I'm not complaining, mind you....

Chickadee1955

I am 10 days post 2nd cycle of taxotere/cytoxin. I began losing my hair on day 14 after the first cycle, but I have never lost it all. I still have eyelashes/eyebrows/leg hair, etc., and the remaining hair on my head is growing!

I have had some side effects from the chemo, but with the exception of 'yucky mouth' and less endurance, they mostly subside within 7 days. I am reading all the posts and wonder why. I'm not complaining, but I don't get it. Do the side effects intensify with each cycle? Should I just thank my lucky stars (or my praying family/friends) or realistically expect things to get worse?

Has anyone else had this experience?

cahjah75

I wish I knew:)
I start chemo August 10th. I was told I would lose my hair between days 13-15 after 1st treatment. I've made appt w/hairdresser to shave my head on the 15th day. I've bought hats and I'm ready. I think whatever side effects we get are individual. The taste changes are very common as is being tired. I don't know if it is accumulative. I know being tired from rads is. If that's all you've suffered I would feel grateful. I'm expecting nausea. I was nauseous for 6 months of each pregnancy. My oncologist has already prescribed 2 antinausea meds and I will be getting some with chemo. I also have problems with swelling so I'll get meds for that too. Hang in there and I hope your other chemo infusions go as well as the first 2.
Char

Boppy_of_6

Glad you are doing well! I
Glad you are doing well! I finished 4 rounds of CT on July 2nd. I still have my eyelashes and my eyebrows have just thinned a little. The info I got on here was that the eyelashes and brows hold on the longest usually until after chemo is finished. I did have several people tell me they never lost theirs just thinned out some. My hair started falling out day 13 after 1st trt. I had my head shaved day 14. I never lost all mine, had stubble the entire time. My hair would regrow a little between each trt. but would fall out some between trts. As for my legs the hair on them and my underarms was the first to go, not having to shave has been a good thing about chemo. I did get a little more tired with each trt. and it lasted longer with the last one. I was blessed to never have the mouth sores the fatigue was the worst for me. Hope you do well, keep us posted God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

GrandmaJ

Not complaining...
I had the same cocktail last year. My side effects did not get worse, just different. After first treatment it was diarrhea, second treatment gave me mouth sores, third and fourth were fevers, and fifth and last one was more mouth sores and of course fatigue and hair loss. The anti nausea meds worked well. I was never nauseated and never vomited.

Each person reacts differently and not everyone gets the same medications. Just get lots of rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Don't push yourself ...if you are tired, rest and before you know it, you will have completed your treatments...it's no picnic, but it really is doable. Good luck and keep a positive attitude.

Judy

Marsha Mulvey

cahjah75 said:

I wish I knew:)
I start chemo August 10th. I was told I would lose my hair between days 13-15 after 1st treatment. I've made appt w/hairdresser to shave my head on the 15th day. I've bought hats and I'm ready. I think whatever side effects we get are individual. The taste changes are very common as is being tired. I don't know if it is accumulative. I know being tired from rads is. If that's all you've suffered I would feel grateful. I'm expecting nausea. I was nauseous for 6 months of each pregnancy. My oncologist has already prescribed 2 antinausea meds and I will be getting some with chemo. I also have problems with swelling so I'll get meds for that too. Hang in there and I hope your other chemo infusions go as well as the first 2.
Char

side effects
All any of us can do is tell of our personal experiences. Most chemo drugs will cause some side effects but everyone is an individual. Each of you will have unique stories as you progress through these treatments. For instance, I've NEVER had nausea or vomiting but I did run a fever for 2 nights after my first week - but none since then. I have sore muscles and ribs and general aches and pains. There are numerous other minor side effects, but they're not a real problem. You may at some point in time be fatigued - not just tired, FATIGUED! If you experience it, you'll know the difference.

Keep in mind that life is do-able during chemo and you need to focus on the reason you're going through it - the end result. Best wishes. MM

carkris

GrandmaJ said:

Not complaining...
I had the same cocktail last year. My side effects did not get worse, just different. After first treatment it was diarrhea, second treatment gave me mouth sores, third and fourth were fevers, and fifth and last one was more mouth sores and of course fatigue and hair loss. The anti nausea meds worked well. I was never nauseated and never vomited.

Each person reacts differently and not everyone gets the same medications. Just get lots of rest, and drink plenty of fluids. Don't push yourself ...if you are tired, rest and before you know it, you will have completed your treatments...it's no picnic, but it really is doable. Good luck and keep a positive attitude.

Judy

there is a curve and some
there is a curve and some people do really well. looks like you are one of those people. I did not as my onc said you were on the bad side of the curve. My lashes and brows fell out twice. good thing they grow back quickly.

KathiM

The big gun is Adriamycin....at least for me....
'The red devil'....guaranteed to give you a bright, shiny pate in less than 3 weeks!!!! ROFL!!!

Actually, the 4 rounds with Taxol, my hair was growing, as well...I think it has to do with the strength and quantity of hair before treatment...for me, it would fall out, then grow to about 1/4 inch before the next treatment, then fall out...sigh...a pillow full of 1/4 inch hairletts was a bit irritating!!!

I had/have LOTS of hair, before, and now after...although it is a different color now, and the texture is different. But, during treatment I lost it all....top of head, brows, lashes, the 'naughty bit'....good thing, didn't have to worry about shaving/waxing!!!

