Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Hi Ladies,
I had my 3rd treatment today. Thankfully it was very uneventful. I was very scared, though, after the reaction last time and had to have a little cry. But the nurses were great, as usual, prepped me with lots of premeds and took the taxotere slow. My white counts had come up in the normal range, but I still get a neulasta shot tomorrow, so hopefully my white counts will be a little more stable now. I'm half way done with the Taxotere and carboplatin. 3 more to go. I hope my next 10 days are as uneventful as the treatment. I do think I'm coming down with DH's cold. I have a slight sore throat and a little congested. But I have plenty of white cells to fight it with.
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Amelie_Rose,
I am starting radiation on January 5th. I go next week for the initial meeting. I've met with the radiologist and am confident she will take care of me!
I too am scared, but hoping it will be okay. I am hoping chemo and surgery were the worst part of this....
I am still dealing with a rash on my incision side and on my port. I got herceptin yesterday anyway. They all say it is contact dermititis.
Happy holidays to everyone!
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Hello everyone,
I had my 3rd treatment this monday and WOW it hit me hard. The last 2 treatments were tolerable but this time I started out with Diahrea Tuesday morning and was in bed untill today. I was able to go to the bank but the fatigue OH MY! I am hoping this will not be so bad the next 3 rounds. I do not know if I could do this week over again.
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Since you didn't react that way to the first two, maybe you came down with a bug.
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Day 2 after my 1st treatment. I'm mostly a little achey, a little tired, and having acid indigestion after I eat anything. However, all things considered, it could be much worse. Just want to get through Christmas Eve and Christmas feeling as good and energetic as I can. Then I can crash for a few days. Hope everyone else is doing well and hope you all have a great Christmas. Hugs! Judy
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grandmav - the half-way mark is big! Good for you!
need - hate to say #4 and #5 were bad for me - cumulative. Big D for the first 10 days, then pretty OK. Hopefully you will not have that!
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my wife had her port out on Tuesday, a bit of discomfort from the local but she said overall it wasn't bad, took about 20 minutes or so.
Nipple reconstruction on Tuesday, then the only thing left is a tatoo.
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GrandmaV,
Congratulations on reaching the halfway mark!. I'm right behind you, with having my third TCH treatment next Friday, December 30. I truly think it's important to celebrate these small (big) successes on our progress towards saying, "We're cancer survivors!"
I wish you and all of my friends on this message board a blessed, Merry Christmas!
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imatthew I'm just ahead of your wife. Got my nips in October. I get inked Jan. 20th. I still have my port though. My onc prefers her patients keep it for a total of 3 years. 15 months down. Nipple recon was the easy part of my last surgery. I also had fat transfer from my thighs and a revision to lefty so I was put under general again (for 3.5 hours). I'm not sure but I think they can us local anesthesia for the nip recon. I always find the general anesthesia is hard on me.
GrandmaV 1-3 weren't so bad for me. 4 was not so good because I was diagnosed with LE and my nails were a big issue. but if not for that it wasn't too bad. By the time 5 & 6 rolled around my SE from the nails, stiffness was really annoying me. It wasn't that I was in so much increased discomfort. It was just that I had enough and didn't "want to play" anymore. My point is it can be challenging to keep the mental endurance.
Judy 1 down. Yay
anafoefana good luck with rads. Most folks I've spoken with just say they get tired at the end.
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This is an indelicate question, but did anyone have bleeding hemorrhoids on TCH? I had a little last tx and more this time.
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grandmav - not unusual, especially if you have been at all constipated. All your soft tissue is subject to inflammation from chemo, but I would notify your MO. I had a UTI after #3 and another one after chemo was done - all from inflammation.
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Okay, the worst symptom I have had so far is acid indigestion. Shouldn't complain too much about this, but it woke me up one night with acid coming up my throat. Anyone else have this symptom?
Hope everyone had a great Christmas!
