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Share your story: Your reflections about Mother's Day
Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Tell the nurses you want your Neulasta shot in your belly. I know that sounds gross, but they put it in just under the skin so it's not like rabies shots! For some reason it hurts less there, especially if you've got some fat there like I do! LOL
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I agree with the neulasta in your belly...hurts MUCH less and NO big honking bruise on my arm. I get the procrit there too now if I need it...doesn't seem to burn as badly.
Wendy0 -
Happy Mothers Day girls. Enjoy your day and do something fun for yourself.
Cindy0 -
Each of us handle the treatments differently. After the 2nd week, I started losing my hair,, in clumps, in the shower, on my pillow. SO I decided to shave it all off and get it over with. My nails did turn black and they were very brittle. I didnt have much of an appetite either. I was getting treatment every 2 weeks.....I am STILL on Herceptin now.....I should be finished with it by July hopefully. This is the best place to come to, for advice, for hugs and for Support. Happy Mothers Day to all of you.
Donna0 -
HI guys,
sorry to missing for so long. I did get my first chemo on the 7th but ended up getting hospitalized for a complication secondary to my prior fertility preservation procedure (long story) and just got discharged today. the chemo itself doesn't seem too bad. my Red blood cell count is starting to go down so I'm getting tired. Has anyone else had problems with their rbc counts going down?0 -
I'm experiencing quite a bit of diarrhea after my first cycle. anyone else with the same experience?
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I'm starting weekly infusions of carboplatin and Taxol next week. No herceptin because I'm triple-negative. I had AC/Taxol in 2005, so my onc didn't want me to do any more AC because of the potential for heart problems.
I'll have 12 weekly treatments, with a "rest" week every fourth week. My onc says weekly carboplatin/Taxol is especially good for triple-negatives. I guess we'll see how it goes!0 -
hey girls,,,,,,,,this is my second day after my second treatment,,,,,,tch weekly,,,,,,,,feeling ok,,,,today i noticed that my face has broken out,,,,,looks like a rash but also broken out with whiteheads. Sorry to be gross,,,,,but has anyone experienced this sort of side effect? I have always had really good skin,,,,,,so this is very unusual for me. Wonder if its the chemo, decadron or ?? Also anyone experience bloating in upper tummy? Thanx for any info that someone can share.
Take care,,,,,,,,Hope all is going good for those of you who have started this month.
Cindy0 -
hey cindy, i responded to your post on the may chemo website. I'm having similar symptoms.
leslie0 -
leslie,,,,,,,,i saw your posts, I posted in both places because the one is more specific to tch. Refresh my memory,,,,,are you doing it weekly? I will have to ask the dr about this face crap going on and the bloating. I'm not sure if its the chemo or that damn decadron that I hate with a passion. Does it keep you up also? I dont sleep for two nights when I take that. Wish we didnt have to take that stuff. My brain just feels like it is in another land........foggy. Hate that too. Actually I hate all of this,,,,,,,,,I just wish I didnt have to be doing this. Sorry for venting. I just dont feel like myself. Hope all is going well for you,,,,,,,,,,,take care of yourself.
Cindy0 -
Hi girls! Today is one week since my first TCH treatment....Felt like ****! Monday and Tuesday....awful indigestion, stomach pain, etc....Anyone else? I felt like my throat was totally burned! I had tried on Monday to eat more normally...not gonna happen! Went back to noodles and butter every 2 hours yesterday with a few other things added here and there. Seems better today! I go back to the doctor today to get the blood results from Monday...For me seems like the digestive tract is taking a major hit!! I'm on prilosec....anyone taking gasx? What about vitamins?
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hey Katymom,
i am not having indigestion but did have stomach pain while on decadron, relieved with prevacid. My appetite is still going strong, now I can see why us ladies with breast cancer gain weight more often than than we lose it. All i do is eat and sit around because I'm too tired to get moving! i am taking a multivitamin a day and that's it. I'm having multiple loose stools a day, not to be gross, but just wanted to see if other people are having the same problem.
Cindy-I'm doing the every three week TCH cycle.
Hang in there girls. things just have to get better, right?:-)0 -
quick question for all. My chemo was on the 7th and I got lab work drawn today and my SGPT (ALT) was elevated at 130 (which is about 4 times the upper limit of normal). Anyone else have this problem while on chemo? does it mean anything serious?
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IWY,
As far as the loose stools.... you will probably find yourself with either constipation or diarrhea all through chemo.... I believe that's pretty much the standard. We all try to work out a system and to stay ahead of the game. LOL
Good luck,
Miss S0 -
thanks Miss S. for your reply. I guess I would rather be a bit on the looser side that than the constipated side!
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just wondering if everyone on TCH gets neulasta? My oncologist didn't want to give it the first round of chemo because she wanted to see how I did without it. I got labs this week because of being discharged from the hospital and my labs on day #11 after chemo showed me to be severely neutropenic. The thing is, my oncologist says she doesn't normally check labs in between chemo, so if it had not been for the hospital discharge,we would have never known if I was neutropenic as long as I recovered before the next chemo cycle. So my question is:
1. has everyone on TCH gotten neulasta from the beginning or was it added after your counts dropped first cycle?
