How sick might I be the day after Carbo/Taxol?

zsazsa1

I was told that the day after, people feel okay.  I certainly feel okay now in the evening, having had chemo today.  I would like to go visit my kid at college tomorrow.  It's a little over an hour away, an easy drive.  I could go by myself in the AM, or wait for husband to drive me later in the day - but he's not sure when he'll be available, since he's got to do some work in the morning.  Can anyone tell me whether I would be well enough to drive tomorrow morning?

I'm sure that right now, I feel okay because of the Decadron.  When that wears off, could get interesting.

MAbound

Wednesday infusions

I had my infusions on Wednesdays and it was usually on a Friday that I would start feeling the effects. It would start out feeling a little funny, like the world was kind of off kilter and go down hill pretty quickly from there. No way would you want to be driving or away from home when it happens. Let the worlld come to you while this is going on. Tomorrow you should still be ok, but I still think it would be better if you didn't go by yourself. It's your first infusion and everyone doesn't necessarily have the same experience with it.

LadyMox

I felt generally fine the day

I felt generally fine the day after taxol/carbo. Just a tad tired. For me the worst side effects were from day 3 to 6 and by day 8 it mostly passes besides mild neurpathy.  Of course that's me, everyone is different 

LisaPizza

 I also felt fine the day

 I also felt fine the day after (until the last few cycles, when I started feeling crummy sooner), and I think most do. But I agree that everyone is different and it's your first cycle, so you just don't know. When it hit me, I sometimes felt like I'd been hit by a tranquilizer dart and could NOT keep my eyes open. 

zsazsa1

Thanks, I felt absolutely

Thanks, I felt absolutely great when I got home last night, ate well (probably thanks to the Decadron).  I still feel fine now.  I think my answer is to either go early today, or to take my husband with me later in the day.  The oncologist told me that most people felt fine the day afterwards, and to plan to experience side effects for a few days beginning on day 3, and your answers confirm that.  It would be reassuring to my kid to see me looking normal right after having had chemo.

Donna Faye

Beware the steriods

I had my first infusion on Friday and was high as a kite for 2 days and then crashed like a drone w/o wings. No One had warned me about the steriod effect.  I was in the ER with low temp and feeling awful. Doc then realized I had to reduce the steriods not just stop after day 2. From then on I was fine but do ask about that.

cmb

Post Infusion

I had the carbo/taxol infusion on Tuesdays and felt fine Wednesday and Thursday. However, starting on Friday and continuing through Monday I had severe pains in my legs between my knees and ankles. Others have experienced similar bone/joint pain at about the same time as I did. If you have this reaction, read the postings at https://csn.cancer.org/node/314595

You can see what helped with this pain for me and others.

NoTimeForCancer

Chemo lowers your resistance

Chemo lowers your resistance - be very careful as you don't want to catch anything.  The immune system is very susceptible to infection and illness. Just saying.

MAbound

NoTimeForCancer said:

Chemo lowers your resistance

Chemo lowers your resistance - be very careful as you don't want to catch anything.  The immune system is very susceptible to infection and illness. Just saying.

Good Point

So glad you brought that up!

It's so easy to forget about the increased susceptability to infection being in treatment causes (both radiation and chemo) as it suppresses our blood counts and immune system. We're so overwhelmed with the diagnosis and getting through the rigors of treatment that its easy to overlook protecting ourselves. It so important to be both up to date on vaccinations like flu, pneumonia, and shingles, as well as taking precautions when out and about, especially with the upcoming holidays. 

 

zsazsa1

Thanks for the info about how

Thanks for the info about how to treat bone pain.  I did drive up to see my daughter, and back, had a great day.  Ate well.  I know that tomorrow the fun will probably start.  All my little aches and pains are coming back.  Interestingly, the Decadron stopped my chronic cough dead in its tracks - I wonder if it was asthma.

If only I could go on feeling as good as this while on chemo!  No hair loss yet, no neuropathy yet, no side effects at all......yet.

NoTimeForCancer

MAbound said:

Good Point

So glad you brought that up!

It's so easy to forget about the increased susceptability to infection being in treatment causes (both radiation and chemo) as it suppresses our blood counts and immune system. We're so overwhelmed with the diagnosis and getting through the rigors of treatment that its easy to overlook protecting ourselves. It so important to be both up to date on vaccinations like flu, pneumonia, and shingles, as well as taking precautions when out and about, especially with the upcoming holidays. 

