Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Had TCH #3 on Wednesday. Hit me pretty hard, no appetite,exhausted, my brain so foggy. Feel tingling on my left n right fingers, is this normal? It comes n go.....
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Soriya let your onc know about the tingling. That could be a little neuropathy. It doesn't sound too bad but the must know about this. Every body is a bit different. The only thing that can kill my apetite is: the stomach flu. I do remember being tired a few days after chemo and needing naps. Lots of women get the fog thing too. But please let your onc know of SE even the things that you think are minor and can deal with…
after my 1st or 2nd chemo one of my big nails started to turn yellow underneath. I thought it was just a fungus thing. Well it turns out it was the start of nail lifting. I let my onc know after my 3rd tx and she sent me to a podiatrist. By the time I had finished chemo every toe/finger nail lifted. That first big toe nail eventually had to be removed! Granted this is a rare SE and usually people do not get it this bad but I did learn that you need to report everything.
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Thank you Lago, I will let them kno.
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Thank you SpecialK and lago for your words of encouragement. You both are amazing supporters here. I am really trying to hold onto the thought thay maybe the SE's won't be so bad. I hope after the 1st one I calm down a bit...I think it is key to stay busy...but now my mind is losing focus and I find it hard to concentrate on anything.
I hope you both have a wonderful holiday...M
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Lovewins, the waiting is always hardest. Hugs
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Thank you Moonflower...it does seem like after each hurdle it gets a little easier for awhile...until the next hurdle!
Hugs back at you!
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We were all scared of the unknown. It's normal
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Best wishes on your first tx Lovewins - it's definitely the most anxiety provoking - we are here for you!
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thank you dancetance and lago...did some shopping today and that really helped. I tried on some hats...didn't find anything but that was a big step for me.
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lovewins I too tried on hats after my BMX but before chemo. I don't look good in hats. I wore scarves the entire time. Just note that scarves can be itchy and slippery. Stick to cotton and stay away from scratchy and silk. The scarves from this place were great. You can wash and dry and the color stays. If you take them out of the dryer right away no need to iron either: www.anokhiusa.com I perfered the 36" x 36" or 15" x 72". Having the back longer makes it look more like your stylin' rather than chemo-head. Add big earrings.
also check out their how to tie scarves. I would wear them a little lower on your forhead but they do a pretty good job showing how to tie them: linky
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lovewins, before I started chemo I was convinced I would get every side effect and reaction known to mankind and then some! Turns out that I didn't have any kind of reaction to the actual infusion until tx 4 or 5 (minor reaction) And the side effects were not nearly as bad as I had imagined. The actual infusion days were actually just kind of long and boring! The fear of what might happen is often worse that the reality of what does happen.
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Miss Love..as all have said...the anxiety of waiting can be brutal....I have my LAST TCH tomorrow and I can't wait to ring that bell....I feel the same way you do about starting radiation next....best wishes for an easy ride on the chemo train!
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Hello Ladies,
Is it true that taking Vitamin B6 or Vitamin B complex may interfere with chemo?
Thanks Ladies!0 -
CONGRATS ChicaD your almost DONE!! No worries about Rads. It is a breeze compared to Chemo. I have 8 left. I admit I am SORE, but not sick! Not tired. Just sore..................
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Hello everyone...thank you for your encouragement!
Thank you Bren...I am glad you didn't have a lot of SE...I hope to report the same.
Congrats chickaD!!!!!
I finally took a xantax...kinda rough day but I want glad to be less active than normal I think I needed it.
I have another question....i think I may post it on another thread as well.
It's been a little over a month for me since I learned I had BC...i know past tense but since I had my lumpectomy I have decided to think that way....anyway I know know one knows what causes BC but so far I have quit smoking...2 wks!!!! Quit drink anything with artificial sweetners and just today bought some organic food. Especially dairy products. I watched a documentary today called Breast Cancer Diary where she got bc even though she lived a healthy life style...and also I have read here where womens did all the rights things and still got BC. I can't say that...I have not taken good care of myself and now I am making changes...my question is....are you making changes since you found out about your BC to prevent reoccurance and if so what changes have you made?
