Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Hi all,
I guess I'll be joining the club. I get my port in on Monday, and start TCH on Thursday. I am going to try and stay as active as possible, keeping up my walking.
Aly, I feel for you on the hair loss. I've been stocking up on scarves and caps. I have a 4 year old girl who is not thrilled at the prospect of me losing my hair. I'm pretty sure my 4 month old won't care.
Lynn
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Shel,
Do you remember the BORG from Star Trek? I want to get a shirt to wear to chemo that says "You will be assimilated". My family thinks I look just like the Borg! hahahaha
My husband shaved me again this morning because I couldn't stand the stubble on the remaing hair on my head! We get in the shower together ( I have a seat in my shower which makes it easy-among other things, hehehe!) He lathers up my head with shaving cream and shaves it all off. I'm ruining his razor blades but it feels so smooth after that. You should try it!
Nan,
Congrats on your engagement!
Aly,
Isn't it great we have each other to vent and really compare our symptoms, meds., and SE's. I think sometimes cancer is hardest on our closest family members. We don't see it because they try so hard to hide there concerns so that they can be strong for us. Yesterday my husband cooked me a Bobby Flay dinner for my birthday. He undercooked the potatoes. (not a big deal I just nuked them) That actually brought tears to his eyes. He is a very strong assertive man and that brought it home to me just how upset he is with my cancer. I have 3 kids 20,15,and 11, 2 girls and one boy respectively. They all are handling this so different. Sometimes I think it doesn't bother them all that much but I can see it in the little things they say and do. Give your little one some time, she'll probably come to love your hats and scarves, I bet she'll think it's wierd when your hair grows back again. Little ones adapt so quick to traumatic situations! Hang in there. We all send you our love!
Donalee
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PS.,
Can you guys tell I started taking my decadron? Hahahaha!
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Yes, Cindy that is definitely something we have in common. I believe that until my hair looks decent I will still be wearing my wig. I have never felt comfortable even looking at my own bald head, let alone anyone else. I have a friend that goes bald all through her neighborhood and never bought a wig. I kind of wish I could feel more like that, but oh well, we're all different. I need a decent head of hair to feel good about myself.
Shelb, as well as anyone else that has questions regarding the medicines they're taking. I always write down exactly what my doctor wants me to take. Between the potassium, magnesium, prolonged decadron, emend, reglan, zofran and ativan I wanted to make sure there wouldn't be problems, so I take it directly to my pharmacist who I trust the most. I think it's the safest thing to do. I am taking everything I just mentioned (ativan only at bedtime) and (zofran only if extra nausea) She told me they were all fine, and so far this is the best day 5 I've had. I sure hope it continues. Good luck all, Mary
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PSS. It's my birthday!!
Hugs to everyone!
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Hey, Girls!
I find this converdation about hair so compelling that I had to weigh in. Aly is right - even with wigs, which no matter how great they are, we always know that it is a wig....but all these headcoverings make us feel like we have a neon sign...not to mention the instant reminder everytime we look in a mirror of cancer. It is certainly a challenge in the whole "moving on" thing.
Cindy, I thought the same thing that you did - when chemo was over, I guess I just expected my hair to grow right out and I would be ditching that wig before the last bag of carboplatin was hung.
It wasn't realistic - and even though now I am rocking a short mullet-looking style that just looks like I have short hair. I am still wearing my wig as well. My hair has never been this short - except maybe when I was a baby - and so I continue to hide it until my hair isn't shorter than most men!
So, we all understand the mourning - no matter what people say, it is more than just hair - it is a loss and we have a right to grieve it with women who cry right along with us. I have shed a few tears reading these posts and I wish I could send hugs right into cyberspace and erase the pain. The funny thing is - when I dream, I have my long, curly hair. Curious, isn't it?
((HUGS))
And Happy Birthday, Donalee!
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Thanks as always everybody for the support and HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONALEE!!
