Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Friar Tuck........
.......I like that !!!!!!! Made me laugh. Thank you.0 -
Mine has come in faster on the sides too - the top is just thinner - and whiter - or some people say blonder - whatever - I am just sooooooo flippin' glad to have hair
!!!!!!So - what about fingernails??? Mine were doing pretty good - but now it's been about 4 months since my LC and they break below the white part - then catch on things - then tear - lovely!!!! NOT.
Any ideas????
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cvmarilyn - Please be careful with your nails. Mine were doing the same thing, especially my big toenails and I got an infection in one of them that turned out to be MRSA. It took six weeks of antibiotics to get rid of it and now I'm dealing with side effects from the antibiotic (low blood counts, and possible kidney damage) Keep your nails very short to minimize splitting and breakage and bandage with antibacterial ointment any nails that are an open sore. At the first sign of any infection go to the doctor, don't do like I did and try to doctor it yourself. I was told that you can pick up the bacteria at most any health care facility and that 60% of infections now are MRSA (antibiotic resistant staph). All you can really do is wait it out until the chemo affected nails are grown out. Mine are just now showing improvement and I'm a year out from chemo.
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Thanks ladies. As for nails, i'm 11 days post LC and they are purple or half lifted and yellow, throbbing while the fingertips are numb. Anyone put bandaids on the so they don't catch on things?
I have so much typing to do! The risk if infection sounds scary.
Lago, you really think you were less heAlthy post neulasta and chemo? I will start rads the week before my first H only. Tips welcome!
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Sickofpink I wasn't less healthy. My white counts were down though because I was still doing Herceptin. My PCP had me do a blood test that summer because of an unexplained rash. He said that's why my white counts were still low.
Sorry you have to deal with the nail stuff. I just kept them short. Mine never got infected and every toe/fingernail lifted. Lost a few toenails. Had one toenail removed. I did keep the nails short and clean. I also wore gloves to do dishes etc.… actually still do because I have LE in my left arm. Try not to cause trauma to your nails. I know hard to do. I do a lot of stuff with my hands as well.
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I'm sorry I didn't post this earlier, my doc has me ice my hands and feet so I don't have any nail issues yet have 2 of 6 chemos left. However I read that if you paint your nails black they do better, it works by not letting light in the nail bed is the thought behind this. Well so far nails are doing well, told my doc I was doing it because it was a passive, easy thing to try. So far no lines or anything. I think any dark color would work but I stayed with black.Also I always were gloves when doing house work and put olive oil on my hands when I wear the gloves, its amazing how soft it makes my hands.
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While my nails were lifing and until they 'setted down", I soaked them in peroxide every night to get rid of infection and to just get under the nail and keep it clean. I kept them as short as possible. For me they are growing out soooooo slow. my last chemo was mid October and I still have dead ends growing out. Only 2 fingernails have grown completely out. They look absolutely horrid, but I do keep them polished.
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Sickofpink,
I don't have any words of wisdom to say about your nails, but I just wanted to tell you that I love your avatar pic!!
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Hi ladies. I am new to this forum. I am sitting at infusion waiting for bloodwork, my numbers are low though. I was on the Tax, Carbo, Her. Program and then I had the Taxotere discontinued (and not sad about that.. Toxic crap!)
I was put on Pertuzemad instead. Not as bad.
However, my hemoglobin is low. I was told I would get a shot called Aranesp. I am undecided about the drug due to risk of heart attack and stroke. Or wait as my numbers drop I get a blood transfusion.
Has anyone had a shot of Aranesp?
Just looking for thoughts and opinions....
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Dea43, I think Aranesp is similar to the Epo shot my doctor was going to use if my hemoglobin went below 9. I was very scared of it, because he said there is some evidence that it can make cancer grow. Thankfully I never had to have it, but I was going to refuse it, if offered. It just seemed counterproductive to be fighting cancer and then be given something that can cause it to grow. Here is some info:
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Thanks, lago and Victoria and cgesq. Perozide and black nail polish. Will try.
