Hi Laurie, thanks so much for your reply, yes it’ll be great to have a TAX buddy. I’ve also been warned about the increased muscle/joint pain,thought I was used to that from Arimidex and Zoladex but this may be a bit worse.
I didn’t have any nausea at all on EC, just tiredness. I have the same dose of Dexamethasone as you’re on, I’m dreading it as I was really ‘buzzing’ last time and then came down on a real low and was very grumpy with everyone. (My poor kids)
I also had neutropenia after my fourth EC last time, so may ask if I can have Neulasta jabs as a precaution. My girls are teenagers but both still at school so there’s always the danger of loads of bugs flying around.
Let’s keep each other posted on how we’re doing. Tracey, will be keeping fingers crossed for good scan results
If you’ve had Neulasta before without any side effects (I know it can cause muscle/joint aches) and given that we’re heading into winter and you’ve also got the kid-factor it might be an idea to talk to the chemo folk about it.
I was neutropenic and hospitalised for 6 nights after my first FEC and now have a 20% reduced dose and think I’ll also be having reduced TAX. Not sure how I feel about it although the side effects have certainly been more manageable with the reduced dose as I couldn’t eat because of the state of my mouth after the first and felt so tired.
Hi Laurie, yes, I am definitely going to ask for it - I’d rather put up with the muscle pain etc than end up stuck in hospital - I know they don’t like giving it out much because apparently it’s a really expensive injection, but hey, we’re worth it. I hope the rest of your chemo goes well, let’s keep each other posted
A tip that may be worth trying of you do have the neulasta jabs: I found taking a clarytin tablet (Loratadine) helped reduce the muscle aches. I checked with the onc, and he was happy for me to do this - Clarityn apparently interacts with hardly any other drugs so is very safe to take.
Been to hospital for check-up after operation to femur. All healing well. Need to do strengthening exercises. Radiotherapy appointment now to be arranged. Still very tired. But getting there. Val
Hi Alex, good news from your scan (as already said on ‘Bone Mets’) - congrats
Val - good to see you’re coming along nicely - can’t remember if I’ve already said this on a different thread but take it easy and time will heal
Nicky xx
Alex, Glad to hear your good news. Hope the next scans in November give you good results too.
Thanks Nicky for your support and good wishes.
Well I was feeling well and felt that I was “turning the corner” since yesterday. The nurse did my bloods here and 5 mins ago my GP phoned to say that my HB is now down to 7.5 and is writing me a prescription for iron tablets. I have been feeling “puffed” when I walk outside but I thought I was getting better. I even managed a soak in the bath this morning but needed my OH to assist getting me in. Getting out was easier. I have also noticed that I am losing weight but feel the better for it. I know my appetite is not great but we do eat good home cooking and have a varied diet and my OH keeps giving me small snacks to encourage me throughout the day.
We have a flight booked to visit my daughter but I think we won’t be going. The flight is ok as it is a short one but my daughter lives in the centre of the city so getting around would be more difficult because just now I have only to step out of the front door to get into the car.
I “think” I feel a bit low now as I thought my progress was going along nicely. I am having my IV infusion of Zolidronate on the 30th so I don’t even know if I will get that. I have phoned my BC Nurse and am waiting for her to get back to me. Oh well, nothing for it but to get on with it. Love Val
Alex, fantastic news on your scans, I love the stable word and it’s very encouraging to me as a new liver mets girl - have done nearly three years with bone mets so here’s to the next three or more for all of us.
Val, sorry to hear you aren’t feeling the best, hope the iron tablets help and that you aren’t feeling low for too long - it’s totally understandable though, you’ve been through such a lot lately.
Hope everyone else is doing ok, starting Taxotere on Monday, half dreading it but half wanting to get on with it if that makes sense
Hello. I haven’t been on here for absolutley ages as I started to go on the Maintenance Taxol one. Just to say that the “lesions” on my liver have responded really well to the taxol (or paclitaxel to give it its full name), with all smaller ones disappearing leaving one larger one that is getting smaller. (Does that make sense???) That is after 9 weekly doses of the stuff with maybe another 6 to go. Bones are healing up the Onc said so it was all good news. Lets hope it lasts!! So don’t give up hope all you lovely lades and get taking the drugs!!! xxxx
Thank you for your good wishes and support. I am very conscious how important good news stories are for those of us with secondaries. I think hope is a very powerful thing.
Not been on here for a while myself and saw your post. Sorry you have had to join ‘this club’ but the others are right, Taxol was given to me for my primary and reduced the tumour substantailly before I had surgery. I had the Taxol before the FEC and had joint pains that were unpleasant in the first cycle but seemed to diminish in inetnsity over subsequent doses. Good luck with it, I am sure it will help.
I am conforted by the fact that it is now over 4 years since I had Taxol so if things start progressing again they have said that it will still be available to me. I hope I don’t need it for a while yet! I am on maintenance Xeloda at present. I will find out in November if it is still working.
That’s an encouraging post, thank you for that - I must say I do have high hopes of Taxotere so I hope it doesn’t let me down. It’s interesting to hear that it can be offered again too. I’m glad the maintenance Xeloda is working well, long may it continue. I’ve been told already that after Tax finishes (in January, that sounds a long way off)that they’ll probably try another hormonal - I haven’t done Femara or Faslodex yet and was only on Aromasin a matter of a few weeks before my lousy scan so hoping there are still several options there.
Feeling really flu-ey tonight though, hot and cold and sore throat - nurse said at blood test this morning they will postpone if it develops any further, grrr, just want to get started
Thanks for posting your good news which gives me hope! Like Lesley, I’m just about to start TAX (on 5th Oct) and while dreading it, am keen to get on especially since I’ve had to have a reduced dose of FEC.
Thanks to Sue and everyone else too; reading your posts keep me going in my buzzy steroidal dark days!
Good luck for today Lesley!
Lx
PS: Thought it was time to ditch the old hair photo. Replaced by a magnificent and pretty true-to-life drawing by my 11 year old daughter.
Started my Tax yesterday and feeling absolutely fine so far. Dose had to be reduced by 10% because my liver function test was a bit high in places but hopefully it will still be just as effective.
Freaking out ever so slightly this morning though as just been to GP for Zoladex jab and been told that my last CA 15-3 markers were 1200 - this is up from 300 in July. I have heard of people with markers in the thousands, but I’m a bit scared by such a massive jump so quickly. GP tried to reassure me not to worry too much about the number and that now my tx has started they will hopefully drop dramatically. Just wondered what others experience of TMs with liver mets are.