I took my day 2 Decadron this morning as well but it doesn't really wire me up like it seems to do for everybody else so I guess that's OK. I always chuckle when I take it because some years back I took a veterinary assisting course and Dexamethasone (the clinical name for Decadron) is used in the veterinary world under the brand name of Azium. During the time I was trying to memorize my drug listings it was hard trying to connect the brand name with the drug long name. One day I was coming home from taking my cat to the vet and there was this dog running up the hill in the middle of rush hour traffic looking absolutely panicked. I was I think 8 months pregnant at the time but I pulled off onto a side road along with another woman and after about an hour we managed to coax this terrified dog off the main road and into her van so we could get him back home where he belonged (turned out he had gotten out of the yard and tried to follow his mom's car and gotten lost). He was wearing a tag that had his name and phone # on it. His name was Dexter. After that I never had trouble connecting Dexamethasone and Azium. I just thought "Dexter's Ass" and that connected it for me (lol!). Anyway, just a random thing for your Sunday afternoon.
Hugs to all of you!Aly.
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Happy birthday, Donalee!!! And many, many more.
Cindy and Mary, I'm like you two - gotta have the wig to go out in public. In the house, I'll wear the terry turban, but no way in public. I've even been wearing my really short wig while floating in the backyard pool - crazy, I know, but kids and their friends wander out, and I just can't handle the bald look yet. I bought a hgh-necked swimsuit to hide the port scar. My family + kids' friends are going to Mexico later this week (family tradition for about 10 years - we rent a house on the beach, about 4 1/2 hours from Phoenix) - anyway, I'm going shopping for a hat with hair or something to wear on the beach. I guess I'll have to keep my head out of the water this year unless I get up the courage to go commando!!! (My husband says I should get a plastic bathing cap - not sure I can handle that look either!)
Anyway - I know the flood of emotions the whole bald things cause; Nanegge is right, it IS a mourning, and it IS more than hair. Hugs to everyone dealing with it.
Sue
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Suemed, try www.tlcdirect.org. There's a lot of wigs/hats/turbans/etc. for cancer patients on there. Even hair falls, etc. to make it look like you have hair under your hat.
)Aly.
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Happy Birthday to uuuuuuuuuuu Donnalee. Have a great day.
Hmmmmmm and the hair issue again. For me it was like I was losing my identity. Losing a part of me. (if that makes sense, well it does to me, lol) Is anyones hair coming in thinner? Mine seemed to come in the back first but the top seems to be kinda thin. Maybe it was like that all along and I never noticed it because it was longer than 2 frickin inches. My hair was always short like right under the ear,,,,,but never this short on the top. Looks funky. It's been hotter than heck here lately but the wig still goes with me. I go to the beach a lot during the summer so was hoping to maybe be able to go without something on the head to the beach. I just need to get brave and go to the salon so she can kinda even it up and give me some advice on what I can do with it. Trials and tribulations huh? I do use Nioxin and have been taking Biotin which I have heard helps with the hair growth. (not sure if that stuff is really working, but I'm using it anyways) lol
All you ladies have a great week,,,,,,,,,,,keep those side effects at bay,,,,,,,and take care
Cindy
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Thanks for the b-day greetings everyone!
Guess what I got for my b-day?You guessed it! Beautiful scarves and huge hoopy earings!!It's kinda fun matching scarves and clothes together it's like a new wardrobe. Totally pigged out!(2nd chemo tomorrow, I think I gained 3 pounds this week!)I want to wear a 'Borg' outfit to chemo! I wonder if they'll get it. (Probably too young!)That or an ACDC shirt that says "For Those About To Rock, We Salute You!" My daughter is a gymnast at a Div. 1 University and has this tatooed on her! I totally think it works for us! It's kind of her theme. hahaha.
For those of you who don't know, this is how it goes:
Stand up and be counted
For what you are about to receive
We are the dealers
We'll give you everything you need
Hail hail to the good times
'Cause rock has got the right of way
We ain't no legend, ain't no cause
We're just livin' for today
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
We rock at dawn on the front line
Like a bolt right out of the blue
The sky's alight with the guitar bite
Heads will roll and rock tonight
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you (Yes we do)
For those about to rock, we salute you
Oooh, we salute!
Oooh, ooooh yeah
We're just a battery for hire with a guitar fire
Ready and aimed at you
Pick up your balls and load up your cannon
For a twenty-one gun salute
For those about to rock - fire!
We salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
Those about to rock - fire!
We salute you
Fire
We salute you
We salute you
Come on, whooa
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
For those about to rock, we salute you
Shoot! Shoot!
Shoot! Shoot!
For Those who give, for those who take, for those on the line
And those on the make, we salute you!
We salute you!
We salute you!
We salute you!"Salute" to every one at chemo tomorrow and days and weeks after we deserve it!
