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Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

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  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    Day by Day,
    were your nodes negative? and if so, did your oncologist send an oncotype dx? the oncotype dx is a test that is only offered to women with hormone positive, node negative breast cancer that tests the tumor itself for specific markers and is able to tell you what your chances of recurrance is in 10 years.
    I too am er+, PR+ and her 2 +, 2.6 cm IDC, node negative, but given my age (i'm 30) some people argue that all patients under the age of 35 and/or grade 3 tumors should receive chemo. my chance of recurrence was 60% without hormone or chemo therapy, but with both my chance of recurrence is 20% (and maybe even lower because of the herceptin.
    good luck with your decision and don't hesitate to get a second opinion from a different oncologist!
    Leslie
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Hi girls,
    Well,,,,,,,,,,,,yesterday, which was 9 days from my 2nd treeatment,,,,,I finally started feeling good. Man, I thought that day was never gonna come or when it did it would come right before number 3 treatment. lol So nice to see I will have one good week before the next treatment. On the days I feel good,,,,,,,I wish I could remember how that feels on the days I feel bad. Does that make sense? Well it did to me. lol
    Had lab work done yesterday,,,,,,guess my platelets are very low so have to go back tomorrow to have a repeat CBC. Guess if it is still low they might have to reduce the dose on the carboplatin. Whatever they have to do is fine with me. Looking forward to June 25,,,,,then I will be halfway there. I gotta look at some positive here. lol
    Got a presc for that Magic Mouthwash,,,,,so hopefully that will help the mouth thing going on.
    Have a good weekend all,,,,,,,,,and lets all do something fun for ourselves, We deserve it. Right?
    Cindy
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    Hi Cindy,
    good to see that you are doing well. I know what you mean about good days. I mainly only feel good the 3rd week, and it is a big difference. I just wake up on on day 15 and feel almost normal! And now it is just in time for my 3rd round of chemo on monday. I'm planning to enjoy this weekend! hope everyone else is doing well. this thread has been dead lately and i love to hear how people going through the same treatment are doing!
    Leslie
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Leslie,,,,,,,,,,I am glad you are doing good too. We both started the same day but remember I was doing it weekly for 3 weeks so you are now ahead of me by one week. On Monday you will be halfway done. Yeahhhhhhhhhh
    I post here and I post on the Starting May one. I am such a dork. I see that you are on both too, So I usually copy this and paste it on both,,,,,,,guess thats kinda dumb huh?
    So you have 15 days of not feeling so hot? Good lord. I am sorry to hear that. Are you working at the same time? Cause honestly,,,,,,I dont know how people work and do chemo...........I am a pretty strong woman,,,,but this chemo just shoots me down terribly. I am so not used to this feeling. I admire and give props to people that work and do the treatments.
    Enjoy your weekend. Its been beautiful here lately,,,,,so think getting out in the sunshine while I am feeling good would do wonders for me.
    Take care,,,,,,,,,,,Cindy
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    Cindy, it's good you post on both sites, I read both but mainly participate in this one. Mainly the first week I feel tired and nauseated, the second week I just feel tired and the third week I feel almost normal. I am still working but at an extremely reduced schedule. it is hard, but I am glad just to get out of the house and think about something else for awhile. Plus seeing patients that are sicker than I am makes me feel less sorry for myself.
    This weekend should be great here in chicago, and I assume it is always wonderful in california. Take care.
    Leslie
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Hey Janet? How did you get yourself to do the winking thing here? Its cuuuuuuuuuute.
    Cindy
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Hi girls. No one has posted in a little while,,,,,,,,,,hope you are all ok. I worry when I dont see any of your posts for a while.
    I have had a good week. Tx 3 on Monday. Went to an Angel baseball game tonight,,,,,,had a good time. Nice to finallly feel well enough to go somewhere and do something fun.
    Well,,,,,,,,,,,someone please post so I know all is well with you gals.
    Leslie,,,,,,,,,,,,how are you? Havent seen anything from you in a while either.
    Take care all,,,,,,,,,,,nite
    Cindy
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Oh,,,,,,,,,,I forgot to ask you gals. Anyone else having problems with the watery eyes on the TCH? And my vision isnt that great either,,,,,,,,,just wondering if someone else is experiencing the same thing on the TCH.
    Now,,,,,,,,,,good nite,,,,,,,,lol
    Cindy
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    hi gals!
    not too much problems with watery eyes, but I have on and off vision changes right after getting chemo. my oncologist says it's normal and to only worry about it if it stays bad. I've read on other websites that many women who get taxotere get profuse watery eyes, and it stops when the chemo is done.
    I'm doing okay. got my third round of chemo this past monday. just getting more tired than the previous rounds and a bit of nausea and constipation, but it's all doable. my mother in law is in town this week to help out. She takes turns with my parents, who will come for the next round. hope everyone else is doing well. glad to hear that you had a good time Cindy. the week before chemo is always the best for me. I always try to cram in all the fun that week! take care.
    Leslie
  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2007
    re 'winking thing': it's just an animated GIF I made. i took my photo, went into photoshop and made a version with my eyes closed (it's small, so i could fudge it pretty easily), then 'stacked' the two photos and timed it so it looked like a wink. Hey, had to have SOMETHING silly to do at the time (*laugh*).

