Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
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webu.....my Doctor said anything dealing with the skin, tongue, nails etc....Taxotere is to blame. You may want to try Vanicreme light lotion. It's found at Walgreens. It has helped me out a lot.
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I got the dry chin/wrinkle I never had before after TX 4. Let me know if you find a solution.
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I had a ton of skin problems. Depending on the day, my face was dry, red, peeling, breaking out, puffy, you name it. Part of it may have been the taxotere, but my onc thought that it was the decadron. She reduced my decadron for TXs 5 and 6. Things seem to normalize just before the next infusion. Hang in there!
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nora_az - I think that your question about channels is worth a call to your surgeon. If it is on your mind go ahead and give him/her a call and ask for some more details. Sometimes it just turns out to be nothing to worry about and it gives you some peace of mind to get an official explanation.0
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Omaz....I am thinking so too.
He had asked me not to delve too much into the Internet because chances are I'll find old stats not relevant to my case since things have changed a lot in regards to treatment and outcomes. In exchange I would like a clear line of communications. I had no clue I was even going to take tamoxifen after I am done with the Herceptin until I went to the Breast Clinic before my last infusion. I asked if I would have to take it and was told, "yes"
I wouldn't have even asked if I hadn't noticed that everyone here who is triple positive is telling me they are taking it after they are done with Herceptin.
Yes, I think I am getting the best of care, I just don't feel as if I am very informed as to everything going on with me and I am getting frustrated.
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Thanks everybody for the responses. nora_az - I looked up the Vanicare lotion and it sounds good. I'm going to try it.0
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webu
Let me know what you think. It's great stuff!
It's what pharmacists use as the base for compounds. There is no scent or dye in it.Sometimes when I use face cremes etc I get this burning sort of feeling. I don't get that at all with this product.
The regular Vanicreme is very thick and reminds me of lard but is great for extreme cases. The Vanicreme light lotion is what I am using. It's a lot lighter (as the name suggests) and does the trick for me.
If your skin is really bad I do suggest the regular Vanicreme though.
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Thanks, nora_az.
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I know this is totally off topic but I want to mention something that I am so thankful for today. My mom had breast cancer and is almost 10 years cancer free.
Today she had to have surgery because she had a parotid tumor in her neck. They said they didn't think it was malignant but they wouldn't know till they saw it (why they wouldn't know since they did a CT scan is beyond me) anyway, I just got a call from my sister an hour ago and it was deeper than they though but got it and the surgeon said it was benign but is going to have it sent away just to be sure. She is in her room and will spend the night since they had to place a drain her her neck but she will be ok
I was so scared my mom's cancer had come back and metastasized but thank goodness it was just a benign tumor.
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nora_az Great news about your moms benign news. Most of the time you can't tell if a tumor is malignant until you test it. Many years ago they told my mother she had thyroid cancer. It ended up being benign abnormal cells (probably pre cancerous). This is why if they can they do biopsies on us and 80% of the time they are benign.
I think it's time you had a talk with your doc. When I met with my onc the first time she had a sheet outlining my therapy and statistically how it would improve my survival over 10 years. I knew right then I would doing THC every 3 weeks followed by a finishing a year of herceptin and 5 years of generic arimidex. She asked me if I had any questions, concerns etc. You need to let your doctors know you want to know everything.
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Hi Basia,
Congratulations too...yes we will leave this all behind. I thinks we are on the same er/pr and her2 status, my tumor is just bigger...Lets reclaim our life once again! Take care!
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Wow very inspiring Lago! Thank you so much for the inspiring words. I will make it my everyday mantra too...Take Care and God Bless too! We will welcome the 2011 with lots of love, laughters and good health
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Has anyone experienced a feeling of agitation, restlessness? My daughter describes it as having restless leg syndrome all over. Can't sit still, can't sleep and can't focus but taking nausea meds, diarreha meds, anxiety meds etc . This was her 1st TCH with herceptin as the 1st drug. Does the sequence of administration make a difference in SEs?
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motherofpatient: YES!!! I had what I can only describe as restless legs. I think I had Herceptin last but can't remember as was always given a sedative on chemo. I think it's just a combination of everything including the mind jumping about. It settles fairly quick and if it doesn't then nothing wrong with taking a sedative ( or glass o wine)
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motherofpatient - YES, it is more than likely alot of anxiety for everything that is going on plus those darn steroids. I took Ativan or Xnanx when needed. Ativan is more longer lasting but they both do the same thing basically. I am also on daily Lexapro.
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motherofpatient
Chalk me up on that list too. I was told it was the steroids as well. I rarely ever nap. I thought I would nap a lot on chemo but was I ever wrong. I don't sleep well, I am always restless and putter around the house aimlessly. Having said that I don't get out as much as I used to because I am tired a lot, I just don't sleep!
