Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
-
Cupcake - Thanks for re-posting the theme song - it just cracks me up! I too thought about moving on and leaving the thread, I thought maybe it would be healthier - mentally. But like everything I do, I was rushing it. This road trip does not end with the last infusion of TC. You got that good ole Herceptin for several more months, some get rads, some get more surgery, some get tamoxifen (satan's helper) or the other one. And ALL of us have to get this crap flushed out of our bodies. And I like helping out the newbies because I know how much I appreciated it. So I will be sticking around for a long while yet.
The rain went away and we had a wonderful ride on the beach. Now I have to get off my tushy and get to work. We are having a large bar-b-q this weekend and I have a zillion things to do.
Lisa
0 -
Okay, here is a pic of me cleaned up! My neice's highschoold graduation. I am on the left.
" mce_src="
" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />0 -
This one is closer to the truth
" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" /> 0 -
Now for the whole truth!
" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />0 -
One of my friends was taking pics at the beach today. When she sends them to me, I will post a bald pic.
Lisa
0 -
Cupcake Thanks for sharing the song It tells it just like it is!! Please Please stick around as long as you want we really do need you here you know!!! I am so glad you are done with treatments!! Lisa Lisa Lisa You are a Beauty Thanks for all the pics I think if you and I lived in the same town we would be friends you are my kinda gal!! I will have my boys help me get a pic posted I have no idea,they can help me! 0 -
I don't want to be left out! I begin next Wednesday 25th TCH x 6 (herceptin for a year) every 3 week regimen. I will try to keep posting my progress as I experience it. I have had a few emotional down days lately, I believe it is stress with upcoming events My expanders are up to 550cc each only 3 weeks out of surgery, so I am stretched and achy! Oh and did I mention raising 2 girls 24, and 21 and a 13 yr old boy OH WHAT DRAMA I LIVE WITH !!!! Try to keep my chin up (above foobs anyway!)Denise0
-
Cupcake: Thanks for that song, I just finished singing it to my 90+ year old parents--I had not ever seen it--great theme song.
Paula: My sore throat has turned into a cold--not too bad, but I'm congested, runny nose, etc--pollen certainly doesn't help the situation
inpursuit: Believe Achieve is the motto for the company my younger son works for TrySports. It is a triathlon sports store located in North and South Carolina. He gave all of us those shirts for Christmas
I hate to have to welcome any newbies to the group, but as you will find out we do depend on each other for support and laughter.
Lisa: Your pictures are great--I just shared my bald head with my parents for the first time.
I need to go back to visiting with my parents--time is so precious. Have a good night.
0 -
cupcake: Love the song....definately a good laugh...Thank You! Congrats on your last treatment...YEAH!!!
Lisa: I love the photo with the beer.....cant wait until my drinks taste normal again...wait..what is that! I have been eating everything and all day for the past week! And Im sure its not going to stop until the next tx...and the yucky taste comes back.
deemdee: Sorry you are here, but you are in great place! Lots of help and advice...all you have to do is ask! I will be on tx3 on March 26th.
shari
0 -
My Sister I am alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow what a mess things have been. Computer CRASHED! My DH has been out of town with the lap top
. We sadly had a death in the family (Brain Cancer). He was only 44 years old.
I have a fever and a cough. 99.7. Not enough to go to ER just sucks. I hope that they will not delay treatment. But I have been just exhausted. I do not know if it has to do with the cough or my liver counts or what in the @#$^.
I cried and cried reading all the post that were concerned about me. How did I get sooo blessed. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Sorry that I worried you. It was a bit out of my control. I tried to have my DH log in for me but he got a little overwhelmed.
Welcome newbies.This journey is doable. Everyones experience is so different yet there is a common thread. So someone can usually help.
FOLIC ACID HUH? How was your BUN and Creatin Numbers? I know that chemotoxins can rob us of many of our fundamental nutrients and alter chemistry's. It is so weird that oncs just inject us with this poison and then let us go. It is much important to (after chemo and rads) to detox. I mean a serious one. It should be done under doctors supervision. If we take the time to do this we will recover faster and better. I am going to a detox retreat in May. (hopefully) It is put on by Depook Chopra at the Escondido Bilmore Hotel. I can not wait. I will get massages and a detox diet. I will be there for a week and my DH will join me on the weekend. The program that I am doing is for post Chemo.
