Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Smile Guitar man must be new!! I have not seen him! I now must do a you tube search!
St. Marteen sounds like a great spot to celibrate an end to chemo - you go girl!
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jkcrml-I was wondering the same thing as Lisa. Herceptin as a shot? If it were only that easy!!!!!
Maja-congrats on finishing chemo. May it be smooth sailing from here on out!
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Wow, folks are posting fast tonight!
Denali - I will find some pics of my pond from before the snake invasion/hurricane trauma and eventual decline and post them. I loved my pond prior to all of the above - now it is just a headache. Did I mention the otters? We live close to a wildlife water management area and the otters tend to wander. One morning after a near miss from a hurricane, hubby and I were on the back patio making coffee on the grill (no electric due to storm). We heard a huge splash in the pond. Hubby said it is just the fish, I said not unless you fed them steroids yesterday. I went out and three little black heads with little cute beady eyes looked back at me. So what the birds left, the otters finished.
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sorry it was the neulasta shot- must be getting chemo brain on top of everything else
Karen
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okay I went to my oncologist and I got some new medicine
Now to get my insurance company to cover more than 4 days of it at a time....Once I started feeling better this afternoon I finally feel like I may make it to my next treatment. I did have to go have an abdomin CT today and I have to go see a urologist whenever I am deemed worthy by this doctor. Sort of pissed me off that I called and the person who takes care of the doctor's schedule gets an attitude with me because she didn't know about it. Oh well...
I am supposed to be sleeping but 2 lunesta's later I am still awake.....
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Haven't posted in a while but I would like to extend my Well Wishes, Congratulations, and Happy Birthday greetings to all those that are having/had special days of joy, and Healing vibes, prayers, and visualizations to those that are having/had days of discomfort and frustration.
I have a couple of questions:
1. The neupogen brought my white blood count up, but my red blood count continues to drop. RBCs were 10.5. The oncologist said the bone marrow in not producing and the solution is to wait until I drop to below 8 and then he will give me a transfusion. (I think my low blood counts are a result of 5 day external radiation before I started chemo.)
With my white count up, I basically feel fine, but I do get very tired at the end of the day. In fact, I would love to let go of my before and afterschool tutoring classes, but my first choice is to take a proactive approach to boosting my RBC naturally. Any ideas how to kick start the bone marrow?
2. Has any one had issues with the comfort of their port? Generally, I have no issues with my port, but hyperextended arm movements can cause unexpected and intense discomfort, Sort of like happily walking through the house barefoot and then stepping on a jack or leggo--major surprise, major "OW!" I was wondering if over time my body will develop scar tissue as a kind of cushion?
3. Last question: I have a history of mildly elevated liver functions, and there is a history of pancreatic/liver my extended family. Because of my family history, alarms rang in 2005 when bloodwork from an annual exam showed mildly elevated liver enzymes. Ultrasounds, CT scans, and an MRI found nothing "significant"; however, the blood tests continued to fluctuation between normal and mildly elevated. It was crazy making; after one year of poking, prodding, and testing, no conclusion was ever reached. As of October 2008, all levels were fine and I was happy to know that was all behind me. However, my initial chemo blood work showed elevated functions again. The oncologist order an MRI. I had the MRI today and saw that the order read: "BC possible Mets" How can I have possible Mets, if my sentinel node biopsy showed no node involvement? I am hoping this was the oncologist's way ofig the MRI to the insurance company.
I am really okay with breast cancer--I have my survival plan in place and am convinced this is just a character building process I will endure to become a stronger and more gracious person because of it. However, adding anything more to breast cancer will require a major mental planning session, and I'd like to start to prepare for it, just in case, before I have to "sell"it to my family.
Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers!
