Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
-
Hello everyone,
Finished round 2 of 6 yesterday.Went well had my nuelstra shot today. preparing to be tired tomoorow. So I will be christmas shoping online. My husband shaved my hair this weekend it was driving me crazy with it falling out al over. buzzed it and now I feel like I look like Billie jean from that 80's movie. Was suprised I looked okay almost bald. So far things are going well. Keeping the positive thoughts and tracking along. Thanks to all of you ladies and your advice and tips they really help!
0 -
Hello All,
Today was my LAST tch tx. I wanted to share the news with you all; I am so very happy! I will still continue with herceptin every 3 weeks and have appointments in two weeks, first with my BS then with my RO to start the radiation process.
Thank you to all the wonderful ladies on this board! Special K, Lago, Dragonfly, Omaz, Yaya and so many others who've helped me to this. I am so grateful to all of you.
Yaya, I was told that I would need whole breast radiation too because I had about 5 cm of DCIS with my 8 mm of IDC. I am a bit worried about the node area and the risk of LE. I'll have to ask about that.
0 -
amelie - Yay!
Grimbol - banana - pretty straightforward, apple - raw or cooked or applesauce without too much sugar, toast - you can probably have a little butter, rice - plain cooked. Try to stay away from dairy, and high-fiber stuff. Good luck!
0 -
Congrats on finishing your last round of TC Amelie-Rose.
0 -
Hi Grimbol,
So sorry you are going through all of that stomach stuff. I found for me, having popcicles as snacks really helped me. Nothing tasted good. I just forced myself to eat. Whatever sounded good is what I did.
0 -
PPI can have a rebound effect that is why you need to with draw from them slowly. That's what I did. Also they can be an issue for your bones but only if you're on them for a long time. I took them the entire time I was on chemo and of course the weening period after.
Ironically I was diagnosed with osteopenia before chemo started. I was already doing extra D3. My onc added calcium. I continued to exercise (except for a few months on/after chemo). I also went through chemo-pause and on Anastrozole also bad for you bones. 1 year later (5 months on Anastrozole) I had another bone density test and only lost .1% (yes there is a decimal point before that 1). I also quit drinking diet soda before chemo.
0 -
Amelie Rose Congrats on finishing TC!!! You'll start feeling better and better as the weeks go by:)
NMoss Yes, I'm the same-find myself feeling a little "spooked" by these anniversaries. Today is the 1 year anniversary of my diagnosis. The good thing is that I had a followup appt with my BS today and all was well-that certainly eased my mind for now. My next big hurdle will be in Jan when I have my first mammogram post-diagnosis. My way of coping was to buy several lottery tickets today in hopes that I win big and turn this date into a different day to remember:)
0 -
Grimbol, when I had that stomach stuff, the toddler chicken sticks you get in a jar were delicious. Not the jar that says meat sticks, it had to be the chicken sticks, they're in the baby food section. Sounds funny, but at the time it was the best meal I ever had.
I had my 2nd tx today and had a bit of a reaction to the taxotere. I didn't have a reaction to my 1st tx, but the nurse said sometimes people will have a problem with it on the 2nd or 3rd tx. I was fine one second and the next second It was hard to breathe. I told my husband and could see he was moving too slow, so I managed to yell out, "I have a problem!" and before you knew it, two nurses were right there, stopped the taxotere. I managed to say, " I'm going to pass out", and they had me recline with feet up, shot me in the thigh with an epi pen, put more steroids in the IV bag, and had me take 2 puffs on an inhaler. I started to feel better, so after about 20 minutes, they started the infusion again real slow and gradually increased the speed. Took 3 1/2 hours just to get the taxotere done. The Carboplatin and herceptin went smooth. It was a little scary, but all is well now. We're home and I feel well, just jumpy from all the steroids. They said next time I will have steroids to take at home, the day before, day of and day after tx. I had asked about this before, but because of my insurance they couldn't do it, until it was medically necessary. Well it is now. They will also start my infusion slow. I still will not get the neulasta shot. I didn't get sick with my neutropena last round to qualify, whatever that means.
Thanks, ladies, for being here.
0 -
GrandmaV thanks I will send DH to look for the chicken sticks, nothing sounds good and everything bothers me!! but I'll get thru it.
I also had a reaction to my 2nd Taxol and each time since then they have had to give it to me really slowly, or mixed with a large amount of fluid to make it go sowly. My onc nurses were also very quikc to sort out my issues, I did exactly the same, yelled for help and they were right there, but they said that in future it would have be slow. I never had a problem again though.
SpecialK thanks I am trying to eat just those items but still having problems, but I know it will get better. At least I can drink again now, over the weekend I couldn't even manage more than sips.
0 -
Amelie - You made it - Whoo Hooo!!!!0
-
I swear I lived off sugar free popcicles those 4 months. My tongue used to hurt so badly after treatments and I would get sores. The only thing that ever sounded good to me was popcicles even if they didnt taste like the flavor it was.
0 -
amelie, CONGRATS!! it's a wonderful feeling to be finished, isn't it? i'll be interested in what your RO says about your treatment. i'm going for simulation tomorrow. i'll let you know how it goes. i'm a little nervous. again, congratulations on finishing chemo!!
grandmaV, so sorry you had a reaction today. i think the steroids will help so much with that next time. you've had a rough start. i hope your se's are very, very minimal this time.
0 -
grimbol - if you are not controlling your Big D with any diet changes, have you tried Immodium?
0 -
grimbol, my onco gave me lomotil. it's a prescription and it helped a lot.0
-
Thanks Dragonfly, I was beggining to think chemo and cancer won. My be year diagnosis is next week and it's been looming for awhile. Wait you still get a mammogram after BMX? Why not MRI ? It would seem to be more advanced our cases?
