18 weekly carbo/ taxol chemo treament - did anyone have to take neupogen vaccines to do the 18 wk re

Welcome to the board!  My chemo regimen was a little different as I had six treatments of carbo/taxol every three weeks.  I myself experienced a lot of fatigue, loss of appetite and constipation for the first five or so days after each treatment.  To get ahead of the constipation, I started taking Miralax about two days before each treatment and I also took some stool softeners during my treatments.  I was able to work part-time from home but I wasn't getting my chemo on a weekly basis like you will be.  Maybe other ladies will chime in.  My chemo took place during the winter and I worked from home because my immune system was low and I didn't want to catch any cold or flu cooties from my co-workers.  I started losing my hair about three weeks in and ended up losing it all soon thereafter.  I know how traumatic the loss of hair is for many women.  I was okay with it.  And it started growing back about five weeks after my last treatment.

For me, chemo was doable.  Hopefully, you'll have someone to help you with your children during this process.  Please let us know if you have any more questions and keep us posted on your progress.

Kelly

I had the 18 weeks of Carbo and Taxol. I just finished last week. I can tell you what I experienced and what a friend of mine doing the same treatment experienced.  First, let's make sure t is the same one. I had 6 cycles. A cycle consists of 3 weeks for a total of 18 weeks. The first week I had Carbo and Taxol. The second week I had Taxol alone and the thrid week I had Taxol. Then the next cycle it would start over again. The first 3 cycles were a piece of cake. I still got out and did things, even walked a little. I started to feel a little nauseas after the Carbo during the 4th cycle. The 5th cycle is when it hit me. Durng the 5th cycle my blood counts were going down. My hemoglobin would go down and I would fee extremely breathless and my heart would beat hard. I was tired but not the kind of tired you feel after working all day. It felt like every muscle in my body had no oxygen. When I walked up stairs my legs felt like jelly. The 6th cycle was hard too. Lets, see.  I started to loose my hair around the 3rd week of chemo. It is the Taxol that does that. I just started loosing some of my eyebrows after 18 weeks.  I still have some eyelashes. The other side effects that I have experienced are: watery goopy eyes. This is a side effect from the Taxol. Taxol causes your tear ducts to clog. I have slight numbness in my left toe. I was told it will probably get better or go away all together. My Oncologst told me to take Glutemine Powder for that and I think it has helped. I have dry skin. Make sure you use lots of lotion. The Chemo caused me to be constipated so I took a senekot every night and colace. It worked. I gained 30 pounds when my chemo started. This is not unusual. You wll be on a lot of steriods. My biggest complaint and you do not hear the other woman talk much about it is my teeth. My teeth have become extremely sensitive. Even when I eat a salad out of the frdge they hurt. I am told that chemo can cause bone loss so I am thinking maybe this is why my teeth hurt. My Oncologist sad I should wait about 6 weeks before having any surgery done. I have a caterac (sp) that I need fixed and I want the Dentist to look at my teeth. I am very possitive that I will be in remission for a while or hopfully forever, but just in case  I am not I need to get these issues addressed. I hope I have helped. If you have any questions please contact me. You can email me at pamalaraye@hotmail.com if you want.  I had my last treatment last week so this week I am still feeling it. I have my scan next week to confirm if I am in remission. Good luck. Go out and enjoy yourself if you can in the first weeks.

I too had the chemo dense treatment for 18 weeks...my lasted more like 26 weeks due to skipping weeks due to low blood counts. You can do it. I did work parttime in the mornings which was a great distration for me while going through treatment and getting use to my dignosis. Kim

His grace said:

Thank you Kelly. Your

Thank you Kelly. Your experience helps me to prepare myself for the battle ahead.  I am glad that your chemo treatment went okay.  I too hope for the same.  Also plan to ask my company to work part time from home.

 

 

I too take 18 rounds of Carbo/Taxol weekly and even though I have had side affects, I am doing pretty well. We get a smaller dose because we get it weekly so you should have less side affects then someone getting it every 3 weeks.  I had to stop for 2 weeks because I had gotten strep throat and it decreased my white blood cell count. I have 8 more rounds of the single dose and 3 rounds of the combination Carbo/Taxol left. To date, here are my side affects:

My nose boogers (sorry so graphic) are bloody but my nose does not bleed.

I vomited once, for the first time, this Monday.

Slight nausea started Monday and gone by Friday

Fatigue maybe twice

Getting sick with strep throat

My toes on my left foot is a little numb, but, my Mom dropped a large bottle of pasta sauce on the same foot so not sure if that made it worse....lol. My big toe has always been numb since she did it though.

All are easily tolerated. The anti nausea pills help out tremendously. I will however be happy when my treatment is over.......lol.

I have a Broviak catheter and they take my blood weekly from it before chemo.......you are going to LOVE your port, believe me ) 

I did chemo dense, which it sounds like what you are doing. I had to eventually start neupogen due to low counts. About every 4-5th week I also got blood. My first 4-8 weeks went pretty smooth, but over time the chemo does accumulate and can affect your cells and then the need for neupogen is necessary to continue chemo. Use your pain medications because it causes your long bones to ache because it is trying to stimulate your bone marrow. Also on the week you do carboplastin use your nausea medicine routinely even if you dont feel nauseated initially. It usually comes by 30 to 40 hours after a carboplastin treatment. Starting with the nausea medicine early and consistently can help keep it under control. Kim

Murmist said:

Also doing chemo dense

This is my third time at the rodeo. Was diagnosed Nov 2004 with OVCA and did the carbo/platin every three weeks.  Had a recurrance this year and had de-bulking surgery in Jan 13, thsi time I I started out doing the same cocktail.  Carbo/Taxol the first week and taxol only the next two weeks.  I liked this protocol much better as the impact to my body seems to be much less, even with the nuepagen shots, which started the right after the first week.  Dare that immune system! I have been working almost full-time since they released me to drive.  Most days I go to the office, but I do have the ability to work from home, which is a gift.

My faith, my family, my firends and a good attitude is what carries me through.  I live my life one day at a time and I take all the anti-nausea meds I can get my hands on! It is more the fatigue that gets to me.  Last cycle I had a reaction to the carbo, so this cycle I have been switched to Doxil/Taxol.  It seems like between the two of them they all the possible side-effects covered! But as my CA-125 has been holding steady at 8, I will do these last 9 weeks standing on my head!  Blessing and goodluck to all of you

 

Lisa

You were in remission for 8 years!  I am amazed, inspired, and hopeful! Thanks for sharing your story.  If you need to stand on your head, call me! I'll come hold your feet up!