Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Denali and Shari- I hope both of you are feeling better! Just think you are half way done and the end of May is just around the corner and chemo will be just a memory!!
Vangoghpro- I have never had heartburn before chemo and after the 1st tx I thought I was having a heart attack! The dr. ordered omeprazole and it has helped; at least I can get something down after the tx. it might help you too.
Bold, did you ask to see the dermatologist or did your Dr. suggest it? I always thought I would end up with skin cancer as I grew up by a beach in Calif. and we would "cook" ourselves all the time to get that golden tan. If fact we would lay out for hours using baby oil for sun screen. I have been going to ask the dr. if I need to be checked out but have been putting it off because I don't want to hear it if he said yes.
Did your Dr. suggest you get the blood test to see if you carry the cancer gene?
Spring finally came to Idaho (at least for the day) we made it up to 50- kids are wearing shorts and flip-flops summer can't be far behind!
Have a great Sunday
Karen
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Uh Oh Sharie and Jaime- You have riled our head counselor and now she is sounding quite stern! Best listen and listen good or you two will end up in the campground outhouse! Of course, that's probably just where you think your at now anyway! Just curious Sharie about your se's..Is it the nausea again?
cc: I apologize for not acknowledging your post to me way further back in the thread. Either I didn't see it or chemo brain never absorbed. Yes, we do seem to be on similar diagnostic ground. We are supposed to be grateful right? And I am sure that the higher stage ladies would agree. I do truly know it could have been much worse. Seems sometimes that fact is easy to forget. I mean, chemo is chemo and no matter where we are stagewise, the effect it has on us brings us all DOWN. I think when it's over (chemo) I will be able to incorporate that gratitude into my being with much less of a problem. Plain FACT: chemo sucks and makes it almost impossible to find the good when our bodies are so sickly, especially as we move further into treatment.
As I sadly posted Friday, I'm holdong at two (weekly) tx to go. I think I was so bummed because other then the low hemoglobin, platlets or any other measure had always been stable. It was totally unexpected and I went in with such happiness expecting I'd be able to say ONLY ONE MORE NEXT WEEK! That's what happens when we have such high expectations. Ever heard the expression, "I make plans and God laughs?"
He does however have his reasons. I will be going with my parents on Mon. for my Dad's lung cancer test results and prognosis. Had I had chemo, I would have been far from being at the top of my mental and physical game. Certainly still not at the top, but way way better off then a normal Sunday after chemo! And then there's my Kristen's shower a week from today. I am already feeling a level of excitement that had alluded my chemo laden body and mind. I get to be excited all week and much more present for planning and fun!
See how already I'm able to see the gratitude with less of those toxins in me? OH by the way, because I have that May 27th surgery AND being early stage (there we go!), my Onc. is elimating carboplatin for my last two cycles. Remember, that's not like your last two higher dose 3 week cycles. He said that is the biggest culprit effecting my platelets so my last two will be just Abraxane and Herceptin. I'll be outta there in a flash! He did say I will still need the Emend for nausea. That's fine with me because I am totally convinced that stuff made me push on when I REALLY didn't think I could or WOULD! Up until getting that, I would read "chemo is doable" all over these boards and get so pissed!!! Hated that stupid word and still do to a point. It does sorta minimize it. But for me, without the nausea I had the confidence to see it through.
Done rambling. Have a wonderful Sunday everyone.
xoEllen
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Its the Naseau and the bad taste in my mouth. The Onc has called me in three different types of medicine and nothing seems to be helping! I constantly suck on sugar free candies....anything at this point. I have not been out of bed since 5 o'clock Friday! My guy went to Miami to the Boat races....so I have had my girlfriends, daughter and now my mom to come help me out. I usually dont need help, but I am not above asking for it either. I know I cant quit...
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I am so sorry that so many of you are having bad SE. Time is the only real cure. We just have to manage the rest. I am living on immodium and hope. Now we are getting a heat wave. It will be close to 100 today and the pool is to cold to go in. Weird huh?
