Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Frosty-I want to wish you luck tomorrow. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Congrats on the new job. You can do it! I go for my 2nd round next Monday. It is doable.
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Hi everyone, I have an odd question. I am having hair growth, isnt this odd? I am worried that the chemo is not acting on the fast growing cells. I dont see my onc for 2 more weeks.
I just finished tx #4 and have 2 more to go.
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Not at all odd Allison now just wait 2 weeks and they will go
I think that was something that was VERY hard for me to comprehend. My hair would grow and then fall out and then repeat the cycle. I was furious after my last chemo when the hair fell out. Chemo is working your body just wants some warmth and to do it natural thing.0 -
Allisontom, Remember the only cells that are killed off are the ones actively dividing at the time. Some of your hair follicles are in the rest cycle---they would not be affected by the chemo. THen, when the next dose comes along and they are starting to grow, BAM, the chemo gets them this time because this time they were actively dividing. Same goes for cancer cells, hence the cycles of chemo. THe hope is that after 6 or however many cycles, the chemo has killed all the cancer cells, and the ones that weren't actively dividing at one chemo treatment, hopefully got zapped in the next or the next or the next.
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I am done! I had my last Herceptin infusion and was "de-ported" today.
Next stop is a consultation for the Neratinib drug trial on March 23rd.
Cheers!
Cloud
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Cloud!!! Deportation is a beautiful thing!!!!
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Cloud I am so happy for you. Finished and deported! I am finished but not deported yet. I see my onc today which was just one week after my last blood test and Procrit shot. I called the office to make sure this was right because why didn't they make the visit at the normal time for me to go. She said that was correct and the doc will do some other tests. What tests? she did not know,I guess I will find out today but I doubt this was really thought out.
Frosty1 & Vmarie you can do this. So many has made it through and even worked while taking chemo. You just have to figure out what your body does and go with that but it will throw you a curve sometimes. Head held high and push forward. Eyelashes and eyebrows tend to fall out after chemo is finished. that really threw me a curve.
I wish all of you well.
Carolyn
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I went in for my 2nd Muga Scan right before my 5th Chemo tx, which was about 3 months after the 1st Muga scan. My Onc told me my numbers came down, the Herceptin has started to affect my heart, and put me on Lopressor (a beta blocker) to protect my heart. I am taking half a pill in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. My last chemo tx will be in 2 weeks and then I will be given Herceptin every 3 wks, instead of weekly. Since the dosage will be tripled, I'm wondering how that will affect my heart? Is there permanent damage or do the numbers go back up after Herceptin. Questions to ask my Onc. Any one out there with this same situation?
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I went in for my 2nd Muga Scan right before my 5th Chemo tx, which was about 3 months after the 1st Muga scan. My Onc told me my numbers came down, the Herceptin has started to affect my heart, and put me on Lopressor (a beta blocker) to protect my heart. I am taking half a pill in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. My last chemo tx will be in 2 weeks and then I will be given Herceptin every 3 wks, instead of weekly. Since the dosage will be tripled, I'm wondering how that will affect my heart? Is there permanent damage or do the numbers go back up after Herceptin. Questions to ask my Onc. Any one out there with this same situation?
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Cloud - CONGRATULATIONS! How was the deporting? Were you awake? Mine is giong to be 4/26 and they told me I could drive there myself! I couldn't believe it. Is it like surgery? How long did it take?
Also, please keep me posted on the Neratinib process - I will be going into that myself in a few months.Again - congratulations on a well-fought battle. You are awesome!
Amy
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Whoooo Cloud !!! Last Herceptin and deported...WOW!!!
I don't get deported until the end of April because I am clumping procedures.
Amy I will see you next week
BTW, the hospital that I am going to in Towson might be coming on board with the Neratnib trial. I will let you know if I hear anything. 0 -
congratulations cloud!! I am so happy for you and to be deported too. Hope you celebrated! i have 4 more to go and then i'm done! and i can't wait.
Lisa, it's nice to see your post! Hope everything is going great for you.
