Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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rickysgirl - I agree with sewingnut - what other options do you have? I also wrote down my chemo doses and no one got annoyed with me. I was always very nervous and they took it in stride. The nurses are there to help you for heavens sake. Sure they get stressed but what you experienced was not right.0
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rickysgirl - I ALWAYS check my chemo doses on the bag with what I have written down. I would be extremely disturbed if a nurse treated me with that much disrespect. Good for you for sticking up for yourself.
I would be very uncomfortable being in an unclean facility for chemo. Are you overseas? Do you have any other options?
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rickysgirl I agree with all the others. If you can switch do so. Are you in the US?
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Rickysgirl, send the letter, them make your call, tell them if it is not clean on your next visit a copy of the letter goes to the health dept AND the editorial dept of local paper. Both simple, legal and gauranteed to get things done. I was in an older facility, where they had a chair or two that didn't work right, had tight spaces, some upholstery that ripped, but, IT WAS NEVER FILTHY! Much love.
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When I got chemo I was in an old facility. The new facility was being built 2 floors above and opened up 2 weeks PFC. I got to do my herceptin only in the new facility but the old facility was always spotless! Cleanest bathrooms in the city.
Germs are so dangerous for chemo patients especially if they are not getting Nuelasta!
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what i was told was one of my tumors infiltrated my pec muscle, so when i had surgery, he took the muscle below down to my rib, since it grew in to the muscle he suggested the RADS, stating the vacularity of muscles, it could be a spot of reoccurence. but it if muscles are so vascular, it could be anywhere in my body imo. i have have consult with rad doc, on 9/12. herceptin appt on 9/11. still have bottle of tamoxifen sitting her. my promary care read my path report. he is not involved with getting any referals from the breast surgeon nor the onc, he is totally unbias, he reccomends the rads. just not sure what i will do, maybe after listening the rads doc sales pitchi may have a better idea.
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LisaG The rad onc is the one to listen too. I wouldn't be surprised if s/he recomends rads.0
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Hi. Starting this regimen soon. and i wanted to know how many days after each treatment the side effects start. When are the side effects worst? I am probably going to have the main TCH treatments on a Weds. Will my weekends be ruined?
Thanks,
Cheryl
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Cheryl everyone is different. In the beginning it might not be too bad. I know a gal who had 6tx of THC and got no SE except a little taste changes at the end. We have the same onc and BS.
Just to let you know I had no nausea, very little taste changes (at the beginning none) and got the rare nail lifting. I had other SE too but you really won't know for sure till after your first tx. The first 3tx weren't too bad for me.
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Cheryl. Lago is right everyone is different. I got nausea which wad treated. I got diarrhea which remained a problem until they adjusted meds. day five the big D would start, but, nausea wad worse on day three after the steroids wore off. I think if everyone posts, you will see a lot of ranges. Some sail through with no SEs, I will hope that you will be that one! LOL
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cgesq - Two things you may want to think about - icing your fingernails and checking out the cold cap thread. I did the icing using frozen peas during the taxotere infusions to try to prevent nail problems. I didn't have nail problems but I may not have anyway - in the literature it is reported that about 30% of women develop nail problems from taxotere. There are some publications about icing and nails. The cold caps can possibly prevent hair loss. If you are interested you can investigate. I just wanted to bring it to your attention sooner rather than later! Best wishes !0
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Thanks for the advice. I will do the nail icing and I am checking into the cold caps. My hospital doesn't do them, (and my onc isn't a fan) but I posted on the cold cap thread asking Hortense (who seems to be an expert in this) which hospital she goes to and if she knows any places near me (she seems to be from the NY area, as am I).
I am also going to use numbing cream/spray on the port when they do the infusions, so that I don't have to feel anything.....I hope!!
Please keep the advice coming....I'm slightly (ok, more than slightly) nervous!!