Thanks for anything you feel let to share.
PS the documentary was good...sad but good.
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Lago,
I read about fingers n toes nails turning black or came off, I hope I didn't get that. Bad enough that we re loosing our hair, eye brows n eye lashes....0 -
lovewins I too felt after my surgery my cancer was gone… just did the chemo/ESD for insurance just in case I was wrong
Odds were not in my favor that I was right. Anyway as far as lifestyle change… they only know of things that will increase your risk. They really don't know what for sure causes breast cancer. Some things you can't change like being female, having dense breasts, not having kids before 30. I quit smoking almost 8 years ago.My onc says smoking doesn't cause breast cancer (2 years ago but it might have changed) but she does say it causes lung cancer, throat cancer, mouth cancer, tongue cancer, cardio vascular disease, and on and on. So do try to quit. The 2 most important things you can do is to keep your weight down and exercise daily. Reducing your alcohol intake seems like an important one too. Check out the middle of this article. It says all that: linky
So did I change anything. Just gave up soda. I was already eating healthy, exercising daily and have a healthy weight. I did not go all organic. I want to do more than just survive. I want to live. I feel the air I breath is more dangerous (live in city) but I have no plans on moving. I do what to keep my stress level down. There are several switches that probably need to be turned on to get the cancer to become invasive. I truly believe stress is one of them.
soriya123 I would check with your onc on that one
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soriya - I took B6 throughout chemo with the blessing of my oncologist, but ask your own doc what you should take.
chickad - yay!
lovewins - congratulation on the quitting smoking - I agree, no direct bearing on BC, but there are so many other cancers and health conditions caused by it - there is no good reason to smoke. I watched my dad die of stage IV lung cancer, you don't want to risk that. I think moderation in foods, lots of exercise, and common sense rule the day. There are many on these boards who lived very healthy lives and got breast cancer anyway - there is no magic answer as to what to do.
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Just like Special K, my MO wanted everyone on taxol or Taxotere to take B complex, specifically a megadose of B6. Vit A, C, and E (the antioxidants) were off - limits, though.
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lovewins - I took a 1/2 xanax on the morning of the first chemo. The onc said it was fine. As it turns out, they give you benadryl in the drip in the beginning and I would snooze through almost all the treatment off and on. I didn't know that ahead of time. So my mom came with me and sat there as I dozed off and on. it was very anticlimactic. NOTHING happens as you sit there, really. But it is scary before you've done it, I definitely get that!
I would have my husband drive me to subsequent treatments, wait till they accessed the port & started the drip, and then leave. I would text him when almost done and he would come get me. It took almost the whole day - 9-3 or something like that.
Once I was done TCH and on herceptin-only, I would decline the benadryl (knowing by that time that I was not going to have an alleric reaction) so that I would not be drowsy and could drive myself to/from. It was a huge relief to be able to do it myself, and the herceptin is a lot shorter. I was out in under 2 hours.
So let us know how you are doing after tx#1. I remember coming home (with my mom), sitting at the kitchen table waiting for something to happen to me. My mom said "Oh no, we are not going to just wait around." I don't remember what we did do, but she distracted me (maybe watched a movie or something) so I was not focused on my body. Turns out not too much happened. Some pink cheeks (from the steroids), feeling blah (but not nauseous) and eventually 3 weeks later, hair loss. But that day, nothing much.
Realize that the steroids that they give you will keep you awake the first 48 hours or so. I barely slept. I got used to it and would read or listen to podcasts, - or if it were today, would play with the IPAD, but there were no IPADS back then! Haha. And then, 3 days later, the steroids would wash out of my system and I could sleep fine. I never had a lot of fatigue, but the women that do, find it kicks in around the 3rd day.
Hope this helps. Be strong - you can do this!!
Amy
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Hi lovewins...