I am back on line so I will chatting up a storm again.
Here is my song for the day.
Give me it down to there HAIR!
Shoulder length or longer.
Grow it show it long as I can grow it my Hair!
It could be long straight, curly, whirly, waxen flaxen.......
I can't remember all the words I was to young. (right)
Peace and health my friends.
Lisa your a babe! Cupcake I loved your Wizard of OZ analogy.
0 -
ipursuit, I don't think they monitor bone density on this trial. They only do one bone scan at the end. It is already known that these drugs help prevent bone density problems. When they are given for cancer recurrence, they are given much more often than when used for bone density. I should be pretty low risk for bone density problems anyway - late menopause, overweight so my body still has estrogen from fat cells and my bones get plenty of weight bearing exercise, and hormone negative so I don't need hormone therapy.
They are testing to see whether these drugs reduce recurrence. These drugs are suppose to reduce the risk of bone mets. There is also evidence that they may reduce recurrence in other areas. They aren't sure why. One theory I read is that cancer cells hide out in the bone and then sometimes start to multiply elsewhere. We will take the drugs for 3 years and then they will follow us for 10 years. I expect it will be years before they release preliminary results.
I was a bit surprised when I heard about this study and found out I qualified because I always associated bisphosponates with hormone positive cancer since they are given to conteract the potential bone lose from hormone therapy. But they think the recurrence prevention may apply to hormone negative folks too so I qualify. The study requirements are pretty broad so probably most people here could qualify. One has to start the study either within 12 weeks of surgery or within 8 weeks of finishing chemo.
I hope I don't have side effects from this. Supposedly, there should be little or no side effects. If I get bad side effects, I'll probably quit. My risk of recurrence should be pretty low after TCH and rads. This is worth it to lower the risk even a bit more if I don't have problems with side effects but the benefit isn't large enough to put up with 3 years of side effects.
0 -
Good Evening ladies!!
Rockstar - I just like to have fun! I need to laugh and smile thru life. Colorado is only a plane ticket away! Until then, we can be cyber friends!
deemdee - You are never left out here. I am sorry that you are joining the camp, but we will get you thru the next few months, Hang in ther girl and hang with us.
duneoakes- Isn't it amazing how we get comfy with the bald? I never wore a wig, it just was not me. But the minute I get home, I ditch the ball cap. I have even gotten comfy with taking off my hat at work. I teach in the cosmetology/adult ed department at our community college. When I was first diagnosed, I was very up front with the students and they took part in my "progression hair cuts", the trimming and styling of the wig, the final buzz after the hair started falling out. But once it was a "done deal" I put my ball cap on and never took it off. I am getting better about it now. I think I will ditch the cap much sooner than most. I am just taking one day at a time.
Smile: My alchy drink of choice is chardonnay - and I refuse to drink cheap wine. Much to my dismay, shock, horror!!!!! - Within days of my first tx - I could not STOMACH THE SMELL of wine. I made my hubby go outside to drink it. The smell made me gag! In week 3 of my tx cycle I could have a beer if it was really cold and I would save that for my horse ride (only had the energy to ride on week 3 of tx cycle). Your tasters will all come back within 3 or 4 weeks after your last tx. Somewhere my hubby read some great advice: If one of your favorite foods/drinks tastes really bad during chemo, avoid it totally until treatment is over. If you force it, you will ruine the taste forever.
Bold: I am so glad you are OK! We were worried! Thanks for the advice on the BUN and Creatin, I have not asked about those levels.
I am glad you all enjoyed the pictures. I gave you a true representation of me - right down to the beer! It was really fun for me to go thru my pics and finds some fun ones to post. I took some bald ones a few months ago - I will go find one and put it up.
Mason: Where are yu?
Happy evening to all!
0 -
I like to watch the dragon flies in our yard. They dash and dart around and eat troublesome insects such as mosquitos. A blue dasher is a kind of dragon fly. We do get lovely blue dragon flies in our yard sometimes but I'm not sure if they are blue dashers or some other species. But I liked the name.
deemdee: Sorry you had to join us but welcome to Camp Chemo.
0 -
Lisa: I like the red blends..but wine has not been my friend...like you I cant stand the smell of it! So, I am drinking vodka (half shot) with soda and lots of limes.. I only have one (that seems to do me in...I am a cheap date..LOL..
Bold: Glad to see you are back and ok...I would go nuts without my computer!
