Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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yaya - OMG I almost spit out my salad when I read about naming the wigs! That is so funny! I wouldn't have wanted to talk to either, except for the entertainment!
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one of them was named 'dolly,' after dolly parton. puh-LEASE.
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My hair came in very white at first but now a year later it is pretty much back to the same color it was before chemo. I still have the curl though on the ends! It looks like icing on a cake.
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yeah, but omaz, you're a lot younger than i am. this is my natural color. haha!0
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Mine was/is gray with a little bit of brown left in the back. Very white at the temples. I was hoping the strange mix would come back and was glad it did.
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Thank you Yaya. I think we do and you look wonderful too! It is tempting to keep the "look." I like your glasses! Mine are purple on the inside and have bling on sides.
18 wigs with names...hmmm. I too have encountered people who wanted to tell me all about their cancer. I know one lady who had me scared before I started chemo because I told her I intended to continue working. She went on and on about how a "simple cold could kill me."
GrandmaV, glad to hear you did well. I am still using emu oil and my skin is healing nicely. I had some pain and peeling on my collar bone, but that was the worst of it. Now I just have brown spots, but the breast area is pretty much back to normal.
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Hey ladies! been catching up here.. Looks like I am headed for tamoxifan and another MRI on Tuesday. I found a few lumps on the cancer side in the Skin leftover from recon and my BS could not see them with an US. Also oddly enough anyone ever hear of only having Body odor from one side? For the last few weeks I have had BO despite using non aluminum deodorant but only on the Cancer side!! Its freaking me out. My Onc & BS said they never heard of it. But its weird, nothing on the right but strong odor on left. Weird, I am trying not to get worked up but the lumps + BO + my FSH dropping from 76 to 15 in 6 weeks, its hard not too.
On another note, I was asked by by cancer center to work on booklet for newly diagnosed ladies and I am looking for volunteers to share their stories, the theme is from diagnosis to becoming a survivor and I am looking for stories on following topics:
Initial reaction to diagnosis
the emotional side of Mastectomy
The decision to choose lumpectomy or Mastectomy
The process of chemo
Hair loss
Breast loss
Diet and nutrition
The effects of marriage, family and children.
How the experience changed you.
Please let me know if you would like to share your stories in order to help the next newbie. Please PM me and hopefully we can set up a time to talk or if you prefer email. The book is going to be written from a personal perspective so names and photos will be needed, it will not be about the medical side but the emotional toll of BC. I think seeing and actual survivor will help someone starting to help remember there is a finish line.
Thank you!
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nmoss1000 I have read on bc.org that some women do get BO from the side the nodes have been removed. Something about the lymphatic system on that side being compromised. Granted that seems a bit odd since you only had 1 node removed but you never know.
Good luck with the booklet. That sounds awesome.
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Thank you Lago, I did have node dissection. That makes sense.
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Hey - have any of you heard of TCH being done as Taxotere with Cytoxan instead of Carboplatin? I ask b/c I read that neurpathy is a possible SE of Carboplatin but not Cytoxan...curious...
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dancetrancer, there is a thread about this, where it was discussed at length. I wish I had know about this before I had carboplatin. I would have asked about it. Here is one thread where it was discussed:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/777240?page=1
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dance - yes - that is what blair's wife had, 4 Taxotere/Cytoxan (with Herceptin). There is a specific thread for it I believe, as well as chemo groups by starting date.
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/96/topic/708118?page=1#post_976202
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Nmoss - wonderful project!
I can't answer to your other questions, but had a lump on my implant that couldn't be seen on ultrasound. The fact that it couldn't be seen was good enough for my onc. They think scar tissue or a stitch that has been encased and its nothing to worry about.
Is that the reason for your MRI?
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Hi Wendyspet, Thank you for for sharing, not sure what it is yet, my BS could not see it on ultrasound. I hope it's the same.
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Hi. Just found this website and I'm so glad, as you're the experts and I need to learn from you. I am starting TCH this Friday. Big breath in...don't want to do, but at the same time grateful that I have this resource. I'm having a port-a-cath placed immediately prior to first chemo session, as I will be having 17 infusions of herceptin, each infusion three weeks separated.
