Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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sonson - I had leg pain during TCH, more of a burning in my thighs. It was hard to go up the steps at night. I worked full time all through treatment. I parked a little closer to the office for about 8 months. I think it finally resolved about 3 or 4 months PFC. I'm on Tamoxifen now and that causes some joint stiffness, but that is different than the leg pain I had on TCH. The good news is even being stage IV I am now 8 months PFC, I am NED and I feel good!
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Hi Everyone! I'm new to this thread. I am going to receive my fifth TCH treatment tomorrow. I'm scheduled for six with the TCH and then just H for the remainder of a year - I was wondering if anyone did less than six of the TCH? Thanks!
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Joemommy - I don't know if she follows this thread still but I believe dancetrancer only did 4 TCH.
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Yep, still following Kelloggs! You are correct, I only did 4 TCH's. I really felt that for my size tumor, 6 TCH's would have been overtreatment. There is a study that compared 4 to 6 (ACTH, not TCH); it found comparable effectiveness in early stage BC with up to 3 positive nodes, with less toxicity for 4 tx.
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Thank you Kelloggs, for alerting Dancetrancer, and thank you Dancetrancer, for the info! The study is for a different chemo regimen, but I imagine it holds true for others. I'm going to mention it to my oncologist and see what he thinks. I don't want to undertreat but I don't want to risk unnecessary toxicity, either. I can tell it's taking more and more of a toll on me physically. My tumor was 1.9 cm. No node involvement (removed sentinel node only). IDC - triple positive. I'm 46.
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For those of you who have experienced the muscle weakness, this is often tied to a reduced hemoglobin level, which is what oxygenates through red blood cells. Chemo causes hemoglobin to drop, and you have fewer red cells as well, so the muscles fatigue faster. As your blood counts come back up in the recovery perod after chemo you should start to see less muscle fatigue and start to feel stronger. It may be fairly subtle at first, but you will find that you can walk farther, climb stairs, etc without as much burning. I found much improvement starting at about the 6 week PFC point. This is a different issue than the bone pain from Taxotere/Neulasta - regular pains meds, particularly Aleve, and Claritin before Neulasta seem to handle this, or at least lessen it.
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I would like to add please keep your MO informed about your leg weakness. There is a risk of neuropathy with taxotere and carboplatin. Numbness and tingling is more common but I read that weakness can be due to neuropathy also.
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Thanks for the reminder of the low red blood cell count, Specialk. I was wondering why I wasn't feeling better. I am 5 months PFC and still its slow going. Then I remembered, I was low at the end, down to 8 hgb, THEN I had two operations a month apart. Also was put on IV abx for 3 weeks, then oral for 3 more. I am now off abx for about a month. I am FINALLY feeling like I have some energy. I guess what I meant to say is don't get discouraged, remember you have been through so much, give yourselves the time to heal. Much love to all.
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Thanks SpecialK that helps to know. I'm really looking forward to feeling like myself again. And it is just muscle fatigue, not bone related. It feels like when I stretch my legs and my arms that they are extremely tight. I've never had this problem before chemo so I'm assuming that it's chemo related. It's not even been three weeks since my last treatment and it was my LAST treatment! I know I'm rushing things I just really wanted something to look forward to...know what I mean?
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Joemommy-I'm only scheduled for 4. I have triple positive, no node involvement, 1.5cm, age 32.
I start next Tuesday. Chemo class answered lots of questions. I'm ready to just get started and moving forward with this.
?-those on TCH regimen, did anyone experience significant weight gain or loss?
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moon - are you having regular CBC so you can track your counts?
sonson - you should start to notice a real difference in your energy level right around the first of the year, hope so!
steiner - most of us have about a 10 lb. shift upward, due to swelling, inactivity, and steroids, not really due to actually gaining "real" weight. You have to eat more than 3,000 extra calories and not burn them off to gain a pound and I know I could not have consumed that much during chemo, but I did gain the usual 10 lbs. It seems to come off when chemo is done, but then some have problems when they start Tamoxifen or an AI. It is a good idea to try to remain active, or as active as you can, during chemo to help your body process. Some of the ladies who really struggle with nausea do lose some weight - it is hard to say which way you will go until you start. For the first three tx I lost about 5 lbs. in the first 10 days after tx, then gained it back before the next tx. My weight stayed stable until they increased my steroid intake and then I gained ten in fluid and didn't lose it until after chemo.
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Steiner I did put on about 12lbs. Most of it was water retention. It all came off. Granted I need to lose a few now but after all it is just right after Thanksgiving and my DH brought home Sweet & Sour Chicken/Chinese last night
I was 49 at diagnosis and rather thin. I'm about 7 above that now but still in good shape more muscle right?! I'd like to lose at least 3 but 7 would be nice too.0 -
Steiner - good to know about being scheduled for only 4. I'm waiting to see my oncologist right now and am going to see what he thinks. I'm scheduled for #5 this afternoon. Sounds like our diagnosis is very similar!
My weight has stayed about the same but I had put on about 20lbs between diagnosis and chemo eating what I felt like because I thought chemo was going to make me thin and gaunt. I found out later that's not typically the case! My nurse said I should be thankful because thin and gaunt usually means you are dying. Oh.