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webu I used the Eucerin all over and a clinique product on my face before dryness attacked. My cuticles cracked open from the constant handwashing and hand sanitizer.
Nora I don't blame you....I too obssess about lymph node involvement.
libray lil
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libraylil I had to stop using the hand sanitizer. It really was making a mess of my hands. I did get some great cuticle cream though. Hoofers choice. I also bought Gold Bond hand sanitizer moisturizer. I still like the Eurcrin hand moisturizer better but the Gold Bond is useful when I'm not at home and don't have access to washing.0
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webu: after taxotere I look like I am sunburned for about a week than my skin just peels away... I have not found much to help it. I use Murad which is supposed to the the best in skin care, Roc, Garnier, all of these are extra to extreme moisture but I usually have to get through another week before that subsides. None of the products irritate me they just don't seem to do much. I did find for my body Johnson's makes a baby oil gel so it doesn't run all over the tub I put that on after each shower and it keeps my body a bit more moist compared to lotion. Bath and body has a great hand cream called Look Ma New Hands / and Feet I love this stuff. I hope this helps a bit.
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I did feel a weird restless feeling. I never even reported it because I didn't know how to describe it. But I definitely remember it. And the good news is - it went away after treatment. In fact, I would l have forgotten all about it except that your post reminded me.
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lago I had seen the goldbond hand sanitizer but now that it has your seal of approval, I'm getting some to take back to school with me. The clear stuff really does a number on my cuticles. Once those corners split its hard to heal them. Will also check on the hoofers choice. I have some Target gift cards burning a hole in my pocket.
restless I think so. The last time I changed my sheets there was a hole rubbed all the way through from my feet.
We've had an unusually cold winter in NC so more heat in the house and more dryness. Course nothing like Chicago and NY. libray lil
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motherofpatient- if it is right around the time of treatment and a couple of days after, then it is probably the steroids. They usually prescribe steroids in pill form to take the day before, day of and day or two after chemo. Sometimes they also give some steroids as pre-medication in the IV for chemo. Those can make one very restless but they help reduce any bad reaction that a person's body may have to the chemo drugs.
I only got the pill but I generally had a lot of trouble sleeping and was very restless during the time that the steroids were in my system. Since I wasn't having any bad reactions during chemo, the onc let me cut the dose in half but that didn't help much.
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Went for my first Herceptin since chemo. Gee, I had forgotten how Herceptin tastes and smells. Remembered to drink lots of water and it has "passed".
omaz can you tell me a little about the radiation first appt and how long it takes? Also the daily zaps? I'm seeing a dr. about 15 minutes from work. Trying to decide on before school, after school, or during lunch before I call them and whine about appt. times.
libray lil
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Hi Lil - At my first appointment they did the CT scan and gave me my tattoos (4). They also drew on me with markers. I would say it took about an hour. Then a couple days later I went for a simulation with the actual radiation machine which was in a different room and that took about 40 minutes. Then I started the daily treatments which on 4 days of the week I am in and out in 20 minutes or less total (including changing, waiting and lotion time). On Fridays they take extra x-rays and that adds a few more minutes. Actual time on the table daily is only 5-6 minutes I think.0
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Librarylill and tracee23 - Thanks for the suggestions.
Nora - That is really good news about your mother. It must be such a relief.
motherofpatient - As everyone has said, steroids are known to cause that restless feeling. Also, any of the other medications can cause problems, too, especially if she has never taken them before. Some people, including me, actually get more jittery when taking seditives. Hopefully, it will go away quickly, but if it is really bothering her she should let the onc know. I,too, am on TCH and I believe they gave me the Herceptin last, but I don't really know if the order matters.
Today I actually feel like myself again. I'm even able to drink coffee, and it tastes really good. It is day 13, and my next chemo is a week from tomorrow. I hope it doesn't take this long to feel better the next time.
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Hi Webu - funny, it was about day #14 to drink coffee again for me...and chocolate too. Made two pans of brownies in the last three days!
Starting to feel like a stuffed sausage again in my tight jeans. Nothing like a round of chemo (Monday) to fix all that! Good luck to you in eight days!0 -
Number 4 of 6 tomorrow! I will have a talk with my dr about making sure I am informed of everything going on with my care. Thanks for the push on that Lago.
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Lucky you...you are 4 of 6. You are over the halfway mark...congrats and good luck tomorrow!
Ann
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bbryant - Congratulations! Yay!
iowasue - Done with Rads, yay! I can't wait.
This soreness in my legs is really annoying! I don't like just having to live with it, but it is what it is. Who knew the Herceptin was causing some of the SE's I thought were from chemo!
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michcon - How many herceptin alone have you had? I am so creaky, am 9 weeks out from last chemo, have had 3 herceptin onlies. My last herceptin infusion aggravated my neuropathy. I can't think of why - doesn't make sense. Must just a coincidence.0
