Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
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IndigoMom taxotears are a PITA. They got so bad I couldn't even read during chemo. I would walk down the street in the winter and tears would be streaming down my face. I also had the eye twitching. It does resolve after chemo. To be honest I found after 5 weeks most of the SE start to improve. My opthalmologist said to use artificial tears (not the get the red out kind). I saw her this past spring and she did say there was an oil clog blocking one of my ducts. She was rubbing it to get it unblocked.0
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No eye twitching (yet). And yeah, I hear that on the streaming - I had tears dripping down my face while trying to shop in Walmart! I think on top of it, my allergies are flaring up right now, too; maybe the steroids I started today will help a little with that. Just gotta endure, right?
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Hey Indigo! I had really bad tearing too. I think mine lasted about 5 to 6 weeks just like Lago. I couldn't find any remedy for it. I had bad twitching too. I am 12 weeks PFC this Friday and I really only feel a little stiff when I sit for too long and I get the hot flashes from the tamoxifen. My nails are still gross but physically I feel really good. Soon you will feel good too! Hopefully in a month from now we will be watching hockey!!
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I think the worst was after my last tx I had to go to a funeral (Friend of mine's sister lost her 2 year battle, non Hodgkin's lymphoma, age 46). I remember explaining to her husband that I wasn't crying it was from the chemo… He smiled said "yeah we know all about that."
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i am now wondering breast surgeon suggests RADS even though my margins are clear, i dont want rads, i got a script for tamoxafen, and also asked for a break from everything, my onc gave me 3 weeks then i am back on herceptin, but wants me to start tamoxofen yesterday. i wonder what could happen if i just did nothing, any input, i dont want rads. i dont want to put any more stuff in my body, i kinda feel like what ever is going to happen will happen, regardless of all of this meds. or the meds could cause other issues. any input is welcome thank you
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LisaG - If you had a mx and were node negative with clear margins why does the bs want to do rads?0
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I'd be in interested in the rad questions as well. I was going to ask my onc at my next chemo on the 31st if I had to do rads as well. I was lymph node negative, margins are clear. I wondered the same thing, as to whether or not I should do it if it's suggested. After only one chemo, I am already tired of this.
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rickysgirl I know my onc sent me to the rad onc to get that answer (although I think she already knew I was getting a pass). Like I said there are many things to consider that we don't know about but based on your path (although I don't remember your hormone & HER2 status) I wouldn't be surprised if you too got a pass. Most oncs do not like to over treat.0
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Lago, I'm looking at my path report..............let me see............her2+, er+ (50%) and pr+ (64%). Inked margins are free of tumor. Number of lymph nodes with isolated tumor cells - 0.
I hope I get a pass. Ya think?
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I had BMX, 2 positive nodes, complete axillary dissection - no rads - both MO and BS said I didn't need it - and I asked them each twice.
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Eye twitching tip: get Nafcon A put drop on finger and dab around eye (not in eye). Worked for me and mine was terrible.
Drops that helped my tears: Systane Ultra
My eye MD said if above failed he could send me to a specialist that does Botox inj around the eye to stop. This was not an option for me...I'm a chicken.0 -
Love74 - good to hear from you! Yep, training camps are right around the corner, aren't they?
Thanks for all the info on tearing. DH swears by his Systane drops; maybe I'll try that. I'm sure at this point I'll be told just to wait it out. Never thought about Botox! I'm even a little leery about Latisse, so I dunno about that one either. Time will tell, right?0 -
I just started Latisse. PS giving out free to all BC patients. I've used it for 2 weeks now and can already tell a difference. No problems so far.
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I started to pain minoxidil on my eyebrows. I actually am seeing some growth! My eyebrows thinned on chemo but came back nicely. Then the Anastrzole knocked thinned them again. My eyebrows looked better on chemo then they do on this ESD (estrogen sucking drug). Go figure.
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the one tumor rested on my pec muscle, he cut some of the muscle away, when he took that breast. he thinks it could cut down on reoccurance. i dont by it, the margin was clear, nodes were clear....
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When do you have another appt Lisa? Did you get another opinion?0
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Morning, all. Been doing pretty good, but I guess that's the calm before the next chemo. I did see a little tiny bit of evidence that the hair may be starting to go. My scalp feels a little weird, not painful, but sensitive. Is this the beginning of the end of the hair?
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Yep. Sensitive scalp is the beginning, then it starts to actually hurt as the days go by. I think it does that as a defense mechanism - it actually feels so much better once you shave your head
But I have to say, my hair has just started growing back in and it has been AWESOME not having any hair during this godawfully hot summer. The hair thing usually starts 14 days after your first tx. At the first sign of it all I just took the initiative and had a shaving party with my husband and a few friends. We did a mohawk which I kpet for a day but by then my scalp was really bothering me so I shaved it off. Instant relief! 0 -
O.K., so I got my G.I. Jane haircut yesterday. Feels a bit weird. I used to make fun of my brother and his "burr" haircuts. Payback !!! I have noticed that since my scalp started feeling sensitive and since I got my hair taken off, I get a headache every morning about 4:00 a.m. Any connection?
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rickysgirl it sounds like just a coincidence. Are you drinking enough water? It might be some of the chemo or some of the meds doing that. I didn't get the headaches but others have… be sure to mention this to your onc.0
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I will, I go back Friday. I haven't had any, either, until just recently. I'm not taking any meds at the moment. All I have is stuff for nausea and stuff for abd. cramping, none of which I have had, so it's only been acetominiphine for the h/a's. Are there other drugs that people take as a daily regimine for this?