Cloud
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CACLOUD: I need to respond first to you. There are many reason for liver function elevation. If you read I have been going through that myself. I had a full body scan and and it noticed 2 lesions on my liver. No further investigations were advised as this is very normal in a woman my age. almost everyone liver has some imperfection. The Steroids that are given to you both I.V. and orally effect the liver. Many of the medications Tylenol, aspirin, alcohol etc.. all filter through the liver. Not to mention the biggie the T.C.H. make a huge burden on the liver to filter the toxins out. I believe that your doctor is being very thorough. I would not panic. I highly doubt that it is mets. I would suggest you don't believe it till you hear it. Your a stage 1 for God sakes. Stay uber positive. My thought are with you.
Maja:My DH is a partner in a commercial architectural campany and is going through some real tough times too, with laying off and across the board pay cuts. His personality is the opposite of your DH. He holds things in, never complains. I worry a lot about him. Everyone deals with stress differently. It is hard on men they are problem solvers and when they can't solve they freak. It sure is hard to even care about such things when you are facing the Biggest challenge of your life. I am sorry for your struggle. Your husband and you should find some relaxing endorphins releasing thing to do. Maybe plan a inexpensive trip to look forward to. Maybe a heart felt talk about what you capable of doing for each other RIGHT NOW and what you are not. I believe in love and marriage and think of it as a garden that needs lots of tending. It gets tough when the ground get hard and rocky. The soil need to be turned and given nutrients. You are by nature so kind and supportive. You might forget to ask for help sometimes. My guess is that you do not need much just some understanding of your limits. Hang in there sorry for the lecture but your care for me has prompted this concern. Its 3:00 in the windy morning here in CA steroid brain hard at work.
I was given the choice to have #5 today or wait 3 days for fever to subside. I went for it. I just can not sleep with the steroids and the cough. I have not posted much as I have tired so quickly that energy as been sparse. The steroids have changed that be it temporary. I have read through the post for the past 2 days and the spirit and laughter as well as extreme pain, fear and disappointment has been overwhelming. It is the human condition personified. Because we are in a LIFE and DEATH battle we see thing sooo amplified, polarized. What a scary and magnificent world. I can not imagine caring for a Husband with Alzheimer's while try to deal with the demands of chemo. I have heard over and over again that attitude is everything. It is hard to stay super charged constantly and the type of drugs that we are on actually challenge that even further. WE ARE ALL DOING A GREAT JOB. WE ARE HEROES.WE LIVE OUT LOUD. WE ARE LOVED, AND BOY CAN WE LOVE.
In solidarity
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Good Morning Cloud. Even allowing for the time difference between the coasts, you were up late (or way too early). As for the red counts being low, that is just another chemo fact. I never had rads and my reds got very low. I am six weeks out and they aren't back to normal yet. Start demanding a transfusion at 8.2. I did not get transfused until 7.3 and I could barely walk into the hospital at that point. My port generally does not bother me, but I am very active and very small framed, so it occasionally gets in the way. I will whack with something or lift something too fast and it hurts like @#%. Ahh, the liver: I too have normally high liver enzymes. Luckily, they have behaved during treatment. Don't start worrying yet. These docs do a lot of things just to keep themselves covered. Have you had a PET scan? That would have shown any possible mets. Keep us posted on the MRI results.
Jaimeh: Last night must have been bad for insomnia. Good luck with the new meds.
Lisa
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Thank you all so much for your care and concern! It helps so much to just get it off my chest.LOL.
BOLD your advice is well taken. we are planning a short trip which is always fun and gets us out of the same old routine. Funny story...I woke up in the middle of the night and announced "I'm here" must of gone right back to sleep. First thing this morning hubby gives me a kiss and says "you're here!". Impossible not to love though frustrating sometimes..... DENALI I did consider punching him out yesterday though!!!!Ha,
CALCLOUD I am so sorry that you are suffering all of this anxiety. I have been very lucky throughout the chemo and have had no serious se's. If you do need a transfusion it sounds like you should get it sooner rather than later as things won't get any better until you do. I am praying for you.