Sorry you're having to go through all this. I took a Xanax on my first chemo day. Haven't since and my last one is coming up on 9/9
. You just have to figure out what works for you. The same holds true for the side effects. Some people get super sick, you might not. Some get nueropathy, you might not. Your nails might get rigid and discolored, or not... As for making changes to my diet, I have yet to do that. I have an appetite for all processed foods. I figured that while I'm in treatment I'm going to eat whatever sounds good. Having the ability to eat at times and getting something in my body is better than not eating anything. Round one was awful. Round two I couldn't stand anything sweet. It was all about savory foods. My go to food is salt and vinegar chips. Now I love ice cream when I'm not feeling all that well. Each round is different which is a drag because I don't know what to expect. That might be true for you, or not. I wish there was a manual that would tell us exactly what we will endure. I wish you the best of luck with your treatment. When will it start? Did you get your port yet? That's the same as above... for some it wasn't too bad of an experience and for others it was quite tough. I bet you're a tough girl. If you think not, you'll surprise yourself before too long and realize you're a lot tougher than you think. Lean on those around you (family, friends, neighbors...). That is totally out of my comfort zone but you just have to so you can keep up your strength and sanity.
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Well I posted this long responce and lost it arrrrrgh.
I will try again later am at work now.
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I read this site all the time but don't post to much. I read a book called: Detox or die by- sherry Rodgers
If you want to know what causes Cancer this book tells you. The top two things were plastics and pesticides. We get so many toxins coming at us that are body can't detox fast enough so it starts putting the toxins somewhere and in women its the breasts. We need to detox on a regular basis if we don't want cancer again and cutting way down on meat and dairy. It is a really good book and if you've had cancer you need to read it. See if its at your library.
I hope everyone is doing well, I have made its past a year since I found out I had cancer, and now I am finding out if I have MS. I hope I will know before the year is over.I may not be where I intended to go, but I am exactly where I was meant to be....
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lago...great minds think alike eh?
Hope you are feeling nice and relaxed today and totally stress free! I agree I think stress is a big trigger. Thanks for your continued support.SpecialK...Thank you...I am very proud of quitting smoking I never thought I could. I hope your daughters broken heart is on the mend. Hope you are feeling well too. Thanks for all the support you give to me and others.
Amy...your post had me ROLLING at my desk, my co-workers prolly thought I lost it. I think I think the chemo will burn my veins as it goes in...thank you so much for your responce...I am finding I am stronger...but also finding out how weak I can be. ((((Amy)))). Thank for making me laugh...I needed it.
mcgis...hello...Thanks for your words of encouragement! Good for you coming up on your last chemo treatment!! I am not going to be too hard on myself...but I want to make better choices. I will just see how it goes...I am trying to learn to be kind and firm with myself. Had my port Friday before last...so glad that is out of the way. Take care...let us know about your last treatment.
Hi LLLx2...I find it interesting to read about it, i will check out the book. Sorry to hear about the MS...I totally agree that your quote "I may not br where I intended to be...but I am exacctly where I am meant to be..." I have found that even more true since BC. Wishing you the best.
If I lose this post I am going to scream!
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BTW I did dig out my old color gameboy and play games through chemo infusion. It's so boring. My DH came with me but he just read the paper or a book.
Here's a song I always thought about when I was doing chemo. I think it might have been the effects of the Benadryl: linky
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lovewins - Thanks for your good wishes for my DD, so sweet. She will be fine, she is a tough one. She is super busy with her internship and more angry than hurt about the boyfriend - she wouldn't classify herself as having a broken heart, but I am willing to bet she would like to break a few things of his.....
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Gout, go to Dr or ER.
Specialk, your DD sounds like she'll make it.
Lago,.I loved Dr Mario! Best game ever, well, that and tetris.
Lovewins, keeping fingers crossed you cam keep it up with mo smoking.
LLL, sorry to hear you have MS. THAT is definetly not fun
Much to all.0 -
hey lago my b-day is 2-8-1960!
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Lovewins there is a gal on the Illinois ladies thread with the same date (no year). We've been celebrating for the last couple of years together. You'll have to join us virtually
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Yay ChickaD! You made it through and had your last tx!
lovewins, congrats on quitting smoking! That's quite an accomplishment!
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