Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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dance - start 15 min before the tax (I started during the premeds, they were very nice about it) then during the tax and for 15 min afterwards. Don't need it during the carbo.0
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It's only for Taxotere. It doesn't work for everyone though. The ice in the mouth worked well for me. My tongue was sore with one canker sore on it after. I told my onc after tx 3. She told me to suck on ice chips during taxotere. Never had another one or a sore tongue again. Iced my fingernail… but it didn't work so great for me. The nail thing is a more rare SE so I hope you don't get that. It was one of the most annoying.
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Lago - I found the nutraflora at the Vitamin Shoppe today - on sale! thanks!
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Forgot to mention April and I think September is buy 1 get one 1/2 off all Vitamin Shoppe brand. I stock up on all my supplements 2X a year. (Translates to 25% off each).
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Is anyone having a problem with watery eyes? My eyes will not stop watering. My ONC said to take Benadryl or to use Visine drops. Neither are working. I still have 2 more times with Taxotere, Carbopl and Herceptin and wish someone had a remedy. I too do the herceptin two times between the 3 hefty drugs, TCH.
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roe,
You have watery eyes from the taxotere. Your eyes are actually dry. My eye dr prescribed FML steroid eye drops for me that controlled it somewhat. I also have early onset glaucoma and he wanted to hit it early and hard. Mine went away a few weeks after the last TCH.
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dance, i had a wonderful thing for nausea ... i had phenergan in a gel that i rubbed on my wrist. i never got sick enough to throw up, but when i got queasy, it worked really well and helped me sleep, too. i liked it because i didn't have to swallow it or disolve it in my mouth. you might ask your MO about it. Mine came in a little syringe with just the right dosage.
roe, i had the watery eyes too, but they went away after chemo. my opthalmologist told me to use drops that helped. can't remember the name, but they were OTC.
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Yes many of us got those taxotears. Annoying as all hell. It's due to dry eyes. The best thing you can do is use eye drops/artificial tears and NOT the kind that gets the red out. I will eventually get better once chemo stops.0
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How about that YaYa - never heard of that! Thanks!
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Yaya - i never heard of that gel either. I have often said I am the worlds biggest puker - have terrible motion sickness and pretty much get sick from ANY thing. I was terrified of nausea/vomiting from chemo and it never happened at all - never took the anti nausea meds either. I guess what causes nausea from chemo didn't affect me. But every thing else does. I wonder if my GP would RX me some of that gel - can it be used for air travel, I wonder? I take dramamine or whatever, but it makes me so spacy - it always ruins the whole first day of wherever I am flying to. I am going to look into it.
But to anyone concerned about nausea from chemo - it must be a totally different thing than 'regular' nausua. I vomited after my lumpectomy from the aftereffects of the anesthesia, but that was IT. Never again through treatment. Weird - but hey, I'm not complaining!
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I posted this question on the Hormonal Therapy board but haven't gotten any responses. Maybe someone here can help? My onc says after radiation, I can do zoladex for three years, and then tamoxifen for 3-5 years, or just do tamoxifen for 5 years. He says he has a preference for the zoladex, but the research doesn't show a huge significant difference between the two courses of treatment, so he is comfortable either way if I one treatment over the other. I hate being given a choice like that...anyone have anything to say about this?
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the phenergan gel has been around for several years, i think. it has to be ordered from a compounding pharmacy, but other than that, it should be easily accessible. medicare didn't pay for it, but it still wasn't too expensive. i'm in love with the stuff!
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christina - The zoladex shuts down the ovaries, yes? Does he want you to do zoladex plut an AI like femara or arimidex? I thought for premenopausal women the choices were tamoxifen or zoladex + an AI.0
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Hi Ladies! dancetrancer good luck with your first TX! I hope it goes quickly for you. I read your history and I am so sorry this road has been long and probably never ending for you.
Lago, just wanted to let you know that finally after 9 months since last TX, I finally dropped 12 of the 20 lbs I gained during treatment and yes it was all fluid! Ironically after taking Lasix daily it was only after my cycle return did it all drop off. I have been eating right and exercising for months but nothing, then with 3 weeks of my cycle returning it finally came off.