JAIMEH try and get some sleep. Ativan works wonders.
I am really enjoying the pond stories as we have consided reinstalling one that the previous owners filled in. There are natural springs on our property that make it a perfect setting. My mom has a small pond/waterfall and it has had the same gigantic goldfish in it for years (20 or more) It is crazy since they get no TLC.
Love you all. Thank you for the support when I really needed it.Bold I love your affirmations. WE ARE ALL DOING A GREAT JOB. WE ARE HEROES.WE LIVE OUT LOUD. WE ARE LOVED, AND BOY CAN WE LOVE.
Maja/carolyn0 -
Well finally after 2 lunesta's, and an ativan I finally fell asleep at 3 am and was up at 7am. I guess I will be in bed early tonight
Bold only one more to go now !! You can do it!!
I still haven't heard about my CT scan and I am waiting on the nephrologist to call back still. I can't stand when people are incompetent (like I can spell these days).
Oh in better news I think I am coming out of my yuck feeling. Took some Zofran and it seems to take off the edge so I can eat which is making me feel better with each mean
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CA Cloud - Chemo attacks rapidly dividing cells. Unfortunately, in addition to cancer cells, that includes hair follicles, mucous membranes and the bone marrow that makes blood cells. My hemoglobin ran between 8 and 11 all through chemo. Before treatment #4, it got down to around 8 and I had to have a transfusion. On my test 3 weeks after treatment #6, it was back down to about 8 again and I had to have another transfusion. It is still working its way back up.
There are drugs that can stimulate the marrow to produce red blood cells (kind of like Neupogen does for white cells), but there is some evidence that they encourage cancer growth so a lot of oncs don't want to use them. That's why I got transfusions instead.
I did find that I was tired even when my red cell count was close to normal. As the chemo advice nurse told me, "Chemo makes you tired." Your body is working hard to survive these drugs. The low RBC mainly showed up for me as breathing hard for slight exertion and I really noticed it when I had to change planes in Denver. But all through chemo, I needed more sleep than usual.
Most of us have radiation after chemo and still get low blood cell counts and tiredness during chemo.
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Hi Maja:
In future, if this helps...
I've had my port for 2.5 years. Lately, it's been giving me a bit of trouble with blood draws. Like you said, infusions are fine, I can taste the saline. The nurse says that with some people fibrous tissue starts to grow around the port (foreign object...) and blocks the inward draw of blood.
I know it looks strange but the nurses get me to cough several times while they draw blood. If that doesn't work, they raise my feet in the infusion chair so that my head is back and my feet are in the air (does that make sense). I suppose it dislodges whatever is there or causes more blood to flow back into the port, who knows, but after several tries, they've always been able to get some blood from me.
Cheryl.
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I'm surprised how many of us have ponds. Ours is next to the walkway to our front door in a courtyard. For many years I thought it was heron safe - the roof over the front patio covers part of the pond and most of the rest has tree branches over it. And until recently there were antenna support wires on the roof in the way of the only clear approach so it didn't seem like there was enough clear space for a big winged bird like a heron to manuver in. Herons don't land on water and most of the pond has plants close to the edge too so the heron would have to make tight U-turn to land on the patio under the roof. Our fish were unmolested for more than 20 years.
Then one year fish started disappearing. We spotted a really scraggly-looking very hungry blue heron in the neighborhood who must have been really hungry. We even surprised him at the pond edge a couple of times. The worst part is that when the remaining smaller fish were smart enough to hide from him, he caught a couple of the ones that were too big for him to eat.One day, I found one dead by the pond side. A few days later he must have grabbed my favorite fish and broken her spine. We found her in the pond alive but unable to flap her tail and swim.
We put a net between the edge of the roof and the fence to block access and since then our pond has been safe. In the fall we have to blow the leaves off it, but then we don't have to pull them out of the pond so that's okay.