2. For those of you who get/ or got TCH every three weeks, how often did you got your labs drawn?
Thanks.
Leslie0 -
Hi girls,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,ok got some questions for you all. I am doing weekly TCH,,,,,,,,i just finished my second week on Monday. First week,,,,,felt like crap for 3 days. This week,,,,,,felt like crap for 3 days again. The indigestion is a killer and the over the counter stuff just isnt doin the trick for me........on monday I will ask the dr for a prescription med for that. I still feel kinda like in a fog,,,,,,,,,,is that how it will be the entire time? I am considering going on the every 3 week thing instead of the every week thing. The thought of feeling like crap 3 out of 7 days every week for 6 months is exhausting me. Those of you doing tch or any kind of chemo every three weeks,,,,,,,do you just have the first week that you dont feel well? Or does it continue on into the two weeks after that? Only reason I decided to do every week was to possibly save the great follicular fallout,,,,,,,,,but since both weeks so far I havent felt so good for 3 out of 7 days,,,,,,,,I'm just not sure its worth putting myself thru this every darn week just to possibly save me from my hair falling out (even the every week thing isnt a guarantee). Do I just buck up and do the every 3 week thing and accept the fact of losing my hair? Its also just emotionally draining,,,,,,the not feeling well, not sleeping for two days, the not feeling like myself in the head (I hate that feeling, like I am hung over or something, like I'm here but not here, its weird). I have always been in great control of myself and feel so out of it. Any information you all can send my way I would appreciate it. Hope you are all doing well.
Cindy0 -
oooooooo forgot to say this,,,,,,,,,,yes, I also have loose stools,,,,not meaning to get gross,,,,,,but I think I would rather have that than constipation. lol And as far as the tummy and indigestion,,,,,,,,,,IT SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSS I have it so bad,,,,,,,my tummy gets bloated and hurts like a son of a gun and the indigestion isa killin me. Going for my 3rd chemo on Monday and think I'm gonna ask for a presc med for indigestion.
Leslie,,,,,,,my adolescent facial skin problem went away in two days,,,,,,,,,good lord,,,,,,,I looked like a teenager again going thru puberty. Since you are doing every 3 week tch,,,,how long do you side effects last for? Thinking of changing over to the every 3 week thing as I posted in my earlier post. Do the side effects dwindle as the days go by for you? Or is it like that the entire 3 weeks until your next treatment?
Take care,,,,,,,,,,Cindy0 -
Cindy,
My oncologist said the skin thing is from the taxotere and decadron. She said that unfortunately, since I had that reaction with the first dose, that I will most likely get it with every dose! That sucks! I was busting out zits for about 3 days but then it dried up! I didn't even have zits when I was a teenager but now I know what it would feel like. It is embarrassing. My whole nose and hairline and my chest was full of whiteheads! Gross.
I feel well now, just a bit more tired than usual, but still functional and not sleeping during the day. My white blood cell count is very low, I hope they give me neulasta next time so I don't have to worry about being neutropenic.
As far as your stomach bloating and abdominal pain, I'm sure it is from the decadron. Perhaps you can ask you oncologist, in addition to giving you a proton pump inhibitor (don't let them give you something wimpy like pepcid, ask for something like prevacid instead!), you can ask if you can go down on your decadron dose? not certain if they will say yes, or even if it is safe to, but my oncologist mentioned to me that as the treatments go on, if I have a lot of problems with the decadron that we could negotiate a lower dose.
The loose stool problem is still around, but definately better than before, only occurs about twice a day, and I agree I rather be on the loose side than constipated. I also developed 2 mouth sores, which I'm told is a less common side effect of the chemo, and they are a bit uncomfortable, but they are healing with the aid of some mouth wash my oncologist prescribed.
overalll, the every three week regimen seems to be doable. It's also nice to know that I have some time in between treatments to recover mentally and physically. good luck, what ever you decide will be the right decision for you and works just as well for the cancer.
Leslie0 -
Leslie,,,,,,,,,,,thank you so much for the info. Its nice to have someone here that is doing the exact same thing as me.........and started on the same day too,,,,,,lol Yesterday and today I've had some nausea,,,,,,,weird since that didnt happen the first week. O well.........huh? Have you had some fogginess in the head,,,,,,,like hangover kinda feeling,,,,,,,,,there but not there?? And if so,,,,,,,,,,,has that lasted the entire two weeks so far? I was telling you I am thinking of switching over to the every third week thing,,,,,,so tell me,,,,,when did you have your first symptom and what was it? And have you had some kind of side effect every day? Or now that you are past your 2nd week,,,,,,,are things settling down for you? Have a good rest of the weekend,,,,,,although its almost over with huh? And where are you again? Im in California.
Take care everyone,,,,,,,,,
Cindy0 -
I have only had one treatment but I got Neulasta the day after....I had chemo on Thursday and had blood drawn on Monday (could have waited until the following Thursday one week)...They do a finger prick to check my counts every time I go in which is sometimes 1-2 times per week.....
