Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Congrats Matt.
I finished TC last Tuesday....last night and today I am SORE from Neulasta, actually worse than it's ever been...oh well, LAST ONE! I swear my bones ((in neck and shoulder) feel thinner....I wonder if that's even possible.....
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Matt - congratulations. The herceptin-only will be SO MUCH easier! You've been through the rough part now.
Lily - I felt fine the day or two after TCH also. It was days 3-8 that for me, were more difficult. Not debilitating, just more difficult. Everybody is so different with how their bodies react to this stuff. It is hard not to personalize what you read and wait for it to happen to you, but it is better to just wait & see how your own body responds. (easier said than done, I KNOW!).
I didn't get oral steroids either or Neulasta. I had steroids in the drip (which you probably did, too). I could feel, around 48 hours after tx, the steroids wearing off. I called it "Elvis is leaving the building." It wasn't dramatic, I just felt more tired and worn down. In contrast, those first two days, I woudl go out walking and just start running b/c I had so much energy. My husband thought I was crazy - "Didn't you just have chemo yesterday?" But then the third day, I wasn't doing any running.
Try not to be a nervous wreck. Try not to keep 'watching' your body to see if anything is happening. If anything happens, you will know! Make some plans - albeit fluid ones that you can change if you don't feel well. LIVE your life, don't sit around and wait. Time will pass faster and you will do better if you are distracted. Maybe have a friend come by or watch a funny movie or stuff like that. My mom came down to help me the first chemo, and i wanted to just sit still and wait to see what happened to me and she said no, that is no good, and insisted we move around, do things as normal as possible, and it did really help to stay distracted.Keep us posted on how you're doing. One down, five to go, and soon you will be posting like Matt and saying you are DONE! (I know you won't believe this, but it really does go fast!)
Hang in there.Amy
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Oh also - I puked from the anesthetic from the lumpectomy horribly. But never had ANY nausea from the chemo. Never took the anti nausea drugs either.
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lilylady you have been on my mind since yesterday when I read about your diagnosis. Talking about getting sucker punch. I am just sick thinking of the stress you are experiencing. I think when plans are rolling you will feel like the beast is being attacked. This will give you strength. Your insurance company needs a large beat down. We are here to support you as you move through this. Sending positives your way.
Pejug my onco is also very conservative with no port unless needed, no nulasta with TCH (I did end up having 3 neupogen shots when my wbc got really low). I did have a CBC at each chemo. They just drain the blood like dracula after they stick the iv in. This worked find for me as I almost felt like I had a little control over what was going on. It was not a picnic but the majority of the time I felt pretty good, just tired. Worked throughout chemo, except the actual day of. libraylil
libraylil
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imatthew congratulations. Just an FYI. My brows and lashes started to come out 5 weeks after chemo. The brows started to fill in soon after so I was never without brows just thinner. Eyelashes just starting to pop through (week 9 post chemo) but grow slower. Also let your wife know that at about 5-6 weeks she will start to really notice feeling better… and it just keeps getting better every week.
I still have heartburn issues but I'm not on any heart burn meds. I actually think its from the Anastrozole I started 25 days ago… but it's not as bad as it was on chemo. You wife will not be gettting that so she might do better than me.
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lilylady - Just assume you are one of the fortunate ones that won't have much side effects!! Not everyone does. Best Wishes.0
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Hey all, Lilylady I am right there with you. I had my first TC on Weds too! I have a little bit of naseau, a little tired and dry mouth but not much more. I did get Nuelasta yesterday, a little achy but not bad. Still kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop. I will say food is starting to taste icky...Good luck to you.
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Hey everyone! I had a great week- hope yall did. I worked every day (though not at the rate pre-chemo). Appetite is good- taste is near normal. Fatigue is still a factor- but better. Man my legs get weak easily.
Looking forward to the weekend. Attending a local walk to raise money for breast cancer- my first event as a survivor- it's still hard to accept. (Sorry but that's true).
I like dragonfly & specialk am dreading tx #3 next wk 3/30.But looking forward to the halfway mark. I am hoping I can take more meds to help me sleep- losing sleep that week is pretty bad.
I so appreciate the support of everyone- we are warriors!!!
Lisa
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LisaGH - you are so cute! I can always tell when you are feeling better because you sound more chipper and throw in the "we are warriors" deal at the end! We have to carry that spirit right into next week! I got more sleep on tx #2 than #1 but still not enough. What combo of meds are you using?
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Kathie- you are right. On chemo wk and the following- pretty quiet to the point my 16 y/o daughter says "You scare me- you are so quiet." And my college son calls me other weeks "I have to talk to you all I can now because next week (if it's a chemo wk) you won't talk much."