I am Starting Tamoxifen this week, so we will see how that goes. Any advice? I hear the SE are terrible. But the alternative is much worse. The AI SE were terrible for me, I tried all 3 with no success.0 -
Hi, havent posted on this thread for a while. Dance, I agree with everybody, don't get fixated on what might happen. Just take it as it comes and deal with it then. I had diarrhea as a SE. Yuck. My MO changed my chmo cocktail to help with that. I get the delayed reactions as well, day 6 on to about day 9 or10. This is day 5 of my tx, I am hoping the changes mean no more extra fluids, or hospitals we shall see. Much love and small SEs
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nmoss - I did tamoxifen for a year, starting letrozole today! At first it made me moody but that sorted itself out after a couple weeks and then things seemed like they have been ok. I think my aches and pains are due to chemopause. I am hoping the letrozole (femara) goes easy. If it doesn't I will ask to go back to tamoxifen.
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nmoss that's fantastic about the weight loss. BTW I hate to tell you this but the last 5-10lbs are always the hardest to lose and come of slowly. Don't give up… and remember some people have no SE to Tamoxifen. I know the SE for AIs can be tough too. I've been on Anastrozole for over a year now and only have some stiffness (maybe eyebrow/eyelash thinning but that could still be residual chemo or just normal menopause SE).
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Hi there, just reading your stories and could you explain what the difference is between those chemo drugs, I dont know the initials, so could you spell out the names of the drugs. I would like to ask my onc about them. I am on FEC-D every 3 weeks for 6 treatments. I have been informed that it is hard on my heart, but was never offered anyother drug option. I will also be starting Herceptin in the middle of this regime and be on it every 3 weeks for a year. Anyone else on this regime? Thanks for listening and I look forward to hearing from you guys.
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I took my first 8 mg of dexamethasone this morning to premed for tomorrow. I know you all said it winds you up and then you crash a few days later. OMG, did just 8 mg wind you up? I wonder if I'm over sensitive or if it is normal to react to just the 1st dose. I'm bouncing off the walls and talking non-stop. Poor DH! And I still have another 8 mg to take tonight...will be taking a sleeping pill for sure!
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I never had it as a pre-med (just got it in the drip) but I DEF was wired up the fisrt few days after. Wanted to rearrange the furniture and stuff like that. it was almost funny. I also got the 'pink cheeks' from it, so if you look a a bit flushed, don't worry.
I remember I would go for a walk each day, and the days right after chemo, I couldn't just walk, I had to start running. Very weird feeling. I definitely can see why athletes use it.
I also didn't sleep much - would be awake from maybe 2-6. Just got used to it, didn't fight it - sat up and read or listened to music.
Good luck tomorrow, Dance. I know you have been frightened. But now you will be underway and ready to start checking them OFF!
We are with you in spirit. Know that you are not going in there alone. Sing along....We are family...I got all my sistahs with me!0 -
dance and amy - Sheesh - I had to take 20mg evening before 20mg morning of and 10mg in the drip!!0
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Amy, ba-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! Cracking up at you RUNNING instead of walking. OMG, that is just so funny. And thank you so much for the empathy and the song - will def b/c singing that in my head!
Omaz, my day before is total 16 mg (8 a.m., 8 pm.), day of 20 mg IV, day post 16 mg (1/2 am, pm again). You had 30 mg in one day? Eeeks.
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Yeah, dance, the steroids really get to you. I take the sleeping pill every other day, cause I just don't want to take it every day. Otherwise, I just read or watch tv too. You just get through it any way you can . Good luck tomorrow, its scary, but you will finally be on your way!
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Good luck tomorrow DT, I will be thinking of you. Also I read in your previous post you are looking into probiotics. My sister got me started on kefir. I find it is the best way to get yourself back on track after antibiotics, surgery, and just to maintain a good balance all the time. If you (or anyone else) wants me to send you some to get your own started, just let me know. I'm not sure how exactly to do that, but I know others do it so I'll figure it out.
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I'm reposting this from the cold cap thread...I think I told you guys I am trying the Penguin cold caps. It is just too funny to not share...especially as it relates to the steroids...
DH and I are practing the caps. Getting better as we go. DH just said he must not have gotten the chin strap right. I said "Why?" DH "because you can still talk!"
LOL!!!! The steroids are making me a crazy nonstop talking maniac. Tomorrow is gonna be interesting! At least I'm still laughing!
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P.S. Hi rk85, and thank you so much for checking in on me! You are the best! Please remind me later on about the kefir so I can look into it. Thanks!
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@DT, LOL on DH comment.
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DT, OMG your DH is funny!!! Maybe the chin strap should come with detachable ear plugs for the DH!
The kefir will be here for you whenever you are ready.
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dance - Yeah! I got red-face from the steroids every time!! Good luck tomorrow. I also did Tuesdays. I usually slept all day on Thursday as the steroids wore off.0
