Neuropathy with Taxol
Hi, I was diagnosed with 3cm Hormone positive, Her2 negative, ki67 of 40% breast tumour with no nodal involvement in June. Because of size and my wish to avoid mastectomy I went with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. First I joined a trial for palbocyclib and letrozole but after 1 month, though tumour didn’t grow, 3rd biopsy showed I was in the control as Ki67 was still the same, so my oncologist swapped me to AC-Taxol. 2 weeks into AC, my hair fell out and nails started to change colour. The latter is unusual according to specialist. I got plantar fasciitis week 4 and had to stop walking for 2 weeks : a huge blow - but the rest helped. By the end of AC my toes were so sore! Then I started weekly Taxol. I could barely walk because of my sore toes and residual PF. I keep both finger and toenails very short and finally (when shops opened again) bought a bigger pair of runners! Lovely. With the neuropathy I feel like I’m walking on crushed glass even when I’m lying down, toes numb, toenails very sore, fingernails and fingertips v sore, but the brown cuticle appears to be growing out. Other side effects: anaemia - Haemoglobin of 78 instead of 110-160 (was given blood transfusion last week), wheezy cough, tight chest (ecg and X-ray clear), muscle aches and pains, fatigue. I was so tired after yesterday’s treatment (Taxol week 7) I conked out after dinner, but the wheeze was getting to me so I went for a walk on the beach... and felt better! 😅 I’m worrying about how much of the neuropathy and wheeze is too much? How do I know if the Taxol is causing permanent damage? Yesterday the oncologist says it is my call about how much more Taxol I want to submit to given my side effects, but I’ve no idea how to judge my neuropathy symptoms and wheeze, and am worried about changing to CMF for the 5 remaining weeks.
The answer wasn’t clear
Well I’m off to see Oncologist on Thursday am i silly to ask. The answer to the proposed radiation was delivered to me by by the nurse coordinator that I wouldn’t be having radiation and a letter would be sent to my GP. None arrived at my visit with him this week so the question is the sclerotic bone lesion in the Sacrum metastasis or is it the result of the coccyx pain which is now easing with the anti inflammatory tablet. and the smaller lesion on the chest bone. And How long will i be on tamoxifen do the side effects get less. Though i am getting less joint pain everywhere compared to the anastrol , but the hot sweaty flushes the Headaches and disturbed sleep and always feeling like i want to punch someone out Let alone the sudden feeling of dread that something is wrong. Feeling like I'm carrying lead weight all over. The tinnitus has trebled and the vision gets blurry there you go another load off. Now all i have to do is last till Thursday writing this all down Might help me remember. Then again my brain is mushy half the time I know others are worse off but sometimes it’s lonely and the why bother creeps in
Freaking out a bit
Hi, It’s been a while since I’ve been on here....mainly because I cope best by not thinking about the cancer. (Diag dec 2017...stage 2. +Hormone -Her - Lumpectomy, radiation and tamoxifen) But, over the past 6 weeks, I’ve developed tinnitus, dizziness and bad headache) I’ve been to the ENT who has referred me for a head scan which I’m having Wednesday. Now this morning, I have spotting!!!! I haven’t had any period etc since starting tamoxifen in April 2018. I’m freaking out because it’s just the start of a long week-end and I just feel generally awful Any advice/reassurances welcome.