Koi don't have to be expensive. Have you tried to find a local breeder? Most of ours were bought when they were small (5 inches or less) for under $5 each. They are culls because fish produce a lot of babies and the breeder can't raise them all so he picks the ones that he thinks will be best to raise and sells the rest. They aren't show quality, but about 2/3 of them have grown into quite nice looking pond fish. It's hard to know how they will develop when buying them small so the other third don't have great patterns.
Our pond is concrete and was there when we bought the house. It has straight sides which helps to discourage creatures from bothering the fish - most want a sloped side to wade in. Unfortunately it is only about 18" deep when a good pond should be at least 3 feet. I think that helped the heron get the fish. At least the neighborhood racoons haven't bothered the fish. The straight sides may have helped there.
It is really relaxing to watch the fish and the pond is visible from our front hall and our breakfast room. When the fish hear the front door open they all swim to the spot where we feed them. The windows in the front hall go almost to the floor and sometimes it seems like the fish gather near the window to beg when they want food. If they could get out, I think they would knock on the door.
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Mason, I hope you are doing okay.
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I love all the pond stories too. I also have a small koi pond. My brother in law raises them,,,,,,which has been a good thing for me. When they get really big,,,,,,,,,,I trade them with him for some small ones. He has big ponds so is more capable of having bigger fish than I. I get small ones from him,,,,,,grow them to be big fishies,,,,,,,,,then trade for small ones. He is always telling me that for a small pond they sure grow big. lol We have had raccoons come in for lunch. I have lost several to those darn raccoons. Where are you guys that have had snakes in the pond water? omg,,,,,,,,I would absolutely freak if there were snakes around. One of my absolute fears. Scared to death of snakes,,,,,,,,,,,,even rubber ones, pictures, or when I see them on TV,,,,,,,,,I freak. lol
You are all doing a great job. To those that feel like giving up,,,,,,,,,,DO NOTTTTTTTTTT GIVE UP. THE END IS NEAR. YOU HAVE TRAVELED TOO FAR TO GIVE UP NOW. OK???
Rest when u need it and ask for help when you need it. I got a really bad staph infection (mrsa) after about treatment 5,,,,,,,,,,so please be careful ladies. Keep a vigilante eye on what is happening to your bodies and be sure to report everything to your Dr.
Fine job well done ladies.
Have a great day all.
Cindy
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My snake infested pond is in SE Florida. And I mean truly INFESTED! We had a combo of water moccasins (highly poisonous and aggressive) and southern water snakes which are very docile - but they look almost identical and you have to get really close to tell them apart. The moccasin has a triangular head and slanting eyes, the water snake head is almost the same width as it's body with round eyes. You have to be carful because a moccasin will strike - another good way to tell them apart, only not advised! It was not unusual for us to see 10 or more at a time our pond that is about 3 feet deep and 20x35 in length and width.
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I love hearing stories about your ponds. It was barely above 32 degrees today and I LONG for warm weather. How cool is that - a pond in March!
Okay, here's a story for you guys. Remember I said I was going to dinner with hubby last Saturday. Well, I was in a chemo funk so I urged my hubby to go without me in the afternoon (he's a musician and was expected to play a few songs as the request of the host). He was super sweet and said he'd come home after playing and pick me up and we'd both go together for dinner. He really didn't want to go to this thing alone. At one point we were both tempted to "ditch" the dinner and go somewhere nice, just the two of us. In hindsight, perhaps we should have....
We arrive at the dinner and I'm getting odd looks. Not good when you're already self-concious about wearing a wig, etc. Well, one of the women at my table said that everyone thought that the woman my husband was playing the songs for WAS HIS WIFE. They looked so disappointed when they found out that, yup, I'm his wife. I should have known something was up. Earlier in the afternoon once the songs were played, he made a hasty exit to come home to pick me up but he left she had asked him if he wanted to stay and have a drink. HAVE A DRINK, wtf, I know I have stage IV cancer but I'm not gone yet!
