Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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imatthew - I was a chemo first girl, so once chemo was done - about 7 weeks after, I had surgery. I was still on Herceptin and had no problems. Quite a few women under surgery while on Herceptin.
Neulasta shot - should not hurt going in. I gave this to myself, was told to warm it up for 30 minutes before giving, then inject very slowly. It never hurt, and side effects were very minimal.
As far as tests. I had a baseline Muga before chemo started, one after 3 months, and then one after 6 months. No other scans were needed. Hope this helps!
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lago did you have your final chemo? You haven't been around. Wondering if you were digging out from the snow or what. libray lil0
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libraylil - did you get your path report yet? How are you feeling?0
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omaz not yet. my appt was Monday cancelled due to snow. I have been calling for the last 3 days. Someone finally called me today as I was checking out bras at Walmart. I go today at 4:15. I feel fine. Arm a little sore, getting comfy for sleep using stuffed wolf puppet under arm. It was not as bad as I anticipated. Libray lil0
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libraylil you missed me. Awwwww.
No snow. I have the final chemo Tuesday. I went to the LE doctor today. I have a mild case in my left arm so I will be going to an LE therapist.
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Has anyone had nail changes? I have to say it has been one of the worst side effects for me. My nails have changed color and now one is starting to lift a little. Not sure why one is worse than the others- it also hurts much more than the others. I just wondered what solutions if any there may be to relieve/ save my nails.
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Kadyann OMG you don't want to see my fingernails. Black & brown, hurt, many have lifted, thumb smells and became infected. It's just plain gross and incovienent. I think my left pinky is the only one that's OK so far. I have issues with the toe nails too but not as many as my fingers.
I found out that if you ice them during taxotere infusion this can prevent this from happening. I did do it last time but a little too late for me now. They do hurt less though.
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Kadyann - are you icing while getting the Taxotere? That one seems to cause the nail issues.
When I got this infusion, my chemo nurses brought out bags of ice chips. I put a thin towel on my toes, and then the ice bags on top wrapped with another towel to hold it there. I dug each hand into baggies full of ice. Yes it got cold and I did pull my hands up every so often, but this helped me to keep all my nails.
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I assume that it is always better to be nail polish free, correct? Did anyone have the nail issues due to nail polish? Possibly trapping the chemo under the nails?
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I work clear nail polish the entire time so far. I was told it helps because your nails can become brittle. My onc never told me to remove it.
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I wore BLACK nail polish through taxotere as advised by a friend who had gone through it. She said it would keep the nails from falling off. My onc. was ok with my using it...
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No, I have not been icing which sounds like a big mistake. I also think that it may be too late as I am done with 5 and just have number 6 left this coming Tuesday. I am also wondering about eyebrows and lashes. So far they are hanging on but have thinned some. Do most keep them or are they going to fall out after treatment. I also have excessive tearing, so much that it looks like I am crying all of the time. Onc said it was because lashes are thinning but it sounds like taxotere can cause it too.
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Kady - Tax definitetly can cause tearing. I was advised to use eye drops, the natural tears kind. I know it sounds odd but it is supposed to help, the eyes are dry I think something like that. Most of my eye brows fell out after I finished. I didn't even realize all my forearm hair was gone until I noticed it coming back in this week. The mysteries of chemo.0
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I'm the strange one. I had no nail changes and I did not ice, in fact I thought my nails looked better than normal.
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I think I read somewhere that about 30% of women on tax get the nail trouble, but I am not sure.
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Omaz that sounds about right. Nail issues are not as common. Granted I got the nail issue but so far no nausea.
No tearing so far but I occasionally have the nose drip. Not sure if it's a Herceptin issue or lack of nose hairs that's the problem.
I still have hair on my arms. My eyebrows might have shed a couple of hairs and my eyelashes keep thinning. Still have some strands on my head. All other body hair is MIA.
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Hi all!
I've been following your journeys for a while and thought I'd join in!
My last TCH was July 29th, 2010. Still on Herceptin, which is not all that kind to me. Very achy, fluish for the first three days after treatment...but it really does feel better than TCH! I've been able to work up to 25 minutes on the treadmill 5 days a week...Goodbye Chemo weight! Plus I really feel good after the first three days!
Hot Falshes are killing me! Never had them pre-chemo. I'm on my third RX...and the latest one isn't working too well!
I love my port! Will keep it until I'm done with Herceptin in April.
I've had my reconstruction (Uni-Lat.Dorsi).it is fabulous!!! If you are feeling tightness and are unable to raise your arms up over your head...it could be the tissue expander. Days after surgery my arm mobility was 20% better! I had no issues with being on herceptin and having the surgery. I was 2 months post TCH.
You are all fabulous fighters, I've been inspired by all of you. If you have any questions please feel free to pm me or ask in this forum.
Wishing you all a peacefilled side effect free weekend!
Lynn0 -
Hi all!
I've been following your journeys for a while and thought I'd join in!
My last TCH was July 29th, 2010. Still on Herceptin, which is not all that kind to me. Very achy, fluish for the first three days after treatment...but it really does feel better than TCH! I've been able to work up to 25 minutes on the treadmill 5 days a week...Goodbye Chemo weight! Plus I really feel good after the first three days!
Hot Falshes are killing me! Never had them pre-chemo. I'm on my third RX...and the latest one isn't working too well!
I love my port! Will keep it until I'm done with Herceptin in April.