Complications from chemo
Hi everyone. I have barely been on here for some time now, OK....a long time, and for that I apologise. Whilst I was beginning my breast cancer journey from basically 2016 (aged 59)- I was also a full time carer to my 91 yr old Mother. It's all been pretty full on. Mum took the news of my breast cancer badly. It was almost like one minute she could walk etc - and then she went downhill convinced I was dying because the oncologist and surgeon decided I should have a prophylactic mastectomy on the 2nd breast to head off further cancer. 2018 was pretty horrid after that. She is now the first person in our family that has had dementia and one form of her dementia was she rubbed her feet (in agitation) whilst in bed. She developed bedsores on the side of one foot and this is what killed her. In between all this, I began chemo Jan 2016 and within the first week I began to go numb in my toes, had a heart attack on the 2nd dose, chronic diarrhea that continues to this day, had to have all my teeth extracted (Karma because I was so proud of my white perfect teeth hahahaha) I developed lymphedema in my right arm and side of my body. That required a few weeks of having full body massages daily ( 5days a week) and my arm bandaged tightly) To this day, I have to do something like 20 to 30 massages a day to keep the swelling down an wear a compression garment 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week. Within the first week I also started numbness in my feet from the toes up. This is my BIGGEST problem, and I am praying that others have suffered from this and can help. Has anyone else had this numbness that creeps up their legs?? I am now finding that I fall over constantly and that my left leg almost feels like it doesn't belong to me or is there. It's so embarrassing falling over when I go out. I saw an endocrinologist last week and she feels that I must go on utterly massive doses of Vit D - and it is because my very low levels of Vitamin D since I started chemo are the reason this is happening. Has ANYONE gone through this and beat it??? Because right now I wish to God the cancer had taken me. I've been a full time carer to my mother for nearly 14 years - yet now when I need help - I am told I have to out and find work. I'm at the stage I give up. Barb from Brisbane
Drained- Depressed & Struggling
Well it has been three months since I have been online so here goes. Twelve weekly sessions of chemo (Paclitaxel) plus Trastuzumab (hercepton) every three weeks just completed! Last tuesday was my last chemo (Paclitaxel) YAY! I was to start 4 weeks of radiation on 17th Sept. But was notified yesterday it will now start on 2nd October and I will only have 16 days again YAY! It has been the most draining weekly sessions I could ever have imagined, sorry for the complaining but I am exhausted. My body is not mine it looks like some 90 year olds. No hair has taken away my identy, my poor old body is sagging, covered in chemo rash damage, lack of colour, I am so tired all the time, can't concentrate and not much interested in anything that goes on around me! What the hell happened to me in the last three months go? I've been in a timewarp! Where did the fun loveing grandma go, the lady who loved meeting her friends at craft every Thursday & who loved her indoor bowls every Monday with her group. Where did she go? I really didn't have any expectations when I went in to this I just decided to do the very best I could at it & give it my best shot at beating this dam big C. Wow today I feel like laying down & sleeping & just letting mother nature take over. Yep I am depressed I realise I need to seek some help I don't know this person any more who is she? I have about three weeks of only Trastuzumab every three weeks so a break might just give me back some energy to get through the rest of these few months. Hopefully I will be able to visit my craft & indoor bowls groups to say hi to them all again as I have only been able to visit them twice each over the past three months & that was a struggle. As long as I make the effort & keep moving forward I am sure I will get through this but have just hit a brick wall at moment & need to retreat, regroup & reenergise, get positive & move on for the next round. Sorry for the long rant I needed to vent so thought of all you sisters out there. Until next time love & good health to you all may your journey be smooth. Regards Dawn
Feeling tired and emotional...
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September, and like most on this journey, have been on a rollercoaster of mixed scary emotions. After biopsies and surgery, I am nearly at the end of my radiation treatment, only 3 sessions to go. I have been surprised at how tired I have been this week, and it freaks me out a bit at while radiation doesn't hurt, I feel that it is draining me of any emotion and happiness.... like Im stuck at the bottom of the rollercoaster and cant get up the other side. How do you cope with these teary feelings? Does anyone else feel the same? I am thankful my treatment is nearly over, and I shouldn't complain, compared to others my journey has been fairly straight forward. I'm trying to stay positive, but this week the weight is crushing...
Crash
So here I was thinking that once the chemo was over and I started feeling better then it was full steam ahead! I guess that was a bit naive of me and I should have known better. This morning I was okay as I have been for the last week. This afternoon I crashed, physically, emotionally and mentally. Hubby came home tonight, cooked dinner, then ate half of mine because I just wasn't hungry. I am hoping a good nights sleep will help. Oops, I forgot I don't have those anymore. I will just have to reread some of those encouraging things you ladies have written on some of the other threads. They usually pick me up.
Pristiq - what do I expect?
Hello. Three months of struggling and more to come, so on the gentle advice of three members of my medical team, I'm about to take anti-depressants for the first time in my life. The oncologist and GP have conferred and I have a box of Pristiq ready to go tomorrow morning. Pristiq because down the track the onc says I'll be on Tamoxifen and those two go together OK, unlike Lexapro. Is anyone out there on Pristiq? What can I expect over the next few weeks?