I was so unhappy in my marriange that after my divorce it was like a weight was lifted off of me that all I could do was smile and that occured in 2006. I am back with my ex and I am still smiling
0 -
This one is for the newbies! This was taken around the first week or two of December (08). My first tx. was Oct 27, 08.
Lisa'a opinion of chemo and bald.
" alt="" border="" hspace="" vspace="" width="" height="" align="" />0 -
Lisa-all your pics are fantastic! The caption under the last photo should say "take this breast cancer!!!!!!!!!!"0
-
Dear Ladies,
Lisa,
Hey, those pics are great! I have always dreamed about living in a farm my whole life but was stuck with Gotham City. Well, it's good to see my fellow sister so happy in my dream setting...anyway we might go to Indiannapolis for summer at our cousins' place. We were at New Mexico in 2002/2003 for dh's sabbatical and we just loved the beautiful rugged country.
I got some serious issues with insurance today since they refused to classify my operation as complex. I had a quadrantomy (2.6 cm at 8 o'clock and 0.5 cm at 6 o'clock) plus three incisions at my axilla to take out my sentinel and two other nodes. They classified it only as major, thus the limit was way below the surgeon and anaesthesist's fees..............This is HSBC Insurance and it sucks. They suck up our money and pay the fat cats fat checks even when teh country is reeling under the financial tsunami. (sorry if there are any insurance gals out there!) This insurance came with my hubby's job and its benefits are only half of my policy at my old workplace (Bupa). Well, too bad i stopped work for 10 years already.
Is anyone out there a doc? Should my op be classified as complex or major? I had four incisons in all - one was 3 inches, and the other three 1 inch each. Surgery was about three hours in all.
It is a good idea to top up the insurance policies which we didn't since yours truly had excellent, excellent health until this BC disaster struck! Well it never rains but it pours,,,,,,
Cupcake,
That song is so................o witty. I love it and will photocopy and give to some fellow patients here. 95 percent of the patients at the centre where I go to are all elderly men and women who are local ( i thought the transfusion room was a geriatic ward at first). So far, met only one patient whom I could talk to about my age but she just finished her rads last week. Well, I'll just lie down and try to sleep or compose little ditties...
This morning, I took a trip to see a girlfriend who just had a hysterctomy, Poor girl, after the op, they told her the 3 lb (!) ffibroid was benign. Then last week, they changed their story and informed her by telephone that it was malignant! But her doc refused to release the path reports and she doesn't even know anything about the tumour grade, hormonal status, etc. She just did a pet scan and it had metastasise to her lymph nodes. She was in shock the whole weekend, and said she will refuse any chemo and RT treatments.
I told her we have no choice if we want to try to survive this nasty C thingy and we've got to flaunt every weapon in our armoury. I shared this site with her and told her that there are many, many others undergoing this baptism of fire and this site and others will hold her hand thru it. I told her about other sites more appropriate for her uterine cancer.
Am amazed at how calm and upbeat I could be when talking to others about their cancer and how emotional and bleak I am when thinking about my own prognosis..........my hair is falling off at an alarming rate today(Day 15 of 1st Round).
Gooday, everyone!
Hugs and kisses,
Ipohgirl
0 -
Cupcake - congrats on your final radioactivity! and thanks for posting the camp song! Now I don't have to go back and look for it! Thank you for sticking with us for a while with your wit and wisdom oh super counselor! (or should we call you Dorothy?)
Lisa - So God did pull off that weather change for you! wonderful! thank you also you party animal for sticking with us and keeping us laughing with your pics. You look pretty glam to me even with that baldy head.
Speaking of GLAMOROUS! what about the pic of you BOLD! is that what you look like now? Glad to have you back.
Blue - thank you for the info, you always seem to know so much about what is going on in this field of cancer research. I was afraid that there wouldn't be any conclusions soon, but just thought I'd ask. I had read about bone density providing some immunity to recurrence, so I think I may pursue it. Never had a bone density test but think I try to be tested. Has anyone else had one as part of their onocology testing?