    Re watering eyes: I had BAD watering eyes all through chemo and for a month or so after that ended. Now (5 months later), I just realized that not only has the watering ended, but I also no longer have the eyes that dried up every night while I slept. My eye drops are no longer what I reach for at night.

    And in case you're thinking something naughty, I reach for my WATER BOTTLE. I always get thirsty when I sleep (*laugh)*).

    Janet
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    Hope your treatment on Monday went well....I'm right behing you with treatment #3 tomorrow (Thursday).....

    Katymom
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    Cindy, I am with you on that. It is all I can do to manage everything without working too much. I have my own company, but I fortunately have been able to set it aside when I need to. Don't know how the working gals do it! I'm up for treatment 3 tomorrow....I know what Leslie means that second treatment took me nearly the whole time to recover even though I have managed to walk most days.

    Any of you gaining weight on the TCH?

    Katymom
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    I try to check out the May board too, but it is sooooo busy...nice to talk to all of you on this one especially since we're going through the same thing. Cindy, sounds like you're doing much better since you spread out the chemo? A baseball game....wow! I guess I'll make up for lost time when I'm done! I've been trying to make myself get out of the house...there's a small lake nearby and I've been going and feeding the ducks every evening....very therapeutic. I walk around it and the ducks come for their food and "talk" to me! Whatever works! That's about the only time I get out of the house other than the grocery store or other "have to" errands. Hope you all are well....

    Katymom
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    I've had itchy-watery allergy-like symptoms. Glad to hear that's normal...I just figured by chemo was letting allergies develop. I have some "fat" heaviness devloping around my jaws on the sides of my chin. Someone said it might be sinuses related to allergies....Anyone else get this? I figured I was just getting the "chemo fat"! Ugh!
    Trying to prepare mentally for #3....#2 was pretty bad so I'm dreading it even though on the positive side it will put me at the halfway mark! Take care everyone and keep posting.....I always wonder about you whenever you're not on!
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    I've got the weird taste, too.....I like gatorade to get past it!

    Katymom
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    my weight has been fluctuating by 2-3 pounds, but my oncologist thinks it's mainly from fluid. I'm in a chemomenopause and I feel that even though my weight is not that off from baseline, I have developed belly fat. My face is also fuller, but it is probably from the steroids. I am so tired this 3rd round, no idea how tired I"m going to be by the end! take care everyone, good luck on your third round gals!
    Leslie
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    hi gals,,,,,,,,,,,,,so good to hear from you. I agree about the May board,,,,,,,,there are lots of gals there and sometimes its hard for me to get everyone straight. I do go over there and post too though,,,,,but I like to hear from those of us who are doing the exact same treatment. I am up for tx 3 this monday,,,,,,,,I will be glad to say then that I will be halfway thru,,,,,,lol
    These watery eyes are a buggin meeeeeeeeeeeeee. And yea,,,,,,,,,I gained 4 pounds in 2 weeks. omg how can that be? Thats awful. Although my weight fluctuates like that anyways,,,,,but boy o boy,,,,that was depressing when she told me that. lol
    Katymom,,,,,,,,,,,yes,,,,,,I think by doing it every 3 weeks instead of every week is better for me. Less time at the dr's office, my hair went anyways so that was a mute point, and on the over all,,,,,,,,,on the every week I was having 4 bad days out of the week,,,,and this way,,,,,,it looks like i will have 7 bad days in a row and the next week and a half good days. That seems to be a good trade off I think.
    Take care all,,,,,,,,,and so good to hear from u gals.
    Cindy
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    o my Janet,,,,,,,,that sounds too complicated to me. Im not a computer whiz,,,,,,,,,I just know the basics. But its really cute though.
    Cindy
  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2007
    Well, that photo beats this one (this is 5 months after 6 cycles of TCH). It's now starting to 'curl' (my 4-letter word for "going EVERY which way" (*laugh*):