I think that I will shave my head one more time so that the fuzzys will be gone for regrowth. UI am going to check out a product called ovation it is formulated for chemo regrowth. Or so I heard. I will let you know. We are going to head to the beach today to hot for the valley. love to all. hang in there.
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Shari - have you tried nibbling on candied ginger? Sadly, for the bad taste, the greasier the food, the better it tastes. Not so hot for the waistline.
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Sometimes chicken soup or beef broth worked for me when I had the bad taste and nausea.
Shari and Jamie, when you are all done, you will be glad you soldiered on through the whole treatment to knock the cancer out. I know it is hard now. One of the hardest parts for me was that I had felt fine before the mammogram - it doesn't seem quite real, sane or fair that have to put yourself through all this misery to get healthy when you felt perfectly fine. But now that I'm pretty much over chemo and almost done with rads, I'm glad I did the full 6 treatments.
Ellen, I'm glad you are finding positives in the delay to your final two chemo treatments. I was barely able to avoid having chemo delayed at each of the last two treatments. Platelet levels were a problem for me too and my creatine level was high. My onc lowered the carboplatin. She even suggested not doing the last chemo at all but I wanted to get all 6. The break is probably a good idea. In my case, we had my blood test redone and over the 24 hours it had recovered enough that my onc let me have chemo but the last one was really hard so maybe it would have been better to postpone.
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Ive tried everything else youve said.....root beer, ginger snaps.....I dont have the ginger candy....my mother made me potatoe soup today..not too bad, but just cant get over this nausea! Just dont get it????
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Hi Smile2006:
Please get some strong anti-nausea drugs QUICKLY from your doctor. Sometimes it's the only thing that helps. After 5 years of off/on again chemo, I've tried EVERY thing in the book to help with the nausea but sometimes it's just so bad you need to bring in the 'big guns'.
Please hang in there - you can do it!
Cheryl.
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Shari, Cheryl is right!!! Call the doc RIGHT NOW!!! You need one of the big dogs like Emend - Do not take no for an answer!!!!
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I think I sound like a rep for the Emend drug company. It is an absolute MUST! If not now, then for next tx when you can take it as directed. Probably my biggest regret is not speaking up sooner regarding the nausea. I just assumed it was par for the "cummulative" course. I'll say it again, it saved my life! Going back for treatment was really becoming in the not an option category! You WILL feel like a different person.
Ellen
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Hi, all! Just checking in.
I thought I was doing pretty well after TCH#1 last Tuesday and Lunasta Wed. The 2.5 hour drive home will a killer, but I did manage to sleep Wednesday night. I don't remember much about Thursday. The Nausea and reflux set in Thursday night along with diarreah. Up half the night changing sheets and taking pills.
I was shakey on Friday, but took off of Sarasota Friday for our annual "Sister's weekend". It was beautiful at the beach and I could sit on the couch of our second floor room overlooking the beach and the water. Couldn't eat much all weekend, still digestive problems, but pills did help. My sister's were wonderful. The "bone crusher flu" aches and pains from the Lunasta set in Friday night and I had to alternate between the horizontal and vertical positions. If I went to lay down my sisters joined me (2 queen beds in the room) and continued the "party" where ever I was comfortable.
Saturday was a "fair" day. Drink and pee, drink and pee.
This morning was shakey again, but after a few nausea meds we climbed in the car and headed home (2 hour drive). By the time I got home I was feeling much better, just weak and "trembly". Unpacked, had some chicken noodle soup (that tasted good) and a nap.
I think the hardest part of all this for me is understanding symptoms. I've never really been sick and never had reflux, constipation, diarreah, nausea, aches and pains and never have been one to take medicines. Just trying to remember what med to take for which symptom has been a challenge. Thank God for my RN sister!!!! ES Tylanol seems to help the joint aches about as much as Vicodan.