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dea - I echo what grandma said above - I would rather have a blood transfusion.
sickofpink - I did the opaque polish and iced my nails. I did lose one due to a high tear from removal of acrylic nails prior to chemo. The other nine nails had no lifting, ridges and were not discolored at all. I iced my toes also but did lose the pinky toenail - the new one was right behind it though.
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I'm 4 weeks PFC and so far my nails are still good. I can see distinct lines in each one of them from each of my chemo sessions though!
I took Melatonin (5mg, Dr. Oz would freak!) and it helped me sleep VERY WELL. I used it over the weekend but haven't used it during the work week because I'm afraid of having a hard time waking up early when my alarm goes off.
Lago, I didn't know Herceptin could cause WBC to run low?? I was neutropenic w/fever 17 days after my last TCH to the point they almost admitted me to the hospital, but thankfully the antibiotics and fluids kicked in quickly. But I didn't know Herceptin even played into that equation.
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The most common side effects associated with Herceptin in patients with breast cancer are:
- Fever
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Infusion reactions
- Diarrhea
- Infections
- Increased cough
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Rash
- Low white and red blood cell counts
- Muscle pain
The most common side effects associated with Herceptin in patients with metastatic stomach cancer are:
- Low white blood cell counts
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Low red blood cell counts
- Swelling of the mouth lining
- Weight loss
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Fever
- Low platelet counts
- Swelling of the mucous membranes
- Swelling of the nose and throat
- Change in taste
source linky: www.herceptin.com/safety.html
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Well I'll be darned. I'm sure I looked at herceptin.com before, I guess my brain has been overloaded with all these meds and their side effects that I didn't remember (or even catch) those Herceptin SE. Thanks for sharing the info!
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Grandmav: I went to that site initially after I was told by my doctor a few weeks ago that I needed this. How scary! So I started asking around, a friend who is an infusion nurse, a friend pharmacologist, people who had no clue, my own infusion nurses. The opinions ranged. I was more against it. And now trying to work on getting my family and close friends to donate blood for a possible infusuon. I was to get the Aranesp if I am below 10. I will get an infusion with greater symptoms or hemo at 6.5 maybe 7. But it is up and down .. Always below 10 though now. Have refused it the last three weeks.
I figure T this point I am half way through the bad stuff, so maybe I can make it without adding yet another bad drugs, cancer additive..
I have not talked to other cancer patients.. So than you so much for your response.
You too Specialk!
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dea - I worked in Transfusion Services prior to my diagnosis. You need to determine your blood type and see if any friends or family members are compatible. What you are looking for is called a "Directed Donation" and usually takes about 72 hours to process. Anyone who is compatible and donates for you will have their donated blood processed as it would be for any other recipient. The donated units are usually good for 30 days, and will be stored at your local hospital or blood bank for you. Your oncologist may request that the donor be CMV (cytomegalovirus - a common virus) negative, as blood for cancer patients needs to be leuko-reduced, irradiated and CMV negative. Half the population is positive (you may be yourself) and half negative but docs usually don't want to introduce a virus that your weakened immune system needs to combat. If your friends or family members end up being positive for CMV ask to have your own blood tested to determine your status - they could still donate for you if you are positive.
I am not sure why your doc wants to give you Aranesp at a hemoglobin of 10 - that is still reasonably high for a chemo patient. Most docs will transfuse at a hemoglobin of 8, particularly if you are asymptomatic up until that point. If you are symptomatic - dizzy, lethargic, confused, short of breath - you would need to be transfused even if your hemoglobin is higher than 8.
My hemoglobin was routinely below 10 from at least the midpoint of chemo until the last one. It did finally rebound, but it took several months for all values on the CBC to look normal.
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Specialk you are correct. I called our blood source and got all the information so I can be ready. I think the nurse from the office thought it was too much work on her end, but it is my health, my body! I am trying to be prepared as I need to find people who will be a match. I do not know about the cmv.
The hemoglobin needs to be below 10 to get the shot. That is the stuff (epo) that Armstrong was using. 10 is the target to be at and it takes 26 days for the drug to work in the system.
