Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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GrandmaV - thanks for the site links.
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GrandmaV--Thanks for the link to this thread.
I just began my TCH yesterday. Seems everyone is way different with the SE. I am not looking forward to weight gain because I just lost 20 lbs on Weight Watchers! Looks like some have thinned hair and some have no hair. I already bought 2 wigs. I am just gonna use them, my hair is thin already. I just got home from my port placement so I am going to lay down.
Hope everyone is haveing a good day.
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Kite, Welcome, I don't know as much as a lot of the ladies on this thread, and you may already know about icing your fingernails and toenails during Taxotere infusion. Something I learned from Special K, lago and omaz, is that you can use frozen peas to accomplish this. I had a long rectangular ice bag that I got when I had surgery and laid it across both feet (with just socks on) and that covered my toes. I put the frozen peas in little baggies and could sink my fingers into it to keep my nails cold. I also brought extra bags of peas in a cooler. There are other methods that some of the ladies used, and hopefully they will post for you. The purpose is to try to avoid the nail problems Taxotere can cause including nails lifting.
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Hi BC GFs
Tonlee
I was lol when I read your looking good story. My experience was okay. They wasted 40 minutes trying to find a DVD player for the acs promo that the poor wig and scarf lady never got to do much of a presentation. The goody bag was nice tough. I got this Avon face cream that smells heavenly...my favorite part.
Well Monday I start my hormone therapy called Arimidex. Anyone else taking this? Side effects?
Thinking of you and will post more later. Need to pu my daughter.0 -
GrandmaV, thank you for the links. Very informative!
Yaya, I have done 7 treatments so far. My main concern is the internal damage to the lungs and ribs, but my RO whom I like a lot says that those should be miminal. Still, I worry....
Grimbol, sorry you are having so much trouble with your skin after 10 treatments. What cream are you using. I am using Aquaphor. It's very greasy, but seems to work. I am open to alternative suggestions, though.
Musicalmom, I have my Arimedex prescription ready to go but am afraid to start it. The SE's scared me. I keep putting off my start date. I have now decided on the 15th. We can compare SE's. Anyone else on AI on this board?
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Amelie - I am on Femara. My MO didn't want me to start it while I was doing anything else - including surgery, so that the SE's would be difinitive and easy to link. Interestingly I feel like Herceptin has muddied the water somewhat. I will be curious to find out if I have less aching after my last H only tx next week. I really hope so, but that seems to be my only SE so maybe I should count myself lucky.
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Amelie Rose
Sounds like a plan. Trying to be optimistic!0 -
I was supposed to start radiation on Monday, but to make a long story short the RO really did not feel comfortable with the treatment plan and she wanted to radiate the nodes as well. She called me on Tuesday and explained that because of the size of my tumor, she felt we needed to treat the nodes. I agreed and started on Wednessday. So far, so good. The therapists (two younger guys) are very nice and have made me feel very comfortable. They are quite the jokesters and play very soothing music in the treatment room. It almost feels like a light show!
I met witth the RO yesterday and she told me that after about 2 weeks, I should notice some skin changes. I have olive skin so hopefully will do okay with this.Grimbol, sorry you are having a rough time. On the January rads board people are talking about using Miaderm. You can buy it online and reviews of it are glowing. I ordered some and some Emu oil. The RO swears by Aquaphor, but it is too greasy in my opinion. I hope it doesn't get too bad for you!
Amelie, my hair is growing and filling in. It is crazy, growing in different directions and it feels very soft. My brows are thicker than they were before and my lashes are there, but really short. They are growing though. Don't worry, it will happen. My hair started growing back about 5 weeks after my last TCH.
Yaya how much longer do you have? I am at the very beginning and hoping time will go quickly.
I had my Herceptin yesterday and it does not affect me at all. I had a MUGA last week but have not heard anything so I am assuming I am fine. I am sure the Onc will send me the results.
LGFB class was nice when I took it. The lady who taught it was a BC survivor and was very good. She told us about her experience, and even showed us what her reconstruction looked like. The bag was great as well, a good mix of higher end make up. 6 out of the 8 ladies there had BC which also made it nice. Everyone in the room except the instructor had a wig or something on thier heads.
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Thanks for the comments, I appreciate you all. My skin is actually doing ok for now. I am using Aquaphor and Udderly which is what they've told me to use. Yes, the Aquaphor is greasy but it is helping. I think I freaked out when it got sore, itchy and red so quickly. I also got myself the Coobie bras which are really great, so that is helping. I'm also doing better is close fitting t-shirts etc rather than loose ones which tend to rub more - weird I know.
