Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
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Great news soriya! I am so glad your MO was thoughtful enough to call you before the holiday.0 -
thank you everyone for your goods wishes Soriya. Big hugs.thx Moonflwer it's just been a hell of a year. I need to calm down, I'll need to make so many decisions regarding her health. My brother deals with her financial needs. and I deal with the rest. I just wish I wasn't so emotional. I'm not sure if it's just everything I have to deal with or maybe the hormonal therapy is kicking in and doing a strange number on my head. I feel so emotional about everything. I'm sitting here just crying. It's so not me. I've got to get my act together. I'm seeing my mo on. Monday. Hercpetin day and will ask her if it's me, my life or the medication. I won't feel so bad if she says it's the meds. But I hope I stop crying soon. I just stopped to pick up soup with tears just rolling down my face. I think I was a bit like this during menopause I hope it doesn't stay or I can get it under control. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone0 -
My Dear BC Friends/Family,
I wish all of you and your families and friends a Very Blessed, Health filled, Bountiful and Happy Thanksgiving Day. You have all entered and affected my life in many different ways, from your heart wrenching dx's, surgeries, chemos, survival tips, sharing life's precious moments and everday anecdotals.
I am thankful to each and every one of you, for sharing and helping me and so many others through our anxiety, worries, tears, chuckles, laughs, rants,vents, pity moments.....the list continues.
You will each be at my Thanksgiving table,
Vivian0 -
Great news Soriya! Enjoy your thanksgiving-you deserve it!!!0 -
soriya - excellent news - exactly what we were all hoping for!
goutlaw - hoping that your spot is also benign!
naiviv - I echo your very eloquent post - beautifully said.
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goutlaw, hugs. ChickaD still praying for your DH and you. Viv that was beautiful. SORIYA that's so great that they called. A real thing to be thankful for. And Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I am so thankful for all the wonderful people on the board.
Much love to all.0 -
Yes Happy Thanksgiving everyone!0 -
Sasha10, I have a theory about why we often cry more during and after treatment.... which has nothing to do with emotions.... the NP told me that they found that taxotere is eliminated from the body through tears.... so think of those tears as a way your are detoxifying after all the poison that was in your system. Cry away!0 -
Happy Thanksgiving!0 -
Thank you flaviarose. And Happy Thanksgiving.0 -
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!0 -
starting this chemo 12/5 and looking for some real experiences on SE specific to this TCH.
My plan is chemo Thursdays, work on Fridays, rest all weekend, back to work Monday if I am up to it (half day if feeling crappy). I have a desk job, but one that can require lots of focus on mult moving parts and details.
So, is this doable or am I just naive?0 -
Texas, working through chemo is doable, but can be a challenge. You can always try that schedule and see how it works out. I always worked the day after chemo, but usually had to leave about noon or 1pm. Then I was down for 4-5 days before I went back. You really just have to wait and see how you do. We all had/have a differing level of severity of SE's. Make sure you have hand sanitizer and wipes for everything from the buttons on the copier to the handle on the coffeepot. You want to make sure you don't pick up anyone else's germs with you lowered immune system.0 -
Everyone is different. Some have worked, I was not able to. My employer expected me to be at 100%. I have had 4 treatments and have 2 more to go. They also can be cumulative. I am hoping I can work part time during radiation. Lots of good tips if you read thru the thread. #1 drink lots of water. Wishing you light SE's.
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Texas
We all respond differently. But I'll tell you about me. You may very well be able to work. You wiill have to wait for your bloodwork to make sure your counts are good.
I received first TCH on a 10/25 Friday. I was fine all that day and Saturday. I went to bed at around 11pm at 11:59 I woke up and didn't make it to the restroom. The nausea and vomiting was intense for about an hour. Took meds and got vomiting under control Nausea lasted till Thursday and then Diarhea/stomach cramps kicked in til Sunday (I needed to be close to a bathroom). Friday mouth was sore and had mouth sores that lasted very sore another week then got better until disappeared. My Neulasta Shot was on Sunday and I had bone pain, so much that I had to take a percocet for relief on Monday. I also developed a rash on my hands during second week that itched up a storm. Also tired.
Second TCH was last week 11/21 Thursday . I felt fine on Thursday, Nausea on Friday. I took meds at first sign. zofran Tuesday D kicked in with stomache cramps. Today stiill have nausea, big D acid indigestion and stomach cramps. I was extremely tired from day 2. I received Neulast on Friday 11/22. No bone pain, just aches with an occasion punch here and there. Still tired.
I have not been able to go in to office, but have worked from home.
ask if you have any questions
Vivian0 -
OneTexasDay - I started 1 of 6 treatments today so if you want to know day by day what is going on with me, you can ask. I started with two 4mg dexamethasone yesterday morning and two more in the evening. Then two more this morning at 6:30am. My treatment was at 9:00am and I received three more 4mg along with some Tylenol and Benadryl. Emend 125mg and Aloxi .25mg were also included. Sorry the long list, they called it the Cadillac of pre meds
pretty much keeps nausea away for 5 days. Started with 1.5 hours of herceptin then 1 hour taxotere and last .5 hour carboplatin. Finished at 1pm. Only felt a little tipsy and tired about halfway through everything. Drank lots of water today and ate smaller meals through day. Still tired but am going to go to two tree lighting events tonight. Nothing bad at all yet. I will also take two more 4 mg dexamethasone tonight and repeat morning and evening tomorrow. I also have 2 other anti nausea meds to take as a precautions. I will take two zofran tonight, two 3 times sat and two 3 times sun. I also have compazine as a back up. With all this, I have a feeling i will not have nausea but maybe constipation. They said take 2 senokot-s. Or in their words... Take 2 SS in the PM for a BM in the AM Hope this helps Texas!0 -
JK - two things - both chemo and Zofran can cause a wicked headache, also Zofran did not work for me at all - I had to go to the Compazine, that worked great. It took me until tx#2 to figure this out. Also, I would hesitate to pre-medicate for GI issues until you know what will happen. I had all the same pre-meds and chemo agents you did, never had a moment of Big C, but had Big D for 10 days following each tx. So be careful!