    image

    Janet
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Janet,,,,,,,,,,,,,,is that how much your hair grew in 5 months? O goodness,,,,,,,,,I thought it might be longer in 5 months. So it takes a while huh? Bummerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. And here I was thinking by Christmas I would have some hair,,,,,but guess not huh? I finish in Aug......
    Take care,,,,Cindy
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    Has your onc told you anything about not lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds with the side where lymph nodes were biopsied? I had 5 lymph nodes removed: sentinel plus 2 that were too small to test and two more. Concerned about lymphodema occurrence now or later. I'm trying to figure out an exercise regimen during the chemo...thanks...

    Katymom
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    I was told initially not to lift anything heavy but haven't heard anything since then. I had 4 sentinal nodes removed and was told that my chances of lymphadema were low, but to definately avoid blood pressure cuffs or needle sticks on that side .
    went to work today but ended up having to go to IV therapy to get IV fluids. I don't get it, every round, I get dehydrated even though I'm drinking 70 fluid ounces a day and I'm having no diarrhea or vomitting. where is all the fluid going? Having HORRIBLE hot flashes! Ughh. It is unreal to have hot flashes at the age of 30! can't sleep at night because I'm either burning up or freezing! I finally gave in and ordered a chillow at the suggestion of some people on this board, so hopefully that will help. I haven't gotten a good nights sleep since starting chemo! Do any of you take something for sleep, and if so what? I'll try anything. thanks for listening to me whine!
    Leslie
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    Leslie:

    I know what you mean....I had an awful day of chemo yesterday....nurses must have been having an off day! I really didn't need their bad moods. They hurried to get me set up and I had so much pain in the port that I kept telling them and finally they realized it wasn't working (luckily before the chemo)so the had to redo it...I am so bruised and sore today. Plus, they didn't give me the kytril I usually get so the nausea has kicked in sooner---they gave it to me today after the fact though. Sorry for my whining, too. About the hot flashed...my doctor prescribed bellamine...an older drug that he says usually works, so if the chillow doesn't help you might ask. I have not used it yet because just after I got it mine subsided a little. I haven't experienced the dehydration...hopefully I won't. I have my first mouth sore--not too bad as long as it heals soon. I'm hoping I won't be as sick this time. Good luck. I think you're 2 or 3 days ahead of me...Let me know how it goes.

    Katymom
  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2007
    I agree. Bummer. I hoped it would be longer too. But I DO wonder if the Herceptin was slowing it down. I guess I'm wearing a wig to a wedding in 2 weeks. I was hoping to have enough hair to cut into a style by then. But... what the heck.

    Last Christmas I was going through chemo and almost all food tasted horrible. I didn't even care about the hair (*laugh*).

    So good luck! Just remember, the following year it'll be all over.

    Janet
  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 36
    edited June 2007
    Hi Katymom... if you think they forgot a premed, go there with a written list of meds that you should get. Check each one with them verbally as they bring a bag BEFORE they hook it up. Then check it off your list. If they ask why, just say you're just learning more about your treatment. But, if they miss one, bring it to their attention IMMEDIATELY.