Oh and I am almost 8 weeks out from chemo now and no hair!!! My eyebrows & lashes fell out over the last couple of weeks but the lashes are growing back in.
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anafoefana, i have four more boosts and i'll be done ... and not a moment too soon! ouch. i'm starting to have some pain with these burns, but only four more so i know i can handle it. time really does go quickly. i'd read that on this forum and i didn't believe it, but it's true. i'm counting the days now that i only have a few left. i hope you do really well!0
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Ana,
I refused axilla dissection because I read a new study (new then) that rads was just as effective as removal in almost all cases when the nodes couldn't be felt, or looked normal.
It gave me a nice underarm tan! hahaha...And the hair on the bottom part of my armpit? GONE!! WOO HOO!!! Hasn't come back yet and I'm not complaining!
However, it was the most exhausting tx for me. It totally wiped me out. (I don't know how much of that can be attributed to heart damage from Herceptin tho...) And I was HUNGRY all the time...and you know what? I ate like crazy and never gained a pound so my body musta needed those calories for repair!
Skin type is a myth when it comes to Rads, because it is not actually burning the skin (like the sun). Rads is breaking down the water strands at a molecular level. Cancer DNA needs these water strands, so they weaken and die, or weaken enough so our body can come in and kick butt. My RO said all my Rads combined wouldn't even warm a cup of coffee.
I know it's true because I am very fair and didn't burn at all until the boosts, and even then, not so bad. A black woman I went into tx with had to stop half way through because of "burning." It was that bad.
I was getting way more radiation than she did.
Now if we were out in the sun, I'd burn in 30 minutes, she on the other hand would be able to tolerate the sun longer (though will still burn) because the protective qualities of melanin in darker skin.
Really what we try to do in Rads with Aquaphor, Emu Oil, etc is help the healthy skin by keeping it moist...making readily available water that the Rads takes out. I do believe this works. My skin looks great because from a few days before Rads I lathered that stuff on several times a day, and did a total Aquaphor cover at night, thick....and even now, 6-9 months after I am using Vit E oil and lotion everyday to keep the skin supple for my exchange. I also drank lots and lots of the wet stuff.
The boost area that burned, healed really fast, and I don't even have a dark area there now....
You can do this!
Hang in there!
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TonLee,
Thanks for the advice. My initial MRI and PET scan did not detect any lymph involvement and my tumor was mostly in situ. After my chat with the RO on Tuesday I did some research about the treatment, and you are right about the odds. My RO said that radiation should be just as effective as a dissection, although she might have considered a complete dissection given the size of my tumor. It is interesting because both my onc and the breast surgeon were very optimistic. One day at a time for now! I have been using Emu oil and aquaphor (in spite of the greasiness) at night after I shower for a couple of weeks now. Hopefully that will help. I think my RO said that pigmentation does not matter with radiation. Oh well, still hoping I won't burn!
I was just reading about lyphedema and wondering about it. My RO said there is a chance I might develop it. I was wondering about compression sleeves and if anyone has used one? I will talk to my RO on Tuesday about that.
Yaya, you are almost done! I can't wait to get there. I felt the same when I was on chemo, and looking back, it went pretty quickly. I think as long as I stay busy, time will go quickly. I am hoping my energy level holds up! My job is physically challenging as I have to lift several 4 year olds (some are very big) in and out of adaptive equipment and I am usually exhausted by the end of the day. Fortunately my administrators have been so supportive and I can take time off if I need to.
TonLee, I've noticed my appetite is not very good the last couple of days. I wonder if that will change. I lost 10 lbs with chemo that I have not regained and am hoping to lose more, but I know now is not the right time to think about that.
On the hair issue, someone suggested using Mane and tail horse shampoo and conditioner. Anyone here have experience with that.
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anafoefana - I had a lumpectomy, radiation and 19 nodes removed in 2006. I have had a few minor bouts with lymphedema, some pain and very minor swelling (no one else would have noticed it) in my arm that has always reverted back to normal after some LE thereapy. I wear a compression sleeve and glove only when I fly, and truthfully I forgot to wear it this past fall on a flight from NYC to Burbank and did not have any swelling. That being said I do try and wear it on all flights to be safe. It's a bit of a pain but doable.0
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My RO showed me something at the very beginning of tx that said radiation LIFE TIME risk for lymphdema is 5%...as compared to almost 49% (ten years out) with axilla dissection.