I'm a bit, okay a lot, needle phobic, so hopefully having a prick in the upper chest will work out, please say yes.
I ordered a wig a couple days ago. I had my baseline echo done Friday.
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maginutah, sounds like you're moving right along. You'll be glad to have the port. Has your oncologist said anything about numbing cream? My center keeps it in the chemo room and I go 30 minutes early to have them put numbing cream on. It takes that long for it to numb the area over the port, so you don't feel the prick as much. Some of the other ladies got a perscription for the cream and put it on at home before going for chemo. You've come to the right thread for support with TCH. The ladies here have a suggestion for almost everything. You'll be ok.0
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I'm catching up after my 2nd TCH treatment. And, there were no issues with icing this time, so happy about that.
SpecialK...sorry to hear about your yard. What a mess!
Lago...About the year and a half before your port comes out, I think I read previously that you said your port would stay in three years after treatment because of your her 2 + status. Was that you? I was curious when I read that. It was something I did not give any thought to before reading that and just assumed it would come out after last herceptin.
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brax I will have my port a total of 3 years per my onc's preference. I could have it removed earlier but she likes to keep it in because those of us with the more aggressive cancers (HER2+, triple negative etc.) if get mets it tends to happen in the first 3 years. My treatment center will not install the port in the same place as before I think due to higher risk of clotting issues. My port was placed Sept 2010 so Sept 2013 it is coming out since I have no plans to get mets
maginutah I know there are 2 chemo nurses that are so good at accessing the port I don't even need the emla cream. Let then know you have issues and what ever you do don't watch them put it in. I don't have issues with needles but I know I prefer not to watch the show because then there is no anticipation.
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maginutah--my onc gave me a script for the emla cream to put on before I arrive for appt. I put a small piece of saran wrap over the port after I put the cream on, to prevent it from rubbing off or getting on clothes.
I was terrified the first time I forgot to put the cream on! But it just felt like a quick little pinch to me, nothing really. Sometimes I don't feel it at all, but sometimes I feel it even with the cream. I think it maybe it has to do with what spot they hit. And I never look. I don't know that I could--its kinda too high.
But I absolutely love having a port. I think I will have a hard time going back to regular poke blood draws.
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Lago...Amen to that!
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Maginutah - I was needle phobic too - before all this stuff happened. I found that the Emla (numbing) cream really took about 90 min to work. I put it on at home (thick layer) then a piece of saran wrap over it. But I will say this - don't look at the needle or watch her do it. It is a pretty big needle and not nice to watch. It doesn't hurt AT ALL (didn't bother me a bit) but the one time my DH watched, he got a little pale. I got a kick out of that, I must admit.
But please be aware, many places will not do your blood draws through the port, or the MUGA scan draw either. So you may have (like I did) a lot of sticks to go through along the way. I worked with my cancer psychologist to get better at going through it. What I found worked best was - drink A LOT of water ahead of time (A LOT). If you are really concerned, bring a hand weight or a big can of tomatoes (lol) and pump your arm (NON-bc arm for all blood draws) many times while waiting. This will cause your veins to bulge up a bit and make it easier for her to hit. Then I brought my IPOD, plugged it in, took deep breathes, looked away and listened to the Allman Brothers sing "Whipping Post" and it distracted me. (Hey - it worked!)
I definitely learned that when you are relaxed, your veins relax too, and you can truly BARELY feel the stick. Now when I get blood taken, it barely bothers me. I really have gotten over my phobia, which I have had my WHOLE LIFE.
I made it a goal to get better at it, b/c I knew I would have so many. And it worked. Oh - I also went for my pre=chemo draws to the same person. We got to know each other and that made it a lot easier too.
Anything else I can help with, feel free to PM me.
You CAN do this!
Amy
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Greetings. On Friday, I had a port implanted in my upper arm, and then Ihad my 1st TCH infusion. I felt fine during the weekend except for a bought of bad constipation. I was surprised I didn't feel any bad SE. When I woke up this morning, I was having all kinds of strange sensations...little twinges in my bones all over my body but no one of them lasted long. While drying off from my shower, I suddenly got nauseated and threw up. I took Zofran generic and no more nausea. All day I've felt "strange." Also more constipation; not normal dor me at all. I have these sensations up around my upper chest and collar bones sort of like a mild pressure. Is this what others have experienced? Thanks for any insight you can share.