Also - note that we do not all receive the drugs in the same order - I had them in TCH order, Taxotere first, then Carboplatin, then Herceptin, so don't freak if they go in a random order. If you plan to ice your fingernails and toenails ask in advance which order the drugs will go in so you will know when to start icing.
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Thanks for the advice SpecialK. You are always right there giving great advice to those who are new to all of this and some that aren't so new to all of this 0 -
For me the effects of TCH have been cumulative. Was okay for 1 and 2, then went down for 3 and now after 4, I am extremely fatigued and have a flu like feeling. The sore throat from tx#3 has not gone and now has been made more severe by tx#4. I feel completely useless and want to crawl into a hole and curl up. So I could not have worked through this. I admire those who do...
Good luck!0 -
thanks for all the great feedback. Keep it coming. Every bit helps me feel better prepared for what is to come.
How many of you iced your nails? Gonna be icing my scalp so I had not planned on doing that too. What was the SE for those who did not on this chemo mix.0 -
OneTexasDay, since you want more feedback: I didn't work through chemo (well, actually, I'm a college professor and did teach 2 online classes from home).... couldn't get off the couch some days. Felt pretty shitty throughout. All the medications didn't agree with me, zofran and compazine gave me headaches, on my final treatment ended up with phenergan which worked, somewhat. A lot of nausea and vomiting. Also episodes of dehydration (couldn't drink water) and fainting. Also severely anemic, also low platelets - very fatigued, short of breath. eye twitching. just feeling BAD. They ended up reducing my dosage to 80% because of the platelet thing - the last 2 treatments were more bearable. Glad it is over, starting to feel more like myself. It is a long haul. Radiation for me is much more doable.0 -
Hi Miss Texas....I iced my fingers and toes thru the taxotere portion of chemo each time and my nails are still ok...I soaked the tips of an old pair of gloves in water and then put them in the freezer along with an old pair of socks for my toes.
I have not worked since my surgery back in April...I was just one of those "over-achievers" when it came to side effects...ugh.
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onetexasday - I iced for all six TCH infusions with bags of frozen peas, one for each foot and each hand.
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Miss Texas - remember you can always slow down the infusion rate. My taxotere always took 90 min. and carbo was 60 min. I wouldn't let them speed it up.0 -
My center always infused slow throughout chemo and H, but tried to speed it up for H only - first time I had a lot of joint and muscle pain, so slowed it back to 90 minutes, no more pain. I also think faster infusions may be harder on the body.
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oneT, I was another over achiever (thanks chickaD) i also had the big D not the more usual constipation. My TCH dosage had to be lowered after i ended up hospitalized. But please don't let us scare you. Many go through without bad SEs. I think if we have trouble we are more vocal to look for help. Much love.0 -
Texas -
I received my infusions on Tuesdays, felt minor queasiness Wed of round 1&2. Flu-like after first Neulasta (round 2 for me) Thurs. , sleepy on Fridays through the weekend. But had friends visiting weekend of round 3 and went sight seeing with them!, round 4 was the hardest. Powered through 5&6. SE were slightly different each round. Could I have worked? Maybe. Well, probably - but only with a lot of help. I'm an at-home Mom and my youngest was in three half-days of preschool last year. Had lots of help with carpool, meals, and help with housework, too. But some days I was feeling great and out in the yard doing crazy things like power -washing the play set. With a bit of flexibility, I think you could work, but if you find yourself having to take a long weekend or impromptu half-days to recover, DO! It's much easier to bounce back and feel like yourself if you take it easy on the front end than it is to get your strength back if you run yourself ragged.
Prayers for a smooth first round and that you'll be one of the lucky ones with minimal SE!
Don't forget to drink, drink,drink! (Water, that is.).
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Hi Texas, as for me first treatment was the worst cus my tummy hurt,sweat at night like crazy n I faint n headache almost daily. Thru all treatments I only vomit 2 twice maybe cuz I took my med on time. Fatigue was pretty bad but i just rest when im tired. Constipation is not that bad. Big D only a few times. On 5 & 6 treatment I had swelling ankles for at least 3 or 4 days. I was able to drink carrot juice and water, but I had no appetite at least 7 days. I think I hate the most when I cant really eat, had no taste cus everything taste like cardboard to me.
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PS - for some a nasty side effect is heart burn - taking Prilosec or Zantac helps.0 -
Texas, I iced my fingers and toes during the taxotere portion of tx. I used a combination of frozen peas and ice packs in insulated lunch bags for my hands and the gel ice packs with the velcro strap for my toes. I took it all to the infusion center in an insulated cooler. Between the cooler and my big bag with blanket, ipad, snacks, magazines, etc. I looked like I was moving in for the day. I did not have any lifting issues with my nails and they never turned dark, they are still splitting though and I am wondering if it is because of the Herceptin. My infusion center ran everything slowly too. 90 min Herceptin, 90 min taxotere, 60 min carbo, plus the steroids, anti nauseas, benedryl and flush at the end. I was always there 8+ hours.0
