There is light at the end of this very long tunnel…
In 22 days I will have completed my sixth and final infusion of chemo. It has been quite a battle so far trying to manage so many side-effects. Here are some of the physical changes that I have endured and an insight as to what your body may be going through while fighting chemo and cancer. Docetaxel and carboplatin, which is 2 out of the 3 drugs I have been prescribed. The third drug, Herceptin will continue until Jan 2017. Each infusion cycle has been 21 days apart. Docetaxel and carboplatin are the chemo drugs that are associated with multiple side effects. My usual pattern is feeling second-hand for about 10 days after receiving the chemo. My fifth infusion is on Thursday and I am hoping that it is as smooth as the last session.
Side effects can knock you sideways
Having said that, here is a little summary of what I did experience this time around, while pretty horrific this was mild compared to previous infusions:
**Week 1**
Bloated
Hungry
Dripping nose
Hot flushes – every 30 mins day and night
Bruising at site of cannula
Nauseous
Stomach cramps
Fatigue
Lethargic
Tired
Constipation & diarrhoea
Weight gain
**Week 2**
No taste – taste buds don’t differentiate between flavours
Tongue & teeth feel rough and tender
Inside of nose peeling
Itchy
Lips tingling
Fatigue
Lethargic
Tired
Constipation & diarrhoea
Hot flushes – every 30 mins day and night
Achy
Nose running
Weight gain
Red and itchy at cannula site
Stabbing pains over body
Bruising appears over body
Eye twitching
Hairloss
Fatigue
Lethargic
Tired
Peeling skin on fingertips
**Week 3**
Nose running
Weight gain (+5kg so far!)
Red and itchy at cannula site
Stabbing pains over body
Taste starting to return
Fingertips tingling
Sensitive around eyes
Nail changing colour
Skin rash on arms
Hairloss
Hot flushes – every 30 mins day and night
What do these chemo drugs do to you?
From a scientific perspective here is a little more information about Docetaxel and Carboplatin.
Docetaxel Side-Effects
Docetaxel is a plant alkaloid which was originally developed from the Pacific Yew tree. It works by killing cells that are rapidly dividing. The inability to distinguish between fast growing normal cells and cancerous cells is the reason why chemo patients often experience side effects. Here are the side effects copied from:
http://www.mydr.com.au/…/docetaxel-sandoz-concentrate-for-i…
Irritation, pain, swelling or colouring around the needle during infusion
High temperature
Stomach pain or discomfort
Feeling sick, upset stomach or vomiting
Mild diarrhoea
Constipation
Inflammation of the food pipe (oesophagus)
Whitening or darkening of the skin or nails
Loosening of the nails
Unusual hair loss or thinning
Joint pain or swelling
Aching muscles, muscle tenderness or weakness not caused by exercise
Unusual tiredness or weakness
Confusion
Mild swelling of hands, ankles and feet
Weight gain
Pins and needles or a burning or tingling feeling in hands or feet
Redness or rash around previous radiation site (if you have had radiotherapy)
Back pain
Decreased appetite
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Low blood pressure (hypotension)
Temporary visual disturbances or feeling that you are about to faint
Infections with fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
Sore red mouth or vagina or swelling in these areas
Severe diarrhoea
Tiredness, headaches, being short of breath when exercising, dizziness and looking pale
Breathing problems, shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
Coughing
Change in the rhythm or rate of your heart beats (palpitations)
Pain in muscles
Flushed, dry skin, irritability and confusion
Passing little or no urine, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting and breathlessness
Fainting
Yellowing of the skin or eyes, also called jaundice
Flaking of the skin
Red, scaly patches of the skin especially around the cheeks and nose
Raised lumps on the skin which looks like scalding
Hardening of the skin
Chest pain / heart attack
Excessive watery discharge from the eyes
Trouble with your hearing, or some loss of hearing
Sudden and severe swelling or pain in the joints or rash.
Sudden signs of allergy such as rash, itching, hives on the skin, swelling of the face, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing
Convulsions, fits or seizures
Ulcer in the stomach or intestine – vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, bleeding from the back passage, black sticky bowel motions or bloody diarrhoea
Difficulty in breathing
Sudden swelling of the leg/arm which may be due to blood clots.
Carboplatin Side-Effects
Carboplatin also works by stopping cells divide and is a platinum-complex cytotoxic drug. As above carboplatin has many side effects which I have copied from the same source:
Mild nausea or vomiting
Diarrhoea or constipation
Weakness, tiredness or fatigue
Sore muscles or joints
Pain or irritation at the injection site.
Taste abnormalities
Hearing problems
Muscle irritability or cramps
Blurred vision or other visual disturbances
Tingling in the fingers or toes
Flaking or peeling of the skin, rash or itchy rash
Signs of an allergic reaction (such as shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin; dizziness or light-headedness)
Signs of infection, such as fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
Shortness of breath
Tremor
Unusual bleeding or bruising
Problems with urination e.g. pain or difficulty
Yellowing of the skin or eyeballs
Severe nausea and vomiting
A feeling of tightness, pressure or heaviness in the chest.
I’m a Survivor!
I am not writing this for your sympathy but to give some insight around the drugs associated with chemo and what to expect. While horrifying I have no trouble reminding myself that this could have been much worse, both in diagnosis and the treatment side effects. One aspect that I can understand more than ever before, is why terminally ill patients decide to cease treatment altogether. There are times when the cure seems a harsh hand versus the disease itself. Although for me acceptance of the chemo treatment was easy, I have been ticking off the sessions and am focused on the end result. I never felt the need to debate what was needed as I have had full trust in the medical staff and experts I their field. This trust has meant that not only did acceptance come easily but I did not feel the need to ‘google’ my situation. If I think back to child birth, I know friends who ‘googled’ pending the arrival of their little bundle of joy and watched as their anxiety levels increase having seen and read extreme cases. So for me this was a conscious decision and I still feel a wise one.
So in 22 days the hardest part will have ended I can begin to recover both physically and mentally. Mentally I have come to terms with being diagnosed with breast cancer and all I hope is that my story can help others. I already know of a few who have also been recently diagnosed and I hope they find strength in some of these words and the community in this blog. Despite being left with multiple scars on my right arm and on my chest, no hair, alien breasts, loss in sensation in upper left arm and chest, longer term fatigue and memory loss, it is the weight gain and potential permanent menopause that I struggle with the most. There is nothing worse than standing in front of your wardrobe looking at ALL your clothes knowing that you cannot fit into ANY of them. Then feeling old before my time makes me want to dash out and buy a few beige cardys for the occasion. Call me shallow but this is what keeps me awake at night, as well as the multiple hot flushes! I will remain focused on the end and when I can officially call myself a breast cancer survivor. It won’t be long, just 22 more days!
Remember be kind to yourself, you are amazing!
Do you know anyone that has been through chemo, what tips do you have to get through treatment? Please share with us below.
P.S: All of this takes courage. Check out our Red Coral Circle Earrings.
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