Long Term After Effects
Its now 3-4 months since my last radiotherapy treatment and im experiencing a miriad of things. it seems to me that my body is still in chemo mode. My last lot of taxotere was late July 2012, and through my radiotherapy I was ok. For the past 8 - 10 weeks I have noticed a cycle. Im well for about 14- 21 days, then for 7 days i am very unwell. Aching bones, aching hot feet so painful to stand on at times and they crack and peel, makes walking hard. I feel fluey, usually have a bladder infection. Sleep is impossible, hot and cold flushes, chills but no temp. sore body all over! headaches, depression, emotional and angst. Appetite is light, bowl motions are unpredictable, usually more so in the morning. I wake up usually an hour after going to sleep with vomit in my mouth, and severe indigestion to the point of burning my throat. I usually have to get up and vomit a bit and stay up until it settles. This all happens, goes from mild to wild! Then, by day 6 its settling, and then before i know it Im back to normal... some kind of normal. All this is what i went through having Taxotere! I was hospitalised every time i had it!
Im about to undergo tests for Osteoporosis, lung & liver function, and bone cancer. Sometimes I feel like ive smoked a packet a ciggys when i dont even smoke!. Ive read posts where women are 12 months past treatment and have chronic arthritis and are on pain killers. My lymphodeomaa in my arm isnt too bad now, i wear a sleeve now and then if it swells too much. heats worse. I sweat in my sleep. My peripheral nueropathy is getting better in y fingers thank god. Im bloated in my tummy at times also, I look pregnant!
ive taken up drinking Jim Beams everyday just about, at least one a day, helps with my aching bones, but doesnt do much for my liver. I dont care really, anything to get by. Im hoping the tests come back with arther... because if its cancer again, I really couldnt go through that again... seriously couldnt, Id rather die.
Comments
-
Gosh,Taxotere is like the gift that keeps on giving! It's strange the way your health complaints are cyclic.It must be awful to be feeling so crook all the time. Are you on Tamoxifen or any other drug?No wonder you are turning to the grog. Sometimes I feel that the side effects of drugs and treatments are worse than the initial cancer diagnosis.It's a high price we pay to get rid of a little lump. What can we do but go with our doctor's advice.I constantly have little health issues cropping up.I have to have a pelvic ultrasound tomorrow cos I've been spotting,thanks to Tamoxifen.Aren't these tests a hoot!! By the way,I sleep with a desk fan on my bedside table blowing on my face all night. I've had it with this hot weather. Well I hope you are writing it all down so when you see your oncologist he can just sort it all out for you. Good luck with all your tests and let us know how you go. Tonya xx
0 -
Oh sweetheart! I read your reply and cried! What your experiencing is what Im going through! So its NOT in my head like my Onc makes me feel!!! The burning feet, aching bones, stiff and sore when I sit too long and have to get up to walk again. Im 48 and feel 99! My tummys swollen, and all I can do is walk to try and shift the weight. If i think about it, masybe its the suger in the coke from the jimmy can ( snicker snicker) But hell, sanity as you said!
I am so glad you feel this... in the sence that im not full of BS! We ARE experiencing this! We Arnt the only ones! Tell your Onc your not alone, and nor am I. Im not on ANY other meds... no tomoxafin, nothing, just finished my treatment and went home. I do take panadol tho to curb the aches. I do have an ongoing staf infection in my bladder due to a SPC - supra pubic catheter ( basically I stand to pee as I have a tube going thru my lower abdomen into my bladder from cancer 16 yrs ago in the bladder) thetwo cancers are NOT related. The tube has been fine until I started chemo, then infection after infection in my bladder! Ive just come back from the Dr with another batch of anti's, 14 days worth this time, see if that helps! He thinks thats why I feel soo unwell... we'll see after 14 days! Im going to Soundwave in Melb at the end of this month, there is no way in Hell Im going to miss it!! Ive waited too long to see my favourite bands come over frm the states!
So sister girl.... talk to me anytime!! email me dasuechef@****.au. Im glad we have common ground. No one can possibly understand our pain unless they feel it too. All this weed killer in our system is killing us more than our cancer did! PLEASE stay in touch Annie!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
0 -
I too have had to quit working, I teach and can't focus. My muckin heads all fuddled up! My arm isnt so bad, but the heat makes it worse, the sleeve on in the morning until lunch and then its off, Its annoying! I get a Lymph massage every wednesday, from my right leg all the way up to my neck and down again, fabulous! I do my excercises, breathing etc every 2nd day. I have met women who have NO problems what so ever! , Me?? everything on the "might happen" page happens!!! Im angry with this shit! I am now linked in for councelling as I feel i need it! I lost my happy self somewhere. Gayle puts on smiley mask when she's around people, but at home im flat and exhausted. My hubby is so good! He hates seeing me this way and does everything he can to help. Im in Gippsland area Vic... where are you? It would be nice to meet you oneday. We'll hobble around together...lol
0 -
Thankyou for that... Im trying my best not to let it get to me. Some mornings i wake up and think i feel good, than after awhile i feel yuk. Ive heard it takes around 2 years to get over the treatments, and even then your still not 100%.
As long as I dont get cancer again. Thats always going to be in the back of my mind, as its in the back of anyones, we cant be that complaicent, can we?.
Might be time to do a walk along the beach ( 90mile beach Gippsland Lakes Entrance)... I find the waves usually take my thoughts out to sea for awhile....
0 -
Hi Gayle i used to be closer to you but now live near Albury.As you say it is good to have someone else going through the same thing.As crappy as it is.Its interesting that you are not on any other drug.They are trying to make me change to Tamoxifin but i dont think its the Aromasin that im on causing this pain.Its the same i had with the Chemo.
Ive done a bit of research and there are a lot of women out there that have similiar problems after the Taxol or Taxotere regime.Oh my gosh noone told me this would happen.I know im grateful to be alive dont get me wrong.But my quality of life is so poor.Like you i still have a foggy brain as well.I was told that i should be over the fog by now.But no!!!I struggle even in regular conversations to find a word im looking for.I dont know how many times ive been to the supermarket not remembering what i came for.I write a list then forget the list!!!
Oh my i just have to laugh because if i dont i think i would cry and never stop.Like you im linking into counselling to try to get my head around it all.I thought id be happy and living my life post cancer by now.Its slowlly dragging me under.I cant even spell properly anymore totally forgotten the basics.I do a lot of reading and crosswords but my memory is really bad.My husband and i argue all the time because i cant remember what he has told me.And i swear black and blue he hasnt told me.
Im finally getting a lymphodeama massage have been on the waiting list for weeks now.On a good note i got a tattoo on my chest after my mastectomey.It hurt like hell but the pain is worth the end result.Thankgod i dont see that ugly scar reflecting back at me anymore.My surgeon wont be happy he want to do a reconstruction/Ha ha not now!!!!No way am i going in for more surgery if i can help it.
Cant believe this is your second time.It must of floored you getting the diagnosis.I cant get the feeling of reoccurance out of my head.I know its normal.But im meant to inform them of any pain to have scans.Bit impossible when its everywhere yet the oncologist doesnt believe me.Go figure.
Oh my what a reply.Hope you have a great day today.
Annie xx
0
