Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Hello all. I too have lost weight (knock on wood). I have had terrible nausea and the Big D for about 7-10 days after each tx. I lose about 6 pounds. By day 14 or so I get really hungry and eat every thing in sight. I gain back about 4-6 pounds. But when the weight comes back, it is around the middle. So my guess is the hormone change naturally cause our fat to redistribute plus the steroid weight. I also have the dry/watering eyes. I went to the eye doctor to ensure it was nothing serious. The natural tears lubricant eye drops helped a lot. It's not gone but much better. But I think it is the same for post menopausal dry eyes. So I guess if we are pushed in to menopause, the dry eye issue may be here to stay.... Just maybe not as severe?
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Zumbagirl I am using Replens 2X a week and Astroglide (just love that name Astroglide. I keep hearing The Jetson's dog saying it "Rasroglide" glide
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haha lago - rasroglide!
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"Rasroglide" Ha! That will never go away. (c:
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I too am a fan of rastroglide.
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I've used vitamin E or coconut oil too. Trying to stay with natural ingredients.
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Linda I would too use vitamin E but I prefer to stay with something water based.
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Good morning,
#4 kicked me down again. I ended up in the hospital on Monday for a blood transfusion. I am feeling much better now, but still within the week of SEs.
They are going to reduce my dosage for the last two treatments. My onc said at this point it doesn't really matter. I have an appt with the surgeon in a couple of weeks and I will have to decide on surgery. I am being given the option of conserving my breast and I have been trying to do some research on that. Statistically I guess my odds are about the same, especially because I will go through radiation and herceptin for another 6 months. Does anyone have strong opinions either way? There is so much information out there and part of me feels like my breasts are not that important, but, I still have them. It is like with my hair, I didn't think I would mind losing it, but I admit it bothers me sometimes.
I am so glad I am coming to the end of this phase of my treatment. Only 2 to go! It has taken a toll on me. I have brown spots all over my arms and now are starting on my face. The skin around my port looks like an elephants behind! It got really thick and with very big pores. Wierd!
My hair is growing back, which is also wierd because it is sticking straight up. My husband said I look like a prickly pear!
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anafoefana It's really such a personal decision to keep or not to keep your breasts. I didn't have a choice with one breast since the tumor was so big and I was so small. The other breast had suspicious stuff (ended up being a small amount of LCIS) so my BS recommended that go too. I would be having yearly biopsies one according to my BS if I kept it.
There are pros and cons to both but survival wise is the same. Some things to consider is if they do need to remove the breast and you have had radiation it could make reconstruction more challenging if you go for implants. On the other hand if you keep them you will keep your sensation in your breast/nipples and not have to go through surgeries for reconstruction or if no reconstruction wear a prosthetic. Also I don't think they can do radiation more than once so if they do find a new cancer in that breast you will most likely be getting an MX.
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anafoefana - Will you have radiation no matter which type of surgery you choose? Like lago I didn't have a choice because of the size of the tumor I had a modified radical mastectomy w/ axillary lymph dissection. Because of the lymph involvement I had to have radiation also. Though I'm pretty lopsided now, I had pretty much decided against reconstruction, however, I went to see a PS just to know what my options were. He's pretty conservative but he said if I wanted it I would have to have a TRAM because of all of the scarring, etc.. from the mx and rads, and it would probably be successful, but that I'm really not a good candidate for recon. So bottom line - with mx and rads you are less likely to be a good candidate for recon.
Good luck with your decision.
Linda
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ana - It is a tough decision. I had lump+rads. lago makes a good point that if something comes back you can then have the mx after a lump/rads. I thought about that when deciding. What finally helped me make up my mind was the radiation oncologist - she checked my tumor and said that I was a good candidate for lumpectomy and rads based on my tumor specs and the size of the breast. She made it seem very workable and I felt confident with her evaluation. My BS also seemed to be of this opinion but he would not advise one way or the other. He actually likes neoadjuvant chemo because there is less surgery but I didn't do that.0
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Ana- I had BMX. I was determined I didn't want to go through the -biopsy and wait for results- period ever again. But, I also had other factors: my tumor was very close to the nipple and I might have lost it when the surgeon went back for clear margins.
My BMX pathology results on the cancerous breast showed multifocal areas of DCIS. So I would have been back for more biopsies, if I had done just the lumpectomy.
All my doctors really left the choice up to me though. None pushed me either way. I'm not saying I don't miss my nipples--but I don't have to go for mammos anymore either.