Ladies, keep your hubbies close. I guess any man who'd go out of his way like my husband has to help a sick wife is FAIR GAME. My poor hubby looked horrified. That's the last thing he needed to deal with right now.
Well, that's how my evening went.....I enjoyed the time we spent together and the dinner was delicious....
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Mason, sweetie, you are nowhere near gone and I hope you set her straight! Some women have alot of nerve and think any man is fair game. Your husband sounds like a sweetheart and I hope that you both got a good laugh at the whole situation. Glad that the food was good and that you enjoyed the rest of the night. You two should go out alone and celebrate the first week of Spring! It will warm up in Canada....eventually.
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Lisa,,,,,,,,,,,omgggggggg I cant even imagine all those snakes. Im serious when I say I am deathly afraid of snakes. Cancer wont kill me but the fear of snakes will. Guess I wont be moving to Florida ever. lol
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My goodness, Mason! Tell us where that evil woman lives and we'll go smack her one! The NERVE! You deserve a night out by yourselves!
I'm in Colorado, but it's just teensy harmless garden snakes I've seen in the backyard. Nothing that will bite and kill you, like down south. I used to live in Savannah, GA, and while it was beautiful and green in the south, I remember well all the creepy, crawly things.
Ok. This is a little weird that so many of us have ponds, isn't it? I don't think I have any friends who have a pond! But there's so many on this board!
Maybe we're onto something here. Think there's a link between BC and Koi? BC and ponds? BC and liking the sound of water??
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Okay so Lisa doesn't have a fish pond she has a snake pond ...lol.... ewewwe I don't like snakes...
CT on my abdomin shows no abnormality except for fluid on my kidneys (shocker). Really thought I am thrilled so I am off Thursday at 12 for a nepherologist appt. to figure out how they can get the stone out or cause me the least discomfort and the least amount of trauma when it comes out. Oh more fun!!
I have determined that it takes 7 days currently for me to feel like I maybe able to make my next treatment. Does it keep getting worse ?? So will next treatment take 8...and so forth.... ??? I am trying to make plans with my kids and I will be upset when I pay $$$ and can't go
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Mason: Next time you see that lady you bend over and whisper to her that actually you don't have cancer, it is a cover up..you really have aides. That will frost her cookie. Those leaches arn't after your husband they are out there to latch onto anything that breathes. I'm just sorry this happened to your special night out. Your husband does love you to help you through all he has, don't let that, or any old witch take that away from you. As for her may a thousand fleas infest her armpits....0
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SWEET JESUS!! I was all set to post something really nice to Mason and comment on my snakes - Then I read cupcakes responce to Mason. It has taken me about 5 minutes to stop laughing; I gave the set-up story to my hubby and had him read it, he laughed so hard he dropped a pan while fixing dinner.
I will get back to ya'll when I get my train of thought back. That was too damned funny! All of it!
Lisa
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I just had my first treatment of taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin last Friday. I will be taking them every 3 weeks for 6 rounds. I had an allergic reaction to the tax where my face turned red, and tightness in chest. They had to give me benadryl, saline and a steroid and then start all over with a lower dose. I was there all day from 8:45 to 5:30!
It has been 5 days now and I am still not feeling very good. Very loopy, dizzy and weak among other things. My question is, when does everyone start to feel better after taking all 3 of these drugs? Does it take a good week? I plan on returning to work tomorrow, but I am not sure now? I just want to know everyone else's side effects with this right after and how long to re-coup before next treatment?
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ccbaby: You need to go back in this thread about 20 pages and just read. You will get all yiour answers. 99% of the members of this thread have had or are having TCH every 3 weeks for 6 rounds - just like you.
Can you go back to work tomorrow - don't know, everyone is different. I got my tx on Mondays and I did best going back to work the following Monday - but that was me. Yes, you will get weak. Try to get some protein in your diet and that will help. And drink water, water, water.
