What do I expect after next treatments?

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Jean 0609
Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Everyone. This is all new to me. Glad I found you all. Looks like I'll be spending a lot of time here. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, 2010. First underwent a lumpectomy. However, I ended up having a mastectomy of my left breast May 4, 2010. I had my first chemo treatment last Wednesday (June 23rd). I have 3 left to go. I am taking Taxotere & Cytoxam. Plus I have to take Herceptin for one year.

So far so good. The first two nights were sleepless (due to the steroids). Thursday & Friday were good days. Because of the 100 degree heat, I didn't do anything. Saturday I went out early to a BACK TO FIT program. After that I was no good for the rest of the day. Worn out. Plus that is when my taste buds went crazy. I was starving, but couldn't taste anything. Other than that, I feel pretty lucky.

Will I feel the same after the next treatments, or is there a chance that my side effects will get worse?
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  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #2
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    I was a chemo failure LOL so
    I was a chemo failure LOL so I cant weigh in from a personal note. But people generally do the same even some do better. They also learn what there symptoms are going to be and plan accordingly. People with taste bud problems find using the mouth rinse helps. The good news is things do get better. others will post, and hang in there. and keep posting!
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #3
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    carkris said:

    I was a chemo failure LOL so
    I was a chemo failure LOL so I cant weigh in from a personal note. But people generally do the same even some do better. They also learn what there symptoms are going to be and plan accordingly. People with taste bud problems find using the mouth rinse helps. The good news is things do get better. others will post, and hang in there. and keep posting!

    Jean use biotene toothpaste, some baking soda and biotene mouthw
    If you use biotene toothpaste with some backing soda sprinkled on it and biotene mouthwash it should help alot but you should do this 3 times a day. Also drinking warm, mint tea helps alot.
    Lorrie
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #4
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    Balentine said:

    Jean use biotene toothpaste, some baking soda and biotene mouthw
    If you use biotene toothpaste with some backing soda sprinkled on it and biotene mouthwash it should help alot but you should do this 3 times a day. Also drinking warm, mint tea helps alot.
    Lorrie

    Everyone is different
    Everyone is different sometimes when it comes to chemo, but it looks like your doing pretty good. I also have to do herceptin. I will be finished with that in September. Herceptin does not have the side affects as chemo. It's just a drag to have to go all the time. I am doing my herceptin treatment every 3 weeks once I was done with chemo. The time went by faster then I thought it would. Hang in there. Hugs
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #5
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    carkris said:

    I was a chemo failure LOL so
    I was a chemo failure LOL so I cant weigh in from a personal note. But people generally do the same even some do better. They also learn what there symptoms are going to be and plan accordingly. People with taste bud problems find using the mouth rinse helps. The good news is things do get better. others will post, and hang in there. and keep posting!

    Just welcoming you Jean and
    Just welcoming you Jean and wishing you the best of luck with your chemo.

    Hugs, Leeza
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #6
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    I will be taking my 4th and
    I will be taking my 4th and last Cytoxan and Taxotere treatment this Fri. For me the 2nd and 3rd treatments have been much better than the first. I have not been sick on any of them, did have the sleep problem with the 1st one, but not so much with the others. My chemo brain did not last but a day or 2 after the 2nd&3rd. My taste has not been affected much at all. Just keep drinking lots and lots of water. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #7
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    Welcome!!
    Jean, I wanted to welcome you to this amazing site. I hope this proves to be a wealth of knowledge for you like it was for me. I didn't notice much difference from my first chemo treatment until my last one. I took the same drugs you are taking. It does sound like you are doing fairly well tolerating the drugs. Good luck and continue to ask questions as they arise.
  • geobarb22
    geobarb22 Member Posts: 17
    #8
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    chemo side effects
    Jean

    Well side effects can be different for each person, here is my experience. I was on taxotere, carboplatin, and hercepterin. I just finished my last on June 17th (6 total). The sleeplessness due to steroids only lasted the 3 days around chemo. Then, I slept pretty well through the entire course of treatments. For the most part, the side effects were similar every time. Around day 4, nausea, dizzyness, overall fatigue. this would last about 1 week, then i would start feeling much better. Food was not appealing the first week, but I learned that yogurt and fresh fruit always tasted the best (and believe me, i was not a yogurt, nor fruit eater before!). I also indulged in ice cream when nothing else worked. My taste buds are coming back slowly. The effects were definitely cumulative as I felt much more fatigued after treatments 5 and 6. I have bounced back quite rapidly (it has been 12 days since my last treatment); however, I think it is the joy of knowing I have no more! Just hang in there and remember the effects will go away and you will not always feel like this.