I've had my reconstruction (Uni-Lat.Dorsi).it is fabulous!!! If you are feeling tightness and are unable to raise your arms up over your head...it could be the tissue expander. Days after surgery my arm mobility was 20% better! I had no issues with being on herceptin and having the surgery. I was 2 months post TCH.
You are all fabulous fighters, I've been inspired by all of you. If you have any questions please feel free to pm me or ask in this forum.
Wishing you all a peacefilled side effect free weekend!
Lynn0 -
Just finished round 3! This time I got emend to help prevent vomiting. I had it bad last time.
I got weepy during infusion yesterday. I told my boyfriend that I was just feeling so done with it all.
Someone on here mentioned lumpectomy and size difference I had one done and am no very lopsided, ones a B and is high up, the other is a droopy D. They say that rads make it smaller. I am thinking about seeing a PS before rads, but I have no idea if I have options.
I was able to finish my half marathon last week! Suck it cancer!0 -
Hi all
I had my #4 last week, 2 more to go and can't wait for this to be over, was wondering if any of you had or have eye twiching and muscle pain, gosh my muscles are so sore..
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zlota I have both. I take Aleve for the muscle pain. Not much you can do about the eye twitching.0
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Sunflower, Congrats on the half marathon! It was me talking about the lumpectomy & size difference. I had an appt. with my BS yesterday - I see him again in 2 months and we'll talk again. He said that the rads will change the density and texture of the breast tissue, so it's pointless to have a consult with a PS at this point. Also, I have medicaid instead of regular insurance, so we're not sure if they will even cover recon after a lumpectomy. They will after a mastectomy, so one would think that if there's deformity with a lumpectomy they'd cover recon then, too. We'll see.
I hope the emend is helping you! I think I cried the night before #4 - like you, I was SOOOOO over the whole thing. Maybe that's the emotional point?!? 5 done, 6 coming up Monday, I don't feel near as emotional, though the SE's were worse after 5 and potentially will be worse after 6. I told my husband a little while ago I have 2 more days before my last descent into Hell... You will get through it!!!! Only 2 more to go - it's the downhill slide!
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sunflower ahh another triple positve !!!. I think chemo 4 was hardest for me. I was really weepy even during my herceptin. But think about it you are 1/2 way. The BS mentioned that mine (but they are small anyway) might change after rads.
zlota congrats you are over 1/2 way!!!on the flip side. The last two will go fast. It is so amazing after no 6 even though I had SE I knew that it was going to get better and better. Also I had the eye twitching and eye watering. The twitching has left me, the watering getting there.
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bbryant04 My final tx6 is Tuesday the day after you. My SE don't get worse anymore, just last longer. I am so not looking forward to next week. Granted it is the last one so I'm happy about that I'm just tired of all this. I want to be getting better and start working out again.
Unfortunately is this one I'm doing on my own. My husband started his new job this week so he can't (and I told him not to worry) be with me. I don't have to be there till 10AM so I'll probably take the subway in. Definitely taking a cab home though. One friend that would drive me has to work but she is taking me to another appointment on Thursday which is more important because I will totally be spaced out. My other friend that would drive me is in Columbia. My timing is always off.
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I just got back from my first chemo. It wasn't too bad. It took just under 5 hours. I feel a little tired, but I think that is because I didn't sleep well last night because of the steroids.
I was a little surprised to be told today I have to return every week for the herceptin. I thought I was getting it every 3 weeks with the tc. I wanted to double check with my onc., but he had already left for the day. Do any of you have to do this? I asked the nurse if they would be giving me drugs that will make me sleepy if I am just getting the herceptin, which would mean I coudn't drive myself. I will not have a problem getting people to drive me every three weeks, but every week is a different story. The nurse said the doctor had not yet written up the orders for that yet.
Oops, I just put dry oatmeal in the dog's bowl instead of dog food. Don't tell me the chemobrain kicks in that fast!
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Webu, Glad first chemo went well. do not forget to take your anti-nausea meds even if you feel fine, its better to be ahead of the SE.
I had herceptin every week for the first 6 weeks and then it changed to every 3 weeks with chemo. I have one more chemo treatment to go and then its just herceptin every 3 weeks. I had my husband drive me to chemo the first time since I didn't know what to expect. I checked with the nurses and they told me I wouldn't be getting benadryl or anything to make me sleepy after the first treatment so I have been driving myself since.
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webu I never got chemo brain. I'm multi tasking just fine even with insta-pause and 5 tx of chemo. What is making you spacy is probably the Emend and/or Benadryl. At least both of those made me a space cadet the first few days of treatment. Both those drugs can make you tired too. Not sure if you are getting them though.
I've always received Herceptin with Chemo every 3 weeks. I assume you are getting your treatments out by you and not at Rush correct?
Keep us posted on your SE. Those of us that have been trhough this will help you manage them.
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Hi Webu - I am on TCH every three weeks, with the Herceptin to continue for one year. I plan on switching to a place closer to home for conveniences. Good luck!
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My bones hurt, I'm wondering if this gets worse from the herceptin as time goes by? I have been done with TCH since Dec 6th just herceptin weekly until I'm done with radiation next Tue. Then I will start herceptin every 3 weeks. But my bones hurt all the time. Nothing I take helps relieve it.
Sunflower- congrats on the marathon, I'm thinking you must be young and that is why you have this extra energy, you go girl !!!!
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IowaSue44~
My bones just recently stopped hurting and I finished my Herceptin at Thanksgiving. There is an occasional twinge when I bend down etc. but nothing like it was before...
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