Please take the time to read back into this thread that has been going on for over 2 years.
Sorry you had to join us, but you found a great place.
Lisa
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Hi ccbaby, I had my 1st treatment 10 days ago. I also had a reaction like yours, and was there all day. Yesterday was the 1st day that I have felt good, still get really tried so it does get better! Just hang in there.
On ponds, last summer a goose decided to make ours his home. When I would weed the flower bed he would come over and sit by me but if we would go over to the pond he would race over, head down and hiss at us. He drove our poor Lab crazy. Our pond isn't very big, so when he would swim from one end to the other he would have to get out, turn around, climb back into the pond and swim back. He stayed with us all summer. Our snakes are just water snakes here but they really like to eat the small fish.
Cupcake I love the answer to Mason, what a comeback!
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ccbaby: They automatically give me benadryl..I sleep through most of the treatment. My last treatment they had to stop because of my face turning red and tightning of my chest too. I am usually tired that night, but I am able to go to work the next day...but when Saturday comes I am pretty much worthless....I take that time to just sleep and let the rest of my family help me out...that has been nice!
cupcake....That is tooo funny! I will have to remeber that one! I cant wait to tell my friends...they will be laughing as hard as Lisa! Can you just see that womans face
Lisa..How are you feeling?
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Smile: It is great to see you so up beat. We have to meet up, we are too close. Actually, I had students in Tampa last weekend for a class. I did not go "cause it was my birthday"!
jkrml: All of the pond people have really got me thinking about fixing mine and trying one more time.
Bold I had missed your earlier post. I too beleive in love marriage and forever. This has been rough on my husband, but he has been great. He called me as I was leaving the docs from getting the original biopsy results: I told him to just go home now and we would talk. He met me in the driveway and he was already crying. I right then and there started our rule to get thru this - no drama! I told him I needed his brain to get on the computer and find out how to fight this, feeling sorry would get us no where, we had a battle to start. He did it. I could have never done it without him, We are getting close to our 25th wedding anniversary. This one will be big!
Lsa
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CCBaby - I go for my second treatment tomorrow morning. I, like Smile/Shari, get Benadryl to counteract the allergic reaction. I, also like Smile/Shari, basically sleep through the entire treatment. When I open my eyes, I get up to the bathroom, come back drink some more, and go back to sleep. Because I have a low tolerance for medication, the nurses slow my drip so that my treatment is 5 hours long. Luckily, I made it through without any reaction.
Returning to work: I have my treatments on Wednesday. I take the whole day off; otherwise I am at school tutoring, Monday through Friday from 7:45am to 4:30pm. However, I do get tired in the middle of the day. Today my principal agreed to extend my 40 minute lunch to a full hour to give me time for a 15 minute nap. I came home had lunch, curled up in the easy chair with my cuddle kitty, and had a short, but deep sleep. Oh my stars, what a difference a nap makes!
When I felt better: The third week was my best week. I managed a 4 hour yard clean up session, several days on the treadmill, and a few trips to "big box" stores.
That's just how it went for me, but Lisa is right: take time a read through thread. The ladies have taught me so much. And of course, ask questions. But, just in case you don't feel up to all that reading, let me tell you what the ladies always say: drink water, lots and lots of water; maintain good oral hygiene, manage any nausea and/or constipation straight away, get plenty of rest, and above all call your doc if you have a fever and/or something doesn't feel right.
Cheers!
Cloud
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Lisa: If you are ever over this way...just let me know..would love to get together for a laugh!
Ok...I am sooo tired of these hot flashes! I have read that Vitamin E will help...but does it??? I am wide awake now because of the damn hot flashes! Im hot then cold then hot then cold....what the HELL! Soooo aggrivated right now...no sleep last night and it looks like that tonight. Cant wait until Thursday to ask the onc..what can I do!
Hope everyone else is sleeping well tonight!
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