Donalee
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PS My daughter just has the one line "For those about to rock we salute you"not the whole song!!!!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONALEE!!!
I head in for TCH #4 this Thursday- I have had minimal se, mostly achy legs from taxotere and neulasta. I do scarves, hats, wig- whatever- BUT my hair is only about 50% gone and new hair is growing- never thought that would happen!
Kristy
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I had church and Costco earlier today...didn't have time to join the hilarity. I'll catch up later. Have a party, etc., etc. BUT I WANTED TO WISH DONALEE A ROCKIN' BIRTHDAY! If any of you baldies want to come out to San Diego, there are still a lot of tickets left for Comic Con July 24-27. Donalee, your Trekkie chick would fit right it. It's a time to flaunt the head.
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Here I am again. The kids changed their minds about going swimming--the weather shifted and it's getting windy here at the coast. Anyway...on the hair thing. I'm digging it. But my hair was always a pain in the butt anyway. Really. But about the thing of people thinking "cancer" when they see you, my feeling is that there is entirely too much fear, stigma, and shame (yes: good ol' Calvinistic 'blame the victim' Salem witch-trial SHAME) about this disease in our society. So if some woman gives me and my BEAUTIFUL head a dirty look, well maybe she'll give herself a good self breast exam this month, cuz she might be next, baby. If some dude thinks I look ugly, well my husband will tell him what's REALLY beautiful. There are a lo of things really screwed up in our cultural paradigm about sickness/wellness and definitions of beauty. If my moxie and my bald head and big mouth can help stir things up, it's all well-worth it. The other day at yoga class, some very vain and wealthy woman comes up to me with this mask of saccharine sympathy and says, "I didn't know you were a victim." I said, "I'm NOT a victim. I don't have cancer; I'm a survivor. This head is just part of the premium on my insurance policy." I wear my head like a soldier wears a decoration. You and I are willing to go to scary places to fight an enemy that we didn't bring on ourselves, didn't ask for and didn't deserve. Whether we cover our heads or freakin' razor-shave and wax them (as I have threatened to do), we are beautiful. And anyone who doesn't think so has some growing up to do.
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Shel...you're sounding an awful lot like I did right before your zit popped.
) I'm glad you're apparrently feeling really great today! We should all have more days like that! I'm starting to think there's a chance this weekly thing might just work for me. After treatment 1 I was getting very sick by Sunday and so far with the weekly dose and the change to Taxol I'm so far just tired and having an occasional twinge of nausea (easily controlled). All those prayers and well wishes you all have been sending me seem to be working. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
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Aly: Thrilled to hear it's better than last time so far. That's something that I'm trying to remind myself, that it's not going to be as bad this time because they're changing my medicines, I have more coping skills, and I have more things to combat the side effects. I pray that's all it takes! As far as my psychic "zit" and anyone else's---they happen. And thank God they pop!
So I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, and all those like myself who are in the on-deck circle for this week. God be with us all.0 -
Shel...I don't think I heard that they were changing your meds. Did I miss a post? What are they changing you to?
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Donalee: Happy birthday. Your wanting to wear a Borg costume to chemo made me think about a couple of fellow patients. When I first starting chemo I sat across from a guy who wore a "chemathon" t-shirt. I can't remember all three events but two were puking and being crabby. During radiation I would see a guy with a bright red knitted cap with a hazardous waste symbol sewn on.
Shel: I agree that it's sad that we are seen as victims. I didn't tell a whole lot of people because I didn't want to become "oh, she's the person who has cancer". I wanted to be known as the person I was and still am. A couple of Thanksgivings ago I was at my cousins'. There was a stray cat that we were trying to trap since we knew it wouldn't survive the winter in the mountains. She thought her friend might want it since her other cat died. After she called her friend she said her husband didn't want her to get another cat since she has breast cancer. That statement made it sound like she didn't have long to live. I met the friend at dinner and she looked fine to me but what do I know. Later I talked to her friend about chemo when I found out I needed it. Turns out this friend was diagnosed 15 years ago, was treated and has been fine since. But to others she's "the person that has cancer." Arrrrghhhhh!
Terri.
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Hello all,
Congrats, Nan! So exciting to hear of your life and love after treatment. And Happy Birthday Donnalee!
I dropped out of sight after I posted the evening of my first tx. I was feeling good and just wanted to get outside and do stuff as much as possible and not sit in front of a computer.
