Help with Chemo schedule

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rene9
rene9 Member Posts: 214
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi. I wanted to inquire whether there is a better day to receive chemo or does it just vary by each individual? I will begin next Monday because I return to work the following Monday and want to see how I will feel next week. But, at Monday's appt. I can change to have my remaining 5 treatments on Friday's. My husband is suggesting Friday so I will have the weekend to rest. But, I am told if I have side effects they may not set in until 2-3 days later. What are your thoughts and suggestions?

rene9

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  • girls4444
    girls4444 Member Posts: 34
    #2
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    chemo schedule
    Hi - I did my chemo on tuesdays and rested the rest of the week, I felt fine until chemo #3 and then it knocked me over. I always felt better by saturday, and then the next week in between my chemo I felt good. One of the things that tired me out the most was going to the doctors three times a week, one day for blood work, one day of chemo and one day for the neulasta shot. Good luck
    betty
  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    #3
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    girls4444 said:

    chemo schedule
    Hi - I did my chemo on tuesdays and rested the rest of the week, I felt fine until chemo #3 and then it knocked me over. I always felt better by saturday, and then the next week in between my chemo I felt good. One of the things that tired me out the most was going to the doctors three times a week, one day for blood work, one day of chemo and one day for the neulasta shot. Good luck
    betty

    3 day rule
    I think it is common for it to take 3 days for the chemo to hit. I have mine on Wednesday and then Saturday is usually when I feel bad. If you are going to try and work I would go with a Wed so that when it hits you have Sat and Sun to rest up.
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #4
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    Other factors...
    Besides each individual patient's varying reactions... The specific drugs and dosages also can cause different side effects, and at different times. In some ways, the first chemo treatment can be the worst - mentally and emotionally - because of "fear of the unknown"... My own first chemo didn't affect me, at all. However, the SEs are cumulative for many, in many cases. My first gave me absolutely no indication about what was to come.

    Since you'll attempt to work - as your husband suggests, Fridays are probably a good idea.

    Best wishes to you, for Monday and throughout chemo.

    Kind regards, Susan
  • rene9
    rene9 Member Posts: 214
    #5
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    girls4444 said:

    chemo schedule
    Hi - I did my chemo on tuesdays and rested the rest of the week, I felt fine until chemo #3 and then it knocked me over. I always felt better by saturday, and then the next week in between my chemo I felt good. One of the things that tired me out the most was going to the doctors three times a week, one day for blood work, one day of chemo and one day for the neulasta shot. Good luck
    betty

    chemo sch.
    Hi Betty and thanks! I will be receiving Taxotere, Adriamycin, and Cytoxan infusions for 6 treatments every 3 weeks and I'll go the day after to get a neulasta shot. I teach and will go back to work on the 25th. Then, I know I don't go to work on the day of chemo either...Still debating...

    rene9
  • rene9
    rene9 Member Posts: 214
    #6
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    Christmas Girl said:

    Other factors...
    Besides each individual patient's varying reactions... The specific drugs and dosages also can cause different side effects, and at different times. In some ways, the first chemo treatment can be the worst - mentally and emotionally - because of "fear of the unknown"... My own first chemo didn't affect me, at all. However, the SEs are cumulative for many, in many cases. My first gave me absolutely no indication about what was to come.

    Since you'll attempt to work - as your husband suggests, Fridays are probably a good idea.

    Best wishes to you, for Monday and throughout chemo.

    Kind regards, Susan

    Friday schedule
    Hi Susan,I'm thinking Friday too because I will leave around 1:00pm and I will have the weekend. My husband is strong behind this too- Thanks!


    rene9
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #7
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    I'm also working (mostly) through my chemo. Just had my second of 4 rounds of Cytoxan/Taxotere, so it is a bit different from yours, but here's what I'm doing -

    I have my tx on Wednesdays and go back for the Neulasta shot on Thursdays. I have felt just a little tired on Thursday and Friday, and could probably opt to go to work those days, but with my job I'm able to do quite a bit from home, plus I have a good amount of paid time off saved up if I need to use it, so I stay home Thursday and Friday, but if work ends up needing me those days (I'm the HR Mgr., so you never know what might come up!) they will call me and I can log in and work from home. If they do, then they don't charge me any time off for the day, and I try to give them as much work as I can for the $ for that day, but it's a lot easier not to have to get dressed and be in the office. Plus it gives me the time to get any errands I ususally do on the weekends on those days. By Friday afternoons I've started to feel more tired and achy, and Saturday has been my worst day. I mostly rest Saturday and Sunday and by Monday I'm OK to go back to work.

    I'd be concerned that having your tx on Friday would make Monday your worst day (IF your reaction is like mine, and of course everyone is different) and you might want to take a couple of extra days off there.

    Whatever you decide, I want to wish you the best with your treatments and hope you have minimal side effects. Mine have not beeen that bad.

