Guest kathleen Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Hello everyone, Mom had her first chemo treatment with Taxotere yesterday. So far so good. I have her rinsing her mouth with salt water every couple hours, keeping food in her stomache and pushing fluids. She is doing very well so far. I am at work and Dad stays with her all day. She just called and was eating snickers!!! She is a hoot. Mom takes everything in stride and this if anything will probably help her. I am Feeling more positive, not sure why, I know this message board is helping. I read all of your posts, so far have not left many replies as it is all still so new and I am still learning. You are all an inspiration and make me not feel so alone in dealing with this hiddeous disease. Can anyone tell me if side effects are more apt to show up a few days after chemo, or will it potentially be worse with each treatment? Thinking of you all and praying for you and yours. Kathleen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Hi Kathleen, Glad to hear your mom is in good spirits! When my mom was on chemo, it did get a litlte worse at the end, but all in all, it was very tolerable. Typically a few days in she began to feel it more. Tell your mom it is NORMAL and she will feel better very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darci Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Kathleen, I don't have any advice regarding your mom's treatments, as we are new to this too...but I think that it is excellent that your mom is keeping such a healthy attitude. I think that positive feelings and thoughts make such a huge difference in life! I hope that she tolerates her treatments well and can continue eating snickers bars! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Usually the chemo side effects kick in several days after the IV. And the side effects tend to get worse with each cycle. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 I'm glad your mom started treatment. Our family feels a bit better every thursday when our mom goes in...we feel like we are 'taking action' on those days instead of sitting around and worrying. Thursdays have come to be known as the day we 'beat back the cancer even more!' Thats how we try to see it anyway My mom takes a different chemo drug...Taxol and Carbo. I dont know how different it is from Taxotere. Just as an example though....mom feels the effects about 2 day after. She gets numb toes and feet and restless legs. Her appitete goes as well...about 2 days after and lasts 3 days or so. Then it comes back. She also gets biotherapy once a week...that drug doesnt seem to effect her much at all. Her sleeping is off since this all started though, she doesnt sleep thru the night usually. But that could be from a number of things I imagine There is a great site that helped me a lot. Its www.chemocare.com I looked up the drugs my mom was taking and it told me what it expect and all the possible side effects. I didnt tell my mom everything, but if she had a problem I would mention that I read about it and that its par for the course. Like I said, its been helpful Here is the page that addresses Taxotere http://www.chemocare.com/bio/bio.sps?iBiographyID=9221 It looks like symptoms show 4 or more days after treatment, so dont be surprised if she starts to feel the effects I say this not to be a 'downer' but because I feel its good to be aware. We were upet when my mom started feeling her symptoms because the 1st few days after went so well.....we had out hopes up that she wouldnt be effected at all. Once I read about the side effects, I knew what to expect and it helped me from feeling such highs and lows One important thing that we were NOT told is how important it is to stay HYDRATED!!! My mom got very very ill after her 1st treatment. She was bedbound, unable to eat or talk much etc. It scared us. As it turned out, it was nothing more than dehydration from her hospital stay the week before and the chemo. Once she got some IV fluids she was back up again. Now she makes sure to drink as much as possible and its never happened again! The chemo dehydrates you though, so this is good to keep in mind Best of luck..and keep us updated j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kathleen Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 Thank you for the links to chemocare and taxtotere. The oncology has been very helpful. They did advise us to keep Mom well hydrated so we started that a good week ago (actually I have been nagging her for years to drink more H2o). She is doing a good job of following the doctors suggestions. I'm sure in a day or two the side effects will be more noticeable. I just pray they will be tolerable. J- how many treatments has your mother had? and when will she get her first results? I am nervous about getting the first results, who knows if this is working. I try to take it all just one day at a time and not think ahead as it gets me in trouble. Just trying to enjoy life and be there for my folks. k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northstar Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 k~ My mom started chemo on July 23rd. She has a big treatment of Taxol and Carboo every 4 weeks, this Thursday will be her 3rd treatment I believe. She also is in a study for a biotherapy drug Irbitux..she gets that weekly Mom had her 1st scan last week (1st since the orginal scans in July) Her tumor shrunk 61%, by all accounts it is a miracle. For now she is going in the right direction. Its weird though....I am afraid to get too excited From what the drs and everyone else has said though, the 1st scans after treatment usually dont show much change...they had told us not too expect much. A month or so into treatment usually isnt a long enough time for the drugs to start working. Funny thing is with this.....the 1st set of news was so good that now I am even more nervous about her 2nd scans. It really is a rollercoaster I dont know much about this process Kathleen, but I'm willing to share whatever I do know and offer any encouragement or support when I can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pammie Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Kathleen, your mom sounds like a wonderful person. So many people are never blessed to get to 84yrs. Her sense of humor is delightful and will always be a boost for her and you through this fight. God bless you and both of you are in our prayers. pammie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
francesbean Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 No answers here but keep the updates coming, Kathleen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreed70 Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Glad to hear that she's doing well! The side effects can be so varied from person to person. Stay positive and also her good attitude will make all of the difference! Again glad that you are here getting support. Blessings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Kathleen...It sounds like things are going well. Wow..eating a snickers bar can only be a very good thing...lol! Please keep us posted as your mom continues her treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kathleen Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Yes, I guess I didn't expect her to be eating snickers the day after chemo, but my Mom is something! J- I think it is wonderful that your mom had 61% shrinkage. I understand your thoughts on not wanting to get too excited and also the apprehension in the next set of scans. Also, it does feel better to have treatment started. It is comforting to know we are fighting this and not just sitting back. I do get apprehensive when I think about Mom's first scans after the chemo... what if it doesn't work? What if it did...will it continue? I am trying very hard to be positive and to take things just one day at a time...that is sometimes easier said than done. This is a rollercoaster we are all on. I never did like rollercoasters!!! It is day 3 since the first chemo treatment. Mom is still doing well, she did have a very restless night (so her daughter did too lol ) Is this usual with chemo? how long will it last? Best to all of you! k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma's kid Posted August 31, 2005 Share Posted August 31, 2005 Hi Kathleen, Just wanted to say hi and wish your mom well. We are new to this as well...my mom was just recently dx'd and is undergoing chemo/radiation. So far, her side effects have been minimal. I just got off the phone with her and today she has terrible indigestion and I am hoping it will pass. Your mom's attitude is wonderful and that's so important in the grand scheme of things. Sending prayers your way. Love and light Libby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don M Posted September 1, 2005 Share Posted September 1, 2005 Hi Kathleen: it sounds like your mom is off to a good start. I finished 4 rounds of adjuvant chemo last month. I would be sleepless and restless for the first 2 nights after chemo because of the dexamethasone steroid they gave me at infusion. It helps the antinausea medicine work better. I would get some over the counter benadryl and take it the first and second nights. It helped me get some sleep. My cocktail was gemzar/carboplatin. I had very little side effects other than feeling kind of poorly and fatigued from the 3rd day after infusion and the following 4 days or so. I slept a lot beginning the 3rd day after infusion. With taxotere, I think your mom can expect some numbness and hair loss. I lost no hair and had no numbness. Going to chemo got to be a social get together after a while. It looks a lot like a barbershop what with all the chairs lined up and all. I called it the chemo shop. The nurses were great and I met some nice people. I was glad to get started on chemo but was even more glad when it was over. I hope your mom tolerates the chemo well and gets great results. Don M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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