 

I worked throughout and I was

I worked throughout and I was protecting myself.  Was very careful what I touched - kicked chairs out with my foot instead of grabbing it, sat down and got up without touching anything, carried my own pen and kept it in my hand, hand my food/snacks in my office, etc. The flu that is out there is scary when you hear about young adults dying!  I think we have to be careful not just when we are in treatment but every day.  It is a scary world. 

I say 'myself' because a woman in my department who had breast cancer after my UPSC, woud tell other people not to come to meetings and told them to dial in.  I work with terrific people, and none of them would do anything to hurt her, or me when I was going through all my treatment, but we all were pretty upset that she didn't protect herself first.  Just because others were obviously showing signs of illness doesn't mean there weren't other walking incubators in that room.  Something to think about. 

LisaPizza

zsazsa1 said:

Thanks for the info about how

Thanks for the info about how to treat bone pain.  I did drive up to see my daughter, and back, had a great day.  Ate well.  I know that tomorrow the fun will probably start.  All my little aches and pains are coming back.  Interestingly, the Decadron stopped my chronic cough dead in its tracks - I wonder if it was asthma.

If only I could go on feeling as good as this while on chemo!  No hair loss yet, no neuropathy yet, no side effects at all......yet.

So glad it went well and you

So glad it went well and you had a lovely time!

LisaPizza

NoTimeForCancer said:

I worked throughout and I was

I worked throughout and I was protecting myself.  Was very careful what I touched - kicked chairs out with my foot instead of grabbing it, sat down and got up without touching anything, carried my own pen and kept it in my hand, hand my food/snacks in my office, etc. The flu that is out there is scary when you hear about young adults dying!  I think we have to be careful not just when we are in treatment but every day.  It is a scary world. 

I say 'myself' because a woman in my department who had breast cancer after my UPSC, woud tell other people not to come to meetings and told them to dial in.  I work with terrific people, and none of them would do anything to hurt her, or me when I was going through all my treatment, but we all were pretty upset that she didn't protect herself first.  Just because others were obviously showing signs of illness doesn't mean there weren't other walking incubators in that room.  Something to think about. 

So very true. I told my work

So very true. I told my work I was going to pack up my laptop and go work from home if anyone came in sick. I actually got the flu (tested positive) 3 weeks after my last chemo (which I caught from my brother in law despite precautuons, not work). Thank god it wasn't 1 week sooner when I was at nadir. I still got to spend the a day in the ER/hospital as they were quite cautious and would not even let me go to the urgent care instead. 

zsazsa1

Yeah, I'm starting to feel it

Yeah, I'm starting to feel it today.  Just sort of achy flu-like shakiness, slight nausea.  Nothing too bad, but I'm glad to be at home today.  SO glad I went and saw my daughter yesterday, when I looked and felt good, to reassure her.

Spouse is getting over a cold - he is VERY careful, wears gloves, touches nothing, constant hand washing.  And I was always a germophobe to begin with - opening doors with my shirt, avoided shaking hands, think Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory.  Had a flu shot already, too young for a pneumonia shot, and I have acyclovir on hand in case I start an episode of shingles.  Interesting - oncologist said that because immunity for reactivation of viral infections like shingles is largely fought by lymphocytes, and since neutrophils are more affected by the chemo than lymphocytes, that they don't see that much trouble with shingles.

cmb

Recap of posts that were lost during CSN's data outage from 10/29/18 to 1/30/19.

zsazsa1

Oct 29, 2018 - 10:14 am

Zofran is a miracle drug!  I

Zofran is a miracle drug!  I had asked to have it at home just in case, but my oncologist said I would only need Compazine.  Last night, the nausea got bad, and Compazine just wasn't cutting it.  I has to call the on call doc for a prescription to a 24 hr pharmacy, and my wonderful husband went out to get it at 2 AM.  But it worked, within 15 minutes.  Amazing stuff.

 

CheeseQueen57

Oct 29, 2018 - 11:22 am

I took both

I was instructed to and I took both throughout my chemo. 

 

LadyMox

Oct 29, 2018 - 8:47 pm

I have not yet (knock on wood

I have not yet (knock on wood) gotten nauseous at all on Taxol/carbo for my first three rounds anyways  They did give me meds for it though in case I needed it. I've been taking CBD oil so that might be controlling that side effect. 

I'm glad they got you something that works so you aren't suffering and will have it on hand for the future The first chemo cycle is the most scariest because you don't know what to expect.