Karen
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CINCAN- I am sorry to hear about your heart. But you can look on this site and it has good information about the herceptin and heart issues. I belive i had read that the lowered heart function reverses itself once you are treated. Keep us posted!
CLOUD- CONGRATS! you are a rock star! i have 3 months to go...just in time for summer and no more ugly bump on my chest. Go rock a spagetti strap in mid winter girl!!!
ALLISON MOM- What Wheety said is exactly right about the hair. No worries that you have growth, by the time i was done with my last tx i had a full head of white fuzz that did not fall out, but 6 weeks later i had dark stubble all over.
Wheety- YOU SOUND LIKE A DOC! that was explained so well! thanks!
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Cloud, congratulations on finishing your treatment and the bonus of getting your port out! What a great feeling that must be. So excited for you! Can't wait for my day!
frosty1: Hope your 1st round went well and that you will have minimal se's.
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Question - anyone on this wonderful combination have mild ear ringing?
I have had 3 TCH's so far, and didn't have this after the first too. I think it started within the last 2 days. I think I remember it was listed as a possible side effect, but wondering if anyone else got it, and when does it go away.
8 days out from #3, and this time got a sore lower back as well. Didn't have that after the first two either. At least my neck isn't bothering me like last time.
Also - heartburn - does chemo cause it or not? They give me the stuff in the IV bag before Chemo, but this time about 4 days out, I got heartburn. Can't be from what I am eating, as I am on the blandest diet ever. I am now on Prevacid for the next 28 days at 30mg a day, double the over the counter strength. Hopefully that will stop it.
Congrats to everyone who is just finishing up and getting the wonder Port removed.
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stlcardsfan-my main side effect from my 1st round was heartburn. I used the prevacid and it worked for me.
Cloud-how exciting for you!
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Congrat's to those who got "de"-ported!! Woo Hoo what a great feeling. Can't really start thinking about that as I won't be done with my herceptin until Jan 2010. At least I can look at those lovely visits as scheduled reading time - hmmnn maybe I should join a book club?! LOL
Say wondering how your onc's decided if you needed 4 or 6 tch treatments. Before I started chemo he said that I would probably need 6 treatments. Now he is saying that I will only need 4. It would be great with 4 as I have already completed 3 of them. So my next would be my last. Well, with the exception of herceptin every 3 weeks for a year.
Did anyone else have this happen?
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Sher - I had six and never discussed anything else. But a woman in my support group who has the exact same dx as me got 4. She said her onc said that the newer thinking is that 4 is sufficient. She was glad but worried about it too. I had more trouble with my 5th and 6th and, watching me, I think she was glad she was done.
I would ask him what changed his mind, just so you know and have peace of mind.
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I made it through #1! What a relief. Not as bad as I imagined. Now i will see how I do over the next couple of days. ALso ate my way through treatment today -- lots of little snacks. And way too much water.
Thanks to all of you for your posts as they have helped me immensely as I start this strange journey.
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Cloud ... Congratulations!! It is such a great feeling! I had my last Herceptin treatment on Monday and will be deported in one week!!0
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Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I am indeed very happy.
Amy - My breast surgeon removed the port in his office. He numbed up the original incision site, cut away the capsule my body had formed around the port, and pulled it out. I heard his scalpel gently scrape against the port, and felt a little tugging, but I didn't feel any pain at all. We chatted through the entire procedure. The time from entering the office to the time I left was a total of no more than 30 minutes.
For scheduling purposes, the port was removed before my last Herceptin infusion so I had my last infusion via the vein in my arm. The oncology nurse offered to slow the infusion down since it was going through my vein, but my schedule was pretty tight so I declined the offer. I wondered if the infusion would feel any different, but honestly, I didn't feel a thing!
Thanks again for all the well wishes. I feel blessed to have received such wonderful medical care; I pray that I will always have the option to choose and afford my medical care. This is my prayer for the entire nation.
Cheers!