I haven't really been taking much of anything med wise during chemo (part of my problem I know)- I get extra nausea meds- i am so easily nauseated. Aloxi, Emend both IV and then decadron one day b/f, day of and one days after- twice a day. Then half dose of steroids next 2 days.
Last time it shut down GI tract- not pretty. However, I am ready for that now (mag citrate on hand!!) Sorry guys if TMI here.
I don't take much for pain, nausea or sleep- maybe half of a tab once or twice. Tylenol PM one or two nights last time. I was recommended to take some ativan at times (which I haven't on past 2 cycles).
I welcome any thoughts on this from those who have been here before- sleeping is a big problem for me week of chemo.
Happy Friday- and yes I am so chipper- and giddy even on my good days!
This week has been so wonderful!Lisa
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I am also super-quiet that first week after. This last tx I felt bad sooner, like next day which was a full day sooner than last time. Not as much of a headache though and ear-ringing not as bad. I took the Compazine only and it did help me sleep a little better but I think I am going to more aggressively use the Ativan at night and see if I can sleep. I haven't taken anything for pain at all this last tx. I did take some Tylenol for the Neulasta aches and Vicodin once the first tx. I have always had insomnia - before my diagnosis. After I was diagnosed I really didn't sleep. I can't believe I worked right up until my BMX - 5 weeks from diagnosis - not sleeping more than 2-3 hours a night, sometimes not at all. Fortunately I am totally anal about the system checks before I let any units of blood go out the door, and we have many safeguards in place so as not to make a mistake, but sheesh... I am sure the steroids are keeping you from sleeping as well.
It is so nice to have that good week before the bad one! We just have to carry each other through, right? Is your college son local or is he away? Mine is at school in Virginia, was only home at Christmas when I looked totally normal. My DD gets to experience me bald, with one TE and looking pretty rough. I know she cries when she is away from me - she won't do it in front of me. When my DH buzzed my hair he told her outside and she cried in his arms. It made me a little sad that I am not "mothering" her like I normally would if she is upset, because she is upset about me! I feel a little guilty but I am careful to be as normal as possible around everybody and I think it is going OK.
For everyone that can - have a good weekend! For those coming off a tx, hang in!
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Hi Ladies Just had my first TX on weds and felt ok until tonight. I am very sad and experiencing bad glandular pain and neck and hip aches. I had Nuelasta shot yesterday. I also have a horrible taste in mouth along with burning head pain. Does it end? I wish I could rest but a part of me is afraid to wake up to something much worse. Are all of these SE Normal? I have blisters On the back of my tongue despite chewing ice...sorry to be a downer.
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nmoss - Hard to say if the aching is from the Taxotere or Neulasta. Try some Aleve but eat something when you take it. The taste in your mouth is going to be there for a while, and you will most likely experience taste/appetite changes. I had a brutal headache for several days, finally took a Vicodin left over from BMX. You are probably going to feel like crap for a few days unfortunately. The good news is that you may very well do better on subsequent tx. My SE were much less severe on the next one, with the exception of diarrhea (sorry, overshare alert!) For the mouth sores they gave me some samples of Caphosol - it worked great - cleared it up in less than 2 days. I did not get mouth sores on the 2nd tx, and I chewed ice with both tx. You are not a downer - this is the reality, and we are all here for you and doing it with you!
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NMoss,
Hang in there. While in the midst of feeling down, icky, (choose your adjective), it seems like it will never end. I was there Thurs. night and yesterday. I take treatment on Tues, and by Thurs. night I'm all ..."I can't live like this...it's all about quality of life....I'm just going to let this cancer run its course...who can live like this?" etc.
It is during this time (Weds night-Fri) that I have my darkest thoughts. I won't list them here because it's too embarrassing.
I don't want to talk to anyone, and while I can function as normal, sound (ANY SOUND) gets on my last nerve and I tend to lash out at the noise maker. I've had a couple heated arguments with strangers in stores over things that are also way too embarrassing to mention here!
All that to say. If chemo works for you the way it does for me...you wake up one day (for me it is today, 4 days later) and feel lighter. Back to 'take on the world mode.'
This emotional cycle didn't really begin for me until after the 3rd treatment (not that I noticed anyway). And each TX I noticed it took a little longer to get over.
To keep peace in my house, I planned for my Debbie Downer days, accepted them, ignored them, wallowed in them, and kept my family out of it as much as possible. But I gave myself a deadline so as not to become mired down. Come Saturday morning...hell or high water..heh, I get up, put on some coffee, read the news, work out, and get my butt out of the house...back into the world.