 

zsazsa1

Nov 02, 2018 - 7:40 pm

Hmmm, CBD oil.  The

Hmmm, CBD oil.  The psychologist I saw recommended it, but my oncologist doesn't prescribe it, would have had to refer me to a colleague, and I wasn't that motivated.  Zofran worked very well.  I will use it when I have to.

The weird thing is, here I am a week out from first chemo, and I'm getting MORE nauseated again.  Not terribly, but enough.  My cough is back, and I just have a hot feeling in my trachea/mid chest area.  I feel the same weak, shaky that I did before the surgery and after the surgery.  I spoke at length with the oncologist today, who said that the CT scans I had about 6 weeks ago are better than PET scans, because they detect down to 0.5 cm, whereas PET CT would detect only to 1 cm.  She said I just have to trust that there isnt anything else to do other than moving ahead with chemo, which I don't mind doing - the first round wasn't fun, but now that I know what's coming, I can deal with it.  She wanted to add in Zyprexa (an atypical antipsychotic) to the chemo for nausea control, but I told her I'd prefer to just use the Zofran as needed.

I just cannot understand why I feel so weak, sick, the cough, if I was really a 1a.  And I feel like a jerk, because I know that there are people on here who had much worse reports that they are struggling with.

 

MAbound

Nov 02, 2018 - 8:13 pm

Chemo Heartburn maybe?

The burning you are feeling in your trachea could be heartburn from the chemo. It can feel like you're nauseous, too. I had that and was told to take Pepcid AC for it. It really helped as well as sleeping on a wedge pillow when it bothered me. I was also told to stay away from black pepper, tomatoes, and other hot spices and acid foods during chemo. Watermelon is alkaline and never tasted better than it did during chemo and also seemed to soothe the heartburn.

The weakness is probably the fatigue on steroids many of us experience during chemo. Don't fight it. Rest. Rest. Rest. And keep on drinking tons of water to flush the chemo out and protect your bladder. The chemo fatigue gets worse with each infusion, so if you are working you may want to consider time off when symptoms are the worst.

 

Shawnhrsn

Nov 02, 2018 - 8:33 pm

Hello all, I just wanted to

Hello all, I just wanted to hello. I enjoy reading all of the posts. The information is very helpful. This has been a very difficult time for my family and I. My mom is recovering from hysterectomy. The Pathology report came back. She was initially diagnosed with MMMT. The pathologist said it the tumor was mostly carcinoma with fragments of sarcoma. She is 1a. We're very glad that she paid attention to the warning signs. She caught it early. Her pelvic wash came back positive so she's still most likely facing treatment. We're all being as supportive as we can.. prayer is vital and we read the Bible each and every day. Someone shared a very comforting scripture with me. ' Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be anxious, for I am you God. I will fortify you, yes, I will help you, I will really hold on to you with my right hand.' Isaiah 41:10, New World Translation.

Please stay strong. We are all now connected by this pestilence, cancer. I'm not very familiar with using the discussion boards on here but please feel free to contact me on my personal email. IND2TEX@gmail.com

 Many hugs to you all, 

 Ms. Shawn Harrison 

 

zsazsa1

Nov 02, 2018 - 9:53 pm

Thank you, MAbound.  What

Thank you, MAbound.  What bothers me is that I began to have these symptoms suddenly, while I was waiting the ten days to get into surgery.  Steroids with chemo almost 4 weeks after surgery cleared it all up, but as soon as they wore off, it came back.  I took 150 of ranitidine tonight before I ate dinner - helped a bit.  I have had GERD for most of my life, and it never caused nausea. But I have the risk factors for nausea - hardly ever drink any alcohol, had terrible nausea all through my pregnancies.

I unfortunately became dehydrated 48 hrs after chemo, because of severe nausea.  Once I got the Zofran, I was able to drink.  But my bladder feels just rubbed raw.  I'm keeping on drinking as much as I can tolerate, even through the night.  Hoping the bladder will recover before the next dose of chemo in two weeks.

Thank you for the warning about the fatigue worsening!  I'll plan for it. 

 

Armywife

Nov 02, 2018 - 11:47 pm

Ask for fluids

Just want to make the suggestion that if you become the slightest bit of dehydrated, you can go to the chemo room and ask for a bag of fluids.  I did this twice during my 18 weeks of chemo, and it is AMAZING how good I felt afterwards.  I wasn't even seriously dehydrated, but somehow the IV fluids just flush everything out and make you feel wonderful.