    Question for all - anybody have alot of discharge from eyes about 1.5 weeks after each chemo? i have this constant stream of "tears".
  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    #9
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    geobarb22 said:

    chemo side effects
    Jean

    Well side effects can be different for each person, here is my experience. I was on taxotere, carboplatin, and hercepterin. I just finished my last on June 17th (6 total). The sleeplessness due to steroids only lasted the 3 days around chemo. Then, I slept pretty well through the entire course of treatments. For the most part, the side effects were similar every time. Around day 4, nausea, dizzyness, overall fatigue. this would last about 1 week, then i would start feeling much better. Food was not appealing the first week, but I learned that yogurt and fresh fruit always tasted the best (and believe me, i was not a yogurt, nor fruit eater before!). I also indulged in ice cream when nothing else worked. My taste buds are coming back slowly. The effects were definitely cumulative as I felt much more fatigued after treatments 5 and 6. I have bounced back quite rapidly (it has been 12 days since my last treatment); however, I think it is the joy of knowing I have no more! Just hang in there and remember the effects will go away and you will not always feel like this.

    Question for all - anybody have alot of discharge from eyes about 1.5 weeks after each chemo? i have this constant stream of "tears".

    I did
    It is caused from the chemo drying you out. The eyes then over compensate. Get some over the counter eye moisture drops.
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #10
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    Some SEs better, some worse
    The funny taste went away after the second infusion. I only had a sore mouth after the first infusion. The fatigue and the dry eyes, however, got a bit worse each time.

    Personally, I had to stop my exercise program during chemo because it wore me out to where I couldn't get through the rest of the day adequately. In about two weeks after my fourth and last chemo, the energy started returning!
  • RE
    RE Member Posts: 4,591 Member
    #11
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    Taste bud yuck!
    Hi Jean nice to meet you even though I wish you did not have a reason to have to have found us. In regards to the taste bud problem, it you are referring to having a metal type of taste in your mouth I found it helpful to use sturdy plastic forks in lieu of metal ones to help relieve some of that nasty taste and allow a bit of food flavor in.

    I know it is not what you are asking but when I read your title I felt compelled to tell you that once treatment is over you can expect to gradually get back to living life and enjoying it as you seem to be doing in your picture. Cancer has been a part of my life since I was 17 when my mom got it (I got it at 40) but I learned from her and others that even though we are changed by cancer we can still be happy, loved and active people after wards. I wish you all the best and am glad you found us, the folks here are amazing.

    ♥ RE ♥
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #12
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    Balentine said:

    Jean use biotene toothpaste, some baking soda and biotene mouthw
    If you use biotene toothpaste with some backing soda sprinkled on it and biotene mouthwash it should help alot but you should do this 3 times a day. Also drinking warm, mint tea helps alot.
    Lorrie

    Hi Jean
    Just saying hi to you Jean and wishing you good luck on chemo.

    So many here have given you good tips and advice.

    Hugs, Diane
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #13
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    Thank you!
    Thanks everyone. I feel like my "support" has grown tremendously since I joined this site. I'm sure I'll be asking many more questions. Hugs!
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #14
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    Jean 0609 said:

    Thank you!
    Thanks everyone. I feel like my "support" has grown tremendously since I joined this site. I'm sure I'll be asking many more questions. Hugs!

    Jean 0609 ... Have you tried using Plastic silverware
    helped with my metal taste due to my chemo treatments. Some Women have a taste of dirty dishwater soap or metal taste. I did use plastic silverware .. it helped.

    My eyes teared consistently, and my nose dripped - all day, every day. In fact, I finished my TCH .. late December 2009, and I am still dripping and tearing ... Onc states it for my Herceptin chemo treatments which I have continued .. last Hercp treatment for middle of August .... Yipee ..

    Rest, sleep when you can to keep fatigue at bay, and continue to exercise if POSSIBLE. Many sisters in pink - found Yoga doable.

    Good luck, and God Bless.


    Vicki Sam
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #15
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    VickiSam said:

    Jean 0609 ... Have you tried using Plastic silverware
    helped with my metal taste due to my chemo treatments. Some Women have a taste of dirty dishwater soap or metal taste. I did use plastic silverware .. it helped.

