Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Alaina - you are funny - I craved protein when I started to feel better - so I made an entire Thanksgiving dinner - turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams ! If BLT's scratch your itch, I say GO FOR IT
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Nancy - no kidding, the first dx is a shocker, the second is devastating. It takes time and some good friends, family, and meds to get me though this. It really stinks, but I am going to be okay. good days and bad; really glad I had both breasts removed. Thanks for the support - let's keep in touch.
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Hi guys...I was wondering, did you ever sense a heaviness/almost achiness in your chest post TCH? I kind of forgot about that feeling after my first TCH, in about day 7 (as days 7-21 start to feel better). I am had my second TCH last Thurs and the heart beat thing really bothers me. Last night it actually seemed to hurt. Maybe it's in my head, but I don't think so. When it happens, I go grab a glass a water and make myself busy. Just wondering if any of you ever feel like this, too? I would feel better knowing this is a common SE? Hope everyone is doing well...I feel kind of tired today. My hair is really falling out now...I am 25 days post first TCH, 4 post 2nd... but I have been drinking soooo much water (thanks to this board!), this seems to have helped a lot with the naseau (plus I am staying on top of the Zofran!)
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Swampy - you are in my heart as you go through surgery. Please post as soon as you can to tell us you are doing ok. I know you will be - but will feel better once I see it in print!
You are strong - you will come through this beautifully!
Amy
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Swampy go with gods spead and we are all praying for you in a few months it will be behind you and it will be full force forward it all comes together and for some reason god gives us this road to go on and we see who has been there and cherish them and know how lucky we are when your done do somehting for yourself I gave myself a new puppy she is now a year old and I love her so much and everyone has something they can get joy from ..Keep us all updated ...
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Sanaisa,
I get the heaviness in my chest after each TCH, usually about Day 6 or 7 as well. I will try to explain what I feel--it is not noticeable on inhaling. I notice it when I exhale. It feels like I can't quite empty my air out of my lungs. It also feels a little like the feeling you get when you suddenly get really nervous over something--almost like an adrenaline rush--the feeling of a heavy beat in the chest area. One other way I know how to explain it, is it feels almost like the one time I got Bronchitis, again, like I can't quite exhale normally, but the inhaling is fine. Weird. Is any of this familiar with how you feel? We must be right about on the same schedule. I am about 9 days post 2nd treatment of TCH. My hair is really, really thinning out now, too. I'm sure I only have a couple more days to enjoy it. Sigh. . .
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Dear Backagain,
Sorry to know this is your second time.
Do you mind sharing if you were HER + the first round? If so, did you take herceptin? What other treatments did you do for it? What about lifestyle, diet and the checkups?
It would help the rest of us here on this board with the info you provide, I hope.
Thanks!
Swampy!
You are in my thoughts and prayers. Chin up, chin up, we shall battle all this together, dear sister.
Hugs,
Ipohgirl
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Hi IPO- Eight years ago my biopsy report said I was HER2-, but my doctors think that the tests they used at the time may not have been sensitive enough to be accurate. My tumor was very small (2.8 mm) no nodes but grade 3. I had a lumpectomy followed by tamoxifen and radiation. Lifestyle and other factors: No family history, I breast fed 3 children, enjoy an occasional glass or 2 of wine, never smoked- but grew up with 2nd hand smoke. Diet and exercise could definitely use some improvement. I am probably about 20 pounds overweight and have been for several years. I follow-up faithfully with my check-ups. I had a normal mammogram in January and found the most recent lump (1.5 cm) in May. The doctors are not sure if the second time was a local recurrance or a new primary tumor. The good news is that it is once again early-stage with no node involvement. I wanted to be as aggressive as possible in treatment, so I chose a bilateral mastectomy even though I knew that I would probably not be a good candidate for reconstruction because of my past radiation history. Hope this helps.
Good luck, Swampy! It will be one more thing to cross off your list and one more step forward. You should be so proud of how far you've come!
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HI, I haven't been on in a while finished chemo june 23rd. still on herceptin.
The nadar day- meaning low days for TCH are days 4 thru 9 meaning your body is at it's lowest blood count etc. Neulasta usually given day after chemo and that sets in it's own feelings of acheyness. Which now that I'm on Herceptin - I still feel feverish and achey 2 days after that. go figure.
But weety911- you need to speak with your onoc about that breathing issue-DO NOT forget. MY onocologist kept asking me if I felt that same thing, which I never did even when I got my bronchitis. Herceptin and T cause that in some people may not be an issue but get it checked.