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Judy be sure to get the proper drugs to treat this. Yeah I had it. Started with Prolosuc and quickly switched to Protonix. eventually had to add another drug (carofate) towards the end of treatment. Yes I woke up several nights with that burning chest pain from indigestion. Make sure you don't eat too near bedtime or things like chocolate, tomatoes, soda etc.. I actually gave up soda just before chemo because I knew it aggravates heartburn.0
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Thanks lago, I've been alternating between several different otc meds, but plan on asking onc tomorrow. I don't drink cokes but it seems like almost anything I eat sets it off. Did you have problems even between treatments? Not sure it it's caused by chemo or Herceptin.
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Judy I stayed on the meds throughout chemo and then slowly came off them once chemo ended. Even being on the meds I still had a few episodes. I had no issues on Herceptin except when I had surgery. Anesthesia set me off too but not as bad as on chemo. I would only take meds for a several days after surgery but it would fully resolve for me till after a month.
You will have to come off the (PPI) meds slowly if you've been on them for a long period of time or you will end up with worse heartburn. I had a serious issue with heartburn/acid reflux/IBS back in 2007. It took a bit to get my system back to normal although I do have to be careful of high fat with the IBS. This is why I wasn't surprised I had issues on chemo.
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Merry Christmas Everyone-
Thanks for the warm welcome back and congrats on my ending chemo. You are all my heros. Amelie Rose so glad the scare turned up to be nothing. Hugs to all who are in the middle of chemo or getting ready to start. I think if you are having troubles continue to complain to docs and get the help you need. My onc should have double dosed my Prilosec since chemo one...I suffered 4 rounds of chemo with massive gut issues and when we doubled dosed prilosec rounds 5 and 6 went so much better.
For any Christian friends books by Lynn Eib like When God and Cancer Meet have helped me so much. For newbies...let people help you...bring dinner etc. It is a time in your life to be on the receiving end.
Strength and peace to all in 2012.0 -
GrandmaV
I would have blood after BMs but it would stop after a wipe or two (tmi) so I was okay with that. BMs and especially excessive diarrhea took a big toll on my bottom. Still recovering.0 -
Judy67-
Didn't check to see what drugs you are taking but my onc said I had the worst stomach issues he had seen. I was in intense pain...felt like a hole was burning through my stomach for a good 2 weeks after each treatment. It was a living hell. I didn't have reflux as much and I had excessive belching. Finally I started on prilosec once per day. That didn't work. By treatment 5 we did 2 prilosec per day and the difference was immense. I did watch what I ate the entire time, trying to avoid triggers but the burning never let up until I double-dosed. Keep trying to get onc to try things. I am rather upset with mine for waiting so long to come up with the 2x prilosec. I was in pain 24/7. HUGS!0 -
Merry Happy everyone, hope you are all doing well. Had my lumpectomy surgery last Wednesday and had the port put in as well. Lumpectomy was a breeze, no pain at all post op - the port is another story. He had to put it in at the exact same place I had it before and it was a b**** getting it in. He told me today he was moments away from giving up and putting it in on the other side when it finally popped into place. My chest is a sea of black and blue and it was reeeeeeeally sore up until yesterday when all of a sudden it got a lot better. Had to stop taking pain pills cause they made me so constipated my husband almost took me to the hospital on Saturday morning. His threat literally scared the crap out of me LOL and the ER trip was aborted, but it was way worse than any constiaption issues I had with chemo. AWFUL. Going in for my third Herceptin tx a week from today, number 2 went great, no fever or chills or nausea like the first one. I start rads the end of January and then chemo the end of Feb. Should be a fun filled 6 months!!
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Relda - Glad the lumpectomy went well and that they got the port in and that the next herceptin went better - good news! ((((super gentle hug)))) sounds like you are moving right along!0
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Day 15 after the first TCH TX and my hair is starting to fall out. I have cried most of the day. I am ready for all this to be over with. God bless each of u who have gone thru this and are sharing your stories to help people like me.
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Omaz - thanks for the hugs, feeling soooo much better after a good nights sleep....