Amelie congratulations! ! Grandma V & Grimbol hang in there and hoping for little SE for you.0 -
Nmoss I had a lumpectomy and the BS said I would now resume mammos 6 months post Rads. She said that I should not be surprised if they call me back for extra views or more imaging based on changes in the treated breast. She warned me so that I would not panic and automatically think something is wrong. I'm still not sure about MRI-I'm guessing I won't have one unless a mammo and unltrasound are abnormal. Don't know in the case of a BMX...0
-
Dragonfly,
I always request a diagnostic mammo with ultrasound if needed. That way I know before I leave if something is up.
0 -
Thanks guys, Immodium has been used well the last few days but even that wasn't helping, I have been on Lomotil before, hadn't thought about asking for that but a good idea thanks. I am really hoping today is a new day and will be better, so far so good, but it's still very early, at least I didn't have to crawl out of bed to visit the bathroom in the night, that's an improvement.
0 -
grimbol - yay - a baby step! I sure hope you get a handle on it today. You may want to talk to your onc office about the Lomotil and possible some IV fluids because you are no doubt dehydrated by now. Even if the Big D stops you may feel crappy (excuse the pun!) unless you get some fluids.
0 -
thanks yes, already taken care of, I went in on Monday for some fluids and am going back again today for another bag, plus I'll get some Zofran mixed in there and maybe some steroids if I ask nicely,
I learnt after my 2nd tx that hydration was worth it. This time though they were closed over the holiday and I couldn't get in until Monday by which time I was pretty dry. I am still working on all of this, feeling better today but still not really able to eat much at all. Apples are doing ok, toast not so much and anything else is a disaster. 0 -
So glad it's getting under control now Grimbol! Now time to focus on getting yourself re hydrated!
0 -
Hi all,
Grimbol I am glad you are a lttle better. You will feel much better in a few days.
I had my surgery yesterday and all went well. No node involment (Yay), but she took 3 out just o make sure. I will know pathology for the breast tissue by Monday. I am in little pain, nothing unbearable and I am only taking advil. I had the darnest time waking up from the anesthesia yesteday and I am still kind of droggy. They said I could go home around 2, but they could not wake me up, so I was there until 6. It felt really good be so sleepy.. don't know if that makes any sense. They referred to my procedure as a partial mastectomy. I am hoping margins will be clear so this step can be over!
0 -
ana - Glad you are done with the surgery! I was told they can refer to a lumpectomy as a partial mastectomy by my LE therapist. I hadn't heard that before. Take care!0
-
Doing much better tonight, thank you all so much for your ideas and support. Had some more hydraton today too so that helped.
ana glad your surgery is over and hope you can rest and recover well.
0 -
Darlam,
I was thinking about you today and wondering how your first tx went? I am. 6 days away from tx number 3 and feel good.
Lisa0 -
Grimbol, so glad you are feeling better. So sorry the last few days were so tough for you.
Ana, congratulations on being done with surgery and having clear nodes. yay. I was thinking about you today and am glad the surgery went well. Mine was referred to as a partial mastectomy as well.
Day 3 since my last chemo and I am feeling tired but okay. So, so happy to be done. Thank you everyone for all your cheers.
0 -
amelie - glad you are feeling ok and relieved - it is a nice feeling. I remember it well!
ana - glad the surgery is done and things went well.
grimbol - glad you are doing better.
0 -
AbqTiger-thanks for checking in. I have a rather long post under the Dec. chemo group. In short, went pretty much as expected except for a weird reaction to (we think) the IV Decadron. Had just finished that and started Emend 3 minutes prior. Developed scary, crushing, OMG, sudden, intense, peak of a contraction that wouldn't subside, don't touch me, don't make me move, can hardly breathe back pain that lasted 10-15 minutes till they stopped everything, flushed the line, gave me Ativan for my "anxiety" (umm, I don't think so) and then ran it very slowly....seemed ok then. The nurses acted like I was nuts. The oncologist eventually strolled back and said that he doubted Emend as the reason, but had seen this rarely with Decadron. Hospital pharmacist confirmed today per Lexicon that severe perineal pain has been noted on occasion. Question is, will this happen again, or was it an initial reaction thing? Not eager to find out. Anybody else had this or heard of it? Did it happen more than once if so?
Otherwise, doing ok. Just really tired and have very little appetite, but forcing fluids. Took Claritin before Neulasta today. Nothing else icky, at least not yet!
0 -
darlam - sorry about your pain - that is strange, then again, the whole experience is strange! I sure hope it doesn't happen again. Don't forget to take your nti-nausea even if you don't feel nausea and continue with the Claritin. Keep up with your fluids too.
0 -
Hi ladies, I apologize in advance but I have to vent and rant..a year ago yesterday I found out I had BC. Yesterday My GYN ran a CA 125 test for ovarian cancer and scheduled me for next week Tuesday & Weds for an ultrasound and uterine biopsy.. A few weeks ago I was spotting and very light bleeding for about a week. No pain and it stopped, but I have to admit I am completly FREAKING OUT. I have a history of fibroids and endometriosis and now I am in menopause from chemo which apparently heightens your risk for ovarian cancer. I. Just had a pap so I am clear on the cervical front. I am terrified, since my last biopsy did not fare to well. I just had H on Thursday, 4 more to go. Can this really be happening, my head is swimming. I haven't had any luck with the AI either so I haven't really been on them. I tried Aromisan and am allergic and I couldn't keep Femera down. But my GYN is concerned about endometrial cancer risk. Anyone else have any similar issues or concerns? Just when I thought I could come up for air this damn current tries to pull me under again!
0