I wish you all the best of health going thru chemo and rads, know that you are cared about. You are stronger than you feel right now. All the best
Malle
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Alaina, I hope that phase 3 goes well for you. I found rads went pretty well despite my large breasts and pale skin (two things that I'd heard can lead to a harder time). I put aloe vera gel and moisturizer (Eucerin Daily Replenishing or Aquafor) on two to three times a day. I was told to not apply anything for 2 hours before rads (some oncs say 4 hours so check that with your rads onc or nurse).
Swampy, you have my prayers for a good recovery.
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Swampy, Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you and so happy all the results have been great. God is good. Anyone have higher calcium or parathyroid problem. My calcium was normally 9.8 and went to 10.4 but then back down. They are checking on parathyroid as it can be common but undiagnosed in Bc patients. Any one have answers?? I have two more to go. This number 4 was like putting me to sleep for two days but feeling much better. Think I may be going through chemo pause. I have been hot lately and normally cold. What should I expect. Anyone know if you go in chemo pause are you still taking tamox or can you take another menopausal drug? I am only 39
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I am on Tamox and am 46 in chemo pause.
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Morning ladies. I do not know how I did it, but I am in the hospital with a small bowel obstruction.
I have been feeling bad for about 2 weeks and then Monday the stuff hit the fan. Started to vomit uncontrolably, thought I had a flu bug or food poisoning. Could not even keep down water and was in excuciating abdominal pain. Went to the ER 3pm Tues, was transported to the hospital late last night. I have not yet seen my doc this morning, but the drugs are great and I feel alot better.
Lisa
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LISA!!!!! SO SORRY to hear this news. Please rest up and feel better soon.
Amy
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Ack!! Lisa... TAKE CARE!! BIG HUGS~
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Surgery is over!!!
This has been just amazing. My Sister (an RN) took me to Tampa Sunday (dinner at the Cracker Barrel) and checked into the Hampton Inn.
Monday, AM checked into the Morsani center for pre-op. Up to Nuclear medecine for node mapping on the right side. About 20 minutes after getting back to pre-op, my anesthesiologist (a greek god!!!) started preping me for surgery. He explained what he was going to do (memory block drug, 2 shots in the back next to the spine for pain killers, and and anti nausea drug) I don't remember a thing after the memory block stuff was administered except his smiling face~ LO
Woke up in the recovery area about 4:00 feeling GREAT. Cotton mouth (typical) was my only complaint. Unlike any other surgery I've had they left my dentures in place!!! Three of my sisters were with me the whole way. Now the most amazing thing.
Dr. Cox examined me post-op and brought me a pretty pink gift box. Inside was a Softee camisole with drain pockets and foob pockets! HE put it on me, not a nurse!! Usually nurses do all that stuff but I have a doctors that is with me every step of the way. He even inserted my poly filled "foobs" and he laughed and said, "I remembered you said wanted 'perky ones'." I can't tell you how much it meant to me to have a world renown surgeon like him take the time to do that.
When I say world renown, I mean WORLD renown. He had just gotten back from China where a team of top cancer researchers had a meeting. He told me how the Chinese and Japanese have been developing a new technique where they heat the body to 109 degrees and the heat actually kills cancer cells! The trick is to keep the brain chilled so there is no brain death or brain damage. Can you imagine that just heat can kill some cancers??? Amazing stuff.
Anyway, by 5:30 PM I was back in the motel room. Slept all night except a few minutes about 4:00 AM to check and drain the "hand grenades). Had continental breakfast in the lobby the next morning, packed up the car and returned to Dr. Cox's office where he pronounced me clear to come home! A 2.5 hour drive and I was home, in my jammies eating ice cream!
I'm a little sore under my left arm from node removals, but otherwise, clear headed and feeling pretty good. Drains are working fine. I was so leary of "outpatient" surgery, but it was the best of all my surgical experiences. For a double mastectomy I'm doing great!
I go back next week for Herceptin #3 and 1 week post op, check up with Dr. Cox.
Thanks to all here for words of encouragement and prayers.
hugs
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That is wonderful Swampy glad your feeling so great and it was a breeze for you. You're pretty lucky to have such a nice caring doctor and wouldn't that be great if they brought the heat method here because women wouldn't loose their hair not sure if the drug company will like that at all for what they get for chemo but it would be nice. Have a good recovery ....
Maura
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SWAMPY - it made me so happy to read your report. Your doc sounds amazing. Isn't it interesting that the smallest gestures can make the biggest difference? Wonderful that he understands that.
That story about the heat is fascinating. I wonder if it will be shown to work. If so, maybe our hot flashes will heat us up enough to kill cancer cells. It FEELS like 109 degrees!!!
Keep getting better and keep updating us. You have so many sisters/friends in your corner on here.
My third Herceptin is next week also!