My first tx was last Monday. For those facing their first tx, here's my day-by-day timeline.
Tuesday - I felt fine and worked (I work from home). Because I was still on steroids, I took Ativan on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night so I could sleep. Stupidly, I had forgotten to take Sennekot-S on Monday night to ward off constipation. I did take some on Tuesday, and by Wednesday evening, I was no longer constipated.
Wednesday - I took the subway to attend a Look Good, Feel Better Class. Then I took a bus to get my Neulasta shot and for a nutritional counseling appointment. Had a bit of a salty taste in my mouth. In the evening, I walked to a 2-hr African Drumming class, and walked home. Walked about 5 - 6 miles today.
Thursday - Worked from home. Had bad heartburn. And acne on face and neck. Still had salty taste in my mouth. Went to a social event in the evening. Heartburn kept me awake.
Friday - Again bad heartburn. No salty taste in mouth. Took the bus to a wig consultation. Came home and worked.
Saturday - Went out and got Zantac (recommended by my onc). Took that and then rode the subway to an outdoor festival. Walked about 4 miles. Took more Zantac and Ativan at night to get a good night's sleep.
Sunday - Heartburn not so bad. Took the bus to a 2-hour bhangra class (bhangra is a very energetic Indian folk dance, sometimes referred to as "Indian hip-hop").
In general, I haven't had any fatigue issues this first week; I kept up a normal schedule. I live alone and don't have a car, so I was worried about that. My worse SE has been heartburn and a bit of simultaneous bowel issues (I had to "go" just a few hours after each meal). Both seem to be improving. No SEs from the Neulasta.
If this heartburn is as bad next time or gets worse in the next few days, I will ask my onc for something stronger.
I am dreading the Departing of the Hairs. Will be back to whine then, I'm sure.
-- Jo
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omg Jo,,,,,,,,so much energy,,,,,,,,that is so way cool. Good for you.
I had really really bad indigestion also and the Dr. gave me protonix which works like a charm. I had an egd and colonoscopy a little while ago because even 10 months out of chemo I was still having it. So had the test done to see what the deal was.....seems as though probably chemo kinda messed up my esophogus and have a hiatal hernia. So I take Protonix now. Works good though. Tell your doctor and he/she will get something for you.
Good luck,,,,,,,Cindy
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Jo: sounds like you had a pretty stellar first week, from where I sit. Keep it up! I had to totally get into the second week to feel that good and be that active. But then again, I had some fairly unusual responses to things, which is why I refuse to post MY day-to-day timeline, because I don't want to scare the tar out of anyone:)
Aly: My meds will be quantitatively changed, not qualitatively. Same poison, but less. The nurse said that, based on my responses, they probably gave me too much taxotere. Also, they're premedicating me with Emend, which didn't happen last time. Did you guys know that Emend actually acts on the BRAIN to keep you from puking? It's not just a GI drug, but crosses the blood-brain barrier? Woooah. That's heavy. Also, I was told not to do the Zofran anymore, because the nurse said that my killer headache for 2 1/2 days that made me just want to bang my head against the wall could have been caused by the Zofran. So be praying on Thursday, because if I have another day 4-5 like I did last time, I'm not sure I can do this. It's so weird what gets to people. I can do the hair thing, but some of these side effects take me to the very brink.
But I'm doing great now...just came home from my friend's birthday party. Have a great night and tomorrow everyone.0 -
Hey, Empress: Make sure they have something planned for you to take after your next treatment for the nausea. You don't want to trade headaches for puking!
Jo: You are doing great - I am so glad that you had such an active week. And...woo-hoo to the no SE from Neulasta. Sounds like they are really being proactive in treating you and that is the key to managing these SE.
Have a good day, Ladies!
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Nan--I have everything for nausea, short of a mouth-sized rubber stopper. I have Compazine to swallow, Compazine to stick up my hind end in case nothing will stay down in my stomach, I have the dessicated cotton candy things that constipate me and probably started the headache in the first place, and finally, I have OTC Bonine (which works best of all on me).
Hey...I need to wear my black do-rag today. George Carlin passed away last night. He was one of my heroes.:( But as my sister just said, maybe God needed a good laugh. Have a great summer day, ladies!0 -
Must be a little "chemo brain" made it hard for me to find our conversation. I hate change!!!
