Beginning chemo on Monday.

I took cytoxan back in 1987 and I am on taxotere now.  Both tend to knock your white blood cells down and you may need neulasta or neupogen. 

I started with a low white blood count (3000) before taxotere (normal is about 4,000-10,000).   After taxotere, it dipped to 500 and I ended in the hospital on antibiotics and received 7 shots of neupogen.  Now I get neulasta (a longer acting med to increase white blood count) and I am doing much, much better! 

Both drugs have caused me nausea, but I am prone to that.  I am doing well now on zofran 3 X day.

I have had trouble with oral thrush (whitish coating on tongue and palate that makes everything taste terrible) on taxotere.  I am now on nystatin for the duration of the chemo.  Annoying, but not a huge deal.

The great news is that chemo gave me a long remission the first time and it looks like I may be headed to remission again (my liver function tests are normal or near normal for the first time since February)!  Sending healing hugs and prayers!!!!

Let us know how you do and, if you have problems or questions, feel free to private message me.  I probably have forgotten some things. 

Cytoxan I did with Adriamycin four times, every other week.  Then I did taxol four times, every other week.  My oncologist had me come in the day after for a neulasta shot.  I never had a problem with my numbers.  In fact, there were times when my oncologist wasn't so sure I needed the neulasta, but he had me do it just to be on the safe side. 

The CA combo was such that I did take the anti-puke drugs for a few days afterwards.  Never had a problem with nausea, although there was a day or two each time that I felt a little queasy.  With the taxol, I did not take that med.  I also had steroids I took for a few days after each infusion.

I have no idea how oncologists decide which direction to send us, as it seems there are a variety of chemos done -- as you may had already seen as you peruse the boards.

I was doing chemo last year at this time, finishing mid-July.  I am feeling and doing well.  You will too, after the treatments are all behind  you.

Best wishes.

Faith_In_God said:

The immunity shot

Yours is neulasta, they come in different brand names (mine was called Granocyte 34 and they were several shots). They are all called immunity shots because they stimulate the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells which are basically responsible from our immunity against diseases.

Please ask your doctor about pain medications when you take your first chemo session. You will take the immunity shot the following day.

Take care

Faith

I did not have/need Neulasta until the last 2 cycles.  It comes with its own set of side effects that my onc wanted to avoid unless I needed it.  When I had Neulaasta, I had absolutely no (as in zero) aches, pains, etc.  It's strange how drugs effect each of us differently.  But I wanted you to know that it is indeed possible to go thru chemo without Neulasta and it is also possible to not have bone pain from Neulasta.

I just looked at my calendar from 2010 and I felt absolutely fine for about 2 days after each chemo infusion.  We typically went out to lunch after.  Then I'd have bouts of constipation, then diarrhea, weakness, some achiness, (flu like symptoms) and general feeling of not being well.  I  did not work, so I read, knitted, watched TV, napped and took really good care of myself.   I was a princess.  Each cycle, I would run a low grade fever and have a "mystery infection" that coud never be diagnosed but was treated with antibiotics anyway.  During that time my WBCs would be high with a left shift.  The last cycle I was really sick and weak for a long time.  I did not bounce back for several weeks that time, but when I did, I did.  Just like a switch was flipped.  I also had skin toxcity on my arms from Taxotere.  See the photos in my expressions page.  I think I was a little wierd and even with the side effects I had, I can honestly say that for me,  it wasn't at all that bad.  The drugs you'll be given will really help with most side effects (I took steroids, anti nausea meds, B6).  Take what your are prescribed as directed. 

Having chemotherapy is a unique but similar experience for each of us.  For me it was not bad.  That being said, I'm glad I didn't have to have more than 4 cycles and I never want to do it again.  But I would if I had to.  You will be taken good care of and watched carefully during chemotherapy.  It helps to know what to expect but you may still have some surprises. Not knowing what it's going to be like for you is probably the most difficult part.  That's why I kept a calendar - so I coud look back on the previous cycle and know what to expect for future.  No question is too stupid to call your oncologist (or nurse) about during this time.  They've heard it all, believe me! 

Take care of yourself.

Suzanne

coco2008 said:

What is the immunity shot? 

What is the immunity shot?  Also I did not get pain medication.  Should I request them?

Thanks

Sandy

Wishing you good luck with your first chemo next week!

Hugs, Rose