Thanks,
Cheryl
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Cheryl - I was very nervous each time. My onc suggested ativan be included with my pre-med infusion. That helped a lot. Will you be getting the neulasta shot?0
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Hi Lovely Ladies, Gina here,Wondering why no one mentioned hydration? I was fine until 4th round (every 3 weeks) of Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin, and then I found out that getting "hydration", or a liter of water IV a day or two after treatment really helps prevent SEs! I ended up in the ER to get hydration.A lady told me she got it both days after chemo and it stopped the horrible SEs, nausea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms. I wish the doc would've given it to me (and everyone) to prevent SEs. Has anyone else heard of hydration being done regularly?I'm also wondering why lots of people are taking Andriamycin and Cytoxan (AC) instead of Taxotere and Carboplatin? (I think TC must be older?) And what about Ellence? Are these newer and do they have less SEs?I also crave sugar and weird things which cause candida, and brushing my tongue (or scraping it) helped prevent a swollen, sore mouth. I saw on another post someone recommended "oramagic" for mouth sores which is on amazon and looks good, but it's kinda expensive.Does anyone have a cure for sore scalp that's getting zits? My hairs almost all out and cut very short. Thanks for sharing so much helpful information. Hang in there. Have a nice weekend. "If you're going through hell keep going." ~Winston Churchill0
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Hi Lisa and Rickysgirl
Being HER2+, my oncologist strongly recommended radiotherapy. I am happy to comply, especially when I read that it can reduce recurrence by 70 per cent:
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/radiation/
I was lucky enough not to have vascualar invasion or node invasion but am running towards rads!
Good luck with your decision!
Alice
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Not all I know is I drank/ate a lot of fluids as directed. I still drink a lot of water. It's great for your system.
Taxotere is newer than Andriamycin… A has been around for a long time. The AC is slightly more effective than TC but there is more heart toxicity associated with it especially with Herceptin. My onc prefers TC with Herceptin because of the heart toxicity issue since Herceptin also has it's own heart issues. Also you can get the Herceptin sooner (with TC) rather than waiting till A is over.
Alicethecat I was in a grey area for rads. My rad onc gave me a pass since she felt I was getting such aggressive treatment. I'm sure she was also concerned about my heart, lungs given the location of my tumor. The risk of damage might have out weighted the benefit for me. Typically tumors over 5cm get rads even if you had no nodes. The rules keep changing though. That was almost 2 years when I met with the rad onc.
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Omaz,
Yes, I will be getting the neulasta shot also.
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cgesq - I was advised to talk claritin starting the day of the neulasta shot and continuing for several days. It helps to prevent bone pain. Claritin is an anti-histamine, over the counter. The first round was a little more painful than the following shots as the bone marrow expands the most on the first round so I also took tylenol. When do you start?0
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Omaz,
I have an appt with the port surgeon tomorrow. He will prob put it in this week, and I think I'm starting next week. THey keep calling from the infusion center to schedule me, but I don't know exactly when the port will be put in, and how long it takes it to heal.
That is interesting about the claritin. I wonder why that works. I'll have to ask whether it is only claritin, or can it be other antihistimines as well. We generally use zyrtec for allergies.
Thanks,
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cgesq - I am not sure how the clairitin works but I remember that SpecialK explained it at one point, you could private message her and I am sure she would be happy to explain more about it! If I remember correctly I had my port inserted on a Friday and had my first chemo on a Tuesday. Some women have had their first chemo on the day after the port! My port surgeon had me draw an area on my chest to indicate where my bra strap wouldn't cross so he could place the port there. Just to say, my onc nurse told me to talk a big inhale and then she inserted the needle into the port as I exhaled and it didn't hurt very much at all. I didn't use numbing cream or anything. Also ( I seem to have lots of advice this morning!!) I got the neulasta shot in the fat next to my belly button and it didn't bother me too much. I have read that women who get it in their arm can get a painful arm afterwards.0
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Cgesq, I think if you got the generic version of claritan it works, but not claritan d. For my port, they put it in Tuesday, kept it accessed Wednesday, and used it for the first time in Thursday. Then they took the needle out, and put the needle back in the next week for tx. I used freeze spray the first couple times, but my lab techs were so good I stopped and they just stick it in. Just a prick and in. Much love.
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Omaz and Moonflwr912,
I am a giant chicken when it comes to needles that anything I can to do lessen the amount of "sticks" I get, or pain associated with them is good. I realize I have to get over this, but half my fear of this whole chemo treatment regimen is the amount of needles sticks I will be getting.