Sometime yesterday, in my chemo fog, it came to me that TCH#2 calls for a 8 AM blood draw on Tuesday (May 5). This means, driving to Tampa Monday night, chemo Tuesday, and Lunasta Wednesday. THREE days in Tamap!! When you're sick you want to be in your own damn bed! Not playing "house guest" even if it is with a dearly loved sister. And arranging transportation will be a challenge since I cannot ask friends to spend 3 days chauffering me arround! The best I've come up with for the next trip is to have my DH take me to my sister's Monday afternoon, take cabs to and from her apartment to Moffitt for chemo and Lunesta, then my sis will drive me half way home and meet my DH in Bradentonton Wednesday afternoon when she gets off work, for the balance of the trip home.
Thanks for letting me vent
hugs to all.
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Well I have been sleeping most of the day away. I have been running a low grade fever for days and I alternate between hot/cold. My body aches and I do not get nulasta so this is just my body trying to make WB cells.
I am in your boat Lisa, I am just the one making it shake. I haven't been this worried about a tx since #1. I am moving onto Emmend this treatment and I am hopeful that it will keep the nausea at bay. This is the last treatment that I have to make sure I am up to get my babies to and from places my last treatment I have arranged for someone to come help for 10 days. I am hoping for no new SE's. Off to go sweat off another fever......
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Wow, I feel pretty lucky compared to you guys, I had treatment #2 a week ago and have had almost no side effects, just tired and a tiny bit of heartburn, and a 20 second nosebleed. I'm sure the worst is yet to come though. Hope you are all feeling better soon. I'ts been so hot here, I just feel like I have no energy.
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Dear Campers,
It's day five of my third and my nauseau is bad, bad bad. I left the nauseau pills in my trouser pocket and washed it together in teh laundery last weekend. pondering whether it is worth a trip to the doctor.............
Like the others, feeling really down on this round, the second round was much better.
managed some sleep last night finally.
hang on, everyone!
hugs,
ipohgirl
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Swampy - What a TERRIBLE schedule!! I am sorry I am on the opposite coast or I would happily chauffuer you around.
Jaimie - hang in there. Take those pills.
ipohgirl - get more pills!
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Wow a lot of SE going on. Me included. I have been very nauseous and have had bad diarrhea for 2 days. Every 20 mins. I am going to call the onc for a suppository or something stronger. I am miserable. So tired but do not dare sleep. I am grateful this is my last round of this SH#@! If I get this under control and make it through this next week I have nowhere to go but up. But in the mean time it sure ain't fun.
I am sorry that so many are having a hard time. It seems a shame to say I hope that time passes quickly when time is such a precious commodity. Strange huh? I will do a healing meditation and see if I can arrest some of this and while I am there I will send healing thoughts to all by Bosom Buddies.
RB
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Oh by the way my avatar is the cover of la life. I took the picture of Lauren she was only 3 years old and the wings I made where over 10 pounds. She is wonderful. A little angel.
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Bold, have you tried taking Immodium for the diarrhea? You can lose a lot of fluids and salts with bad diarrhea. My chemo advice nurse told me to take Immodium if it got bad and it sounds like yours is.
Lauren must be a real angle to pose with the wings. Very cute.
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I feel SO bad for you girls and the side effects. My last round of SE's went so much better than the first because of the Nuelasta shot. I have had occasional diarrhea and just tired and dizzy. Of course I have only had 2 rounds so far, and I am sure it gets worse with each one.
Bold, I am so glad this is your last round, it has to get better from now on.
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Bold- I get diarrhea horribly after chemo that lasts for days. The nurse tole me to take immodium and take it every 2 hours until I get it under control- at night take 2 right before bed and 2 when you get up- she also said not to drink Gatorade or any juice just drink water until you feel like you are going to float away!
hope it gets better!
Karen
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Hey Karen: Must of missed your post. I am going on my own to dermatologist. I use to go all the time once a year but have been lax. I just want to know that I am doing all that I can to stay a step ahead of other cancers too. I was a life guard when I was young we lived at the beach and I have a convertible and a swimming pool. Oh I am blond too. Soooo I would say that I am at high risk. My parents live in Hawaii and I also spend a lot of time there on my dads boat or pool side. But so far so good,I now wear good block and hats and limit my time in the sun. But accumulatively I have to beware.
