Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Hi everyone,
I am 8 days past 1st tx. I had herceptin only yesterday. Woke up this morning with Big D again, so back on BRAT diet. Also flushed face and chest. Slimy taste in my mouth. Don't know if this is from herceptin yesterday or just more SEs catching up to me. By Hemoglobin and platelets still normal, WBC went from 7.2 down to 2.2, but they tell me that's not bad since my neutraphils were at 44%. I'm just going by what they told me was important to them on the labs report, I don't really understand it all. My Onc said before my 1st treatment that I would not get neulasta unless or until I needed it. Thanks
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Hi! I just wanted everyone here to know that I finished my neoadjuvant chemo a few weeks ago and had my double mastectomy this week. NED!!! My LN and my breast were both clear and I had known poorly differentiated cancer in breast and LNs when I started the TCH.
Sooo grateful and glad!
Now i just have to heal up enough for 33 rads tx
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Deep2deep rads and BMX? I always thought it was lumpectomy and rads and BMX and no rads? Congratulations on the NED AWESOME!
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Wow deep2deep - That's fantastic!!!0
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BMX does not mean no rads. I myself was in a grey area and got a pass but it was considered. Typically if it's in the nodes, large tumor over 5cm, near the chest wall or skin etc Rads are likely. There is a bunch of other criteria that they consider but many women with MX/BMX do get rads. I'm still shocked I got a pass since my tumor was over 5cm.
deep2deep what area of medicine do you practice?
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Just wondering. Was anyone really windy (to put it delicately) on TCH? I could set a world record today. Even the dog leaves the room.
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ha-ha, GrandmaV, I don't think I am that bad but definitely worse than before tx. The whole of my digestive system seems to be suffering from the chemo. Actually belching is probably more of a problem than the other end, although I only had really bad heartburn with tx 3, so weird how it differs with each tx.0
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grimbol - glad the Aquaphor is working! It is awesome stuff. I used it at the corners of my eyes toward the end of tx from the irritated skin caused by the endless tearing from the Taxotere.
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I was fortunate to attend a seminar today on HER2. It was hosted by the company that manufactures Herceptin.
Following the session and after learning more about HER2 from my oncologist, the internet and this forum, I realized that I'm actually starting to understand it better.
Quite interestingly, the lady who sat next to me had participated in one of the original Herceptin trials ten years ago. Fortunately, she was in the group that got the Herceptin and not the placebo group. She has been cancer-free ever since, and I was so encouraged by her length of survival so far and her courage in helping create a targeted treatment plan so long ago.
We're having a big breast cancer conference here in San Antonio in a few weeks, and I hope to attend some of the mentor/patient sessions with some leading breast cancer experts from all over the country.
I saved the best news for last. Apparently there's a breast cancer vaccination in the works, similar to the polio vaccine. It looks promising, and they hope to have it ready to release by 2020. We can only hope!
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GrandmaV - My chemo farts partically peeled the paint off the bedroom walls !0
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Omaz,
Glad I'm not the only one!
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Lol Omaz!
So TRUE though....now everytime my 8 year old passes gas he says? WHAT?? It's the HERCEPTIN!! hahahaha
Wonder where he got that!
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TonLee,
That's pretty funny. I think I should be able to use herceptin as an excuse even after chemo.
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grandmaV ... everything that has to do with my digestive system has changed and i do mean EVERYTHING. the gas passing is just gross. i'm so grateful that i live alone!0
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YaYa,
I only have DH and my little dog, but if I walk into the room where they both are and even make a sound like gas, suddenly I'm by myself.
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That's too funny! What kind of dog is it?
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He's a miniature, long-haired dachshund, chocolate brown so I named him Chocolate Chip.
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grandma, that's hilarious!0
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I would post a picture of Chocolate Chip, but I can't seem to figure out how to do that.
The only way I could post a Picture is in the avatar.
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Grandma V: Would love to see a pic of Chocolate Chip. My little Gracie hangs out with me a lot, too. Can't post a pic either, too computer illiterate! Sorry you are dealing with the Big D again and hope it resolves soon. As for the poofing...that could be the funny little silver lining for me as after 38 years of putting up with that from my (truly wonderful) DH, I will now have an excuse for paybacks. He always blames it on his cholesterol medicine!