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Hey Rickysgirl...I only had the headaches during the first treatment...hopefully its the same for you. Be sure to take your temp before and after any tylenol. And Lago is right....water water water. I think water is the cure for many of the chemo side effects!
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Since tx #5 i have been suffering from severely painful and debilitating hemms. This morning the pain was unbearable and one of the engorged "blisters" started to bleed a bit, and the pain has subsided a bit since then. Im using annusol, freq baths, eating well, and stool softeners, they just never have gone all the way away. Im scheduled for final tx tues and am very scared because i cant take the pain of another flaire up when this one has not even gone away yet....very scared, but want to get this last tx over and done with and on to herceptin. Will herceptin continue the issue? Not sure which chemo med is causing this, but i know its the chemo because it started after the first tx and has just gotten worse. I have not been constipated either, nor diahrea...everything normal in that respects except for the hemms. Mds think its because im constipated and i have to keep correcting them and then they brush it off. Could it be indicitive of something else going on? Not sure what is causing them and why they dont go away.
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You could ask to see a gastroentinologist. The deal with that stuff.
Have you soaked in a sitz bath when you get them? I know when I got the hemorrhoid from hell that's what I ended up doing and it really helped. Usually I can just use Prep-H but that time I had to do the sitz bath.
Are you inactive? Just sitting a lot can cause them too.
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When im in pain i cant move, i was very active before chemo, half marathon runner, and now try to walk at least several miles a day. I do the baths....im doing everything im supposed to do not to get them, and if i get them...then all the right stuff to make them go away, thats why i think there must be something else going on and my onc and pcp arent much help. I guess i will see a specialist after pfc...thanks.
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jjames76 - I got those too. The pain is awful. Besides the things lago suggested, I put ice wrapped in a wash rag and held it on there as long as I could stand it and it did take the swelling down some. Also lots of preparation H Maximum strength pain relief. They did go away after the last chemo, took about 4 weeks.
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Witch hazel is good for them too. Just pour it on some tissue and wipe with it. And epsom salt or sea salt in the bath. I got the the last two tx's...not fun at all.
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Im thinking its an abcess and not hemms, makes more sense because it says abcesses do not respond to typical hemm treatment (and nothing has helped ) and is related to gi swelling and infected drainage, which again is more in line with what the chemo is doing to my body. Abcesses are more serious it seems...., i have bad drainage in my eyes causing blockage and infection in the tear ducts, i guess its the same in my lower regions. ugh, cant wait for this to be over.
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Morning all. Tried to make a couple of posts yesterday, but somthing wasn't working as they never made it. I had my 2nd chemo Friday and things went pretty well. I had a nice visit with the onc, who I wasn't too crazy about at first, but this time went really well. we talked at length about my "hangover head" from the first one, ahd she said it was the steroids. she told me she was perfectly comfortable with my not taking them anymoe, provided I have no swelling of any kind. Of course, stupid me was thinking ankles, feet or some other such nonsense. she said no, lung swelling causing shortness of breath. I told her I had that anyway, as I am fat (not too bad, but) and that everything in my environment, house, landscape, seems to go uphill. She smiled and laughed on that one, and seemed a little more relaxed than before. I asked about Neulasta, since that had never been mentioned to me and I read all about it on here. she said my WBC was in excellent range and she was not worrying about it right now. she said it's very expensive and the side effects are not pleasant, and she doesn't use it if it's not necessary. she said we'll keep an eye on things and take it as it comes. sounds o.k. by me. I did have some difficulty with other things, though. first and foremost is my keeping an eye out on my dosages for my drugs. I didn't pay much attention last time, because of the anxieties, but this time, I took notes. I noticed on the Tax bag that there were two or three different mgs. markings on it. I asked about them and the nurse told me not to worry about it, that I wouldn't understand it. Needless to say, I got pissed. I come from a medical/hospital backgound so I am not completely clueless as to what's going on and I let her know that. Not to mention that this is going into MY BODY and I want to know, period, exclamation mark, no questions asked. She explained it to me.........with an attitude. then we had a go 'round about the Herceptin. again, I got my point across and my questions asked, but not before being told "don't get bogged down in the wording of things". She used two different terms....Infusion reaction & allergic rection. when I asked her to distiguish between the two, that when she let me have it. I gave it right back. The other horrifying things was, that as I was sitting getting my fill-up, I started to look around the room. Blood on the walls behind the trash can, BLOOD ON THE ARM OF MY CHAIR, dirt, filth and gunk in and around all the baseboards, dust everywhere, grime on the wheels of the chairs that had made skid marks all across the floor. again, I was livid. I asked the nurse about all of this, and apparently they're having a bit of difficulty with their housekeeping department. UNNACCEPTABLE !! I know what the difficulty is, but I won't be so bold as to put it on here. I will say it's the mentality over here. I was encouraged by the nurse to make a complaint as theirs seems to fall on deaf ears, so I have written a strongly worded letter to the President of the center. Haven't mailed it yet. I'll just hold on to it til tomorrow and I may just make a call, instead. Other than that, so far so good. We'll se what the next few days brings.
jjames, I am so sorry you're having such a difficult and unpleasant time. I have no experience with what you're going through, so all I can say is that I will be sending strong prayers your way, positive thoughts, and wishes for this to be over as soon as possible for you. I now that probably doesn't help, much. I wish I could make it all go away.
Hope everyone has as great a day as possible.
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rickysgirl,
I would run, not walk as fast as I could away from where ever you are getting treatment. My thought is, if what you can see is that filthy, what does the room look like where they are mixing your chemo drugs. If you must continue to go there I would start at the top and make your concerns known far and wide. Your post made me cringe. You deserve better!!
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