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ana - I developed cording and mild lymphedema during rads, about week 4. The consensus was that I was at higher risk because i had an infection after surgery at the sentinel node biopsy site. I got therapy for the cording and it got better.0
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Omaz, When you did rads, did it make your tinnitis worse?
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GrandmaV - I didn't notice any connection between rads and tinnitus. You should be safe there.0
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Thank you Omaz.
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GrandmaV - Is it getting better?0
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Some days I don't notice it as much, but yesterday it was very annoying. Today when I woke up it seemed better again. I've given up coffee, and try to watch my salt intake as I've read these two things can make it worse.
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Thanks all for the LE information. I am hoping to prevent it, but I guess it is just on of those things that I will deal with if I have to. I was just reading about cording and I realized I had it after my SNB and lumpectomy. I did not know what it was and no one said anything about it, so I thought that was normal. I don't have it anymore and it cleared on its own. I saw pictures of it and mine looked just like that. I plan to talk to the RO about it on Tuesday.
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anafoefana I had the big tumor (6.5cm including non invasive, 5.5 of it was IDC). My BS took out 10 nodes because he was concerned about micromets eventhough he felt nothing and the MRI showed nothing. To his surprise I was all clear. My Rad onc gave me a pass on rads even though I was in a gray area. I'm sure I would have had Rads if the nodes weren't removed and/or they were not clear. In spite of only getting 10 removed (1st level only) I have mild LE. I'm sure if I did Rads I would have had LE too. My mom has it in her legs, her uncle had it in his legs too. I just think it was unavoidable with me (in spite of being thin and only having level I removed).0
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Lago,
My RO felt I should have had a complete dissection and got me worried, but the surgeon and onc were sure I had nothing in the nodes. The surgeon only took 3 nodes, and other than cording I had no SEs from sugery. My margins and nodes were clear. The RO said LE is possible, but less likely with radiation. My mass was 7 cmm and the RO said that because of the size she felt strongly about treating them. Mine was mostly in situ as well, with a few stray cells and was completely zapped by TCH and that is why I went with the lumpectomy.
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I had surgery first. Also my breasts were tiny so 6.5cm was like 1/3 of my breast. Lumpectomy wasn't an option for me. My BS would have taken out more nodes if he saw issues.
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Chemo was not an option and the drs all agreed neo-adjuvant was a better for me. I had the option of surgery first, but am glad I followed their advice and had chemo first. It gave me option of a lumpectomy.
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I asked but was told surgery first. My BS doesn't seem to favor tumor shrinkage but that's his opinion. I was fine with it and wasn't expecting him to say I could do a lumpectomy. I'm was just too small.
Chemo not an option then what did you do for neo-adjuvant and why are you on the TCH thread?
I think you mean adjuvant wasn't an option.0 -
I have bandanas and two buffs if anyone is interested. Free to a good home! Message me.
Emma
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Lago,
What I meant was that I was going to have chemo either way, and they (BS and onc) both encouraged neo-adjuvant. I could have had a mastectomy and then chemo. I am happy with the way things turned out for me so far, so no regrets. Yes, that is why I am here on TCH. I finished in Oct. 0 -
Ana, thanks for sharing your story about the change in treatment. I am glad that the chances for LE remain small despite radiating the axillary nodes. I was told that, even with only snb removal, we are all at risk for LE. It just becomes a matter of how much risk as those decisions are made. Like you, I am using Aquafor and Emu oil and so far, so good.
Yaya, you are almost done. Yay! Were you scheduled for 33 treatments? My RO wants me to have 33, the last 5 will be boosts. Did you start hormone therapy yet?
Tonlee, thanks for the explanation about the water molecules. I feel that I don't know as much about how radiation works. I did more homework for chemo and understood the process a bit more. SpecialK, can I ask why you are taking Femara instead of Arimedex? Are all AI's the same?
Hope everyone is doing well.
Amelie
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amelie, i haven't started arimedex yet. i saw my MO yesterday and he mentioned starting me on it once i'm done with rads and i've healed. i don't want to do anything else until these burns heal and i feel better. i did 20 txs and 1 boost so far. i'm supposed to have 4 more boosts. have you started rads yet?
grandmaV, how are you doing??
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