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ana - I am the same way. I would just be supportive and a good listener without offering advice or information unless asked. I know when first dx'ed (and still not to an extent) I am bombarded with well-intentioned, often knowledgeable people trying to give me information, and it's overwhelming and sometimes upsetting. When I have a question, I don't ask it of the people who have been choking me with information... just my two cents.
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alice - hello and welcome - sorry you have to be here! My BIL (the gastroenterologist) recommends Miralax for constipation. Now that you know you are prone you may want to try to pre-med with it next time you have chemo. Did you get a Neulasta injection following your chemo? If so, you may be experiencing the marrow expansion while producing new white blood cells. Taxotere also causes bone pain - which you may be experiencing as pressure or twinges. I am glad the Zofran worked for you, it is completely ineffective for me - I did better with Compazine. Be aware though, Zofran can cause a bad headache for some - if that happens it may be the culprit.
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Alice - Welcome! did you have the neulasta shot to stimulate the bone marrow?0
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For those of you who took L-Glutamine to try to prevent neuropathy - where did you find it? I mistakenly bought 500 mg capsules last night and opened the bottle before reviewing my notes on how much to take. I now see most people stir 10 mg into a drink 3x a day. I obviously bought the wrong formula. So mad at myself for opening the bottle without looking at my notes!
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Lago (I think it was you?) - thank you for encouraging me to get my teeth cleaned prior to chemo. My dentist could not squeeze me in, despite telling them my reason. I had to call around and finally found someone who could get me in yesterday. The dentist just happened to have had her mother JUST finish chemo for breast cancer. She was incredibly supportive and gave me some great education. She said that when the mouth gets dry with chemo, you don't have the saliva to help keep cavities in check. So she told me the risk of cavities is higher and if you get one, they grow faster, so not to ignore any tooth pain/issues that happen and call her right away. Here were her other specific recommendations:
1) continue to brush and floss, just gently. Use a soft toothbrush, and small circular motions. Do not saw back and forth.
2) don't go out and buy all Biotene products. She did recommend the Biotene mouthwash to start with. She said to alternate it with some type of dental rinse that has fluoride, b/c that will help strengthen the teeth. She also said Colgate Total toothpaste has an extra ingredient that would be helpful to my teeth during this time.
3) If I develop a sore tongue or mouth sores, etc. contact my onc or her, and she will prescribe something that will help soothe it.
She was fantastic. I will be switching dentists!
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I got L-glutamine from GNC. Nice about the dentist!
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dance - I never had the dry mouth thing, so I still have Biotene mouthwash sitting in the cabinet! Better to wait and see. The dentist sounds great! My dentist's wife is currently being treated for stage III ovarian CA, so now we chat about how she is doing, which is well thankfully. I purchased the L-Glutamine powder at Nutrition S'Mart, but you can also get it online. They seem to have it at natural food stores, and also at places that specialize in sports medicine/supplements, because body builders use it. But if you have a GNC close by sounds like omaz was successful getting it there.0
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Welcome maginutah, brax and dancetrancer, Alice71 (and any other "newbies" I may have missed),
I finished my last TCH treatment about three weeks ago, and I still find it hard to believe that I've gone through the roughest part of my treatment plan. As others have said, it really does go pretty quickly. It's a rough road, but it's definitely "doable."
I'll finish up my weekly Herceptin treatments this Thursday and then go to my every three weeks' schedule for that drug until November (won't know how to act after seeing my ONC 20 weeks in a row)!
This forum was (and continues to be) so valuable to me. Sometimes I think my ONC was surprised by how much information I had acquired on dealing with the side effects, and he almost always agreed with the suggestions. He didn't necessarily agree with me on the icing process during the Taxotere, but I did it anyway. And I'm so glad I did! One of my chemo nurses saw how well it worked, and now she's telling other patients to bring their frozen peas!
I bought the Glutamine capsules from Amazon.com (couldn't handle the powered stuff), and I also had no problems with neuropathy.
It's worth your time to keep up with this thread throughout your treatment. I think it made a huge difference in how I coped with my treatments. Good luck, and you'll be on the back side of your treatments before you know it!
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