Concerns AC treatment followed with 12 Taxol TX.

My chemo was different ... FAC followed by Radiation.........  Taxol was really new back in 2002 and my Onc gave me the choice and I chose to go with the FAC.   However...ALL chemo is tough and I did lose my hair and about 20 pounds....but I'm still here and Cancer Free so far even though it had spread to my Lymph Nodes.   Many many women on this Board have had the treatment you describe and they can tell you it was not a walk in the park....but it is definitely doable  THANK GOD.    Your wife is Blessed to have a caring husband like you....we send you Prayers for Strength and Courage.

I found that I did not have the queasiness while doing Taxol that I did with AC.  I took no anti-puke drugs during that time.  Reactions to drugs differ, I know.  My few challenges with Taxol were different than with AC.

Odd person that I am, I found that on chemo days I was more apt to find lunch appealing to me if whoever was with me went on a fast-food run.  The first time I tried that I ordered 2 tacos as well as nachos with cheese from Taco Bell.  Another time I had chili from Wendy's.  I don't think I would have tried any of that while I was doing the AC.

alabama_survivor said:

I did 4 rounds of DD biweekly

I did 4 rounds of DD biweekly A/C followed by 12 weekly Taxol.  I was stage 3C Triple Negative, and I did chemo, followed by a double mastectomy, followed by radiation.  I started losing my hair 2 weeks after my first treatment, and when it started falling out, I shaved my head.  Other than being sleepy for a couple of days, I didn't feel any ill effects until after the third a/c treatment.  That one drained me of my energy.  White count got really low, but never enough to delay treatment or require hospitalization.  After the first 3 weeks of Taxol, blood counts started falling again, and I had extreme fatigue and would periodically get achey like I had the flu.  I did develop a rash on my hands and forearms that spread over much of my body, and took a two week break after week 5.  The rash came back a couple of weeks after restarting, but I went ahead and finished, and just did some extra steroids.  Both my brother and sister have cancer, so I WANTED to finish.  Yes, it was miserable.  No, other than mild queeziness, I never had any real nausea (I took the first med at the slightest hint, and never needed the second one), and yes, it did affect my taste buds.  A lot of the foods that didn't taste good during chemo, I actually developed a temporary aversion to.  I finished chemo December 2014.  I am 55, 5'3", and weigh around 180#.  I did manage to keep my weight within two pounds throughout my entire treatment, but one of the things that I really craved was sweet, starchy carbs.

Right now, I am trying to recover from radiation.  I did fine until the last two weeks of treatment, and it seemed like my skin really broke down once treatment was done.  I finished treatment April 9, and still have a lot of really sore, broken "wet" skin.

Wondering what you are doing to heal your rad burns?  

I, too, burned very bad after rads.  I had no problems during the 25 rads - only had a very light pink the last day.  The next morning entire irradiated area was open and 'weeping'.  I saw the Rads Dr that day and he said just keep using Aquaphor as Silvadene/Sulfadene was not an option - I'm allergic to Sulfa.  It continued to get much worse and Vicodan became my 'friend'.  Started early March - last scab came off June 29 from the deepest area (under arm where thankfully there was nerve damage from UMX so didn't feel pain there).  I tried everything Dr told me to try with no luck towards any healing or lessening the fluid that poured out of the entire area (even the huge burn dressing would stay on). What finally worked was Domeboro soaks.  It is an astringent thus drying.  While skin does need to be kept moisturized but it can also need to be 'dried' at times to let it heal especially when the skin is severely damaged.  In other words - at times, 'moisture' only encourages moisture/fluid rather than healing.  Also radiation does attack the skin but not in the same way as heat burns do.  At least this is bow my Dr explained it.  Once I started the Domeboro soaks it seemed that immediately good results definitely in the less deep areas but in the deeper areas (up side of neck and underarm) slower.

If you don't get good results soon, you might want to talk to your Rads Dr about Domeboro soaks.  I have seen a couple of others over the years who have also used Domeboro.  BUT of course get approval from your Dr before trying.  My only regret is that Dr didn't have me try it sooner but he did say he would in the future and f someone 'burned' that bad.