Cloud
edited for spelling
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ccbaby: Congratulations to you also on being done with Herceptin! Getting your port out will be the icing on the cake!! Hooray for you!
stlcardfan: I have suffered with heartburn since I started chemo and still get it now after my Herceptin treatments. It was much worse during chemo, mine usually lasted almost two weeks. Now it may only last about a 5 or 6 days but still frustrating! I found if I ate something every couple hours it seemed to ease up...also helped me gain 20+ lbs during chemo...ugh!! That just isn't fair after all we have to go through!
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Cloud.. Congratulations on finishing and being deported. wow... You have been great to all of us, and I wish you the best. My last Herceptin is on the 15th , but I don't know when I will be deported.
Sltcardfan.... Yes, I think a lot of us got heartburn with the chemo. They gave me a prescription for pepcid.
CinCan.....sorry about the MUGA, I hope things get better. I think a lot of us have always been on the every 3 week schedule for Herceptin. I still have to get one more MUGA after my last Herceptin.
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To all of you that have completed your year long treatment journey and are being deported, CONGRATS!!!!! It's great to hear how happy and how well you are all doing.
Cakelady...so were you on the 3 wk schedule of Herceptin from the getgo? Did your numbers on your Muga scans ever go down? How exciting that your last Herceptin is only days away. I drove by Don Lugo HS yesterday and instantly thought about you... I hope everything is going well!
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Stlcardsfan: Ear ringing...I did have problems with my ears, especially my left one. Ringing at first then that stuffy "airplane pressure" feeling that persisted until about 5 months after completing TCH. I just couldn't hear out of my left ear and the right was almost as bad. My oncologist said it was "ototoxicity". Some folks not only lose hair on their head, they lose the small hairs in the inner ear that react to sound waves.
I've been undergoing physical therapy for massive scar tissue issues that developed as a result of radiation (left side). This has been a depressing set back. Lots of pain and loss of range of motion. I'm hoping PT will do the trick. If not, the next alternative is doing a nerve block procedure.
Congratulations to all those who are finishing up!!!! Welcome to those just starting.
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Sher~ I begged for only 4 tch's but my oncologist said no that we were going to do what the guidelines said. There was another member here whose oncologist said it was fine. My worst was #4 but I didn't have emmend until treatment #5 & 6 and then it was like night and day
. Good luck with whatever you chose. 0 -
COngrats to all who are finishing. Jealous! I'm just starting. Day 2 after chemo and I"m feeling amazingly fine. Which kind of has me worried ... either I will make it through or I will collapse in a heap any minute. I hate that -- I feel like I'm walking on eggshells as I know the SEs are out there waiting for me. Out for a walk to clear the cobwebs while I can. Thanks for all your posts that help us newbies get through this madness.
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frosty1 - My first chemo treatment was the easiest for me. I thought to myself, OK this isn't that bad, days 1 & 2, piece of cake. All my chemo txs have been that way and then hits days 3 through 6, being the worst of it. With each treatment it has gotten tougher. Here I am 9 days after chemo tx 5, and I am just starting to feel like myself again. My onc said it's the chemo accummalation in your system. My last chemo, #6, is in two weeks. I can hardly wait to get it over with and at the same time I am dreading it.
Take advantage of your good days...don't worry about which SEs will hit you. If and when you get them... you will be able to deal with them. Just knowing that the SE's are temporary makes it easier to get through it.
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Thanks CinCan. My nurse yesterday said the Caboplatin was the one that built up -- the first few were fine, but you really started feeling it -- mainly fatigue -- after that. I'm just trying to plan out my days as I start a new job on March 15 (after being unemployed since November). I'm feeling pretty perky today as the steriods are ripping through my body. I'll see how I do Saturday when I'm off of those.
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CinCan... Yes I was on the 3 week Herceptin from the beginning. I have had 3 MUGA's and am due for one more after I am done with Herceptin.. my #'s so far in order have been......73... 65... 68... so who knows what the 4th one will be. Ya, thanks for thinking of me when you went by Don Lugo, my oldest son is a senior there. Everything is going okay, I do have good and bad days, and random aches and pains, but its hard to know what causes what. I am also going thru reconstruction, so my expanders cause some pain, I get shooting pains sometimes if I sleep on my sides too long. It's always something.
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