As far as the cancer gene I think that you are referring to is the BRACC test. Yes I took it and am negative. Just lucky I guess.
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Bold~ I hope you are feeling better soon. You right no place but up from here (please remind me of this). Love the picture in you avatar.
Still hanging in there went to Look good feel good today
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I've had one TCH session with no major side-effects. How big a difference is there between the SE's for Chemo 1 vs. Chemo 2? Just curious...
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Dear All--
I have been silently following you all several times a day--cheering folks on, worrying when things are not going well, concerned when someone does not post for a while, delighting in victories, good days, hair growth, beautiful horses, humor, and kindness shown on the site. Thanks for all the helpful advice and humor. You all have kept me going. (thank you ipohgirl for reappearing after going missing for a few days, but please, please get more pills for nausea).
Along with Duneoaks, I am going for Tx5 on Wednesday. #4 was harder for me than the first three, but it was mostly just major malaise and exhaustion--plus low spirits--for a week after the tx, then the next week was ok but still low energy, and the past week has been just fine, so I am dreading having to give feeling so good. I started the major hydration regimen today of at least 64 ounces of water per day; tomorrow is day 1 for decadron.
Duneoaks: Glad to hear you have been having an easy go of it. We are now on the homestretch.
Alaina and others who are still new at this regimen: #2 was easier than #1 for me: I was much less anxious than for #1, Iknew what to expect and had already lost my hair so that was no longer ahead of me. Advice: Water, water, water and then more water. Emend and every other drug they give you to prevent nausea is worth doing. Make sure you take medication to prevent constipation and have a supply of immodium in case it goes the other way. (My oncologist seems to believe that there is a way to control the nausea for everyone on this regimen and he makes sure that happens. I have been told to call immediately if the meds I have are not working for nausea. Seems like the right approach to me.) And, finally, listen to the experienced campers on this site who have enormously big hearts and are so generous with excellent advice and wisdom. It will make a big difference.
Eyebrows are finally disappearing. I tried following Lisa's suggestions about makeup, but my efforts yielded pathetic results, so I am now following the advice to go to Look Good, Feel Better. That happens tomorrow morning. Will report back.
Hope you all have a restful night and comfortable days tomorrow. It is very cold and rainy in Boston, so those of you in warmer climes, please enjoy your warmth and sunshine.
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I just wanted to tell anyone who is sucking on Sugar Free candies because of the bad taste, this may be what is causing some of your tummy problems. That stuff really tears up my stomach. It did before cancer and it does now after chemo. A little real sugar will not hurt you and I know you worry about gaining weight but just try switching for a few days and see if it helps.
Swampy, I am so sorry about your situation with the schedule. Talk to your onc and see if there is anything they can do to help you. I always have my blood tests just before the tx It may be they take a while to get the results but where I go it only takes 20 min. to get results most of the time. As for the Neulasta it does have to be done 24 hours later but surely they can let a hometown doc get the med and give it. I know it is so expensive if you do it yourself but looks like they could let the home town doc give it. It would be worth asking for anyway. Good thing you have a sister that can put you up!
Sailor35, I am glad to see you chiming in. You have some experience now for the newbies. I know this site helped me so much to know what might be coming next and what would help SE. I did not even feel like getting on the computer at times but to come here and read and even got the energy to post sometimes.
I hope things get easier for all of you and it is doable even though it does not feel like it at times. Remember what does not kill you will make you stronger. I know I have heard that too and thought I would never be stronger because I thought I was going to die at times but I made it. My house on the other hand has never recovered because it gets messed up faster than I can get it cleaned up. Husband is home now so that is one reason.
gramma23(Carolyn)
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Okay, yesterday had to be the strangest day in my life in many a year. I really had bad diarreah, but if that wasn't bad enough, the toilet broke!!!! It was easier for me to bolt out the back door of the utility room and sh*t in the yard than risk tracking a mess across the living room carpet to the other side of the house. Imodium finally kicked in, and the plumber arrived about 4:00 PM to serve as my hero.