Domeboro is not a script - it can be gotten OTC at any good pharmacy but most keep it behind the counter so you have to ask for it.  It is also good for soaking sore muscles like you would use Epsom salts or for soaking an infection (at least with horses - I've not had any infections that needed soaking but one of the horses has a long history of coronary band abscesses).

Again - it can't hurt to talk with your Dr - he/she may say NO to using it, but it is an option (at least for some of us) when all else fails.

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

Rague said:

What are you using to heal skin?

Wondering what you are doing to heal your rad burns?  

I, too, burned very bad after rads.  I had no problems during the 25 rads - only had a very light pink the last day.  The next morning entire irradiated area was open and 'weeping'.  I saw the Rads Dr that day and he said just keep using Aquaphor as Silvadene/Sulfadene was not an option - I'm allergic to Sulfa.  It continued to get much worse and Vicodan became my 'friend'.  Started early March - last scab came off June 29 from the deepest area (under arm where thankfully there was nerve damage from UMX so didn't feel pain there).  I tried everything Dr told me to try with no luck towards any healing or lessening the fluid that poured out of the entire area (even the huge burn dressing would stay on). What finally worked was Domeboro soaks.  It is an astringent thus drying.  While skin does need to be kept moisturized but it can also need to be 'dried' at times to let it heal especially when the skin is severely damaged.  In other words - at times, 'moisture' only encourages moisture/fluid rather than healing.  Also radiation does attack the skin but not in the same way as heat burns do.  At least this is bow my Dr explained it.  Once I started the Domeboro soaks it seemed that immediately good results definitely in the less deep areas but in the deeper areas (up side of neck and underarm) slower.

If you don't get good results soon, you might want to talk to your Rads Dr about Domeboro soaks.  I have seen a couple of others over the years who have also used Domeboro.  BUT of course get approval from your Dr before trying.  My only regret is that Dr didn't have me try it sooner but he did say he would in the future and f someone 'burned' that bad.

Domeboro is not a script - it can be gotten OTC at any good pharmacy but most keep it behind the counter so you have to ask for it.  It is also good for soaking sore muscles like you would use Epsom salts or for soaking an infection (at least with horses - I've not had any infections that needed soaking but one of the horses has a long history of coronary band abscesses).

Again - it can't hurt to talk with your Dr - he/she may say NO to using it, but it is an option (at least for some of us) when all else fails.

Winyan - The Power Within

Susan

Thanks, Susan.  I've honestly been leaving it alone, especially those places that have scabbed over.  It has pretty much been the entire area at one time or another, but it hasn't been the whole area at the same time.  They mixed me up some Aquaphor with Lidocaine, and I have been using that on one really tender spot over my rib.  Another thing is I have a bad habit of picking at the dry peeling skin, and that probably isn't helping.  I have one spot along my incision where I received my boosts that is really bad, and really wet.  Earlier today I accidently touched it and realized the fluid has a rather rank smell to it.  It doesn't look infected, but since I have a followup with my MO tomorrow, I will have him check it.  I've also only got enough hydrocodone for a few more days, and I'm wondering if they will cut me off.  I'm taking 7.5 mg, and take 3 or 4 per day. 

As far as appetite, before cancer, I always had a really healthy appetite.  Now, I just don't want to eat.  It's not that I don't feel good, I'm just not hungry and I have very little interest in food.  Unfortunately, my sweet tooth is still alive and well.  Most days I have my coffee, will force some lunch around 2:00, then I may or may not cook hubby dinner (he's been great about fending for himself).  Today I had a PB&J with potato chips around 1:30, and some cheese and crackers around 7:00.  Salad ALWAYS sounds good, and I may have a few mini candy bars for dessert.  That kind of eating is honestly how I've managed to maintain my weight through all this.

I was just diagosed with breast cancer and this is the same thing they will be treating me with.
So I am think it's the normal

i am currently in treatment.  I have completed the 4 AC and 6 taxol thus far.  Although we are all different, I would say this is definitely manageable. A little rough at times but nothing earth Shatteringly?

Wishing your our wife good luck with her treatment!