In part one of this article, I told you about the side effects I experienced during my first round of chemo, which involved bi-weekly doses of AC (Adriamycin and Cytoxan). I received four doses, total, which would have taken just two months but for me ended up being two and a half. I had to be hospitalized because of an extremely low white blood cell count caused by one of the doses, so my oncologist pushed my next one to the following week.
If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer and are facing this regimen, please don’t let my experience scare you. From what I understand, the reaction I had was rare and not expected. My medical team watched me like a hawk once I reported my fever and sore throat (which was severe…but I’m pretty sure that was rare, too). Once my fever reached a certain point, they admitted me to the hospital. I’m so grateful for the high level of care I’ve received every step of the way.
The second round of chemo that I was put on started two weeks after my last dose of AC. The new “cocktail” was Taxol and Herceptin. Only the Taxol is technically chemo, not the Herceptin. For each dose, my nurse would dress up in a protective garb (paper gown, mask, gloves) in order not to be burned by the Taxol (a.k.a. paclitaxel). It was quite a change this past Monday when she was administering my Herceptin to me (still an infusion) but didn’t have to put on the paper gown, etc.
Because I’d received the Taxol and Herceptin on the same day, one right after the other, it’s hard to say which side effects were caused by which med, so I’ll just list what I experienced:
A little more hair loss. Not so much on my head (I never did go “shiny” bald, but always had fuzz…kind of Smeagol from Lord of the Rings…seriously), but this is when my eyebrows thinned way out and I lost most of my eyelashes. Not a morning has gone by that I haven’t been grateful for makeup!
Discoloration of my fingernails and toenails. This didn’t happen right away. I actually don’t remember when it started…maybe halfway through. The bummer is that it’s still happening. My oncologist says this actually started with the AC, but I dunno. All I know is that the damage to my nails is still going on. After the discoloration started, the pain began. My fingertips and toes under the nails became tender and hitting them against anything has been a very painful thing to experience. The tenderness in my toes is getting better, but for weeks I lived in a very comfy pair of Bear Paw boots given to me by some wonderful people.
One thing my doctor’s assistant told me was that some people lose their fingernails. It looks like I may be headed in that direction. Even though I’m done with the AC and the Taxol, the damage to my nails has occurred and it looks like I may lose at least a couple. My middle fingernails are the worst. I won’t describe them and I won’t take pictures…not today, anyway. (You’re welcome.)
Tingling in my fingers and toes. This side effect wasn’t very bad for me at all. For other women it can be much worse, even to the point of extreme pain in their hands and feet. I have to wonder if this occurs in higher doses, such as what’s given to women who receive Taxol biweekly rather than weekly. I opted for the weekly doses because the risk of side effects was lower, even though it meant having to travel to Seattle more often.
Muscle aches and fatigue. The muscle aches weren’t too bad while on Taxol. Now that I’m off of that and only on Herceptin, I feel like I’m 80 years old because of how stiff my joints feel — especially my hips. I’ve been aching all over. As far as the fatigue goes, it’s been my constant companion since beginning chemo. And lately I’ve had the energy of a slug (on the bright side, I’ve had plenty of time to get caught up on my reading).
Chemo brain. Much more than just being “forgetful.” When you forget something, you might feel that the thing you’re trying to remember is “right there,” or “right on the tip of your tongue.” With chemo brain, it’s different. The information you’re looking for is just gone, baby. Lonnnng gone. Like looking at a blank computer screen.
Heart palpitations. These can be scary. My heart’s in good condition, according to a couple of EKGs and MUGA (heart function) scans, but the palpitations were worrisome. My doctor thought they were caused by my port’s catheter “tickling” the area of my heart where it entered into it from the vein, and he may be right, but I noticed the palpitations would worsen right after each dose of chemo. Who knows.
Loss of taste. I think this was probably the worst. Well, up until now, considering how my fingernails look. The Taxol really affected my taste buds. It’s different for every woman. When this happens, some only want salty foods. For me, I couldn’t taste much salt at all, so I opted for more sweet things, which I could taste. And let me tell you, as someone who’s been a health and fitness blogger, that was frustrating. I had once been someone who couldn’t stand the taste of things that were overly sweet, but had become someone who couldn’t eat anything else without wanting to spit it out.
I could eat some savory meals, as long as they were seasoned properly. Sometimes I just had to add salt, but then too much salt tasted gross. I discovered from a cancer cookbook that adding lemon juice to soups, etc., could improve the flavor much better than additional salt would. If you’re in the same boat as me, give it a try.
Some things just also had a really weird aftertaste. This was usually made better by chewing gum or drinking juice (or whatever was near at hand). Water tasted disgusting — it had that same bad aftertaste. BUT, we cancer patients have to drink a lot of water, so what a catch-22 that was. My solution: Make a pitcher of herbal tea, sweeten it with a little honey or agave nectar, and drink that as you would your water. Be sure to switch between various flavors.
I’ve also been thrown into early menopause because of the toxic effects the chemo had on my ovaries (not sure if it was the AC or the Taxol that did it — maybe both). I honestly don’t mind it. We’ve had our kids and at this stage of our lives certainly weren’t planning on more. Also, I had monster migraines (with sharp teeth and claws) that would always coincide with “that time of the month,” and they are now completely GONE. That’s definitely a blessing in disguise. The worst part of early menopause has been the hot flashes, but for some reason, I haven’t been noticing them as much lately. My oncologist prescribed a low dose of Effexor to help with the hot flashes, but just one made me so dopey that I never took another. I’d rather fan myself or stand outside in 20 degree weather in just my skivvies than be doped up like that again. But maybe you’ll handle it better. Everyone’s different!
Last, but not least, I am also experiencing some serious hip and joint stiffness caused by the Herceptin. While not chemo, it’s still something causing side effects for me, so I’m listing it here. I can’t sit for longer than five or 10 minutes without feeling like I’m 80 and arthritic when I stand up. It’s not very painful, just makes it hard to walk. Kind of like the tin man when he needed his oil!
(Doesn’t he look like he’s just been goosed in this picture?!)
So there you have it…my side effects as I remember them. If you don’t have cancer, you may have found these two posts extremely boring, and that’s okay. But if you’re a fellow breast cancer survivor-to-be, like I am, I hope this helped you to at least know you’re not alone. The good news is that, while I may have made some of these side effects sound completely horrible, you’ll get through them. They WILL go away. And, needless to say, you may not get all of the side effects I did. I hope your experience is smooth sailing, but if it isn’t, send me a note and vent — even if you’re finding this years after I wrote it.
We’re a sisterhood and are here for each other. Always.