    Take care,
    Cindy
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    #8
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    Thursdays
    I will be having my 5th treatment of TAC (Taxotere, Adriamycin & Cytoxan) tomorrow. I have always had them on Thursdays. I really could work a half day on treatment day but I just feel a bit drugged up and a little tired. My doc gives me Xanex introvenously to relax me and boy, does it. I am then able to work on Friday and I get my Neulasta shot after work on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I feel run down... like I've got a touch of the flu. I'm tired, achy and get out of breath easily, but by Monday, I'm fine for work again. This schedule has worked out great. I have really only needed to be out on treatment day.

    Rene, I was so scared I wouldn't be able to handle this. I'm a single mom with three kids and I work full-time, but it has been very doable! I will have my 6th & final treatment on February 4th with very little side effects (knock on wood) and THANK GOD!

    Good luck and keep us posted.

    Hugs ~ Mar
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #9
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    Rene, I had my treatments on Thursday mornings. I had my Nuelasta shot on Friday mornings. I had 4 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxan. I did have some bone pain that I attributed to the Nuelasta shot but it could have also been from the Taxotere. This normally occured 2 days after my shot and only lasted for 24 hours. I was able to control the pain with Tylenol every 4-6 hours. Bottom line, I only missed the 2 days of work every 3 weeks. Your treatments may be different with a different chemo drug. Whatever they are, they are do-able. We'll also be right here to help you get through them with any knowledge we have from our experiences. Take care and continue to post.
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #10
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    MONDAY.....
    I,from personal experience, would stick with the Monday schedule.....that's when I did mine. I felt fine for the first couple of days after each one,(taxotere/cytoxan) my side effects didn't set in for about 4 days..especially from the side effects of the Nuelasta injection......by the start of the next week, I always felt much better.....but do what you feel is best for you...

    Best wishes
  • padee6339
    padee6339 Member Posts: 763
    #11
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    Fridays
    I took my chemo treatments on Fridays. My oncologist slipped in a little bottle of anti-nausea before the chemo and gave me anti-nausea meds for Friday night, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning. I got a little nauseous now and then, but lucky for me my only physical problem was always being tired. I do not have a stressful job and my boss was very understanding, so if I ever felt bad I could just leave. I guess we are all different and our bodies handle it in different ways. All I can say is God Bless the Anti Nausea medicine!!!
    Hugs - Pat
  • shortscake
    shortscake Member Posts: 228
    #12
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    MAJW said:

    MONDAY.....
    I,from personal experience, would stick with the Monday schedule.....that's when I did mine. I felt fine for the first couple of days after each one,(taxotere/cytoxan) my side effects didn't set in for about 4 days..especially from the side effects of the Nuelasta injection......by the start of the next week, I always felt much better.....but do what you feel is best for you...

    Best wishes

    Monday
    hello and how is everyone? i have treatment on Monday morning i don't work right now (on leave) i am so tired after treatment and plus i work in a hospital, I ask my doctor if i could go and visit and he was like no, so right now i don't know when i will be able to go back to work.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #13
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    padee6339 said:

    Fridays
    I took my chemo treatments on Fridays. My oncologist slipped in a little bottle of anti-nausea before the chemo and gave me anti-nausea meds for Friday night, Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning. I got a little nauseous now and then, but lucky for me my only physical problem was always being tired. I do not have a stressful job and my boss was very understanding, so if I ever felt bad I could just leave. I guess we are all different and our bodies handle it in different ways. All I can say is God Bless the Anti Nausea medicine!!!
    Hugs - Pat

    I am not working on
    I am not working on treatment. I would not be able to. I get taxol on thurs and feel ok on thurs and fri less so on sat and sunday is really not great. then monday a little better. I often wondered if zi should have done it on friday then i would feel good on friday and sat but I am almost done . It looks like the third day is the winner. but your body will tell you for sure.
  • scout5000
    scout5000 Member Posts: 94 Member
    #14
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    After reading the responses,
    After reading the responses, I see that everyone truly has different reactions to chemo. I had four A/C treatments, then 3 of Taxol. I could not have taught school one day during my 6 months of treatment. I was in bed or on the couch the entire time, with the first 10 days after treatment being the worst. I retired from teaching a few months before being diagnosed, and know how much energy teaching takes. You may want to get a weeks worth of lesson plans ready so that you can stay home without worry, if need be. I hope you have no side effects from your treatments.
  • natly15
    natly15 Member Posts: 1,941
    #15
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    scout5000 said:

    After reading the responses,
    After reading the responses, I see that everyone truly has different reactions to chemo. I had four A/C treatments, then 3 of Taxol. I could not have taught school one day during my 6 months of treatment. I was in bed or on the couch the entire time, with the first 10 days after treatment being the worst. I retired from teaching a few months before being diagnosed, and know how much energy teaching takes. You may want to get a weeks worth of lesson plans ready so that you can stay home without worry, if need be. I hope you have no side effects from your treatments.