    My eyes teared consistently, and my nose dripped - all day, every day. In fact, I finished my TCH .. late December 2009, and I am still dripping and tearing ... Onc states it for my Herceptin chemo treatments which I have continued .. last Hercp treatment for middle of August .... Yipee ..

    Rest, sleep when you can to keep fatigue at bay, and continue to exercise if POSSIBLE. Many sisters in pink - found Yoga doable.

    Good luck, and God Bless.


    Vicki Sam

    Hi Vicki
    I have tried the plastic wear. My taste buds still aren't right, but if that's my biggest problem, I can live with that for now. I did go to the gym for the second time this week and it definitely did make me feel good. I took it easier than normal. Thanks and hope to talk with you again. Hugs, Jean
  • waffle8
    waffle8 Member Posts: 234
    #16
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    VickiSam said:

    Jean 0609 ... Have you tried using Plastic silverware
    helped with my metal taste due to my chemo treatments. Some Women have a taste of dirty dishwater soap or metal taste. I did use plastic silverware .. it helped.

    My eyes teared consistently, and my nose dripped - all day, every day. In fact, I finished my TCH .. late December 2009, and I am still dripping and tearing ... Onc states it for my Herceptin chemo treatments which I have continued .. last Hercp treatment for middle of August .... Yipee ..

    Rest, sleep when you can to keep fatigue at bay, and continue to exercise if POSSIBLE. Many sisters in pink - found Yoga doable.

    Good luck, and God Bless.


    Vicki Sam

    nose
    The drippy nose was enough to drive me crazy....I got it after all 3 treatments.....Maybe this last one will be better..?Welcome Jean sorry you have to go thru this bc...stuff...
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #17
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    waffle8 said:

    nose
    The drippy nose was enough to drive me crazy....I got it after all 3 treatments.....Maybe this last one will be better..?Welcome Jean sorry you have to go thru this bc...stuff...

    Waffle 8 and Jean .. My nose is still dripping .. I finished
    heavy Chemo late December 2009 . I've continued on with Herception - once every 3 weeks - so maybe that is why my nose has continued to drip .. I don't know, but I feel like people are looking and thinking that I've got a 'COKE' habit ..


    Jean .. try chewing sugar gum .. 1/2 piece ... double mint worked for me. Thinking what other things .. worked for me .. and my metal mouth ?

    If I come up with any others.. I personal message you, okay ?


    Vicki Sam
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #18
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    VickiSam said:

    Waffle 8 and Jean .. My nose is still dripping .. I finished
    heavy Chemo late December 2009 . I've continued on with Herception - once every 3 weeks - so maybe that is why my nose has continued to drip .. I don't know, but I feel like people are looking and thinking that I've got a 'COKE' habit ..


    Jean .. try chewing sugar gum .. 1/2 piece ... double mint worked for me. Thinking what other things .. worked for me .. and my metal mouth ?

    If I come up with any others.. I personal message you, okay ?


    Vicki Sam

    Thanks Vicki
    Sure feel free to send personal message. I welcome all ideas. Hugs.
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #19
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    Jean 0609 said:

    Thanks Vicki
    Sure feel free to send personal message. I welcome all ideas. Hugs.

    Jean .. did the gum work for you ?
    my taste buds were non-existent for the first 4 to 5 days after each treatment .. so I did eat on those 2 to 3 days before my next scheduled chemo treatment .. My chemo routine - every Tuesday @ 9:00 a.m. for 18 weeks straight .. no breaks.


    VickiSam
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #20
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    sweetvickid said:

    I did
    It is caused from the chemo drying you out. The eyes then over compensate. Get some over the counter eye moisture drops.

    Hi Jean! Just want to wish
    Hi Jean! Just want to wish you good luck and let you know that this is such a great site, as you can tell already!

    Hugs, Angie
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #21
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    VickiSam said:

    Jean .. did the gum work for you ?
    my taste buds were non-existent for the first 4 to 5 days after each treatment .. so I did eat on those 2 to 3 days before my next scheduled chemo treatment .. My chemo routine - every Tuesday @ 9:00 a.m. for 18 weeks straight .. no breaks.


    VickiSam

    Hi Vicki
    Yes, the gum did the trick. My taste buds are slowly coming back. Did they come & go as your treatments went along, or did the taste stay longer each time? Hugs, Jean

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