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Ana- I just asked my MO that question today. If we had a "do over", would she have recommended a mx. She said no. My IDC location was superficial but close to the nipple. My surgeon felt that he could get clean margins without impacting the nipple... Which he did. She said if I had a strong family hx and tested BRCA genetic positive, she might be more inclined to push for a mx. But said if another spot popped up, she would be more inclined to consider a BMX. because if we have one cancer spot there may be other precancerous spots that are waiting to turn cancerous... But may be not. It stinks to think it might happen again. Tough decision.... Good luck.
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Joining the lump/rad versus mx discussion. It's interesting that the subject has come up because I've been thinking while going through chemo how much I DON'T want to EVER go through this again. I had a lumpectomy with re-excision for clear margins followed by oncoplasty to help with symmetry. Rads are scheduled after chemo. But now, I am finding myself revisiting that decision and wondering whether I shouldn't just skip rads and have a mx with diep recon instead. Or go through with rads, finish with herceptin and do the mx/diep recon a year from now. I was told that my chances of local recurrence were 12% with lump and 4% with mx. At the time, I was so freaked out about the idea of losing my breasts that 12% didn't seem so bad, but now, I am no longer sure. Ana, good luck deciding. I completely understand where you are coming from.
Izzy, I see from your signature line that you were diagnosed a month before me (I was diagnosed on 4/19/11). Which number TCH are you on now? #4? I just had #3 on Monday and so far my SE's haven't been too bad. Hope day 4 stays good tomorrow. I am using big C meds as well as sleep and nausea meds. I already have some taste changes. I just hate everything about that first week after chemo.
Anafoefana, sorry about the need for the transfusion and glad you are feeling better. Out of curiosity, why did your onc say that 'at this point, it doesn't matter', when considering reducing the doses for #5 and #6. Is it because the first 4 doses are the most important? I would LOVE to have my doses reduced for my last two, or skip them all together. I would have already made that decision if it hadn't been for the wonderful ladies on this thread who all encouraged me to complete the regimen.
YaYa, my chemo twin, how are you doing?
Hugs to all,
Amelie
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amelie, it's good to hear from you! i'm doing well, actually. really, really sleepy, but probably from the nausea meds i take. also a little bloated from lunch, but that's it. how about you? when do your s/e's kick in usually? i'm just waiting and watching and i hate that, don't you?0
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YaYa, good to know that you are doing well so far. I remember sleeping most of day 4 and 5 so we'll see. I am feeling not quite myself and my mouth is a bit funny, but so far not too bad. Big C, sleeplessness and stomach cramps have been my biggest SE's in the past. I am hoping to avoid them this time around. I too hate waking up every morning not knowing what else will feel wrong that day. Good luck to you.
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Hello I've finished my round of theis chemo and was on herceptin for anothe 6=7 months. after going off Herceptin I started getting swelling and pain in my fingers and toes. My research says it's a kind of peripheral neuropathy. Has anyone else had something like this? Did it go away?
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BerthaTriggs - Did you also have radiation? and are you on Tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor? I see you are PR- but are you also ER-?
I noticed that my neuropathy in my legs and feet got worse for about 6 months after I stopped chemo. And the neuropathy type issues with my left hand (cancer side) got worse during radiation. Also swelling can mean lymphedema. You probably should have your doc look at it. I'm taking amitryptiline at night for the neuropathy, it helps. My hand has gotten a little better, but I think that I also have nerve damage in my shoulder from the radiation has caused some of the hand issues, as well as the neuropathy from chemo.
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I hear a lot of you mention "steroids". Is that part of the chemo package? My whole family just cannot tolerate steroids. Even getting a cortisone shot in our foot for plantar fasciitis caused us problems. Is this one more thing in the ever growing list of things I need to be concerned about?
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Yes, steroids are a part of the chemo package. Some take them orally the day before and the day after chemo. Other only have them in the IV the day of chemo.
I had them in my IV only. The first round of TCH, I had 10mg of Decadron. Ugh - I was terribly itchy and my skin felt like it was on fire! The next round (and all after that) I had the Decadron decreased to 4mg. But I don't often see people having trouble with the typical steroid dose.
Maybe the steroid in cortisone is different that the one typically given during chemo? I'm sure your onc will be able to suggest an alternate therapy if needed.
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Thank you all for the feed back on lumpectomy vs mx. I guess I need to wait to hear all the facts. When I was diagnosed, my tumor was quite large, but by the third chemo treatment it was gone. As far as I know, I had no lymph node involvement but won't know for sure until surgery. They did not see any in the MRI or PET scan. I go for another MRI in a couple of weeks and then to the surgeon. I will have radiation no matter what, so that may weigh in on my decision as well.
