Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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dragonfly I put on 16 lbs at one point! I finally was put on a low dose diuretic after chemo and lost 8lbs in 2 days of fluid. I couldn't even zip up my boots over my ankles at one point. So once I got rid of the fluid my total weight gain was 8lbs… which is about right for the amount I was eating, lack of exercise and muscle loss.0
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Have you all seen the her2 movie called living proof? I am always the last to learn these things, I just heard about it today so I ordered it. : p
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I just order the "Her-2: The Making of Herceptin, a Revolutionary Treatment for Breast Cancer" 2 days ago. Shipped today.0
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Iowasue Loved the movie LivingProof-I've made all my friends/family watch it so that they can understand just how important Herceptin is...It's a bit sad in parts, though, because it's about the original drug trials and the harsh reality of stage IV women who enrolled, had a positive response and then some of them were not selected to move on to the later phases of the trial...it follows the journey of Her2 breast cancer in the lives of several specific women and ends on a very positive note-you'll like it
Lago haven't heard of that movie yet-where did you get it?
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Sorry it's the book not the movie
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Good luck to all the fellow TCHers this week. Dragonfly- sending you positive thoughts- hope your head gets better & side effects minimal!
Tomorrow morning 830a- round 3. This cold has got me down- my eyes are watery and red (they were already- thank you taxotere or herceptin? could be one of those from what others day).My nose runs like a faucet now- then gets stopped up at night (was wide awake 330a-530a w/ totally stopped up nose). And I sneeze like crazy. I do seriously think it's a cold rather than side effect (except probably the eyes???)
I too have gained weight and definitely eat less. Also when I walk up stairs- it's like my thighs are burning- like when you first start exercising like a long period of being sluggish. OH WAIT that is me-- no wonder? No just kidding- ever since TCH #2 legs burn/hips hurt w/ walking a long way. I am still tryiing to push some.
12 more hours & I'll be in the chair for Round #3- Score: Cancer 0; Pinkflamingowarrior 3 by the afternoon!!
Gotta keep some sense of humor.I saw "Living Proof" man it was good but did I boo hoo- many reasons- the women in the trials- thankful they in many cases gave their lives so I could have this med- the doctor- and the person who raised money. I got almost sick physically thinking if that money had not been raised- trial for this more than likely wouldn't be done in time for this to be 'standard of care' for herceptin for MY treatment--so it got so personal I cried like a baby after watching it and thinking about what might have been without the md and the fundraiser friend of his. So, Lago- I bought the book at the same time I saw the movie- but scared to read it for the emotional stuff- let me know what you think after you read it- if you think I'll be waterworks to read it now,might wait. Thank goodness for Herceptin (and now the other meds coming down the pike for her2 folks).
(Sorry guys I seem to get way too long winded on my posts-- I appreciate you ALL!)
Gearing up for my battle- I wear a pink flamingo to EVERY chemo (herceptin too). For my good luck- how's that for silly- I am the PinkFlamingoWarrior
Lisa
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Lisa I think that's a great idea to wear a pink flamingo! It shows your fun natured spirit.
I haven't gained anything thank goodness but I just feel larger. Maybe my muscle converted to fat and since fat weighs less that's what it is? I dont know. I do know that like Lisa my upper thighs feel very weak.
As far as the film Living Proof.....Wow I had a big cry during and after that. Just so thankful for Dr Slamon and his relentless battle for us Her2+ people! I know the future would not look as bright as it does for us without him.
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I ordered the dvd and the book.
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dragonfly - sorry about the migraine, that is a bummer. I know the headache during #1 was the hardest SE for me. I was thankful it was not as bad during #2. Hope your migraine med works well and you have less residual headache after. Keep us posted. I have gained 4 lbs. total but I think it is just from inactivity. I am trying to walk as many days as I can but there is no denying I am also laying around in my blankie too.
LisaGH - I am with you in spirit tomorrow. I have an italian charm bracelet with a pink flamingo on it and I am wearing it tomorrow in your honor. I have a button that says "Chemo Sucks" given to me by a co-worker but it is pinned to my bag that I bring. Sorry about the cold. We have a lot of pollen here in FL due to the warm weather and I am having a combo of allergies and taxotears. It is not a good look for me, vaguely squinty and watery. I guess that is the least of my problems, right?
lago - I have one lifting nail
What did yours start like? It is a nail that was slightly compromised before I started chemo because I removed my acrylics. I cut it really short and have been painting hardener and icing like a good girl, but I think it may be doomed. It is lifting from the fingertip toward the nail bed. It doesn't hurt though. Is there anything else I should be doing? I go for tx #3 on Thursday.Kathie
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Hello my sister comrades. I posted this once, but must have messed up. Hope it doesn't show up twice.