Aly, it sounds like the weekly taxol is making it easier on you and that's great. I've found (at least I hope so) an answer to my nausea problem finally. Decadron!!!
Not one anti-nausea medicine has given me much relief, but continuing to take one decadron a day is doing the trick. I can't even believe the difference. Usually by today, day 7, I am crying, not getting out of bed, throwing hissy fits, just ask my hubby. I am a little shaky from the diarrhea that always kicks in about now, but no nausea is amazing. I was concerned about it keeping me awake at night, but I still sleep okay. I take the one pill every morning and wil continue through tomorrow. There is hope!!!!
Anyone else that gets as sick as I did, don't give up on your doctor. Sooner or later they'll figure it out. I can't tell you what a relief it is to know that I can handle my finally treatment in 2 weeks and hopefully put this behind me. Well, except for worrying constantly that it could come back.
I think I missed wishing Donalee a Happy Birthday, hope it was a good one.
God Bless gals, Mary
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Thanx Mary, it was fun! Last tasty meal since #2 chemo was yesterday.
Wow I don't know what they did differently but I'm sooo tired this time. I think it might have been Emend. They gave it to me with the chemo. I never had that before. I went to bed at 7:00 last night and slept until 6:30am! I want to go back to bed and am having trouble typing. I have compazine in case of nausea and never needed it. I am not going to take the other 2 emend pills because I'm thinking it will wipe me out! Overkill.
Hope everyone is having an ok if not stellar day.
hugs!
Donalee
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It's good to see everyone keeping this thread going. I got my port in yesterday (can I say ouch?). I get the first of 4 rounds of TCH this Thursday. Then I'll finish out a year with Herceptin.
I heard that drinking a lot of water starting a couple of days before chemo and then throughout helps with the side effects? Has anyone tried that and had any luck?
Also, I'm hoping to continue to excercise while going through chemo. Has anyone been able to do that, and has it helped?
Thanks,
Lynn
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I have exercised all through treatment so far and I think it helps with the body aches from the taxotere and for me, the neulasta. I walk between 60-90 minutes a day currently- usually drops right after chemo but by Day 7 I have built back to an hour.
Good Luck!
Kristy
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Lynn, I exercise. Now, mind you, I had a day 4-about 6 that were straight out of the climax of a Stephen King novel. But other than that, yes, walking, yoga, bicycling, and even some running...though I really didn't get a chance to really get the legs back between the mastectomy and the beginning of chemo. By the way, my daughter and I just chose the official uniform for the Camp Chemo 2008 swim team. A lovely black vintage one-piece from Urban Outfitters (has details where my tissue expander port sticks out of my ribs) and a fantabulous swim cap with pink rubber flowers sticking out of it from headcovers.com. Check 'em out. Terri, you're a swimmer, yah?Donalee, happy that you had a great birthday. Your reaction to the Emend isn't fun though. Shows me what I might be in for. Anything's better than that headache though. I'm gonna have my husband bang me over the head with our cast iron skillet if that bad boy comes back.Aly, if you're out there, you're in my prayers. Hope your recent silence has not been due to feeling bad.Have a great day everyone. It's my last day before steroids. I'm going to get my bowels tuned up like a concertmaster's Stradivarius before I start blasting them with drugs this time! Better to run like a Formula 1 car than to be stalled in the pits! Hope there are no English teachers out there. This paragraph is a metaphor salad!0
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Mary: I'm glad they have your nausea under control.
For those of you only doing 4 treatments -- lucky you! My doc originally wrote orders for 4 treatments for me (I went into it thinking I was getting 6). At #3 the nurse said, you only have one more. I got all excited about maybe having a normal Christmas. Alas, it was not to be. When I saw the doc that day she said that I had to have six treatments, those orders were just preliminary.
Shel: I just can't see myself in a pink flowered swim cap. They might kick me out of the fast lane. I remember seeing those on headcovers.com. I wear the fabric cap (spandex, lycra? whatever it is). I used to wear my cap under my hat on the way to the pool so I didn't have to show my head in the locker room. I didn't mind going commando while showering afterwards since not too many people were around.
I had Herceptin yesterday. No side effects is wonderful. On the way home I got gas at "only" 3.859 so I felt like I got quite a bargain (the place I usually go to has had it at 3.999). by 7:20 this morning there were only 4 people in the pool so I had a lane to myself. It was a good morning.
Terri.
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