Omaz:Thanks for the encouragement on the icing. I did check out those links, too. My DH got me 4 bags of frozen peas already. The nurse in the chemo dept. said that she wouldn't want to take a chance on missing a possible met, but really, I believe the nail areas are probably not that much of a risk. I may be the talk of that chemo "suite" as they call it when I use them on Monday.
Laura5: So glad the cold caps worked for you. You're right, no time for me to get them and besides right now they would not fit into the budget...unless we win the Lotto tonight!
Anafoefana: So glad to hear that you were able to work and at a school. That gives me encouragement that I may be able to as well. I love my job, my co-workers are truly family, and I think that mentally it would be good for me if I can physically handle it. Luckily, my principal and the district admin are supportive of my working on whatever schedule I can handle. I have worked 6 hour days in the past two after surgery weeks, so we'll see what happens. I am anxious about the hair loss and what I will look like in my wig. I, too, have bought hats but don't know how I will feel about that at work. As my husband told me...yes, it will be sad to lose your hair, but it would be sadder not to have the chance to do treatment and get healthy. I guess I can't argue with that logic.
Deep2deep: So happy for your great news!
To everyone else thanks for all your encouragement and have a great Sunday!
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GrandmaV: Hey, I see Chocolate Chip...love his little face!0
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Linney - I was thinking about the possible met problem to the nails - the ice decreases the immediate delivery of chemo to the nail bed during chemo but after you are done with the icing the chemo is certainly still in your system and getting to the nail beds. So the dose is decreased but the nail beds still get chemo I would think.0
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GrandmaV - Chocolate Chip looks so cute!0
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Omaz: I agree with you about the nail beds. Logically, it would seem that stuff is still working after icing. By the way, how long have you usually kept the ice on? Need some quick guidance and advice. Would have loved to have the budget to try the cold caps to save the hair, but then again, that chemo nurse got me to thinking about possible scalp mets. Of course, lots of people have said that's not an issue, but maybe I should be glad I can't afford the caps...another decision would have to be made...definitely not my strong suit! This breast cancer thing has certainly been a test of that skill...yikes!0
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I have read once that when you ice you are supposed to start 1/2 hour before and stop 1/2 hour after taxotere infusion. Not sure how true that is.
GrandmaV I had constipation so bad the first time. I tried my usual remedies (Milk of Magnesia, was already doing the dried apricots and a probiotic). What I found worked was I continued with my probiotic (stool softener) and dr ied apricots added Metamucil. I started taking the Metamucil the evening of my chemo tx which was a Tuesday. By Saturday I could stop taking it. The trick is to stop it before it starts. I'm not saying on those days I didn't move slower but I moved!
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I always received Taxotere as the first med after the pre-meds so I would start icing my toes and fingers with frozen peas during the pre-meds (about 10 minutes before they started the Taxotere), iced through the hour or so of Taxotere and for about 10 minutes after. I also brought an insulated cup with ice chips in it - tried to keep ice in my mouth during the same period I was icing fingers and toes. I probably looked crazy trying to keep ice in my mouth and the hand in the peas at the same time. I had fairly extensive mouth sores after tx #1 and didn't want to have that again, and didn't. Don't know if it was the ice in the mouth or cutting out acidic food and drink, or both. I kept the same bags of frozen peas through the whole 6 tx. Just put them back in the cooler and back in the freezer when we got home. I let my DH throw them away after the last tx in celebration since he was always the one to carry the cooler. manage the peas, etc.!
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I too did the ice chips onc I reported a sore tongue to my onc (I think after t x2 ). The chemo nurse said it doesn't always work but it did for me. They provided the ice chips thank goodness. BTW I did do the frozen peas but it was too late when I started.
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Linny -
I did the frozen peas like SpecialK - started during the premeds, then during tax, then about 15 minutes after. I also did the ice chips and had a cap so I would be shaking with cold by the end. If I remember correctly the onc PA said the mouth sores are the worst after the first treatment because for that one there is a lag in the production of white blood cells after the neulasta shot while the bone marrow expands for the first time. With later treatments the bone marrow is able to respond quickly to the neulasta shot and prevent the dip in white blood cell counts that she thought was associated with the mouth sores.
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Don't forget to ice your toenails too during the taxotere. My place actually brought me baggies full of ice chips before each taxotere treatment. My DH helped keep them in place on my toes, and I just dug my fingers into the baggies during the taxotere infusion.
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^ what she said. My toenails are worse than my fingernails in terms on one will never look the same.
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