Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Big news for me. I changed oncologists today. Left the big cancer center for a private practice. Learned more about my disease in 1 hr than I have in 5 weeks at the big place. Going to be significant changes in treatment protocol. Chief 1 being no Herceptin in between the TCH. He said it has been proven in many clincal trials that a large does of H every 21 days will leave a sutained dose. Not necessary to do it every week.
He also commented that using TCH for a neo adjuvant protocol is not usual either for someone who is Stage IV already. He was shocked to learn i have had no significant SEs from my 2 treatments so he is going to continue. I will get a scan after the next TCH in 3 weeks to measure the response. I don't feel like my breast tumour has changed in size or hardness yet but maybe it doesn't feel as stuck in place to my chest wall. The scan will also show if the liver and lung mets are changing.
He also has 2 clinical trials in mind for me-he thinks I would be a great fit for either one. Lots of exciting things going on for Her2 he says. He wants to think about it over the weekend to decide which might be better.
I can't even decribe how much better if feel. I have a calmness and confidence that THIS is the right place for me. I am not hesitating at all to make the change. I will miss my chemo nurses-they have been great. The new guy is going to call the cancer center to tell them i have switched and i am going to write them a letter thanking them for their kindness and concern.
I have begged the other place for sleeping meds and they have told me to take a warm shower before bedtime and don't get excited late at nite-thanks for nothing. what are poeple taking that really helps but doesn't leave a hangover? I have never in my life had trouble sleeping but I see 3m roll around most every nite before I drift off.
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Lilylady, I am so happy for you. I am certainly not an old pro at this, but I know how important peace of mind is. I didn't say anything at the time, but I felt bad when you told us your doctor's response to your need for sleeping pills. My doctor's attitude has seemed to be, and I'm quoting him, "If we can make all this easier in some way, let's do it." We all deserve that.
I have been taking Klonipin. I have no idea how you spell that. Generic might be with a C. It is an anti anxiety, but I take it in the evening and it makes me pretty drowsy. Have to admit that you might catch me watching "The Nanny" at 3 a,m once in a while, and I'm sure there are better things for sleep aids. Anyway, one of the best sleep aids I can think of is peace of mind, and I hope your taking control and making such a posative step helps you settle in tonight.
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pasmithGlad to hear you are still feeling great!
pollyagain, thanks for checking. I did get papers that list side effects, but the big D wasn't one of them. My issue is I have had the D problem for 7 days now and its gotten to the point that i cant eat anything without an issue.
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tgallegos - thanks for your encouragement and glad you are out the other side from your chemo!
lilylady - so glad you made a change. Sounds like it will work out much better for you. My onc prescribed Xanax at the very first appointment. It is an anti-anxiety med but from what I understand it willl make you sleepy. I have not taken it but it is in my basket of stuff if I need it. It was very insensitive to not prescribe something to help you relax and sleep.
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Finally! I only had to get up three times last night. I think the big d is finally going away
I'm off the the cancer center this morning for more fluids; hoping that puts an end to this
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Lily, I take Xanax the first week of chemo at night about an hour before bed. Lulls me to sleep and I usually can sleep until 5, but I get up for work at that time anyway. It also helps with the queasies I get. It is also great for anxiety but I can't drive when I take it durning the day. Glad you found some one you can trust and have confidence in.
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hi all, my wife had her first "H" yesterday, she's now 3 weeks and a day out from her last "TCH". The skin under her fingernails has started to turn black, and she's having bad problems with dry skin/cracking on her hands. She also said she had some nausea today. And she's also had continued numbness in her hands and feet. At what point do things start to turn around for everyone?
She saw her ONC earlier this week as well, he told her that her only scan going forward is a regular mamogram on her remaining breast. Other than that he just needs to see her every two months until treatment is done, then once a year after that. I'm not sure if she will have another MUGA since her 2nd one a few weeks ago didn't show any adverse impact from the Herceptin.
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imatthew - I have had trouble with cracking of the skin at the edges of my nails. You (your wife) might try putting on a pretty thick layer of Aquaphor at night and sleeping in soft cotton gloves. It is good for feet too with socks on. When and if neuropathy will go away is harder to predict.