Amy
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Oh Lisa I hope you are feeling better soon ((bighugs)).
Swampy~ Glad you are feeling good. Your doctor sounds amazing.
As for me I haven't checked in here in a LONG time but I figured it is time. I had to have my implants removed last week because of holes that I would develop on the incision line. Initially I would heal and then I would just open up for some reason that no on can figure out.
TCH is getting to be more a a memory as the side effects are getting better each day. I will always remember it BUT I am glad to leave some of the side effects behind. I hope I continue with this trend.
Herceptin~ I have 7 more to go and I am ready to be finished with my year of infusions. While I am hopeful that it is working I had to slow the dose down to a 60 min. drip so the joint pain was controllable. I have also decided that since I am going to have more surgies next year (reconstuction) that I am going to keep my port until my hopefully last surgery. This way my veins which are difficult and getting worse will be saved.
I hope everyone is doing well.
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Swampy, gald you got thru surgery with flying colors. As soon as you are up to it, I want to drive over and have lunch with you!
Thanks for the wishes everyone.
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Swampy, I'm glad that it went smoothly.
Lisa, how terrible - have they figured out why the obstruction happened? My digestion is a lot better now that I got off the bisphosphonate trial and stopped the bisphosphonate which was giving me daily diahrrea but it is still a bit wonky and I got a yeast infection that I blame on having the problem for months.
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LISA- i really hope they help you fast! that is a painful thing to deal with! I am sure it is not fun at all! Let us know how you are doing!
SWAMPY- great news! glad to hear your experiance was forgetable! ha ha, your surgeon sounds like a wonderful doctor! Dont forget to do your arm excersizes for the tightness and soreness as soon as they tell you that you can start them! I am wishing you a speedy recovery!!
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Wonderful news Swampy! Glad you had so much supportive care around you! It really makes a huge difference!
Continue to heal and recover!
Continuing to keep you lifted in my prayers!
Alaina
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Swampy, so glad to hear that your surgery went so well. Great to have a positive experience out of all of this!
Lisa, wish you a very speedy recovery!
Becky
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Morning guys. I am still here. Feeling better, but very bored. Still no news. We know it is caused by old scar tissue from past surgeries, but that is about it. I am just playing the wait and see game for now.
Lisa
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Lisa ~ Glad to see you're feeling better! There is nothing like being bored in a hospital! Can someone come sit and keep you company or bring some things to occupy you?0
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Congrats Swampy. You have continued this journey with grace. Lisa I pm you. It is amazing what we can endure and concur.
Well I have an appointment with my NEW onc. on Tuesday. I have to say that I am nervous not because of the onc but because of having my infusion in a new facility. I am not pleases that I will have to be at City of Hope at 12:00 for blood test and then Meet the Doctor at 1:00 then follow-up with rad onc. then herceptin. I will not get out of there till 3:30 thats a long day. All about CANCER. I guess I want this so much behind me and I have more in front of me. If you know what I mean. I have to call and have some records sent to new Doctor. Glad I remembered that. I am still very anxious for the herceptin to be finished. I hate the taste changes and the sticky nose, diarrhea, thumping heart, breathlessness, thin nails, slow hair growth, headaches. BUT I am loving the life that it has afforded me. LIFE!!!!!!!!!! ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for being here. I am grateful for this thread and pray everyday for all of us.
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Bold, good luck with the new doc.
Alaina, my husband is in and out and some friends have stopped by. But honestly, having people just sit and visit all day would drive me even more batty.
Have a nice evening.
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weetu911...oh my gosh, you have the heart thingy too? I found out my problems were from the steriods...it ended up getting really bad 72 hours after my final steriod dosage (apparently 3x the normal!?). Most horrible... now that you have had the Taxotere 2x, maybe you might want to talk to your Onc about that. I put a little more about it in the Septetember 2009 string. I am feeling much better now... xoxo
Oh Lisa...I am so sorry to hear of your hospitalizaiton! So wonderful to hear you are feeling better now.
Bold...good luck with your new Onc...I had my 2nd second (yeah, you read that correct!) yesterday, and boy am I GLAD I did!!!
Swampy...so glad to hear you are you doing so much better...sending more healthy (((hugs))) to you!
bluedasher...I was going to do the biophosphonate trial (my 2nd second Onc recommended it)...I am pretty drug shy right now! I hope your tummy is doing better. I found out the steriods can really wreak havoc on out GI
Everyone else...have a wonderful weekend!!!
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Sanaisa,
I am curious what dosage of decadron you are on. I get it through the IV on chemo day (don't know how many mg), then take 4 mg for the next 2 days. I only weigh 100 pounds, though. Is this too much?
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