Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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GrandmaV: We'll learn together then, as we go and thanks to the great insights provided by these ladies.
SpecialK: Thanks for the explanation (echo/muga). Yes, did learn recently that it's meant to be routine (every three months). I looked it up today and found also mention of the 50% and 55% limit (I read that women have an average 'normal' that is much higher than men).
One of the reasons I'm interested in comparing experience of symptoms is because FMS includes a reactiveness (to toxins and chemicals, and with regard to pain-levels, for eg) and I'm wondering if this is also the case with my experience of the herceptin (flushing/sweating, prolonged palpatations, and shallow breathing). There are the occasional more extreme episodes of these experiences for me, that are kinda disqueting, even though my scan results are not as low as some of the posters have described much earlier in this forum.
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Thanks, I'll def. check with onc before taking any kind of supplement. Don't want to go through chemo just to have its effects on cancer negated by anything else I might take. Very confusing with all the different info out there. My oncologist also doesn't give Adriamycin with Herceptin.
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Ricia,
We're talking about the drop in EF on the Herceptin Heart Attack Thread...
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Wow... A lot of consistancy there re: the AC with herceptin... damn. Thanks gals.
I'll check that out TonLee; merci!
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Hello ladies
Just wanted to jump in and thank you for all this valuable information - I was recently diagnosed with a local recurrence and will be doing the TCH regimine starting in late January or early Feb. I am concerned about being able to work during tx's and all this info is really helping. My original tx's in 2006 were AC & Taxol, dose dense, 4 tx each plus Herceptin for a year. I did work during most of it, but at a job that was way less stressful and time consuming than any job I get this winter. Not sure yet what I am going to do but all this info will help me to decide. Thanks for being here!
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Relda - Welcome and so sorry to hear about the local recurrence. I think it is among the front and foremost things we all worry about. May I ask how it was detected?0
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Relda So sorry to hear about the recurrence after all this time.
Re working: I was able to work full-time throughout TCH as a social worker in a hospital Emergency Room and on inpatient medicine. I had chemo on Tuesdays and found that I was particularly exhausted the following Fri-Sunday (but I worked on weekends in spite of it) and then began to rebound in the following 2 weeks. The fatigue became cumulative over time and I had to take a few weekends off in cycle 3-6 but overall it was manageable. I was receiving the neulasta shot during each cycle which worked well to protect my immune system-I never got sick in spite of working in a hospital during the winter months. Hope that helps!
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Omaz - I had my yearly mammogram in mid-October and this year my onc decided to add an ultrasound - good thing he did cause it was not spotted on the mammo, just the ultrasound. It is so close to the scar tissue from the first lumpectomy that we were hoping it was just more scar tissue but I had a feeling it wasn't. And I was right
12/6 would have been 5 years - almost made it!Dragonfly - Thanks for the info. My problem is that any job I would get is one where the work hours are really long (10 hour days are the norm) very stressful and very memory and detail oriented. Plus I would not be able to take off time during the week for infusion or onc appts meaning I would be doing chemo in a room by myself at a local hospital on the weekend. Kind of a depressing atmosphere, as oppossed to my onc's beautiful offices, lots of people around, upbeat setting. Chemo brain hit me pretty hard last time, I am worried I will be too foggy to do the best job I possibly can. I guess I'm trying to convince myself not to work but I could use the money and it would save me from having to COBRA my benefits for a few months until I can go back to working post tx's. I dunno, I don't have to decide yet, probably overthinking things......
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ladies, on my 2nd tch and icing since couple hours or should i do only during taxotere?
i have not iced my hands yet just my toes
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Awnooo I iced my finger/toenails beginning approximately 10 mins before the Taxotere infusion until 10 minutes after...0
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thank u dragonfly1- ON IT!!!!
SO GLAD U WERE ONLINE0 -
Thanks, dragonfly1, for clearing up the icing times. That's about what I did on my x1 and was going to ask before x2 if that's the right time. Are you doing okay Awnooo? It's actually pretty relaxing once you get started. Well, at least it was for me.0
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Yep - cool down during the premeds (about 15 min), then during the tax, then 10 minutes or so afterward. Good luck - !
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I THINK I STARTED TOO EARLY BUT I KNOW FOR NEXT TIME,
THANKS SO MUCH LAIES
IM DOING GREAT AND NURSES HAVE BEEN MORE SUPPORTIVE THAN EXPECTED KEEPING ME COLD
IM STARTING THE C PART AND IM OUT OF HERE
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Hello everyone, Just giving an update. Found out I'm neutropenic (spelling?) today at my 3rd herceptin treatment. When they mentioned the hospital, I really started to get upset. Onc said to give me Luekine shots for 5 days and put me on an antibiotic and said I could go home, but they would re-evaluate me on Monday. The neutrophils were 18%, which I guess is really low. What is strange is that I feel great. I thought I was doing really good. I went to the grocery store yesterday, and to the park and I'm enjoying food again, eating lots of iron rich and vitamin K foods to try to help hemoglobin and platelets. They were low too, but not so low to worry yet.
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grandmaV- please watch for fever 38.5 for more than an hour go to EMERG right away.......
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Terry, What's 38.5? Does that mean 101.5?0
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GrandmaV, Neutropenia absolutely needs serious attention. I had it the week after my first tx, and was told that had I wanted a few more hours, I would possibly have become septic - a life-threatening condition. I was very sick, and felt horrible, with 103 fever by the time I was admitted. A few days in the hospital with IV antibiotics is time well spent. Take care!
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MizMarie, Thank you for the information. I didn't realize it could lead to sepsis. I will be extra careful and monitor myself. I'll call the doctor if I start to run a fever. Right now it's normal. Again thanks.
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GrandmaV - Does that mean you will get a neulasta shot next time?0
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Omaz, He hasn't said. You would think so.
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grandmaV, i hope you do!0
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GrandmaV - Eat protein as best as you can - chicken, cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs - to help your cells build up.0
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GrandmaV,
I spent 5 long BORING days in the hospital w/neutropenia. No fresh fruits or veggies, no cut flowers in the room!! I felt ok too. I ran the staircases for my workout everyday but had to wear a mask! Ugh. Longest 5 days of my life.
My Onc took the wait and see approach with Neulasta and I'm not exaggerating when I say it almost took me out. I got that sucker every time after the 1st tx, brought it home and gave it to myself, and my WBCs still hit rock bottom!
Stay on top of the fever. I kinda poo pooed it and by the time I went to the ER they were talking about sepsis (they thought I had an infection because I had an open MX wound-long story). But it turned out to be a UTI or something like that....can't remember exactly.
Anyway, fever means there may be something else going on....
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Thank you, everyone, for all of the suggestions. I've been eating more protein the last 3 days. Couldn't stomach it before that. I've also been trying to eat vitamin k rich foods broccoli, cauliflower, spinach etc (cooked). Vitamin k, I hear, is suppose to help your bone marrow produce more platelets. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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TonLee, Had they started you on a Leukine or neupogen shot and antibiotic before you got the fever?
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No, I wasn't on anything....while in the hospital I got the Neupogen shot for 5 days in a row to try and get my WBC to rebound.....they took their sweet time! I was also on several iv antibiotics.....they changed them when they discovered my wound wasn't infected but UTI.
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GRANDMAV i hope you do well this week. I will say a prayer for you. Im going for my neulasta shot in a couple hours. Great weekend ladies!
update! my onc reduced my premed to avoid crazy vibrating migraine and blurred vision, hope this does it!
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Awnooo - don't forget your Claritin, if you are taking it for Neulasta!
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thanks SpecialK, btw I always remember you when I see the cereal! x)
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