Hi and welcome deemdee! I think we had run into each other a few wks ago before I found this thread! I think you'll find this a good place to camp out for a while.
ipohgirl - you remind us of how lucky most of us are to live in the US and to have health insurance. I thank God everyday for modern medecine and for the fact that my insurance can pay for it. Also I think the medical liability risk in this country makes the kind of situation your friend is encountering rare at least. I was just looking at my bills for my first Tx and first Herceptin-only treatment and it looks like without including ANYTHING for non-IV meds or tests like echos/PETS my treatment will cost $108,000 JUST to finish the chemo, haven't calculated the all-in cost when the remaining year of Herceptin is included.... I'm sure this inflated due to being treated by a private practice vs. HMO/Hospital, but now at least I know why they have such a lovely infusion room!
Don't recall who mentioned this but BOY do I empathize about feeling like I am in a geriatric ward during these infusions! (and actually it is not so much an age thing as the fact that many are so sick) It would be so good to see one of you vital ladies and chat. I did meet some really vivacious slightly older ladies that I befriended (so far we are on same schedule for chemo) but with HER2 I guess we are more youthful on average than the typical cancer patient.
Thanks to the rest of you for explaining what your screen names mean. What about you ipohgirl?
Just woke up for the first time with my new short haircut (that will last all of a week probably) and it is sticking up everywhere like a cartoon character. I think I would need Lisa to get me back looking even half as good as when I left the salon yesterday!
Off to work! Hugs, E
0 -
Rebecca & Deemdee, I am so sorry you have to be here but I am glad you found this site because it is a life saver. I finished TCH in Nov and I finished Rads in Fed. I still am doing Herceptin until June. I know everyone here is going to hang around and give good advice. I know I could not have done without my mentors.
Lisa I love your pics and you look so young. I am looking older and I blame it on the weight I lost but still would rather get skinny, well I am not skinny but have lost a little. I am trying to keep it off.
I have tried to put pics of me on but can't seem to do it. I guess if the grandsons had time they could but they go to college and work so too many irons in the fire.
I don't know why I never asked this but I do have a question for anyone. Do you feel bad when you do Herceptin only? I am having a harder time each tx. I feel like I am getting the flu and nausea. I also have a weird taste in my mouth but not as bad as when I did TCH. Now it shows up in between the tx. What is that about? I get a sore mouth on occasion but I rinse with the mouth wash I used when I was doing TCH and it helps that. I want this to be over. I hope it never comes back but when I have friends that it came back on and people tell me every time it does on someone! I get a little scared. See newbies were all get scared!
Bold I am glad we heard from you again. I hope things get better soon. I would like to go to a detox thing. I may look around here to see if I can find something like that.
gramma23 ( I am gramma to 3 boys)
0 -
I tried to get a pic to post but no luck. I guess I will try photo buscket later.
gramma23
0 -
Glad you all enjoyed the pics.
ipohgirl: I could never live in a big city. I had to go to Los Angeles one time for a 2 week training course and I could not wait to leave! Uck! Sorry you are having trouble with your insurance. Don't back down.
ipursuit: When I got my pre-chemo short haircut, I had just enough time to get used to it before it started falling out. I am trying to have patience with the "growing back" phase, but it is tough.
gramma: Have one of those boys help with the pics!
bold: Glad you are OK!
Lisa
0 -
Lisa I love the "bald" picture. I think you are at the point now that you will see a lot of hair growth. Take a picuture today and look at it in two weeks. I looked at some I took a month a go and then two weeks ago and wow! I have more and more each time. Now I look like an army chic. I have a little crew cut look going on. The coolest thing is when I get out of the shower...my hair is WET! It doesn't dry in 30 seconds like it did. (it dries in 5 minutes) It might not be much but I will take it!
I am taking my tamox. So far so good. I have been taking it for three days. I have a headache, but that is it. How about you??
Does anyone that is finished with chemo still have chemo brain?? Sometimes I don't know what in the hell I am doing. I feel mentally "unplugged". I don't know if that makes sense but I feel like I am going through the motions but not really paying attention. Does anyone else feel thast way? I am still having memory issues as well.....I hate it.
0 -
Lisa~ I love your thoughts on being bald and on Chemo
What can I do for leaky eyes that are crusty ?? Anyone know ???
I figured I would try and add my picture of my horns (it's hair not moles). This is what my hair looked like up until the end of last week when more started growing in (and I am sure will be falling back out).
0 -
I just finished my 6 treatments of TCH and have planned a vacation to the Keys for some sun and relaxing before my surgery. Now my nurse told me to stay out of the sun! Has anyone else went in the sun 3 weeks after finishing their treatment? I'm afraid I'll burn too bad but I don't want to walk aroound under an umbrella the entire week! Thank you!