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Anyone have any comments about losing your hair? I'm 10 days out and just wondering what to expect
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I'm 14 days out now and my hair last night when I was taking a shower started to shed a lot more than usual for me. I expected to wake up this morning with all my hair gone but it's still there! I imagine in a couple of days, it will start falling out in clumps! Just when I thought maybe I would be the one and only person whose hair wouldn't fall out!:-)
Leslie0 -
katymom, I did notice as you mentioned more hair in the shower drain at first. Then more hair in my brush and I would find it on my pillow in the morning. Then all of a sudden around day 17 or 18 it was pretty much gone. Just as I *thought* I was going to get away with NOT losing it...but it all came out. So you have about 6 to 8 days and it will probably be gone. I haven't heard of many that escaped it. You take care and hang in there.
Chelee0 -
Hey girls,,,,,,,,,,,had the last of my cyle 1 today,,,,,,,,every week schedule. Went good,,,,,although infusion day is always a good day for me. Remember I was thinking of changing to the every 3 week routine,,,,,,well, I talked to my PA today and she said if we got the gastric problem taken care of and the fogginess for days,,,,,,,,would I consider staying on the weekly. I said yes,,,,,,,,so I will do another round of weekly tch and see how this next one goes. She hates to see me give up into the second week already,,,,,,,,my dream was to keep my hair. And she hates to see me make a quick decision on a day that I was feeling bummed out. She gave me a presc for Protonix and I need to drink drink more and more water.........that way chemo will flush out of your system and the fogginess should go with it. So thats what I am gonna do,,,,,,,,,,,try another cycle and see how this next one goes. I havent lost any hair yet. We all lose one or two every day even not on chemo,,,,,,,,,and thats all I have been losing,,,,,,,,so we will see with the next round if that stays the same. Hope all is well for you gals,,,,,,,,,,,havent had much sleep so gonna just take the benadryl at night especially the night before chemo, the day of and the day after,,those seem to be the nights I cant sleep,,,,,,,,,,,decadron does it to ya...........
Nite all,,,,,,,,Cindy0 -
I have had 7 TCH and although I shaved my head because it was patchy with bald spots, I haven't lost all of my hair. I am now losing my eyelashes on the lower lids. I have 3 more treatments. My stomach feels queasy all the time, just like everytime I was pregnant.
You girls...just hang in there. I don't think it matters if you do it weekly, biweekly or every 3 weeks...it still does a number on you.
and yes, if you drink water, you do feel better, although my taste buds are gone and even water tastes yuck....keep imbibing~!0 -
I hear ya on the chemo takes an effect on either weekly, biweekly or every three weeks,,,,,,,it still reaks havoc on our bodies that are not accustomed to putting poisons in them. And the taste buds,,,,,,,,yep,,,,,,just started getting that weird taste in my mouth also,,,,,,,nothing really tastes good, I used to drink diet sodas,,,,,,,,but goodness they taste gross now, Water doesnt taste all that great either,,,,,,but is better than diet coke.......so am forcing myself to drink lots of that,,,,,,and I mean lotttttttttttttttttttttttttts. lol
Have a good day all,
Cindy0 -
I've been having a strange symptom lately and wondering if anyone else has had this with TCH. I have noticed that once in awhile my vision is slightly blurry, but if I blink a couple of times, it clears up. not affecting my ability to read or watch tv, but sometimes the details on tv are harder to see. Is this the chemo brain "fog" that everyone talks about?
Leslie0 -
No, chemo brain is when you can't remember where you put your reading glasses and they end up on top of your head! LOL I think I read that blurred vision is a side effect of either carboplatin or taxol.
When I went through chemo in 2005, my vision actually changed. I wear contacts and used to do a bifocal trick where I'd wear a -7.5 prescription to see near in one eye and a -8.5 prescription to see far in the other. I was getting headaches from it, though, so I switched to wearing only the "far" contacts and reading glasses when necessary.
But my vision got so blurry during chemo, I actually put in the "near" contacts and could see far! Still needed the reading glasses, though. It was pretty weird. Then it all went back to how it had been before once chemo was done. Lucky I had access to different strengths of contacts!
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thanks CindyMN for your response. I emailed my chemo nurse yesterday just to let her know and she said just ot keep and eye on it an make sure it doesn't worsen. I finally shaved my head yesterday, Day 16 after my first chemo. the head was tingling and hair was falling out fast. I was afraid that I would wake up bald before I had a chance to get my wig from the store! But all is good, getting used to wearing wig and learning how to style it! I got a real hair wig even though most people say a synthetic one is easier to deal with because I wanted longer hair and no bangs. We'll see how long I actually wear the wig because getting ready this morning to go to work was a pain in the butt. I've never spent that much time getting ready for work! Pretty soon, I think I'm going to end up wearing scarves alone. Everyone at work knows, it's just that I don't want to scare my patients. We'll see how it goes. It may get so hot in the summer that I won't care what anyone thinks!
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