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Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

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Comments

  • lilylady
    lilylady Member Posts: 478
    edited March 2011

    Not going crazy now. Nurse prac called me just now. The CT shows lung and liver issues. I live in the Ohio valley and histoplasmosis is in everybodys lungs so feeling Ok about that. She said the right lobe of my liver has a large growth which "warrants further looking into". I didn't ask what Large? meant. She said it is as likely to be B9 as malignant. Not in my bones or brain so YAY me.

    At least i don't have to find out tomorrow with my 80yr old Mom standing there. She lost a lung to histo 3 years ago-but she does pretty good-she does Senior Zumba 3 times a week. She won't let me tape it and put it on You Tube but she shakes her booty pretty darn good. I have a fine example to live up to. She was in a coma for a month and fought her way back.

  • libraylil
    libraylil Member Posts: 325
    edited March 2011

    Lily. Shame on the office for leaving you in limbo over the weekend. Like you I get the "cancer crazies". I am suspicious of every word, innuendo,and question at the doctors office. Comes with the diagnosis. Waiting sucks and any derailment in plans sends me into a fit. Sending positives your way that this a minor hitch. You have lots of support here. Libraylil

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 1,589
    edited March 2011

    Lily,

    That's the exact same TCH schedule I have/had, so it sounds normal.

    However, if you have mets they may add something to it..I'm not sure.  The Stage IV board would be the best place to find that out.

    Good luck tomorrow...keep us posted!

  • sewingnut
    sewingnut Member Posts: 475
    edited March 2011

    Lily,

    That is the TCH  schedule I'm on too. Before I had all the scans and tests my onc told me that even if I had metastisis the treatment would remain the same. Prayers going out for you.

  • TonLee
    TonLee Member Posts: 1,589
    edited March 2011

    That's good to know sewingnut, thank you!!

  • imatthew
    imatthew Member Posts: 69
    edited March 2011

    Hi all, my wife has her last TCH tomorrow.  She has noticed that her hands have become very swollen, and she has pain under her fingernails (and red spots).

    I've seen lots of discussions about hands/nail issues and i'm wondering how long after her last treatment before the swelling / pain goes down?  She has a couple of rings on that she can't get off and before we go and have them cut off, we're wondering if the swelling will go down soon (she does continue with Herceptin for the rest of the year. 

    Thanks! 

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited March 2011
    imatthew - Congrats to you and your wife on completing chemo - !!!  I had swelling in my forearms primarily and it didn't start to go down until about 8 weeks after chemo.  Please ask your onc, maybe a diuretic would help, at least to get the rings off, I don't know.
  • nmoss1000
    nmoss1000 Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2011

    Hi Ladies - I completed my 1st round of T&C today. About 5 min into the Tax infusion I experiend

    Mild shortness of breath and they stopped the Tax and gave me more Decadron and Benydryl. Then resumed the drip in 30 min on a slower drip. I was Fine after that. I also had my H yesterday. Since about 3 pm Today I have gained 8 lbs of fluid retention. During the infusion I drank .1.5 Ltr of water and another 1.5 since I have been home. Has this happened to anyone of you? Should I call

    My onc? I will see him tomorrow for my Neulasta shot.

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,264
    edited March 2011

    You have been infused with some amount of fluid volume and had a lot of oral intake of fluid but 8 lbs. is a lot to gain!  How do you feel?  Do you have any swelling of your extremities or any more shortness of breath?

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited March 2011
    nmoss - Well, a gallon of water weighs 8 pounds - see if it goes back to relatively normal in the moring.
  • nmoss1000
    nmoss1000 Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2011

    Hi ladies, I have a slight bit of naseau and heartburn. My hands, hips and feet are swollen. No change today. Question, I have Zofran and compazine for naseau plus the decadron. Thus far it's not too bad. I am talking the decadron this AM but maybe skipping the antimetics since it does it seem to bad. I am day 1 into this so I want to make sure I am prepared for days 2-5. I hear take the antimetics before there is a problem because once it hits, it takes awhile. I'm about to try to walk on the treadmill for a bit. My Nuelasta is at 2, so

    I figure this is my only shot for awhile. I took clariten this am an will take another 30 min b4 shot.

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited March 2011
    nmoss - I used the claritin 24hr gels for the neulasta and they seemed to work.  I also used tylenol regularly during neulasta because my hips, lower back and neck ached if I didn't.  On the nausea - I would suggest taking half-dose regularly at least - the first time through it's tough.  Some women don't get nausea, this is when you find out if you will have nausea or not.  Also, I got the neulasta shot in my stomach near the belly button and it seems to work good.  Just a suggestion. I would suggest that  when you go in today mention the fluid gain to the nurse.
  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Member Posts: 516
    edited March 2011

    nmoss Definitely take the claritin for the neulasta. I'm on round 2 of TCH and I always get fairly bad bone pain from the shot. For me Tylenol does not help at all but Aleve is amazing-keep that in mind as an alternative-I learned that the hard way on round 1.

    As far as the nausea meds, I get Aloxi in the infusion and then I take compazine 2x/day for the first 2 days following chemo and it's always been enough to be safe. I've never had to use the zofran. Don't skip the nausea meds-especially on day 1...you need to stay ahead of it. Hope it continues to go well for you-all the best!

  • imatthew
    imatthew Member Posts: 69
    edited March 2011
    nmoss - my wife took aleve for a day or two after he first two neulasta's, but hasn't really had any problems with her next 3 shots.
  • nmoss1000
    nmoss1000 Member Posts: 324
    edited March 2011

    Hi All

    Thanks for the tips I just took 2 claritin, 1 compazine and a decadron in preps for the unknown. Luckily I took a laxative yesterday because after the extra Zofran & Decadron Drip I needed it. One less problem. I have some Tylenol 500 & Alleve on hand for after Nuelasta. About how long until the pain sets in? It's so crazy the SE of the meds are the lesser of the two eveils?? Thanks all for helping me through this.  