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lilylady - I'm glad to hear you are able to make positive changes. It is so important to feel confidence in your care and feel that you are being heard by your professionals. Stress and worry can only make the SEs worse and slow your progress. Good on you for persevering.
Teckler2 - I'm so happy that the tide is turning. 7 days is too long to suffer. I agree with Pollyagain that this doesn't HAVE to be that hard to get through.
It's a bright and sunny, if cool, day here, and it makes me feel pretty chirpy even though I'm no longer feeling the steroids. My fingers are crossed that the SEs are less intense this round. My fingers are crossed for everyone else too.0 -
Imathew, The Dr I work for always recommends Eucerin for dryness on feet and hands. He has also been keeping tabs on my nails. They are dark red right now and you can see progressive rings from each treatment. My numbness lasted for a few weeks after each treatment. I keep my nails cut very short so as not to bump them. I am still on TCH treatments with H on the inbetween weeks. Good luck...
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Sewingnut: I have developed the redness under my nails and some white lines too and my nails are really sore now-they just became sore during the end of this cycle (TCH#3). I'm having TCH #4 next Tuesday. Are your nails sore? I've been keeping my nails cut really short as well and being very careful not to put any extra pressure on them, etc. but they still hurt...0
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dragonfly - are you icing during taxotere?
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Lilylady - I have taken Ativan (generic name is Lorazepam) a few times to get a decent night's sleep. Before BC I barely took an aspirin and was pretty much afraid of all meds. Now I do whatever it takes to make this journey easier. I believe the Ativan is also an anti anxiety and anti nausea drug. I have not had any side effects from it. Glad you switched to the new oncon - as you know I have been keeping up in the March lounge. Keep in touch.
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Omaz Yes to the icing during taxotere but still getting the reaction in my fingernails...no problem at all with my toenails so far. Fingernails are really sore and I'm hoping they won't get a lot worse. The discoloration is worse on some than others but they are all sore-even the ones that don't seem to have much discoloration at all.0
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imatthew it can take a while for some of these things to go away. I still have mild numbness in my left heel after 3 months post chemo. My NP said this can take a very long time to go away.
My nail issues (feet & hands) actually got worse after chemo. The fingers are doing much better but the toes, not getting worse but are still raised, brittle or just plain missing. I lost several after chemo ended and some more raised after chemo ended too:
I had my last chemo Jan 18th:
Finger pictures from 2.21.11
toes pictures from 2.21.11 (bit gross)
finger & toes from 4.8.11 (last week)The stiffness did finally go away. It took a while though but once it started it was really noticieable week by week. I think it started to get better after 5 weeks. I did do stretching around the 5 week mark though. Prior it was just to hard to do I was so stiff.
Other than that liver scan (just to make sure they were minor cycsts) my onc doesn't to scans. She will do 1 more liver scan in a year. I had a MUGA before chemo and no others. My regular MD will do a bone scan due to my osteopenia in a year but that's it.
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I saw my BS today. First time since 6 weeks after surgery. Of course a very different visit from the previous ones. He was quite cheery and very please with my progress. Chuckled when I called my TE's stripper boobs.
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dragonfly - That's a bummer!!!0
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I have had 2 treatments but no rings or anything showing yet-can i take that as a good sign? I have iced both times.
New onc says 2 days of steroids prior to next treatment-for the txaxotere. Also they don't use Neulasta they use Neupagen if needed. I will have to look up and see what the difference is. My counts actually went up between tx 1 and 2. Eating a lot of things I can't stand but choking them down becasue they must be helping.
Best thing is treatment every 3 weeks only. he said trials have shown a big dose of H will last the 21 days so no sense in treating weekly.
The nurse prac has called today for a bigger get aqauinted with her. She said ANYTHING out of normal call immdiately. Old place poo-pooed anything I said.
Saying it again-feel like I am on the right track and now I can be one of those people saying "I love my Onc".
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For the ladies who are finished, a couple questions.