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Hi Ton Lee
Thank you I could not have said it better. The dark times are the worst. Funny though I feel
Like the Zofran is making me feel worse. I stopped taking it yesterday and I am sticking to Claritin and Antivan. But now I have 2 giant zits forming and I am assuming it's the meds & chemo coming out of my system. So I think I am 3/4 way on to being back to semi normal. The GI issue is another story(TMI) I wish it was the other way, constipation is a killer. Finally bone pain is bearable and off to a nap. Thank you again for sharing, nice to know I am not crazy or alone.0 -
Chemo is over and now I get the eye twitch???? Ugh, this maybe the most annoying side effect of all. Those that are done, did you get this too? When did it finally subside?
Those girls in the middle of treatment, hang in there! I am only 1 week out from my last TCH and I feel better each day.
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I got the twitch after tx2. It seemed to finally go away 4 weeks after final treatment I think. I'm almost 10 weeks out and don't remember when I last had the twitch.
It really gets annoying when both of them are twitching and they are out of sync.
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Good morning ladies. I've been reading through this thread and have to admit I'm dreading this next stage! Is there a consensus to which day after chemo you start feeling bad? I'm hoping I can schedule my chemo so that weekends are the down days and by Monday I'm feeling okay and good for the week. Would that work? Say like chemo on Wednesday? Or am I being overly confident in thinking I can schedule it in to fit my needs? I will be doing THC 6x every 3 weeks 52 weeks of Herceptin then rads.
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Sunflower as a fellow eyetwitcher I can tell you it will go away. It is bizarre when coupled with dripping eyes and nose. Contests on finishing! Thursday is my dual happy hour day/ rads and herceptin. Libraylil
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Caryl it's really different for everyone. I had chemo on Tuesday. First 3 rounds weren't so bad but I would say eventually Thursday- Saturday I was the most tired and spacey. I really never got the extreme fatigue /flu like symptoms though.
BTW you should check out the "Illinois ladies facing bc" thread. I didn't start at the beginning when I joined. I have met with several. Really an incredible group of gals.
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CaryL-I have been one of the lucky ones. Had my first treatment Weds and have only some heartburn. I realize that can change from 1 treatment to the next so counting my blessings-1 big 1 down. I go for my first H only drip Weds. They told me that there was enough stuff in the pre-meds to hold off just about anything for 2 days. That is why I picked weds. There are some ladies who just finished (TonLee and Sunflower) they could probably advise way better than me.
I am off work now for an unrelated reason (2 scoped knees) and am scheduled back on April 5. Still up in the air on what to do. Onc wants me off-doesn't feel I could do my job and weekly chemo. I work in a factory-heavy physical job and no AC. I am concerned about using up my disability while I still feel like nothing is wrong with me. I have this week to figure it out-worst case-I go back and can't hack it and have to go thru applying for the disablity again. I am in for a long haul due to dx so I am leaning towards going back while I still look and feel normal. Hope this helps
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CarylC I think there is only so much you can predict with this. I can tell you my experience so far for comparison. I'm getting TCH x 6 with Herceptin for a year and I've just finished TCH #2 with #3 scheduled for Tuesday. I am working full time as a social worker in the ER and on inpatient units at a huge hospital and so far I've managed to keep working in spite of some rough side effects at times.
TCH cycle #1 and #2 have been identical for me: days 1-3 fighting constipation and bad headaches, day 4 and 5 extreme fatigue from the "steroid crash", taste alteration, some mouth sores, day 5 bone pain from neulasta, days 6-10 I had bad cramping/diarrhea both times and had to resort to an all liquid diet both times. I also developed a UTI during cycle #2 and I'm on antibiotics.
I know that working is not ideal for everyone and there have certainly been days that I would have preferred to stay home but I don't have any family near me and my husband is gone most of the time so I would be completely isolated if I stayed home. I also need the routine to keep my mind focused on something other than all of this physical and emotional turmoil because there are definitely days in the first 1 1/2 weeks of each cycle that I reach a breaking point. Work and my colleagues help me to push through those tough times...
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CaryL- I worked roughly 25-37 hours per week as a speech therapist during chemo. I had tx on Thursday's, would work on Friday, and would be back at work on Monday. Towards the end, I did not make it to work on Monday. I learned it was difficult to predict how I was going to feel, many of the SEs had a pattern, others did not. Anemia got me a few times and it was hard to get thru the day without feeling so tired. But I will say this, I could always count on feeling better 1 week after chemo. So, I made sure my work during week 1 was always something I could handle. My boss was very flexible and understanding. It also helped me to keep a journal of SEs to prepare for the next round. I also had an emergency bag in my purse at all times (immodium, saltines, queasy drop candy, zofran, tylenol/advil, kleenex, and aromatherapy peppermint oil-a sniff can help mild nausea).