  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 925
    edited March 2011

    Moss~ Don't skip on the anit-naseau med's EVER.  If it starts it is hard to get the feeling to go away. 

  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Member Posts: 516
    edited March 2011
    nmoss For me, the neulasta pain is very predictable. I have the shot on Thurs morning and the worst of the bone pain hits on Saturday night with intensity for about 8 hours before it begins to gradually diminish. My onc nurse said it's when the white cell production "peaks". It's happened that way both times so far.
  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,264
    edited March 2011

    Hey dragonfly - how are you feeling?  I am kind of hit and miss today - if I exert myself my heart starts beating fast and I have to rest a little.  I am in the "do a chore, take a rest" mode!

  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Member Posts: 516
    edited March 2011
    SpecialK I'm hanging in there...very tired this week and recovering from the UTI but I'm managing to work. I get the same thing with exertion-feel like my heart is racing and a little short of breath sometimes but not too bad. Dreading round 3 of TCH next week but I'm enjoying these good days and eating all the things I love in the meantimeSmile
  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,264
    edited March 2011

    dragonfly -I can even kind of taste stuff - pretty exciting.  We had some really good corn on the cob a few days ago - I couldn't believe how excited I got about it! Everybody is sick of me extolling the virtues of corn! 

    I think part of my fatigue is also that we have a boatload of pollen here, temps in the low 80's (sorry cold people!) - my eyes are killing me, enough so that I took Claritin without a Neulasta shot!!

    Not looking forward to next week either - but then we will be 1/2 way!!!

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited March 2011

    dragonfly and SpecialK - Glad to hear how things are going.  Are you both still able to get some exercise?  A little walking?

    LisaGH - How are you doing?

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,264
    edited March 2011

    Omaz- Hanging in!  Went for the weekly CBC today, platelets are still falling, RBC/Hemoglobin are both low but holding steady.  WBC is in the normal range.  I am walking with my neighbor at 5:30 a.m. (which seems to be just as I have finally fallen asleep!) but I enjoy it - we go 3 miles.  I tried walking on my own the other day but it was too soon after tummy upset and it ended badly....I will say no more on that subject!  Being treated for a UTI (with my triplet dragonfly - Lisa GH missed out) and the old-school drug that I am not allergic to seems to be working OK.  I am sure they will check next week at my tx.  Other than that, I am trying to eat protein, protein, protein... and have I mentioned the super-delicious corn?

    Thanks for asking, my friend!

  • pejkug3
    pejkug3 Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2011

    Is there a reason that some people have a weekly CBC?

    I only have a CBC before chemo.  Last time, before round #2, I had it a week before chemo.  This time, it is the day of chemo.

    I don't get Neulasta - could that be why?

  • omaz
    omaz Member Posts: 4,218
    edited March 2011
    Hi Pejkug3 - I did get neulasta.  The first TCH I came back a week after the treatment to check if the neulasta worked.  It did so for the rest of the treatments they only checked my CBC on the day of treatment.  How are you doing? 
  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,264
    edited March 2011

    pejkug - I think it is just my onc office policy to do the weekly CBC.  He likes to track the trend so he can know ahead of time if there is an issue that will prevent receiving chemo, or deal with a troublesome SE before tx day.  It is also nice to have an interface with the nurses - I only see the doc day of tx, but it provides an opportunity to chat about any issues between tx's.  I have handled the UTI from last week and the mouth sores from my 1st tx during these in-between appts.

  • pejkug3
    pejkug3 Member Posts: 277
    edited March 2011

    My onc seems to be pretty conservative about procedures and stuff like that.  I get no Neulasta, no port, no CBC, etc.

    I've been handling the chemo well - my main SE are heartburn and diarrhea.  Well, the fatigue has set in this round as well.  Heck, even my hair is hanging on pretty well.

    I'm not asking for more blood draws, you can count on that.  :)  I just find it interesting how treatment varies as much as the patient themselves.

  • imatthew
    imatthew Member Posts: 69
    edited March 2011

    my wife finished the "TC" portion of TCH today, six rounds over 15 weeks.  Thank you all for your advice and support.  Overall her side effects weren't too bad, some achiness after neulasta, and some stomach issues.  The biggest SEs have been increasing fatigue and hair loss.  She still has her eyebrows/lashes, and a few strands of hair on top of her head.

    Next up is Herceptin for the rest of the year, and I assume regular checks for recurrence.  She also has another round of reconstruction in May or June.

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,264
    edited March 2011

    imatthew - so happy for both of you to be done with this portion of treatment!

  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Member Posts: 516
    edited March 2011
    imatthew Congrats to you and your wife for finishing the TC!!! Hope the Herceptin will be much easierSmile
  • lilylady
    lilylady Member Posts: 478
    edited March 2011

    Girls, I got my first round of TCH Wednesday and am still waiting for the side effects to kick in. Am I not normal? Other than some heartburn and feeeling jittery nothing is happening. Walked 3 miles after I got home from it and also yesterday and today already this morning. Iam a nervous wreck wondering when it is going to happen. Since this is my first one I hate to premedicate if I am not going to need it. I do not get Neulasta or oral steroids-there again is that difference between docs. I will be getting H only on the 2 weeks in between the TCH.

     I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia from the port install on Monday and puked for 24hrs straight-nothing they gave me would stop it. I am a little worried because at least 2 of the drugs were the compazine and Zophran they gave me for here at home. I am combing back thru this thread to see if I can find some more day 2 people.

    Any advice appreciated

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