    I never had a mouth sore (pretty amazing, isn't it? Even my onc was amazed). But, I had such a disgusting taste in my mouth every cycle that I brushed after EVERY meal/snack/and sometimes just for the heck of it, and even more often I rinsed my mouth with Biotene mouthwash. ANYTHING to keep my mouth as clean as possible.

    One more odd result: I had a dental cleaning a month after chemo. The dentist was surprised too: I had the BEST checkup I've had in years. He said that post-chemo, people's teeth and gums were usually in worse shape.

    No idea if the brushing/rinsing was responsible for me not getting mouth sores (or if I wouldn't have gotten them anyway). But it seemed to work for me.

    Janet
    I never had that happen, but I HAVE seen med errors, and accidents do happen. So double-checking is a good idea.
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    Hey girls,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I havent seen anyone post in a while,,,,,,hope you are all doing well. Had my 3rd treatment yesterday and went for my neulast today. Im feeling ok,,,,,,,,,but all of a sudden I have gotten tired. That decadron doesnt make you tired,,,,,,,but my body is saying I'm tired but cant sleep. So Ativan it is for me tonight. Has anyone had any problems with retaining fluids? Went for chemo on Monday and had gained 5 pounds in 3 weeks, Yikes,,,,she said it was most likely from the fluid retention. She told me to tell her if my swelling in my ankles and legs gets worse and if I have shortness of breath when I am laying down. Good lord,,,,,,,,,,,,,,couldnt she just give me something now to get rid of the fluid? Anyone experience this side effect.......it sure sucks. I eat healthy so I dont think the weight gain is from food,,,,,since my food intake has been down anyway. Usually on Wed is when all the shit hits the fan for the side effects,,,,and lasts a good week. I am remembering my good days when I have bad days. My platelets were very low last time,,,,so she reduced the taxotere and carboplatin,,,,,hoping that would help.
    Hope you all have a good week and keep those SE's under control. Lets all hang in there ok?
    Take care,,,,,,,,,,,Cindy
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    hi gals,
    cindy- i am having weight gain too, mainly to the belly but I feel "big" and it's definately from fluid retention. My oncologist mentioned possibly giving me a diuretic but she never did so I'm debating whether to bother her for it. My fingers are swollen, it's hard to take off my rings and even though I don't see alot of edema, my legs feel heavy. God to I hate chemo! I feel so gross, bald and bloated fat!
    Hope everyone is doing well. I went shopping for hours today trying to find new clothes that I can wear this summer and not feel too ugly with all my scars and the port.
    Leslie
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited June 2007
    I know what you mean Leslie. My belly is fat, my legs are swollen (when I push in on the top of my legs it makes an indent) along with my ankles,,,,,,,,,,,,and cant get my rings off either, My face is fat. And a bald head,,,,,I am just so attractive at the moment. I dont have many clothes that even fit me anymore and I went looking around too the other day,,,,,,but just wasnt feeling anything. It was depressing. So guess I stick with my elastic waist sweats and all. Last night and today I have felt like when I take a deep breath it kinda hurts or I am not getting a good breath in,,,,,,,I'm not sure if I should bug the dr about that. I wish that she would just give me a diuretic to get rid of the fluid retention,,,,,,I mean,,,,,,,it cant hurt right? Seems like it would only help me. Had chemo on Monday and neulasta yesterday. Been feeling ok,,,,,,except for about an hour ago,,,,,,,,,,,,Now I think the SE are a comin up. Feeling tired now. Sooooooooo off for a nap. Take care girls,,,,,,,,,,,and hope you all have a good week.
    Cindy
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited June 2007
    cindy, definately tell your doctor about hte pain when you breath in, most likely it's from the fluid, but always got to worry about blood clots etc. so keep an eye on it. I finally emailed my doctor's nurse about the diuretic, and told her I also feel like I'm not getting a good breath in, so she's going to talk to the doctor tomorrow. hope you have a good nap.
    Leslie
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited June 2007
    I'm having the weight gain, too.....seems like I've gained about 7 pounds since I began this. I have a good appetite--too good--but sometimes the food agrees with me sometimes not. Glad to here that the weight gain seems to be the norm, we just need to figure out how to stop it!

    Katymom

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