Crazy when we are trying to get rid of our rumors.. And cancer.. And the drugs we take cause cancer or for our rumors to grow.0 -
Dea43, I agree. Everything about cancer is crazy. It's so unfair. My head spins sometimes with the crazy decisions we have to make. I'm so glad to see that you're researching and making informed decisions.
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Dea, I chose to get the blood tx. My MO did not recommend the shot. My count was below 8, actually 7.3. That happened twice. I felt so much better after each one. I finished chemo I was at 7.8 and my M O recommended waiting to see if.I came up on my own instead of a third tx, since I was done with the hard stuff. It came.back up, but slowly. Good luck. Much love to all.
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Dea43 The nurses are very busy so they tend to do what's good/easy for them. Don't get me wrong, I loved my chemo nurse but she wasn't fond of doing extra things (like getting my ice chips to suck on during taxotere to reduce chance of mouth sores) when extremely busy. She actually told me the ice chips don't work. My onc was the one who instructed me to do it… and it did work.
Where are you in Illinois. I'm in Chicago. Come and join the Illinois ladies thread. We are quite active and supportive group over there: linky
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Thanks lago, I am up at the Wisconsin border. I will hook up on the other link.
I think just this one nurse at the office is like that. The others seem quite nice. I just don't click with her. But by gosh, I am the going thru this and this was an option given to me, so they need to help.
It seems the bt is more common around here - this thread..0 -
dea - I have a transfusion guidelines information document if you would like me to PM it to you. It is just info regarding transfusion, the process, and what to expect on the day of.
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Specialk, I did receive information as I was given each drug. I collected as much as I could on that Aranesp too.
You may have some different info and would be fine looking at that. Always trying to stay informed here. .... Duh, read a bit closer absolutely I will take you information about transfusions.
Do I have to do anything to allow you to send a pm?0 -
No - just check your screen to the left and you will see a category called Private Messages - just open it and my message will be there.
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Hi ladies, I haven't read all of the 500 pages in this thread, so if I'm repeating sorry, I just have to see if anyone has any advice on foot pain. I had my second Taxotere Monday, one more to go! But anyway, the heals of my feet and my little toes hurt so bad I can barely walk.
With the first treatment it was only the one foot, I thought maybe I had kicked my foot board while sleeping and bruised my heal. This time it is both of them and worse. There is some redness and slight peeling on my skin, but the heel pain is making it impossible to do much of anything. I know it will get better in a few days, but I'm hoping someone might have some ideas to get it gone faster?
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stormynyte - what do your hands look like? I am wondering if it is "hand/foot syndrome" combined with the typical bone and joint pain from Taxotere. Are you also getting Neulasta or Neupogen?
http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/side-effects/handfoot-syndrome.aspx
Can you take Aleve? It seems to be decent for the bone pain, from both Taxotere and Neulasta.
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My hands are fine, other than some dryness. No red, no peeling, very slightly tingly at the tips of my little fingers. My feet tho, ugh. They've been tingly since the Taxol.
I do get Nueulasta, but so far it hasn't done more than some minor aches in my neck and shoulders.
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stormynyte - hmmm, hard to say. I do know that my Taxotere and Neulasta SE changed as I progressed through treatment, but your pain may be neuropathy related as well. Have you talked to your MO about it? My mom had an extended course of Methotrexate for a degenerative neuro-muscular disease (similar to MS) and had a great deal of neuropathy and foot pain as a result. Maybe a short trial of Lyrica, Neurontin or Cymbalta?
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This is only my second dose of Taxotere. I did 4 Adriamycin and Cytoxan, all with the Nueulasta and very minimal SE's. Then one dose of Taxol, I had horrible joint and muscle pain for 6 days after, so we changed to the Taxotere instead. So I guess it could be from a combo of any of them.
I only have one dose to go, yay, but I feel like a dink trying to hobble around on the balls of my feet.
I talked to the nurse yesterday when I went in for my shot. She said she would talk to the Onc about it and give me a call. The only advice she had was to put my feet up.
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