LotsofFaith - I know it doesn't help right now, but it does grow back. The first time around I got very creative with pretty scarves and cute hats, and it grew back much faster than I had anticipated. Believe it or not, during chemo it was nice to not have to deal with washing and drying my hair every day cause I was so tired and feeling a little yucky a lot of the time. Having no hair felt a lot better than having dirty hair LOL. Focus on getting better and enjoying your kids - it will go faster than you think. It sucks I know, but if this is what it takes for you to be around to watch your kids grow upthen its worth it right? Big hugs to you {{{{{{{}}}}}}}
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Question for you ladies - how long are the TCH infusions? Anyone get any additional meds beyond the steroids and nausea drugs? Benedryl? Trying to figure out how long I will be in the chair. Thanks!
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Relda - I got about 20-30 minutes of pre-meds (Benadryl, Tylenol by mouth, Decadron, Aloxi) I received Taxotere first, always started icing during pre-meds, Tax took about an hour or so. Next was Carboplatin, also it seems about an hour, then Herceptin was about 90 minutes. Of course I had blood draw prior to chemo, had to wait for the report and then had an appt with the MO prior to the pre-meds. Made for a long day - somewhere between 4-5 hours in the chair. Total of about 7 hours with all the other stuff. Hope this helps!
Hey I just noticed you are from Burbank - I grew up in Northridge/Granada Hills!
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Yeah that's what I was thinking it would be. Thanks for the info!
Been living in SoCal since 1980, grew up in NYC. Lived all over this town, but not in Northridge! Burbank, Glendale, Studio City and Sherman Oaks are my Valley locations, also lived in Hollywood (Fairfax & 3rd), West LA and Santa Monica. Been here in Burbank for three years, my oncologist is here and my husband works here so for now it is the best possible location
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Relda - I left the Valley and went to college in San Luis Obispo, then moved up to Sacramento. Married a military guy and then moved EVERYWHERE! I just came to California a couple of weeks ago - to visit my best friend in Sacramento. I so miss California, but we are stuck in Florida for a while. Oh well, things could be worse so I am counting my blessings!
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I had my first treatment on 12/14 and it was a nightmare!!! I ended up in the ER. Mine started the evening of 12/15 with EXTREME muscle/bone pain. My onc put me on percocet for the pain. It was seriously a 9 or a 10 on the pain scale. By Sunday, I had the shaking chills and the pain. That's when the dr said to head to the ER. I got fluids and Delaudid and felt a lot better. Monday during the day was great but then Monday night the nausea and vomiting started. I wasn't keeping anything down and lost 10 pounds in the matter of days. I had a follow up appointment last Thursday and my husband had to wheel me in to the dr's office. I got some fluids and additional anti nausea meds and ended up feeling so much better for Christmas and now I feel great!!!
So...all that being said....my dr gave me the patch for nausea for my next treatment and we know what drug works for the pain (one that the ER sent home that I can't remember right now) I am hoping that my next treatment on 1/4 goes much more smoothly. I am sure that I am the exception and not everyone will have it bad like I did. I have the mouth sores and hemi's as well. My head has been tingling and itching since about day 5 but nothing has fallen out yet.
I think this is my first ever post here but it is nice to see that you are not alone in all of this.
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dougieswife - sorry that you had such a bad time with tx#1 - here's hoping that your next tx are not as bad with severe SE's. I have read of someone else that did benefit from the patch for anti-nausea. You might also need Emend in your drip on the day of, if you are not already getting it. Are you getting Neulasta? If so, did you take Claritin prior to your injection? Neulasta (especially the first dose) can cause some pretty mean bone pain and the Claritin seems to help with that. You may require fluids after every tx - some people just do. It is also possible that they may need to dial back your dose to reduce your SE's.
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I did not get Neulasta....but good to know about the Claritin. I know that they are going to do something more during my drip but I'm not sure what they are going to add.
What made me the most upset was that I went into this with a really great attitude and was feeling great about everything, only to be totally knocked down. Not only did this take a physical toll but it really did a number on my mental outlook as well. I will say, though, my good attitude is back and I really just want to get this over with.
~Lori
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Relda, My premeds were also about half an hour, then T-1hour, C-half an hour, H-half an hour, except for the first one, when H was 90 min.
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