    I also have not worked since
    I also have not worked since starting chemo. I had 4 A/C treatments, one Taxol with 3 more to go. I havent any energy and I've had all kinds of uncomfortable side effects. Perhaps age has something to do with it as well. I'll be 67 this month, and I'm finding from different posts that the younger gals who work full time seem able to rebound much quicker than me. I had a very demanding job and there is no way I could handle that right now. Each of us is so different.
  • scout5000
    scout5000 Member Posts: 94 Member
    #16
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    natly15 said:

    I also have not worked since
    I also have not worked since starting chemo. I had 4 A/C treatments, one Taxol with 3 more to go. I havent any energy and I've had all kinds of uncomfortable side effects. Perhaps age has something to do with it as well. I'll be 67 this month, and I'm finding from different posts that the younger gals who work full time seem able to rebound much quicker than me. I had a very demanding job and there is no way I could handle that right now. Each of us is so different.

    FYI- I'm 58, just so you can
    FYI- I'm 58, just so you can compare ages.
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #17
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    scout5000 said:

    FYI- I'm 58, just so you can
    FYI- I'm 58, just so you can compare ages.

    It's hard to say what day you should
    have chemo. Your second chemo could affect you differently than the first, mine did. We all react differently to the same cocktail so it's really hard to try to second guess. I think age does have something to do with it cause the younger gals seem to be able to go to work, shopping etc. and I could never have done any of those things. You just have to wait and see how you feel each time and adjust those three weeks at that time. I hope you are able to continue on your schedule, I so admire all of you who are able to keep working.

    A note to Natly: Your picture looks exactly like mine, same sweater, hair, pose. I turned 67 in Nov. You could fit right in my yearbook. What a hoot!

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #18
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    Skeezie said:

    It's hard to say what day you should
    have chemo. Your second chemo could affect you differently than the first, mine did. We all react differently to the same cocktail so it's really hard to try to second guess. I think age does have something to do with it cause the younger gals seem to be able to go to work, shopping etc. and I could never have done any of those things. You just have to wait and see how you feel each time and adjust those three weeks at that time. I hope you are able to continue on your schedule, I so admire all of you who are able to keep working.

    A note to Natly: Your picture looks exactly like mine, same sweater, hair, pose. I turned 67 in Nov. You could fit right in my yearbook. What a hoot!

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    Tuesday or Wednesday
    was convenient for me. I did not work during Chemo. I wanted to be OK by weekend and spend time with my husband doing something pleasant together. My assumption was if I could have side effects i wanted my oncologist and nurse practitioner be in the office and available for urgent care. I did not want to go to ER or get call services instead.
    My calculations did help me. I was able to see my oncologist on Thursdays (day or two after Chemo) and came to see nurse on Friday, called for prescriptions and questions as well.

    Good luck with your treatment
  • TLynn0102
    TLynn0102 Member Posts: 86
    #19
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    New Flower said:

    Tuesday or Wednesday
    was convenient for me. I did not work during Chemo. I wanted to be OK by weekend and spend time with my husband doing something pleasant together. My assumption was if I could have side effects i wanted my oncologist and nurse practitioner be in the office and available for urgent care. I did not want to go to ER or get call services instead.
    My calculations did help me. I was able to see my oncologist on Thursdays (day or two after Chemo) and came to see nurse on Friday, called for prescriptions and questions as well.

    Good luck with your treatment

    Tuesday
    I had 16 rounds of Taxol on Tuesdays. The side effects hit me on Friday afternoons around lunchtime. I would just poop out for the rest of the day. Saturdays were okay and come Sunday I felt much better. After treatment I drank a lot of water and vitamin drinks to flush my system like the doctor told me to. Seemed to help. Good luck with your treatment.
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #20
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    I didn't work during
    I didn't work during treatment but my onc suggested Thursday because the clinic was closed on weekends and if I had a bad side effect and needed to go back in I'd have to go to the ER if I had my treatments on Fridays. At one point I think we changed it to Monday but I forget why. It's been a long time. 2003/2004. I did have to go in once for the Neulasta shot the next day.
  • Lynda53
    Lynda53 Member Posts: 210
    #21
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    3 rounds completed of tax and cytoxin Thursdays
    1st 2 wiped me out for 2-3 days of sleep,now I have next to no side effects.
    I actually have had 4 rounds, but 3rd had no taxotere, 4th dd but counts as 3rd, make sense?
    My 3rd and remaining 3 infusions are done very slowly due to allergies to taxol, whether this affected the side effects or not is unanswered. 4th is next Thursday and I am hopingthe se stay the same. Theysaid myhairouldthin, which it did, the stopped, once back to chemo it has started to thin again, really thin, I am sure itwill all go this time.
    I have continued to work 40 hours plus, a physical demand job,that is not quite so physical right now. Thankfully my employer has been cool.
    Good luck and Peace

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