Hugs, Kathi

Jean 0609

Sounds a lot like me
Hi Chickadee, I had my first taxotere/cytoxin on June 23. You must have started about the same time (when was your first treatment?) About 3 weeks later I noticed that my hair had started coming out in my comb after my shower. Not big clumps, just strands. I decided to get it cut really short and then buzz it once the clumps started coming out. I couldn't bring myself to shaving it off. I have my third treatment coming up this Wednesday and still have my hair. It is a little thinner on top, but no bald spots. I am actually thinking about getting it cut again.

My other side effects were the messed up tastebuds and red blotches (that only lasted a day or so) from the steroids. I too feel extremely lucky. I was scared to death before my treatment, but everyone is different. Two more treatments to go, and hopefully those two will be as good to me as the first too. Good luck to you and keep in touch.

Hugs, Jean

cavediver

we all have different reactions ....
as others have said, even with the same cocktails, we can all have different side effects or intensity of them. I am on cytoxan and Taxotera with Adriamycin.....finished 6 cycles now...side effects are more intense now...but doable for me. So I realize I am lucky... onc told me most people need to lower the dosage but I am still at full. Hair gone, eyebrows and lashes gone....nails funky but here, eyes very dry/vision blurrs w/o drops, and the usual round of consitpation and opposite....most last only one or two days...fatigue does seem to build up with the continuing cycles....but, the light at the end of the tunnel can be seen! Hang in there.....if you have any issues, call your doctor and also come here........this Board has been invaluable to me..........and it is open 24/7 !!!!!! Good luck with your treatments!

Rague

We are all unique!
We are all so unique there is no way of knowing exactly what will happen til it happens - or doesn't happen.

For me - A/C was not bad - I had 4 2 weeks apart. Hair on head came off and a few/some of my lashes and brows left. I was tired for 2 days starting 2 days after infusion, but resting/napping helped. Lost sense of taste - everything had no taste at all other than very hot things like hot mustards and horseraddish had a slight flavor to them; lost appetite -never had any nausea, just didn't think about or want to eat.

2 weeks after A/C, I had surgery and then 3 weeks after surgery I started 12 weekly Taxol. Taxol was nasty and got nastier every week. Every week i thought it couldn't get worse but it did. Week 10 I talked to Dr and he said that I coudl stop then IF I felt i needed to as the Taxol had done 85-90% of what it could do - i wasn't willing to take less than 100% of what it could do - Hubby and Son weren't either no matter how much they had to do along with working - so I finished. The rest of hair left, still had no taste or appetite. Exhaustion, utter and complete exhaustion - resting didn't help - and without little pink pills there was no sleep. The exhaustion started getting better a week after the last infusion and got better all the time on rads. Lashes and brows started coming back in about 2 weeks but head hair didn't for another 3 months. Taste started back almost immediately but still have little appetite - at least I can eat a meal now but 75% of the time if Hubby didn't remind me to eat I wouldn't. This is the most upsetting side effect for Hubby and me - Mom was a long time anerotic and Hubby saw what the last 4 years of her life did to all of us.

There is no way of knowing what will happen til it happens - we are each so unique.

Susan

Rague

cahjah75 said:

I wish I knew:)
I start chemo August 10th. I was told I would lose my hair between days 13-15 after 1st treatment. I've made appt w/hairdresser to shave my head on the 15th day. I've bought hats and I'm ready. I think whatever side effects we get are individual. The taste changes are very common as is being tired. I don't know if it is accumulative. I know being tired from rads is. If that's all you've suffered I would feel grateful. I'm expecting nausea. I was nauseous for 6 months of each pregnancy. My oncologist has already prescribed 2 antinausea meds and I will be getting some with chemo. I also have problems with swelling so I'll get meds for that too. Hang in there and I hope your other chemo infusions go as well as the first 2.
Char

Morning sickness and chemo nausea
I have been told by my PA and a couple of chemo nurses (and read a report or 2 but don't remember where right now) that there is probably a corelation between morning sickness and chemo nausea. I had no morning sickness with either son and had no nausea with either chemo batches. I took all my anti pills on A/C but when on Taxol I gradually cut back on them and never had any.

As with everything, we are all unique. I had no fatigue with rads - in fact every day got better than I had sunk to while on Taxol.

Chickadee1955

Jean 0609 said:

Sounds a lot like me
Hi Chickadee, I had my first taxotere/cytoxin on June 23. You must have started about the same time (when was your first treatment?) About 3 weeks later I noticed that my hair had started coming out in my comb after my shower. Not big clumps, just strands. I decided to get it cut really short and then buzz it once the clumps started coming out. I couldn't bring myself to shaving it off. I have my third treatment coming up this Wednesday and still have my hair. It is a little thinner on top, but no bald spots. I am actually thinking about getting it cut again.

My other side effects were the messed up tastebuds and red blotches (that only lasted a day or so) from the steroids. I too feel extremely lucky. I was scared to death before my treatment, but everyone is different. Two more treatments to go, and hopefully those two will be as good to me as the first too. Good luck to you and keep in touch.

Hugs, Jean

Jean,
Its sounds like we are
Jean,

Its sounds like we are on the same path. My first treatment was 6/28. I am on a 3 week cycle, so my next (3rd) infusion is set for 8/9. I am scheduled for 4 cycles total, so will be done by the end of August. Only a month to go! I figure that even if things get much worse, I can tolerate most anything for a month. I feel very blessed to have had such a relatively easy time of it so far.

Good luck to you, too. Here's hoping we both fare well for our last 2 treatments. Once I get through with chemo I can start looking forward to reconstruction in October. I've decided to get a tummy-tuck at the same time I have the expanders put in. In for a penny, in for a pound!

Let me know how you do.

Deborah