I guess it is hard to know in the long run which is better or if it will really make a difference. Just like all of us, I would rather never go through this again!
Amelie, I think they are okay with reducing the dose at this point because it is having such an impact on my bone marrow and the tumor is gone. The surgeon told me the only way they will know where it was is by the clip they placed during the biopsy. I don't know that everyone has the same kind of results from chemo.
Thanks again! It helps to hear about other people's experiences!
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Hi All just back and catching up. Special K sorry about your nail
Anyone else experience inability to lose weight while on H? also I am experiencing really bad foot,ankle,leg and hip soreness. anyone finish with H know if this lightens up? Turns out I was allergic to Femara, so the doc said he will try me on another AI when I go back for my next H. 0 -
nmoss1000 - I had read on a Herceptin thread that some women receiving Herceptin only were having a lot of pain, they were ER/PR- & Her2+. I have really bad ankle, leg, hand & wrist pain, so I was hoping that it would get at least a little better after I was done with the Herceptin, but it didn't. But everyone is different, so maybe it will for you. Good luck.
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nmoss - I have all that same pain but can't tell if it is H only or Femara or H and Femara. I remember that you struggled during chemo with pain, but I really didn't have bone/joint pain until the very first H only. I had pronounced hip and leg pain. They had given me the H in 30 minutes. Next H only I asked them to slow it down (advice from omaz) and I had a lot less pain. I had not started on Femara yet because I was having another surgery and the MO did not want to add the Femara in until after I had recovered. Mine improves with movement - it is not constant. I am now having trouble getting out of my low car without hip pain. I have started turning up the AC and putting on the seat heaters. It helps!
Also have to tell you all - went for H only today - got out my Emla/lidocaine cream, went in the kitchen, grabbed the aluminum foil, went back into the bathroom. Stood there for a second, then realized I really needed the plastic wrap. Too late to plead chemo brain?
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SpecialK I am so glad to hear that that helps (to slow down the infusion)!0
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omaz - I am blaming the aluminum foil incident on Femara! Are you on an AI or tamoxifen? I seem to be making these kinds of errors lately and I really didn't with chemo - I think I need to bust out my Acetyl L-Carnitine and take some and see if that helps. Probably sleeping would be good too!
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SpecialK - I think it's lack of continuous sleep!!! and maybe loss of estrogen too. I always had a really good short term memory and now I forget things super quick sometimes. I am on tam for a while then switch over to an AI, femara I think the onc said.
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nmoss-I am Her2+ and er-pr-. Had 6 rounds of TCH and continued with H to total 18. I had muscle or ligament or joint soreness(maybe all 3, I could never be sure where the pain was coming from for sure). It slowly got worse. I felt like I had been beat from the inside out with a baseball bat. Eventually, the stiffness would not wear off even after walking 20 minutes. After chemo, rads and my hair growing back in gray, I was sore sore and stiff that when I looked in the mirror and saw that gray hair, I felt like I was about 82 years old and thought I looked like it too. I was 53. I thought I was going to be that way forever. Dyed my hair brown and looked better. 6 weeks after final H, I woke up with no pain or soreness! I couldn't believe it, I was so happy! It was completly pain free and back to normal. Just hang in there, it does get better. I never asked for anythig to help with the pain, probably should have.
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omaz - It was funny when I complained to MO about the aching legs and hips after that first 30 minute H only tx, he said probably leftover pain from chemo. I respectfully disagreed, since I had not had that during chemo, but hey I am not a doctor! When I asked the nurses to run it slower they were unconvinced it would make a difference. I always ask if they can run it slow based on the chairs available, because it is so crowded. They are always quick to say I can have it however I want, not to worry. I have never had that pain again - so I say it was cause and effect.
I have been without estrogen for a long time - TAH/BSO 10 years ago - took minimal HRT but still had probably half a dozen flashes a day, more at night. Stopped HRT on the day of diagnosis but still had the same number of flashes - so I don't think what I was taking was actually doing much. I have been on Femara for about a month - no increase in flashes, but joint aching, just from the knees down and slight in the hips. I read somewhere that it can dissipate after a few months. The aching from the knees down goes away really fast - just have to walk around for a few minutes. It feels weird because it is in combo with a little leftover neuropathy on the bottoms of my feet, but no biggie. Hips are slightly more problematic because it is whenever I sit too long - solution - don't sit too long! In the car it is a problem - can't stand and drive! I don't know if the H only complicates, or makes it worse. I guess I won't know the answer until January! Aside from confusing aluminum foil and plastic wrap, Femara has been OK!
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