Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
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Cgesq i was thinking she just didn't want to be bothered to do it and would rather me go to the lab. When I went to " chemo school" a different nurse had told me that they would always use my port for blood draws unless i was not at their clinic.
Then after using it three times the nurse suddenly said it was an infection risk. and acted like I wanted special attention to use it for blood draws. So I went to the lab after that.0 -
Adavisart I found many nurses do what's expedient. It's really not their fault entirely. They are so overworked. It's up to you to demand what you want. I know one of the times I went for a liver scan the tech said "I see you had the IV in your foot last time. Well this time we are going to do it in your arm." I smiled and said "No you are going to do it in my foot or I'm leaving… and I'm not kidding." Ended up he hadn't been trained to do it in the foot. He got someone to do it for him. The next year he was trained and I was his first foot IV. It was a little painful but he got it and didn't blow any veins.
cgesq for my colonoscopy she wasn't allowed to do it in my foot even though she new how because of infection risk. When I told her I had a port she said "oh I can use that." Gave her the instruction card and I was on my way. I'll worry about what happens next time but that's many years away. I got the all clear you can wait 10 years.
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Thank you for the reassurance about the hair growth! It just seems strange that it is growing SO much in between chemo 2 and 3. It almost feels like the head of hair I had when I buzzed it.
And, Lago, you definitely hit the nail on the head....I'm worried that my lack of SEs is some indication of how effective the chemo is for me. I've been thinking about it today and I'm going to choose to think that my hair is regrowing and I haven't experienced much in the way of SEs because I'm young and (otherwise) healthy. Maybe my body just took the chemo and went back to its regularly scheduled program! I'd rather believe that than the chemo isn't having the necessary effect...
Regarding the port, my oncology office won't use it for anything other than infusions. In the lab, they also said "infection risk." They said every time they access it, it increases the risk of infection so they will not use it for blood draws. Seems like a waste to have it and not use it....
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just a vent...I turned in a stool sample on Friday to check for C Diff since I have such bad D most of the time. The nurse said results take 48 hours. It is now Wenesday and still no results from the lab. She is checking on it to see why. Sure does suck to wait on the results!
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Finally got results and do not have C Diff. Not sure why the diarreah.
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Adavisart: After tx#1 my MO was ready to test me for C-dif when I finally got the diarrhea that started on Day 7 under control. I'm 8 days out from tx#2 and thought I'd excaped the Big "D" this time. No such luck. Started Imodium this morning & went back to BRAT diet again. Hopefully I'll control it better this time.
RE: Ports - I have to have blood work 1/2 way through the 21 days this time. I expect I can get this done in the infusion center, but I'm sure they won't use the port in the lab. The lab isn't "allowed" to take blood from anywhere but the arm tho I tried to use my foot after BMX surgery in 2011. Hmmmm. How to determine which is the "good" arm in terms of LE since nodes taken from both? Now there's no choice since I understand no blood draws or BP on the side w/the power port.
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Slowly working my way through this thread. Lago had recently finished TCH. Special K mentioned that chewing an apple caused pain. It's interesting to see those of you that I "met" two years ago on other threads, or that I follow along with on some of the 'friend' threads. Thanks to so many of you who are way down the road but still checking in to help those of us just starting TCH.
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adavisart - all of the drugs involved in chemo are capable of causing the Big D - it is just yunfortunate that this seems to be the case for you. It was for me too - I knew it and adjusted my schedule accordingly. First 5 tx - I had it for 10 days, then 10 good days before the next tx. It went away after #6, had a bit of a problem with H only until I started a probiotic.
minus - I do not specifically remember the post regarding the apple! I did have tender gums/mouth though - the good news is that it was temporary!
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MinusTwo last time I had a blood draw was October. While I've been done with chemo since Jan. 2011 I went to the chemo floor and had them draw the blood from my port. That blood draw was for the surgery to remove my port.
I too have nodes from both sides but the 10 node side has LE. So it will be the 4 nodes side unless I can maybe get the chemo room to draw blood from my food. I doubt they will.
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Long long day at hospital....this is the latest
Fri..MUGA then Chemo School
Mon..surgery to place port
Tues..1st chemo of TCH x4...every 3 week schedule
Wed..Neulasta shot
Then Herceptin continues while radiation starts...5 weeks of every day rads
My Oncotype DX score is 25
My AIB1 was acceptable to metabolize
My DNA pathways are all groovy!
And this chickie is pooped.
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ChickaD I too had chemo on Tuesdays, prot place the Monday before. By Saturday/Sunday most of the SE went away for me but the taste changes started the following Monday (granted mine were pretty minor. Never had to change the way I ate).
Remember drinks lots of fluids (soup counts) and keep exercising even if it's only walking. I really felt the exercise was a huge help in keeping my SE from not getting to bad compared to others.
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Thanks Lago -- I have to say walking every day does help -- I get just too stiff sitting around!
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Minus, If the lab techs aren't allowed to take blood from your port, ask them to call a nurse from the infusion center to access it. That is exactly what they do at my hospital. I let them know ahead of time that i will need an infusion nurse, and they set it up.
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Can't wait for the port placement on Monday ....today at my MUGA they had a very difficult time accessing my veins in my good arm... it took three tries and by then I ask for someone else to please do it and they did!
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cgesq: Thanks. I had the MO call in the orders to the infusion center instead of the lab. They flushed w/Heparin and got the blood w/no problem. They also told me since I have a "power port" they can even use it for the radioactive glucose for the PET/CTs.
Chicka: viva la port. Good luck.
