Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Acne?
Has anyone had a huge acne breakout? My entire face is covered with pimples, they are red and have white heads. I don't dare pop them but I am very tempted! I tried some acne cream and it burned like crazy, so I have just been washing my face a lot. Just wondering if I should just live with it or call the Dr. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
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Start my first round of TCH tomorrow morning. Any suggestions on the nail issue I keep hearing about? I use to have acrylic nails for the longest time so now they are weak. I heard keeping any kind of nail polish on them helps. Is this true or is there something better anyone has found? I think I'm ready.....not so much.
Tina
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Luebbsgurl-- I ended up with no nail issues, but I don't know if it had anything to do with my actions or if I was merely lucky. I was not entirely diligent with the icing, however, t managed to keep a good coating of nail hardener on throughout the 6 cycles as per the chemo pharmacist's advice. My nails now look pretty good. They continued to grow and needed a decent filing every week. I kept them fairly short in case they snapped or caught on anything. Neither icing nor nail hardener may be the panacea, but there's no real downside to either.
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pasmithx2 - thanks....I will get some nail hardener and try the icing.
Tina
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I kept clear nail polish one them but I did get the color change brittle nails. I also had the rare nail lifting, pain and oozing on every nail and toenails. Didn't lose any fingernails but did lose some toenails and had ot have one removed. But I didn't get nausea so go figure.
I did try to ice but it was either too late or I just didn't keep my fingers cold enough. Not everyone gets nail issues and most don't get the lifting, oozing pain.
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I kept my nails polished with a dark color throughout my treatments. So far, I have not had any lift. My nails were painful and I did try to keep them as short as possible. They did grow ALOT when I did my treatments.
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Leubbsgirl: I had a friend who's doctor said her nail lifted because she had an acrylic on. You might want to ask your doc about the acrylics. I am almost to TCH #3, have used the hardener, and haven't had nail issues.
Anafoefana: Yep, broke out with those big deep ones all around my mouth after first TCH. I got a clean and clear wash. I don't know if it helped, but the breakouts stopped after #1, so I will keep using it. It was gross and embarrasing, but hang in there, they should get better.
Anyone have headaches? I don't wake up with them, and they get better with a headache pill, and the onc. suggested I get my eyes checked (which I did but haven't gotten my new glasses yet).
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Tiger_Blood~
I agree. I used black nail polish just before every treatment and although my nails hurt they never had problems...
Could have been luck, I guess.
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Anafoefana - I too broke out with something - very red face with large white pustules all over - could not go out. My onco reduced the steroid dosage and it helped significantly for subseuent treatments although I stilll had breakouts like clockwork on day 9 or 10 following each TCH treatment.
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Chrissyw,
Wow, it was the 10th day after my treatment that I woke up to a face full of pimples. I will talk to the oncologist next week before my next treatment. On a positive note... I still have hair, but I think it is starting to fall out.
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Luebbsgurl,
I too had acrylic nails up until a couple of weeks before my first treatment. My nails are okay so far, but they are very thin and weak. I bought something called Nailtiques formula 2 to help them. I don't know if it will help through the rest of my treatment, but, it is worth a try. I use it under the nail polish and I am going to ice my nails next time.
Good luck on your first round! Hope all goes well.
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On the nails - my center gave me a little kit on the first day with Biotene products and Sally Hansen nail hardener. I read somewhere that you put a coat of hardener on every day for 7 days in a row, then take it off and start again, so I did do that. I painted my nails with dark color on the day of tx and iced with bags of frozen peas through the entire Taxotere part of the infusion. I had acrylics prior to chemo and removed them a couple of weeks before I started. The only fingernail I have had issues with is one that ripped when the acrylics were removed, but it is now growing out. With polish on it is fine. I have no ridges or discoloration or lines at all. I did lose my right pinky toenail. It just lifted off - no pain involved. I was quite surprised. It has grown back in fine, it was very tiny to begin with, so it didn't take long.
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Thanks all. I will get some nail hardener and polish remover. Got a gift basket from my cousin of all dark colored polish. A little on edge about tomorrow but I'm on a mission to kick this so I can meet my newest grandbaby due in Feb.
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Anafofana- no pimples on my face yet, but my bald head has about 10-15 pimple like sores that really hurt. I am 13 days out from TCH #2. Hope these don't get any worse.
Luebbsgurl- I have been using the nail hardener and it seems to be working. I have a little discoloration and some slight tenderness, but no lifting. My toes have a dark color on them and they seem to be doing good. Good luck tomorrow. I'll be thinking of you and sending best wishes your way for minimal SE's.
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bump
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Hi starella - How are you doing? do you have any vacation plans this summer?0
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My hair fell out!
My husband helped me buzz what was left and I still have patches of hair. Will that fall out too? Someone said 16 to 17 days, right on schedule! I have a question about the dark nail polish. Just wondering if being dark makes a difference? If it does, I will go buy some!
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Anafoefana--I didn't have patches of hair left, but it didn't all fall out. I was left with a pretty even, albeit very thin covering of hair, which is now the longest.
I don't think the colour of nail polish is that relevant other than to conceal any dark spots that crop up. I used clear nail hardener.0 -
anafoefana - are you icing fingers and toes during the taxotere infusions?0
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Pasmithx2, I wonder if it will continue to fall out. I definitely have patches, Iook like a quilt! But, it is all buzzed, so it doesn't matter.
Omaz, I did not ice my nails the first time, but will do it the next time which is coming up this week. I have not had problems with my nails yet, just trying to prevent any happening!
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Anafoefana ... it's hard to say with the hair ... everyone is different. I did not lose all my hair and I didn't start to lose my hair until 21 days after my first TCH. I never iced my nails or put anything on them, and other than what the nurses called the dark "half moons" I never had any issues with my nails. I will have my 6th and last TCh infusion next Thursday so I suspect nothing much will change.
