminded me perfectly about when I was on dialysis before I got my transplants. It was pretty much the same. I just am scared cuz I am already immunosuppressed and everything pretty much affects me twice as hard as other people..that is GREAT that you went to work the next day cuz that is what I want to do! Thanks Marlene for your concern.
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #4
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    blazytracy said:

    Thanks Marlene!
    Thanks Marlene, I am so scared and I am so glad that you felt fine. And also WOW, you exercised! That is awesome! I haven't went to the gym for quite a long time! My husband does plan to come with me for the first one so I am glad about that. I saw the "room" where you go and it reminded me perfectly about when I was on dialysis before I got my transplants. It was pretty much the same. I just am scared cuz I am already immunosuppressed and everything pretty much affects me twice as hard as other people..that is GREAT that you went to work the next day cuz that is what I want to do! Thanks Marlene for your concern.

    Blazy,
    I can bet from the info about your medical history that you have given your onc that he will be aware of all of that and take it into consideration while you are "under his/her wings". I'm sure you are very worried about all of it-I know I would be too!
    Just drink PLENTY of water during and after chemo-very important-especially for you!! And sleep or rest when you can(try not to worry so much about housework or anything like that-this is your time to"milk it"if you can...)
  • meena1
    meena1 Member Posts: 1,003
    #5
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    outdoorgirl said:

    Blazy,
    I can bet from the info about your medical history that you have given your onc that he will be aware of all of that and take it into consideration while you are "under his/her wings". I'm sure you are very worried about all of it-I know I would be too!
    Just drink PLENTY of water during and after chemo-very important-especially for you!! And sleep or rest when you can(try not to worry so much about housework or anything like that-this is your time to"milk it"if you can...)

    i was on Taxol, and i did
    i was on Taxol, and i did not have much of a problem. The first few times, my hubby drove me but he had to work, so i drove myself to and from chemo. I did not have any family to help me. I did ok, but i really wouldn't recommend it since they give you benadryl and it makes you sleepy, plus I was a little tired after chemo anyway. Chemo sounds worse than it really is, i worked full time, also. But everyone is different. if you can, get as much help as you can. I walked every day during chemo, i just had some digestive problems. Take care and i hope you do well
  • Tux
    Tux Member Posts: 544
    #6
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    meena1 said:

    i was on Taxol, and i did
    i was on Taxol, and i did not have much of a problem. The first few times, my hubby drove me but he had to work, so i drove myself to and from chemo. I did not have any family to help me. I did ok, but i really wouldn't recommend it since they give you benadryl and it makes you sleepy, plus I was a little tired after chemo anyway. Chemo sounds worse than it really is, i worked full time, also. But everyone is different. if you can, get as much help as you can. I walked every day during chemo, i just had some digestive problems. Take care and i hope you do well

    Good luck in your
    Good luck in your treatments, Blazy. My thoughts & prayers will be with you in the coming weeks.
  • Aortus
    Aortus Member Posts: 967
    #7
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    TAC chemo
    My beloved Moopy started 6 rounds of TAC (Taxotere, Adriamycin, Cytoxan) chemo in January of this year. For the first three rounds I kept a little diary on my blog site here, just to get a handle on what we could expect with each round of chemo. I stopped keeping it after that point, because we had the routine pretty well down. If you're interested in reading my little blog, all you have to do is go to my CSN home page and click on "blogs."

    Good luck and God bless!
    Joe
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #8
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    same cocktail
    I posted this wonderful reply with bunches of helpful info, and it when flying through cyberspace never to be seen again.....

    Cat

    shoot, tried again, and gone again. maybe short posts are OK?
    I had the same cocktail as you, it seems to be fairly common. I had four rounds of A/C, then four rounds of Taxol. Infusions on Friday, able to play in my yard, digging, planting even built a retaining wall on the hill. My hubby always insisted on driving me to and from treatment, but I would have been able to do it myself, I did appreciate him being there for the "just in case" though.
    Never missed work except my chemo days, because they usually took about six hours from beginning to end. Here's hoping it will be as easy as possible for you. Let us know how it goes.
    (copy/pasted this three times for it to post all)
    Cat
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #9
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    Hang in there
    I had A/C for 4 cycles and then 4 cycles of Taxotere. Plus everyone is different anyway. But I wanted to say good luck. It's good your husband will be with you for support anyway.
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    #10
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    It's the Fear of the unkown.
    It's the Fear of the unkown. Tracy, my first round had me unnerved until it actually happened and it went without incident. I had great support from the nurses and lady's sitting there getting their chemo. They were all inspiring and calming. I'm getting Adriamycin and Cytoxan. If my white counts are up tomorrow, I'll get my 2nd round this Tuesday. I'm saying a prayer for you. so happy your hubby is going with you.
  • xskeetshooter
    xskeetshooter Member Posts: 169
    #11
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    i had the same
    you dont feel nothing during chemo, i was scared too. its ok dont worry/ make sure you eat ice chips while doing chemo.it will help with the mouth sores. as long as you take the medication for the mouth sores the are liveable.i make sure i started the mouth sore medication on the 4th day after chemo, if i didnt they got bad.good luck. its like having a baby, you hear all the horror stories, the drugs they give you makes it easy
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #12
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    xskeetshooter said:

    i had the same
    you dont feel nothing during chemo, i was scared too. its ok dont worry/ make sure you eat ice chips while doing chemo.it will help with the mouth sores. as long as you take the medication for the mouth sores the are liveable.i make sure i started the mouth sore medication on the 4th day after chemo, if i didnt they got bad.good luck. its like having a baby, you hear all the horror stories, the drugs they give you makes it easy

    Site did not work
    Hi Tracy,
    I tried to reply, but site did not work.
    I think you need to be in contact with your primary care physician and your urologist or doctors who monitored you after your kidney surgery. You probably need additional blood tests during you Chemo to be sure your kidney have been functioning well.
    Good luck

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