I am getting #3 TCH tomorrow also. Lisa, I have had cold symptoms and chills for about four days now. Nose and eyes just run and run. Lots of sneezing. I never sneeze. First treatment I had no SEs at all, not even fatigue. Second one on March 10, I had serious fatigue the following weekend and have had a couple of mouth sores most of the time. They called in Magic Mouthwash, but I don't like the taste, so I didn't use it much. Still no nausea at all though.
I am really happy with my Onc. I asked him at first treatment what he thought about icing fingers and toes during Tax and he said, "Gosh, I don't know of any real evidence about that. If you do it and it works, of course you will think it was the ice and maybe you wouldn't get that side effect anyway. But on the other hand, what have you got to lose? I don't think I could stand icing my toes. I'm too much of a wimp." We just laughed about it. On the second treatment. three weeks later, the chemo nurse said, "When you're ready for the Taxotere, I'll get your ice bags" I said, "What ice bags?" And she said, "Doctors orders on your chart that you get bags of ice for your fingers and toes. But it says at your discretion, so if you don't want them, that's ok." It just made me feel good that although it wasn't his idea and he didn't write it down, he is listening to me. I had noticed that another time too.
I get Aloxi and Emmend (Emend?) and so far I had not had to take any Compazine. However, the fatigue was much worse this time, and my blood count had dropped a little last time. I'm sure that will be worse tomorrow. I will say a prayer or two or three tonight for all of us.
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Pollyagain good luck with TCH #3 tomorrow! There is quite a group of us getting TCH this week. Hope we all sail through it with minimal side effects this time!!!0
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SpecialK my nails beds started to hurt first then lifted. You might not be getting the same thing. It's possible that you damaged the nail before and now on chemo it isn't repairing like it normally would. They also turn black and/or brown before they lift. Here's an image (I do have clear polish on them.)0
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PollyAgain - This is a link to an article about icing that was published in 1995 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (note docetaxel is generic for taxotere). You could show this to your onc.
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Hi all,
Have been offline due to severe weather/tornado warning in the area!
lago - Thanks for the pix. I think you might be right about the nail not able to repair itself. It is the only one and I was suspicious about why that one in particular was having a problem. It looks nothing like your pix. I have no ridges or lines or pain. There is the normal area that looks lighter at the end of the nail where it separates from the bed at the end of the finger, and on that nail it is further up to the middle of the nail. I have TCH #3 tomorrow so I will show it to the doc. All other nails look fabulous!
dragonfly - how are you doing? I noticed last tx that my SE came on a day earlier but were slightly milder. Do you have hair at all? I still have a lot but noticed that I lost a lot after #2. I have a lot on top but not as much on the sides - I look like a Marine. I hope LisaGH is good, and Pollyagain and I will be together tomorrow.
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Thanks for all the good info. My onc office had never heard of the icing and looked at me like I was nuts. I had taped bags to both my feet and just shoved my hands down into a bag full of ice which I was then pulling out pieces to keep some in my mouth at the same time. I have only 1 TCH and my first H only today.
Hoping you gals going for #3 have better luck with the SEs this time.
I had read the book about Herceptin right after I got diagnosed. The NP in the BS office bought me a copy of it. I am going to order that movie as soon as I can remember where I put my wallet
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Special K I'm doing ok since I got rid of the headache from yesterday. I'm just feeling a lot of fatigue and that gnawing feeling in my stomach. I usually do ok for 2 days after the chemo due to the oral steroids and then the side effects really kick in-the gastrointestinal stuff is the worst for me but I'm hoping somehow it won't be as bad this time. I have no hair left-even the stubble has broken off when I've washed my head during the past week and now I'm almost completely bald...the only positive is that it makes it more comfortable when I wear my wig to work because it's not itchy anymore:)
Good luck to you and Pollyagain tomorrow! I think NathanL's wife and SudzinVermont follow you on Friday. I hope LisaGH had a better day this time...It's a busy TCH week
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About the leg pain.....