The UP, and best thing of the day, was a letter from an attorney in West Palm Beach saying that an annymous donor had made an $800 gift in my name to the Moffitt Cancer Center! The only "clue" I have is that it was from an online virtual friend from a forum community that I frequent a lot.
People are wonderful!
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Oh Swampy!! Your yesterday sounds like a complete horror show! So glad to see that you have found the upside of things. If you can keep up that attitude, you will make it through this in great shape! Not saying the ride will be fun, but that kind of attitude does do wonders to see you through.
Hello again Alaina- I "chatted" with you when you first arrived on another thread. Glad to see you found this one. You will be helped enormously.
Sailor- You have given great advice! As Cupcake might say, you might be in line for a Sr. Counselor position very soon!
To everyone else who has followed my journey through my Dad's recent lung cancer diagnosis: The news from the Dr. is beyond miraculous! It DID NOT spread to his rib as we thought. Don't even ask why we thought that the case. Suffice to say, my parents will NOT see an MD without a family member present! Anyway, he has an appt. with the surgeon May 1st. But from what the Pulminologist said, he looks well enough to be a candidate for a "surgical cure." WHOA.. All 6 of us "kids" had him gone in months with the misinformation on rib spread. I hugged him but wanted to strangle him at the same time.
So Thank God and thank you all for your positive thoughts and prayers. I think we all believe how powerful such intentions can be!Now I plan to have an awesome time at my daughter's shower on Sunday and forge on with chemo on Monday. HOPEFULLY, it REALLY will be only one more after that!
Best wishes for a feel good day.
xoEllen
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Oh Ellen what wonderful news about your Dad. Have a great time at your daughter's shower and don't think about Monday until it gets hear. Let Sunday distract you
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Ellen: Wow what a ride! I will continue to have your family in my prayers. I have a good friend that is in this 60's that is recently cured of Lung Cancer. You are rounding the bend with Chemo. Have a wonderful time at your daughters shower. Live, Love, Laugh and drink Champagne.
Swampy: Oh my God! I can so relate. With two bathrooms its get pretty scary YIKEES! Get well quickly. I am grateful that you got some support. You deserve it!
Salior: Love hearing from you. Hope all is well.
Hopefully today the nausea and diarrhea will keep at bay. I could use a good day. I took meds first thing this morning.
Hope all are seeing themself well and happy today.
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Hi everyone I am back from my girl vacation at the beach in Fl and heartily suggest that all of you plan a getaway following your last tx. I waited for 3 weeks post tx and it was perfect since I had my taste buds back and wasn't so tired. It was so relaxing and so much fun...I feel like a new woman! so the moral of my tale is that for all of you at the beginning, the middle or near the end there is light at the end of the tunnel.It willl be over and you will bounce back.
Yesterday I was supposed to start rads but got stuck in chemo getting my 3 week dose of herceptin.I thought that I had a reaction 3 weeks ago so they gave me benedryl and zantac before the infusion. Anyway, I ended up with reaction anyway and they had to give me more drugs to counteract. I was there for 6 hours while they slowly dripped it. I am afraid the Dr. is going to make me have the herceptin once a week instead of every 3 weeks. Bummer but if that is what it takes then I will do it. I have my appointment with rads tomorrow.
I have been reading all of the posts from the past week or so and hope that everyone is feeling better, Bold :Kudos on making it through! Tx 6 was hardest for me but by week 2 1/2 you will feel better. My advice to all is to plan something fun between tx #4 and #5 and that will get you through til the end. It worked for me and kept me going when I really felt like giving up. Take whatever meds make you feel better and do whatever makes you feel better. Just get through it anyway you can .
This group is remarkable and has made all the difference to me.
Love,
Maja0