I am 3 weeks out from last TX. I understand the eyebrows and eyelashes go soon.
1. About how many weeks out did that occur?
2. Is there a precursor? (Like when I lost my hair my head was tender/sensitive).
3. How long does it take for the eyebrows to come back?
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TonLee - not everyone loses all eyebrows and eyelashes.
I noticed by about # 5 of TCH that my outer eyebrows were gone, but my inners were hanging in there. I didn't loose all my eyelashes either - but enough that I stopped wearing mascara for a while. I am a little different in that I did chemo first, then had surgery. So, during the 6 weeks home recovering from surgery, most of my eyebrows and eyelashes came back.
No precursor, I would dry my face off after shower and notice more were gone.
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Dragonfly, My nails hurt ususally between days 5 and up to a few days before the next treatment. I can put up with that. Thankfully I haven't had any toe issues yet. I work for a podiatrist and he has been very diligent about making sure everything is ok. I think keeping them short so as not to bump them on anything has helped alot. At least they are still growing!
Lilylady, from what I understand Neulasta is along acting time released one time shot. Neupogen is shorter acting multipe shot. Both have the same effects. I have been lucky my counts have remained steady. White counts are a little high and red counts are slowing creeping down but still in the normal range. High fives for finding someone that will work toward your best intersests and not jetting off to lecture somewhere on who knows what......
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TonLee My eyelashes fell out I think 5 weeks later. The brows might have been the same t ime but as they were falling out they were coming in so I never was without. Just had to touch up a few spots. I think they actually look thicker than before. Of course they are black now… used to be brown.
Eyelashes are all back but very short. I think about 1/4"-1/8". They seem to take along time to grow but are growing. Look like they are just at thick or thicker too just not long yet.
I felt nothing. Actually realize because I would see a lash here or a brow there in the sink.
I'm now 12.5 weeks out.
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Thanks Lago and Stlc..I have two weddings this summer and needed to know about where I'd be...
My brows are blond but when they first grow in, a darker brown, and as they stay they turn almost white.
My hair isn't doing anything. Same as it was at TX 5 & 6. But it grows notoriously slow.
Thanks again!
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TonLee I am taking 5mg of Biotin (all through chemo too) and doing women'ts minoxidil once a day on the thin/balding part.0
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LAGO
Just 5mg? I take it too, but it's something like 250 maybe 500. Where in the world did you find 5mg??
Do you know what made my hair grow fast (before BC)? Fred Flinstone Complete vitamins. My nails and hair really took off. (I ran out of my multi and was taking the kids' FF vits. Whoa. I couldn't believe it.) If I get really concerned over the hair thing, I'll start taking those again...lol
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hi everyone. Long time no see.
I wanted to comment on the chemo brain. I had it bad and it still effects me quite a bit. Not as bad as while I was on chemo but it's only about 25% better now so that's not saying much.
My husband who I get so annoyed with all the time is soooo forgetful about everything. For the past 25 years I've been married to him I have wanted to throttle him for how I have to remind him about everything. He has no excuse! So when he started getting annoyed with me forgetting things and pointing things out ot me as if I were a crazy person for not remembering things I get so mad at him (and still do) Finally a couple weeks ago I yelled at him, "I have been dealing with you with your forgetfulness for 25 years, I think you can deal with it for the 4 months it's been going on now!"
arrrrrrghhh
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TonLee are you sure you're talking about mg?
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Nothing on my hair either....mine didnt all fall out (most but not all) what was there before is and has always been growing. Nothing as far as the rest of it. I even had my husband look at my scalp in the sunlight.
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Hi Nora!
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Hi Omaz!
Are you enjoying the heat today? I would normally say I want the winter back but not this winter! Just happy to be done with chemo.
My onc put me on anastrazole and I have been taking it for 10 days now. So far no side effects. I forgot to ask why that instead of Tamoxifen like what most are getting after chemo
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Ah, you're right Lago...mine is 1000 mcg. That isn't very much I guess...you're essentially taking 5000 mcgs. Hmmm...I may up my intake then...THANKS!
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