I got it in my thighs pretty bad after 5 & 6...I found that doing squats and really making them "hurt" (ie doing it until failure) helped a lot...not at first obviously, but after I worked them out, I stretched and then massaged them a bit....
I'm 8 days after #6 and so far so good. Though they don't hurt, they still feel swollen.
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I haven't posted here in forever, but I just had to share with you guys. I had my last herceptin today! The nurses blew bubbles for me as I went down the hall to leave. I sure am going to miss them.
I had to skip 2 herceptin treatments last year because of my heart, and I'm not making those up, so I only got 15.
Also, I met a woman who was in for her second TCH. She hasn't yet shaved her hair, but she has lost a lot of it. She wanted to know if shaving it will help it feel less painful. She said it feels like it would feel when you've had a clip in all day and then take it off. I shaved mine right away when it started to fall out, so I couldn't really answer her question. If anyone here can help, I'd appreciate it!
Keep up the fight!
Thanks,
Dawn
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dragonfly - I don't take the steroids after tx so maybe that is why my SE came faster this last time, by like 24 hours.The gastro SE are the worst for me as well. I count my blessings that I don't get the cramping or constipation - I just can't leave the house for a week and a half because of the big D.
I shaved my legs yesterday! I seem to still have hair in all the regular places, just less of it. Weird, huh? We will see what happens after tomorrow. After #2 it seemed like I lost a lot on the Sunday after - that is when DH buzzed me. I went to the dry cleaners and grocery store yesterday and wore my wig - I look like a crazy woman because I keep scratching various spots under the wig with one finger!
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mtndawn I never shaved my head so I couldn't answer that either.
SpecialK eventually a lot of that hair will go. I didn't lose it all on my arms or eyebrows though. Only about 1/2 my lashes fell out… then the rest fell out 5 weeks after chemo. They are growing back now though.
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Mtndawn I buzzed my hair on the shortest setting when it started shedding heavily because it was such as mess (day 16 of cycle 1 for me) but my head was also beginning to get sore and it helped me with that as well. I continued to have sore spots on my scalp and I had my husband use his electric razor to shave it even closer which made it so much more comfortable because the stubble stopped "pulling" against my hats and wigs.0
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Pollyagain & Special K- Best wishes tomorrow!
Dragonfly- glad you are hanging in- thinking of you today too- one day out.
My day was today. My stomach feels burning a little- started back on the pepcid. Usually I'll be ok until after neulasta (tomorrow afternoon) then i start slipping down the rabbit hole as I call it (only I wish it were a rabbit hole- with Johnny Depp from Alice in Wonderland there too- I love Johnny Depp!!!!) I am so silly sometimes... anyway. the black hole of retreating within- hanging on- waiting and riding it out.
I talked to the onc office ALOT the last 3 visits about constipation. Taking a bottle of Mag citrate one week out was the worst. I have taken so much but aloxi and emend which I need- stop the entire GI system (I am already sluggish) and girls- many colace a day- pericolace too- miralax daily- milk of mag caps- dulcolax tabs NOTHING helps! Glycerine suppositories nothing.
So- my plan (okd by them today) is wait about 3 days in- then do a small dose (not the entire bottle they had me do after over a week of nothing moving) of mg citrate- to see if I can get things working some. Then if/when they do- more ativan to sleep at night and try to support the symptoms more.
WISH ME LUCK! I was so distended I worried I'd end up in the hospital w/ an ileus and NG tube or something if I went much longer (yes I am an RN and worrier too).
Glad to be able to enjoy at least this day & part of tomorrow. Had a good lunch & dinner. When that heartburn gets worse, end up on the bland foods- back to carnation instant breakfast, grits, cream of wheat, gatorade. yum yum??!
Remember girls- we are Pink Flamingo warriors- I've invited you all into my club. I have a blog that I need to update- it's been over a week. probably in the next few days I'll do that again.
pinkflamingowarrior.blogspot.com to let staff/friends/family hear the crazy thoughts that I think during this journey. and i have a caringbridge too- it's more factual than feeling.
You are all the best- thanks to Lago whos done w/ chemo who has alot of great info- and many others too- too many too name for my chemo brain self.
Going to visit w/ my kids/family tonight- they are scared of me when it gets bad. I am known as MomZombie at that point for a few days.....