Tonlee said it best about the emotional part of chemo. Her words described exactly how I felt each round. When you come out of the dark, you appreciate every good feeling.
My advice? Do what you can, listen to your body, and treat yourself gently. It will be over before you know it. Oh, and come on here and vent when you need it!
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Hi! Hope yall had a good weekend. I have been fighting a cold- just what I need right b/f Round #3 of TCH next wk on Wed 3/30? Uggh. Has been a lazy Sunday.
Specialk- My son is just 1 1/2 hr away at school- but he doesn't come home often at all.He hasn't truly seen me at my worst either- just the poor ones that live w/ me.
I am similar to Dragonfly. I do work- not all days in the office. I do work via conference call/email etc so I have been able to keep up. I get my chemo on Wed (originally I thought Thurs would be better for me- but I don't think there are any days that are better than others now). Thurs I am tired but not bad until after neulasta- which I get Thurs afternoon. Then the downward spiral starts.
For me- Day1 Wed- chemo- a little tired; Day 2 Thur- Neulasta in the afternoon & start feeling bad; Day 3-5 Fri-Sun- weaning off steroids- have constipation pretty bad and joint pain pretty rough (I am going to try aleve this time and have worked on the constipation prep so hoping I won't have that issue); Day 6-7 Mon-Tues Tired/Headache/thrush (sometimes starts sooner), sometimes mouth sores (I am prone to them); Day 8- Wed- start to feel better. I am on soft foods/liquids usually through day 6 or so. I had heartburn first cycle- not as bad cycle 2.
The weakness/fatigue has hung on through this time. I can get around ok- first few days after TCH #2 I was pretty short of breath just walking in my house- but that got better. My legs/hips feel crampy at times still.
I do go to work all days that I can. I work most all days in the office except if bad right arond the chemo. I too feel it helps me feel better and focus on something besides chemo. I do not feel physically up to things as I did before. I do get tired easily most all days now (though that gets much better the further I am out from the chemo).
I caught this stupid cold- stuffy nose, scratchy throat and just tired end of the week.
Getting nervous about Round #3 still (trying not to think of it- unless I can frame in a positive way- halfway there!)
I went to a breast cancer walk- but didn't walk. My husband raised more money for the event than anyone in our county- in honor of me- it was sweet. It was my first event like this as a survivor. It was very emotional for me. I still sometimes can't wrap my brain around having breast cancer.
This board is so supportive- I really feel 'normal' when I read things on here that so many others are thinking/feeling/experiencing.
Happy Sunday!
Lisa
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LisaGH. When you have finished 3 remember that is half way. You are almost there! Keep an eye on your scratchy throat! I developed a cold/sore throat during chemotherapy and had thrush. Rest when you need to, you can make it! Libraylil
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nmoss-i had the constipation too. I would take 2 stool softeners the day before my chemo and then one daily until i had a bowel movement. Also, I drank TONS of water-close to 100 ounces a day. Once i figured out this regime, the constipation was not an issue.
V
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I had constipation too. It was terrible tx 1. I was already doing a probiotic (stool softener), eating dried apricots/ high fiber and lots of water daily due to IBS. Tried Milk of Magnesia but that didn't work for me. Finally had to use the Metamucil. Ended up with hemorrhoids too. I have never given birth before but I think I got the experience that day.
After that I took Metamucil the night I came home from chemo 3 times a day till I had normal movements. Basically I had 3 days of slow movement then day 4 I was fine and stopped the Metamucil.
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Thanks gals I am on high fiber 30 grams +, probiotics, prunes, 2 liters H2O, flax seed and Correctol. Is this from the Tax or Herceptin for you guys? I have had so many SE I am trying to keep up. I am keeping a diary but these seems to be the common SE from all TX. This is bad but the lingering headache seems to be the worst. I have Herceptin in the AM and honestly the idea of being injected with anything else at this point is nauseating to me ( no pun intended) . Thanks so much for being here in the dark time and really knowing how I feel without judgement and just pure understanding and compassion. The bone pain and headache over the weekend was enough to make me want to throw my hands up in defeat. But I'm chugging along with your words of support carrying me through. My DH has been here every step of the way but truthfully he has no idea what it is like the physical and emotional turmoil that go on simultaneously. How do we keep up?
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nmoss - I resorted to milk of magnesia at one point, as well as ex-lax.0
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nmoss I'm on herceptin only now (3tx so far). Haven't had any need for Metamucil or Milk of Magnesia since my last chemo. This constipation is a "chemo crap" issue.
Almost 10 weeks from last chemo (still doing herceptin/27th day on Anastrozole) and still feeling better everyday. Hair growing at a decent pace… even in some of the places I didn't want it back.
Hang in there. This isn't going to last forever.
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