Sister started Chemo - Taxol

[Jazzy765]

My sister just started taking chemotherapy on December 14th and did fine until Friday, December 18th.  She has gotten very tired, very dizzy and really bad headaches.  She has lost about 8 pounds this past week.  All she wants to do is stay in bed.  Can anyone tell me how long this tiredness lasts after a treatment.  She is scheduled to have 6 treatments every 3 weeks and quite honesly, I don't know if she will be able to go through another one.  She doesn't know if this is only for 2 more days or if this feeling is going to last throughout the whole treatment period.  I'm really looking for some help on information on what to expect.  Thanks alot.

[Jazzy765]

Thank you all for the information, it is extremely helpful as we did not know what to expect.  She is feeling better now, much of what she was feeling was dehydration and just not eating.  I thank you all for the information and suggestions.  This is a scary thing, when you don't know what to expect.  May all of you have a blessed Christmas and have abdundent health for the oncoming years.  Thank you again.

[survivor_susie]

I had the standard treatments, too, but with very little discomfort or fatigue.  A few things which made a huge difference is that I went to acupuncture on day 3 after treatment.  I'd drag in to my appointment and bounce out!  I also exercised all the way through chemo.  I worked full time, too.
Best of luck.

[helenl89]

the first week or so was the worst for me. i could barely get out of bed. but by the sixth or seventh day I would start to perk up. Fruit is the way to go definatly. i would crave milk and cookies and small bites of ice cream. i hate to say this but i got used to feeling crappy all the time, and  when i did feel good i would take advantage of it to the fullest. spinach and kale have lots of iron in them to help keep the anemia at bay. chemo can also be very constipating drink lots of water, and try senacot or miralax if it gets uncomfortable. Use plastic untensils it helps with the awfull metal taste one sometimes gets. i sometimes would get out of bed and sit on the front porch, just to feel the fresh air on my face.

[SwOC5]

Yes from day 3-4 after carbo/taxol treatment up to day 7-10 for me used to be like shut down.This occurs as a result of the drop in blood count. She needs to keep a careful check on her temperature as during this time she is most at risk of infection.
Then I would steadily improve and usually have days 14 -21 near normal ( I would know I was up to form again as I always baked a cake).
It is really useful to keep a diary as each cycle tends to follow a similar pattern and so in future cycles she can plan treats for the better days.
Lots of little snacks help with the weight loss and keep energy levels up a bit; fresh fruit mandarin oranges segments, grapes,  bite size pieces of pineapple and slices of apple had a refreshing/cleansing effect to the mouth which tends to taste yuck all the time. Also soups a little ice cream/ yogurt/ custard and a square or two of dark chocolate and some grated cheese over small meals increases calorie intake and are easy to take.
Even to just move from the bed to a chair in a room with a view outside helps and best of all I used to love  to get out of the house to walk in the garden (just standing at the back door would do on the really low days) or  sit in the car at local the park or better still  by the sea.
The first one is the hardest as everything is unknown and she will still be recovering from surgery, she will cope better each day.
For me it has been worth the fight. Over the past 5 years I have had my children grow to teen and young adult. They have achieved so much I am so happy and lucky to be here for yet another Christmas.