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I gained 20 pounds from the start of chemo to today. Steroids and the feeling of being nauseous did me in, I was always hungry. Still haven't lost the weight, I think it is due to chemopause :-(
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Joemommy - hmmm...what a statement for a nurse to make!
I gained about 10 pounds during treatment. For some reason, even though food tasted like crap for about 10 days after each tx, I still managed to eat quite well and gain. Now I've been on Tamoxifen since May and haven't been able to lose a pounds. Guess this is the new me!
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Went in for chemo on wednesday and talked to the MO about my muscle weakness- she knew right away that it was from the Taxotere. She gave me an rx for Lyrica, on the off chance that it is nerve issues causing the pain. She also told me to walk briskly for an hour 5x a week and 3 days a week of yoga. I told her she was a meanie! LOL!
I had such a 'can do' attitude at the beginning of chemo. I thought- wow, this is really a breeze- I can do this! Ugh- I do not feel that way now. I feel terrible and just BLECH! This was #5 and is definately hitting me harder than the past ones. I couldn't eat yesterday and today I have only been able to eat a bit. I know it will make me feel better to eat but it's so hard!
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Hang in there damiana, you will be through it before you know {{{{HUGS}}}}
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damiana I was just like you. By the time tx5 happened I lost my patience and just wanted this to be done. I wanted to feel better not worse. 1 more that's all. You can do it. Just feel free to bitch and moan the entire time. You're entitled by that point.
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Damiana
Damiana -
My fifth tx was the worst and I was really scared about the final #6. I had my mom come down for a week to stay and pamper me (my DH is awesome but not so much on the pampering side). But the bad stuff that happened with #5 DIDNT HAPPEN with #6. I dont know if it was b/c I knew it was the last one and I just powered through it or what. So we spent the week hanging out and going shopping!
So you never know. Just get through this one and then only ONE MORE. And then the Herceptin-only, which is SOOOO MUCH easier than the TCH.
Stay strong everybody.
Love and sisterhood -Amy
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damiana - I also had a bad #4 and #5 and no issues with #6, so here's hoping that happens for you too!
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Well I had my last TC treatment today. I am excited and I am scared. At least when I am getting treatments, I know if there are any cancer cells left, the chemo was fighting it. I will continue on with the Herceptin and in three weeks I will start on Tamoxifen.
Any tips on getting through the Tamoxifen side effects?
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lori - yay!!! Can't help you on the Tamoxifen because I am old and have to take an AI, lol! You may not have any, so we can hope for that, right?
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lori - Congrats! I find that taking the tam with food is helpful.
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Hi Ladies - have a "nail"question for those on TCH - during my chemo tx my nails were great, hard, long - did not lose one nail. Iced them during tx.
Everyone commented how beautiful my nails looked. Now that chemo is done, they are splitting - any one experience this? On Herceptin till next year.. not sure if it is related.
thank you !!! Diane
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dventi my nails got worse after chemo. They lifted before but the brittle, thick and ridges all came after chemo. This Jan 18th will be 2 years PFC and I don'g see t hem changing. I used to have beautiful strong nails. Never wore polish and rarely did they break unless I kept them too long.
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My nails go in waves. They have a line across them that starts to peel and when the nail finally grows out a couple of weeks later a new line forms and it starts all over again. It takes longer and longer for the lines to form the farther out I get from chemo, so I guess that's a good sign.
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For some of the new ladies just starting out, I wanted to pass on a most helpful tip I got from someone on here. TAKE SOMETHING FOR ACID INDIGESTION/REFLUX !! I say that this morning after having a most horrendous night last night fighting with it. I forgot to take my Prevacid yesterday. I usually take one first thing in the morning, but was feeling so good I went about my business with zest and forgot and I'm still paying for it this morning. When I first started, I had a bout so bad it was actually very painful. Then I read on here to take something. I started immediately and have had no trouble.........until today. It truly is one of the greatest tips I got here, and I thank whoever posted it. Now I must remember to never forget it again. By the way, AFTER chemo, will this still be necessary and for how long?
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Rickysgirl you need to talk with your onc about ending previcid. All these meds for acid indigestion/reflux will cause reflux if you stop all at once. You must wean yourself off.
Initially I used prilosuc but it never works for me. By the end of chemo I was on 2 meds for reflux. One had to be stopped very slowly. Do note you do not want to stay on these drugs long term because they have been known to eat away at your bones. I think I stared to go off them 2-3 weeks PFC.
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Hello, new to the site and boards, relatively newly diagnosed with IBC, and receiving AC with Zometa. Have had 3 rounds of AC, one more and then ONC will switch me to Hercepton with either Taxol or Taxotere. Wondering about Abraxane? Concerned about reaction to Taxol, have allergies, and one of the nurses indicated they would pump up Benadryl before administering Taxol, but I'd prefer to avoid the risk in the first place, and said so.
Have Neulasta shots 24 hrs after chemo, and read that the pain gets worse on one of the Taxanes?
Thanks all for help!
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