I had thought getting a port meant no pain with the infusions. I guess I thought the port was accessed from above the skin line. When my onc's nurse practitioner said it was under the skin, but not to worry, "it only felt like a bee sting" when they accessed the port, I looked at her and said, in all seriousness, "How would you like to be stung by a bee, in the same spot, for 18 weeks in a row, and then every 3 weeks thereafter!!!"
This whole thing SUCKS!!!!!!!
Thanks for letting me vent!
Cheryl
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Cheryl - It isn't as bad as a bee sting if you do the breathing thing when they access the port! For me it was just a little prick and then done. I agree totally that this whole thing sucks! I just couldn't believe it was all happening. My friend went with me to one appt. with the med onc and I remember going out to the parking lot and melting down with her about having to do chemo. I remember the look on her face, she felt so bad for me and yet at the same time she was strong and said that I just had to do it!!
Vent away!!
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Cheryl, if it feels like a bee sting, get someone else to do it. Even without the freezy spray, it feels just like a little prickly. The only time it hurts a bit more is if my usual people aren't in, and they need to move it a bit. But everyone is different and some people ask for Emend cream to spread over the site a half or an hour before, and cover with Saran wrap till they access it. I did not, but maybe someone on this site who did this will explain that for you. but it is so much easier when they access it, you will be amazed at how upset you will be the few times they can't use it, like for a MUGA scan! LOL
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cgesq my port surgeon wanted me to start chemo the day I got my port. There wasn't a chair open so I started the day after my port. Port surgery was easy for me. Half the time I forget to use the numbing cream. 25% of the time the numbing cream wore off by the time they accessed it. (Learned to put it on in the bathroom there instead of at home). There were some nurses where I didn't feel a thing. The others I did feel it but not so bad. Just don't watch when the put it in. It looks way worse than it feels. I agree that a bee sting is much much worse. The port accessing doesn't continue to hurt.
I did not have a power port therefor it could not be used for scans with die. Be sure to get a power port.
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Moonflwr and lago,
I can't get muga scans. I get echo sonograms instead!
I had a terrible allergic reaction to the MRI dye. My blood pressure plummeted and I almost passed out, then I broke out in giant hives all over so they are afraid to do tests with contrast dye with me.
YAY!!! Less needles
Cheryl
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Cheryl - I only had echos, no mugas.0
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LAGO... Thank You for the info. That makes sense now why I get TCH (or is it called CTH now?) My EF (ejection faction) was low to start, 55.
I used to drink lots of water naturally, but now it's a chore. Did you get IV hydration after chemo?
Congratulations on being DONE! Wooohooo! That's wonderful. And thanks for coming back to help.
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cgesq - I scrolled by and saw where omaz talked about the Claritin explanation - here is the deal, when you receive Neulasta (or Neupogen) it prompts the bone marrow to make extra white blood cells. To do this there is an expansion of the marrow in order to produce thse extra cells (imagine microwave popcorn) - the bigger the bones, like hips, pelvic girdle or femur, the more they produce. This expansion is what causes pain, partly from the edema or swelling in the marrow. The antihistamine in Claritin (or any other OTC antihistamine, just not Claritin D) helps control the edema, and thus at least some of the pain.
On the port pain - I figured out fairly quickly which nurse had the most skill accessing my very tiny port. Mine is so small it is in plain view all the time because it is subclavian so just below the hollow of my throat, and nobody can see it. I put the Emla cream on at home but right before I left and then covered with plastic wrap. I always had my fave nurse access but she would use the freezy spray first - virtually painless. Easy peasy.
not - I went to college at Cal Poly - miss that area and love it there! Also used to work at French Hospital.
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Not, I ended up needing magnesium almost every time I had my tx, even just Herceptin. So I would stay for a whole bag of fluod, I always emptied it out, although there was usually half bag left at the end of my tx, I would stay til it emptied. But they did not just have me come in for fluid unless I was really having diarrhea. I did come in for fluid twice, but only because I was getting dehydrated. I would be interested if they did studies on hydration iv, that would be very interesting.
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