0 -
I just finished my 6 treatments of TCH and have planned a vacation to the Keys for some sun and relaxing before my surgery. Now my nurse told me to stay out of the sun! Has anyone else went in the sun 3 weeks after finishing their treatment? I'm afraid I'll burn too bad but I don't want to walk aroound under an umbrella the entire week! Thank you!
0 -
Hi Ladies,
I only know one of you (Lisa1964-lives in same hometown), but I wanted to ask your advice and suggestions with preventing all the nail issues I have heard about with taxotere. I started my treatment (TCH X 6) on the 12th of March, and so far, so good. Did all of you have issues with your nails and/or peripheral neuropathy? If you didn't, what things did you do to prevent it? I just want to make it throught these treatments reasonably intact! I took the glucosamine for three days after since I was told by some people it was supposed to help.
Any suggestions? And congrats, Lisa, on finishing chemo!!!
Nicole
0 -
Ipohgirl: Please, please tell your friend that just because it is in your Lymph Nodes that you can still be cured. I was a stage 111a with advanced metastatic bc and that was not good, but today after the treatments of chemo, surgery, and radiation I am cancer free. There are so many new treatments that save lives today. Not like the days a few years ago. I really thought with my dx I was going to die and made all the arrangements for it. Let her know this please, I am proof she can beat it. I am hoping that this is her first reaction and after the shock wears off she will go for treatments. It's not easy that is for sure that everyone in here will attest to, but better than the alternative....
Nicole: I had no issues with nails all the way through, but after tx the nails grew out with a line and the doctor told me that was the time I started the chemo. Like a diary of sorts. It grew out to the end and started to become weak and most broke off, but I trimmed them past the ridge and now they are coming out normal. No nail loss through chemo.
Roadqueenie: I was told that too and I think it best to do what they say. Would be interesting to know what would happen...maybe we would dissolve..lol
Jaimieh: I only got the leaky eyes on tx #5. I had to stop wearing makeup cause I would look like a raccoon by the end of the day. I heard maybe eye drops to keep the eye moist? I didn't, but just knew it was a part and lived with it. Warm washcloths felt so good.
0 -
Road Queenie: Yep, stay out of the sun. 3 weeks is not long enough. Sorry. I am going to St. Augustine Beach the end of May, I will be almost 4 months out from my last tx, but I will be very careful about staying out in the full sun to long. I am also an esthetician, so I tend to be cautious.
Jaimieh - I am almost 6 weeks out from my last tx and my eyes are still runny sometimes. Your hair looks about like mine. I know patience is a future, but I think I am furturous enough!
Nicole: I am glad to see you are doing OK, I was just thinking about you this morning. I had NO nail issue during chemo. My nails may have gotten a little brittle and broke easier, but that was all. The growth was not even effected. Just keep your nails trimmed short and use good quality files, not the cheap ones, to minimize splitting. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to call me. I am not that far from you, in fact, don't I go by your neighborhood everyday?
Traci: I want hair - NOW!! I know I am making it harder on myself because I am starting to obcess about it. But, I will take your advice and take some pics. Maybe that will help me feel better. At the least, I can get some more "screw cancer" shots!
Bold checked in, but has anyone heard from Mason?
Lisa
0 -
Bold So glad you are back !!!! Sorry about your loss, Hugs and Prayers to you and your family!! Tx 4 has been a little harder on me ! How are you doing ?? I have been really tired this week also like Helen my sore throat turned in to a cold!!! Its nice finding out the reasons behind the names Gramma 23 I like that very clever!! Lisa & Jaimieh Nice Bald Heads you Ladies Rock!!! Mason Mason Mason Where in the world are you??? I wish you would check in!!! Nicole I have had no nail or neuropathy issues. Deemdee Welcome to the group!! 0
-
My name comes from my last name which is Bold. TADA not so clever but a cool name anyway.
RockstarI can not even spend the time at the computer to post I am soooo wiped out. I scared about having my treatment on Monday. I don't know if I can make two more. I do not mean to scare anyone. I am just poooped. I have a bad cough. But the fever has subsided. I am getting plenty of rest and fluids but I get up and just go down again. I have a superficial Thrombosis in my left leg. I have no strength at all. I guess I will be evaluated on Monday and they will take it from there. Sorry for the wine. But I need some strength.
0