Where in VA are you? I am in Richmond. Good luck with your treatments.
EvelynMarie
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EvalynMarie.. So far things are happening on schedule for me. I have not had any major side effects so far, no trouble with nails ect, but I have only had one treatment. I am hoping my nails will be okay. My hair is dark and I have like patches of dark hair and then no hair, so it looks strange.
I am in N.Va. I live in Burke, which is in Fairfax County. My daughter lived in Richmond while she was at VCU. Pretty area!
Congrats on your last treatment. I go on Thursday for my second. I have a long road ahead. What is next for you?
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Anafoefana--it may continue to fall out. I used a sticky lint roller on my buzzed head for a while and picked up lots of bitties. I wore a light cap at night because I continued to have bitties come out every night. Eventually the bitties stopped and I haven't seen any more hair loss.
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Anafoefana ... When I started my 18 weeks of chemotheraphy, it just seemed like so much to go through. But if you don't look beyond the week you are in ... just think of it as one more week done ... it will seem doable. And once you reach that mid point ... you'll definitely feel that you are on the home stretch.
On August 22 I will start daily radiation for seven weeks and of course my Herceptin infusions will be every three weeks until April 2012. Once the Herceptin infusions stop, I start Arimidex for five years.
I have been fortunate to be able to manage the side effects from the chemo and I have continued to work, exercise and do household chores throughout this process. You must listen to your body and adjust according to what it and your bloodwork is telling you. When you are in neutropenia ... stay home and away from people and keep people away from you.
Because I work with the public and can't avoid contact with them although I am very, very vigilant about handwashing and looking for signs of people with coughs and colds, last week my WBC went down to 0 and I started running a fever of 101.3, and ended up in the hospital for a few days as they pumped me full of antibiotics and all kinds of things until my absolute neuts went up to 0.8 ... although still not normal was enough for my oncologist to release me.
We are all bigger than this disease; we have medications to help with the side effects of chemotherapy; and as long as we stay vigilant ... this is doable.
Good luck up there in Burke ... stay strong and before you know it, this cycle of your treatment will be over!
EvelynMarie
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Hi everyone,
I am 2 weeks final TCH (6 infusions) and now start the herceptin only for about 7 months and maybe radiation. This last infusion impacted me more than the others with low Red blood cell and white blood cell count but the onc says I will bounce back soon. Did anyone else get out of breath walking? How long did it take people to get their strength back? Also curious how long the taxo tears (constant tearing from my eyes) will last? Anyone had experience with that? My skin below my eye is getting irritated and stinging from the wetness. I am even thinking of using vaseline to protect the skin. Ideas welcomed.
For those of you who are have not started treatment yet and are concerned about hair loss- after 6 TCH treatments I still have almost all of my hair due to using the penguin cold caps. I found out about using the caps about a week and half before I was due to start the treatment and somehow managed to get them mailed to me in time. For a variety of reasons I decided to try and save my hair Please feel free to private email me if you want information about saving hair on your head. All the other hair on legs and down south went away , not my idea of a brazilian wax. .I have used Latisse on the eyebrows and I think that helped.
One thing I think helps with cancer treatment is to be given options and some control over decisions over ones treatment. Although I have to say it also made me anxious at times . Decisions like AC/TH vs. TCH, radiation or not?, using cold caps etc etc However I still think that it is important that the oncologists inform people of various treatment options. Knowledge is power and we should be partners with our physicians in our treatment. My 2 cents
Hugs to all
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@serenity wisdom
I too am 2 1/2 weeks out from my final TCH. My counts went in the toilet around the 5th treatment. Low WBC, rbc, and hemo. I, too, get out of breath when I walk and It is so damn frustrating. I also have the taxotears. They do irritate my eyes and make the skin around them red, What I have found to work for the redness is a product called Josie Maran Argan Oil. Every morning and night I put that on my face and it has helped alot. I also have scarring on my hands due to IV's. That stuff made the scarring go away. I swear and I have never looked younger. I feel like a commercial....hahhaha. Anyway, that stuff is awesome and that is coming from someone whom has worked for a veda for over 15 years.0 -
Hi Serenity Wisdom I understand you about the fatigue. I could not walk a block without stopping 2 or 4 times and I was out of breath getting down the stairs. It lasted about 3 weeks it eventually got better. I still suffer from leg and joint inflammation and stiffness but exercise really helps. I am 8 weeks PFC and just consistently started to feel like my old self again around week 5 it started. Good luck and congratulations on finishing the chemo line!
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Serenitywise and Tiger Blood,
I also had Taxotears. I was on a steroid eyedrop starting after #5. I am 7 weeks PFC and they have finally stopped. Ater my last TCH I developed gumby legs that lasted a couple of weeks. It took all I had to climb a flight of steps. This too has passed. It keeps getting better. Now on Herceptin till Feb. Good luck to both of you.....=:0)
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serenity - my wife didn't have any BC issues during her treatments, it took about 5 weeks before she felt herself again after her last TC (in late March). She has had bad body aches for a day or two about a week after each Herceptin, but other than that SEs are gone. Her nails did turn black after her last TC but that has cleared up as well (and fortunately none fell off). She's got about an inch or so of hair now as well.
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Tigerblood I had terrible taxotears (almost 24/7 for several weeks). I'm happy to say that they finally tapered off and got noticebly better 4-5 weeks after the final TCH. I started feeling my energy improve a bit around week 5 but it's been slow. Of course, I'm in Rads as well so that's probably a factor. I'm still amazed at how much better I feel. I definitely felt like the fog lifted a few weeks after chemo. I even went swimming off of our boat over the weekend-I didn't last very long because I don't have the stamina but it's getting better! You will notice a change soon...0
