Info re Tax please

Thanx Ann...

It is ALll over and done with, now I just have to get through the side effects of this cycle.

I have another 12 cycles of Herceptin and I being on Tamoxifen soon, but hey if I can do 6 cycles of TCH I can do ANYTHING...

You are right the support we can give each other REALLY makes a HUGE difference.

Last night I had bad bone pains (either from chemo or Neulasta) and I got help from an online BC community for things to help me get through it - all after midnight on a Thursday night, and it helped.

Look After yourself, listen to your body (if you need to nap - nap, if you need to sleep for 12 hours - then sleep for 12 hours, if your body wants chcolate or wine or.... then let it have it - it wants it for a reason. - That is what I am doing - letng my bpody have what it wants when it wants it.- it is the least Ic an do for all it has been through and is still going through :o)

Thanks Sam and Shaz, We can do this thing together and your support really helps. Celebrating your final cycle with you Shaz. All the best, Ann

YAY! - my final cycle (6th of 6) is due in 50 min's...

:o) not that I am counting.... :o)

i have 2 more left too Ann.... We can do it together... Xoxo 

Yeah - don't be worried about having to take extra stuff it is better than suffering with the side effects.

I have had to take panadol (and on occasion something stronger) for the bone/ muscle/ joint pains that I sometimes get.

2 more cycles isn't that bad Ann, really.

You can do this...

Thank you Pam and Shaz for responding.  I have just given in and taken some Gastro Stop, please God don't let me now have constipation. A vicious circle it can turn into. Did you guys have to take Panadol for the pain and if so, for how many days did you need to take Panadol? If you have not worked it out yet I hate taking extra drugs on top of the crap that is pumped into us on treatment day, however, I am slowly learning that I need to in order to get through some of these stressful side effects.  I just want this all behind me and when I think I have 2 more treatments of this toxic stuff and then all that comes with it I just get overwhelmed. All the best, Ann

I have had 5 rounds of TCH (Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin) and have my 6th and Final on Monday 16th (YAY!!).

I get the loose bowels during it, but take nightin - before taking anything new it is best to ask your oncologist or the oncology/ chemo nurses as something things can make matters worse or interfere with your treatment etc.

I haven't had much nausea with my chemo (thank you Aloxi) but I have sufferend badly with fatigue since cycle 1, for me this can last 1 week orall3 weeks, my oncologist is catting my carboplatin dose back by 10% this time to make things easier on me (Ihave been having shortness of breath this last cycle).

My side effects have been - hair loss (only hair on my body is arms, eyebrows and eyelashes (and they have thinned), fatigue, sore tongue, soor feet (soles, not peeling etc just sore), dry skin on hands and face, loose bowels, stomach cramps, sore throat, lack of appetite, lack of interest in food..

I had 1 episode of Febrile Neutropenia/ Neutroenic septicemia after my 3rd cycle resulting in a 1 week stay in hospital in full isolation and on IV then oral antibiotics until my neutrophil count came back up (temp got to 40.6C before they could bring it back down and neutrophil count was 0.00), I now get a Neulasta injection 24hrs after each chemo cycle, to help prevent this from happening again.

Other side effects include nail issues (make sure you use the nail hardener they give you), including having them fall off - fingers and toes; nausea, nerve issues in hands and fet (peripheral neuropathy); mouth ulcers (use a soft toothbrush and a mild otthpaste everyday, and rince your mouth out with a mix of salt and bicarb in warm water) - I have been lucky and not had any ulcers, but I also throw my toothbrush out each cycle (bought a cheap 6 pack for $7 of colgate toothbrushes), I use Biotene toothpaste (was given samples of it and found it good, and it didn't burn my mouth like normal toothpaste did), I rinse my mouth out in warm water with /4-1/2 tsp salt and 1-2 tsp bicab every night -was told not to floss as it can cut your gums and let in infection and cause ulcers etc and the wash helps to prevent build up (I have flossed GENTLY a couple of times but no more than once every 3 week cycle); having the skin peel off your hands and feet etc but everyone is different some people get VERY FEW symptoms and some get many. I think I have been lucky becasue all of mine have been things I could cope with and I have not had to put off any of my chemo cycles and until now have not had my dose of any of my drugs reduced.

Take it easy, rest and relax. listen to your body if you need to sleep, sleep, if you need to rest, rest, but even if you loose your appetite try to eat as balance a diet as you can, but if it gets bad, or you can't tolerate foods etc then eat ANYTHING you can tolerate, any food is better than no food (I lived on KFC popcorn chicken and potato and gravy after my first cycle as it was the only thing I could tolerate that didn't make me feel icky, and I could eat with my sore tongue, just thinking about it - Eggs for me have ben O U T OUT since I began chemo, can't stand them - the smell, look etc is HORRIBLE), if you are having issues iwth food and eating tell your team becasue they can give you suppliments like Ensure.

Make sure you drink a lot the day of and day after chemo, if you can and for a couple of days if you can to flush the excess chemo out of you kidneys etc.

Hope this helps... ?

I have no found taxotere as scary as all of the horror stories you hear, like I said Fatigue has been my worse side effect and it just means I spend a LOT of time resting or sleeping...