Later,
Lisa
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Good luck to all of you having TX this week, I hope you all get minimal SE! Does anyone find they feel worse on the anti nausea meds? I took Compazine for 2 days and just felt rotten and stopped and within a few days I was almost SE free. I also am finding the bone pain is intermittent? Anyone else have this? I want to thank you for you words of encouragement, having this been my first trip down the slippery slope I had no idea what to expect or how hard emotionally I would get hit. I now know that is the worst SE of all.
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hi all, tomorrow will be 1 week since my wife's last "TC" portion of her TCH regimen. This was by far her hardest round, she was fine until Sunday but then spent Sunday night, almost all of Monday, and most of Tuesday in bed with aches, stomach issues, and a headache. Fortunately the anti-nasuea drugs helped her sleep last night and she was back on her feet today, but still feeling weak. Hopefully by tomorrow she's back to herself.
It's a bit nerve wracking to be "done" now with the chemo portion of treatment, it seems like you just sit around and wait for the next two-three years and hope for the best (she does have another reconstructive surgery in May or June).
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imatthew Yes I know exactly what you mean. Everyone is congratulating you on "last chemo" but truthfully you are not done yet. The last round is always the worst too.
I still continued to have nail issues (10 weeks out and some of my fingernail beds still hurt a little, numb left heel too). The stiffness on round 6 was the worst… but it does get better. I think around 5 weeks I was really starting to notice the difference. 10 weeks out now and although a few lingering SE from chemo overall the chemo crap is subsiding.
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Matthew, I hope your wife is feeling a bit better by now. Congrats on it being the last TC. You're wife and I are pretty much on the same schedule. This one took me a bit longer than normal too.
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imatthew - congrats to you both on being done with the worst of it!
mtndawn - I still have very short (1/2 inch) hair on most of my head. Whether or not it hurts depends on the day and/or headcovering of choice. The scalp is kind of sore even in spots where there is no hair.
LisaGH - I am so hoping you have an easier time. My BIL is a gastroenterologist and I wouldn't hesitate to put you in touch with him if you need any counsel. Let me know. Not looking forward to tomorrow but a necessary evil. I guess I should pack my bag of tricks to take with me (like Felix the Cat!)
nmoss - I found it hard to know which pain was from Neulasta and which from the chemo. I had less of that kind of pain on tx#2.
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Just checking in...
LISH_GH - Here's hoping your new plan for alleviating your Big C works. I have the opposite issue and I'm grateful for that!
FUZZY - I had to laugh when you thought today was Thursday. I packed my daughgter, got her spending money, pulled her out of school, got her homework from her teachers, etc. all in prep for a church event she was supposed to be going to. The morning she was supposed to be leaving, DH drove her to the church only to find out she was a MONTH early. Um, yeah. I won't live that one down anytime soon. lol
GG - My heart goes out to you. So glad you decided to go through with Ac #4.
Hair - I'm on TCH #2, Day 13 and I still have most of my hair. DH clipped it short, but I doubt anyone would notice anything different if it weren't so short. And I still have hair on the rest of my body, too. I shave my pits and legs less frequently though. Go figure. I'm hoping that this "slow to fall out" thing isn't any indication of how quickly it will come back.
I see the surgeon next weke to discuss the blue (yes, BLUE!) nipple discharge. Joy. No clue what he'll have to say about that. My sister has the same thing - has for years. She has a pituitary tumor. She takes medication because it's too small to remove. I'm hoping that's not the next health journey that i go on. Ugh!
Good Luck to everyone having treatments this week!
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nmoss, I stop the antinausea meds about 3 days out. I have been able to cope with the nausea / heartburn with Previcid and Xanax at night. The C & D rollercoaster has been a little easier this cycle as well. I am a week out of #3. The thing that is getting me most is the finger/toe neuropathy. I look forward to those SE going away ASAP. I start taking Clariton when I take the prechemo steroids and continue a few days after the Neulast shot. The only SE I now get is a sore neck usually 2 days after the shot. It lasts about a day then it's gone. Not the jaw dropping pulsating pain from the first shot without the Clariton.
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Hello ladies,
6 weeks since last chemo and I was gorrified when I steped on the scale this morning,
I have gained 9 pound and my eating habita did not change, opposite I couldn't really eat during chemo, I just started to cry, so sick of dealing with all this.
Anyone having same issue or its just me?
tnx
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