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Miss Minus.... what is a power port....no one told me what type I was getting on monday...just to show up...lol
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Sorry, been missing a couple pages, but ill jump right back in. Welcome to the newbies. I too, had the big D as a se. GET SOMETHING BETTER THAN IMMODIUM. Don't wait. I ended up in the hospital with renal failure because of the D. Once they gave me the other stuff, it was better. Although I needed to wear, Yes, depends for a while. Yes, I cried, cause isn't cancer enough? LOL They also adjusted my dosage after that.
Re the port, my infusion center also had the lab, and used my port for every blood draw at tx. When I saw my PCP, he was usually ok with waiting til I had to go get labs from there. If he needed them sooner, I let them draw from my ARM, only if they could gi it without a tourniquet. They could, but they weren't happy. I have left my port in, even though I have finished chemo, and so far u am glad I did. I have needed magnesium infusions three times since the end of tx. I make them take my BP on my calf now, although sometimes they need to get someone else to do it. Sometimes they are not happy with me. Too bad.
Sorry to talk so much. Much love to all.0 -
Ports. It seems most people get power ports these days. Matter a fact I know of only one person who didn't… me. Had I known I would have requested one because I had to do liver scans for 2 years. They could not use my port for that. I had to fight every time for them to use my foot for the IV. I have LE in my left arm and my right arm had 4 nodes removed so it is still at risk.
If I nodes removed from only 1 arm not having a power port wouldn't have been suck a big deal.
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Chicka: I didn't know about ports either, but lucked out with the "Smart Port". Maybe because I've already had nodes removed from both arms & been diagnosed w/mild LE.
My booklet says - "...power injectable..new type of port that offers the ability for a clinician to access a vein for intravenous injection therapy or medication or fluids and for administering power-injected contrast to perform CT scans...In addition...repeated access to the bloodstream or a specific body site to administer therapy or withdraw blood can be accomplished w/greater ease & less discomfort".
Moonflower: Sorry for your troubles.
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To all of you wonderful ladies who post on this thread - sorry if I'm posting things that you've already covered. I'm reading from the past, but I'm only up to page 325. Thanks for all your information. I have 35-40 items listed in small handwriting that are very useful to me, not to mention the active support. Thanks.
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lago- Could you have your port taken out if you wanted to? I am asking because once I am done with the 3wks/herceptin..I want this thing OUT. Do you keep it because of the LE or blood draws only?
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lago - mine is not a power port either. I get the arm stick for scans, I do it in the "leser of two evils" left arm which only had a SNB. So far, so good. I have also had 7 surgeries after BMX so I get an IV in that arm/hand also.
waiting - I believe lago has had her port removed - I still have mine. It is actually in the area of my chest that is showing in my avatar picture. It is so small you can't see it - I still have it partly because I am superstitious (as soon as I remove it I will need it, if I keep it I won't) and also because the scar will be visible all the time and I am vain enough to be worried about that.
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Waitingforthenextstep I got it out this past October… kept it in for 2 years. I did get my blood draws from it. Not sure what I'm going to do this fall. Even my LE MD shrugs. My onc wants all her patients to keep it for 2 years because that's when most recurrences happen.
SpecialK do you have LE? I can't keep track anymore. How many nodes from your SNB? I had 4 nodes from SNB. I had 10 nodes on the LE side. Since we know I have a history with LE I'm really paranoid. I would hate to have to wear 2 sleeves. My port scar healed so well that my surgeon agreed to go through the same scar. It takes me a while to heel but I bet it will look fine in another 1.5 years.
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SpecialK- My port is not visible either. I was lucky to have a good MD who asked me where I would like it. It is all the way on the left, so most clothing covers it. It will show if I wear a bathing suit though, but I wont let that stop me.
lago- I may be presuming the my MO will let me have it taken out. I just assumed once chemo is over I could get it out. I never used the port for blood draws-only chemo. It was very painful when accessed, only now a little better. Much prefer a regular stick.
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Posted new pic to match my name --- what do you think?????
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Love it!
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lago - yes, I have LE on the node dissection side. I had issues during chemo with a sudden body-wide swelling that left me with axillary web syndrome that eventually became LE. My SNB from that side was only one node, SNB from the non-cancer side removed two. My cancer side SNB was declared clear in the operating room, but revealed a micromet in post-op pathology. Subsequent ALND five weeks later on the cancer side removed another eleven, and that was all levels according to my BS. I had another much larger positive node removed during the ALND. I don't think I have a large number of nodes - another reason I probably ended up with LE. I also have a tendency to swell in all extremities that pre-dated LE. I do wear two sleeves and gauntlets for exercise, flying and any heavy lifting. I will get hand swelling so I have to wear the sleeve and gauntlet on the LE side. My port was placed during my BMX, after the breast tissue was removed and before the expander was placed, so I have no scar right now - that is one of the reasons I am reluctant to remove it - it is subclavian so the new scar would be visible all the time.
waiting - mine actually is in a location that is visible all the time - it is right below my collarbone at the hollow of my throat. If and when it is removed the scar will always be visible all the time. When I mentioned my avatar pic I meant that my port is so tiny you wouldn't notice that it is showing in that picture. It is only about the size of a dried pea under my skin.
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SpecialK I wear both sleeves for exercise and plane travel too. I just don't want to have to wear both all the time. Stopped wearing my glove 1.5 years ago. My hand doesn't swell. It did maybe once on a very humid day so I put the glove on but most people wouldn't have known. I tried the guanlet and returned it. I hate it. Prefer the glove when I had to wear it.
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I know I am probably going to keep my port - kind of the old umbrella defense, ie, if you have one you won't need it. So, that's pretty much what Specialk said. Also, the scar won't bother me, I have one on the left side anyway, from my pacemaker, the one from my port on my right doesn't matter. Well, actually none of them matter because of the BMX scars, the SNB scars, the skin tightening scars, etc. What's another one! LOL
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Chemo starts Tuesday...I am flying on Friday...any advice?
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