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Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

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Comments

  • lovewins
    lovewins Member Posts: 570
    edited December 2013

    the first treatment I had a mouth sore and I used Listerine blue mouthwash and haven't had one since.  started to get on a day ago and I used the mouth wash and it cleared right up. it worked for me....hope it works for you if you try it.  let me know I am curious.  good luck.

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,357
    edited December 2013


    I had some "magic mouthwash" but I found using hydrogen peroxide cut 1/1 with water worked just as well.

  • naiviv
    naiviv Member Posts: 308
    edited December 2013


    VIJI,


    I got a mouth full about a week after tx # 1, During second tx I drank very cold water and keept ice in my mouth for the whole hour of taxotere. I only had 2 sensitive areas in my mouth but no sores developed. I just had tx# 3 today and did the same with ice and water, I let you know if it worked as well.


    Once I had them I wash with biotene toothpaste and a very soft baby toothbrush and rinse with salt and baking soda multiple times a day. Once I started rinsing a lot they got better and less painful.


    I think you should be hydating always and continuoulsly, good for the body. I am not as good as I should be during H weeks, but I try to get as much liquid in me as I can.


    Take care,


    Vivian

  • Viji
    Viji Member Posts: 89
    edited December 2013


    Thank you ladies! How magical is this... ask and you get answers...what a great support group!!!

  • m1970
    m1970 Member Posts: 261
    edited December 2013


    Vikings, I haven't had any new mouth sores since being on Herceptin only. I still use biotine toothpaste and mouthwash because it hasn't run out. Hydration is always a good thing, but I've slacked off and seen no effects.






    Orange mama, days 2-5 were bad. A full week to feel pretty good. For something like the ski vacation I'd try to but that as close to the end of the cycle as possible. My energy was zapped and I found I didn't have the stamina to be as active as I like. It would build throughout the cycle. Showing up to a party for a few hours I could do on day 4-5. Cooking a holiday meal and entertain all day or skiing all day, that takes so much more energy and I couldn't do that until maybe day 14, and even then I would have to be careful not to overdo it. I constantly conserved my energy so it would be there for what I really wanted. People would see me out, dancing or taking a short hike or kayak trip and be amazed but they had no idea what I had to forgo to be able to do that. I could do maybe a quarter of what I used to. But since my "normal" activity level was so much more active that most people it seemed to them that I was perfectly fine. I didn't work until the last month of carbo taxotere. In retrospect I might have been happier working but I was afraid I wouldn't be able to have enough energy after to keep food in the house, but I probably could. I could have maybe done more if I had help, but those offers dried up quickly after my surgery. People assumed I was fine. I did have a few dear friends that helped me with cold capping that also bright me treats. I feel very blessed to have had them help me. It was just hard for me to ask for help.

  • ChickaD
    ChickaD Member Posts: 971
    edited December 2013

    Thanks so much to all of you who personally checked on me since I have not posted for 8-9 days.....it really touched my heart♥

    So recently I was able to get AmaWaterways to sponsor 2 autumn river cruises in Europe .....for every booking they will donate $500 to breast cancer research, prevention and treatment.

    I started a NEW post in the fund raising section.....

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/63/topic/815789?page=1#idx_1PLEASE

    bookmark it as one of your favorites to maybe join me on one of the cruises or at least to "bump" the post as soon as I have all the info!

    Thank you for your help!  xoxo

    image

  • oranje_mama
    oranje_mama Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2013


    Marsha1970, thanks so much for sharing your experience. It's a big leap into the unknown, isn't it. I'm fortunate in that my work is very flexible and I have other options available short of going on disability (that is also an option if I need it). What I have been struggling with in my own mind is that I know that I should get in exercise during chemo. It's hard enough for me to squeeze it in between my full-time job & being a mom to 2 school age kids as it is. If I'm fatigued, I can totally see that I just don't do it. So I'm going to try to build a work schedule that schedules in exercise (my exercise of choice is swimming, which is fabulous exercise but unfortunately is also very time-consuming by its nature). But I'm going to block time for swimming as it if it were a doc appointment - something that just has to happen, non-negotiable.


    The more I've thought about it, the more unlikely I think the trip we've planned will take place. Thinking instead that we may try to schedule a shorter trip closer to home late in 3-week cycle. Might just take the kids out of school for a couple days. I think teachers will understand :). Cancer card is good for some things. The two things my kids talk about the most re cancer: 1) they may have to miss this much-anticipated ski trip, and 2) that I'll be losing my hair. Right now those seem to be the things impacting them most. I'm hoping that a consolation short ski trip might help.

  • ChickaD
    ChickaD Member Posts: 971
    edited December 2013

    Oops...here is what I wanted to share with all of you...

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/63/topic/815789?page=1#idx_1

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261
    edited December 2013

    oranje - check with your onc regarding the swimming if you have a port.  They may want you to stay out of the water - most of the exercise advice I have seen is to walk as much as possible.

  • oranje_mama
    oranje_mama Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2013


    Today was a busy "cancer" day for me. Got the port placed this morning, then an echocardiogram, followed by wig shopping.


    I'm really glad I went to the wig store today - it's the one located most conveniently to my home & I discovered today that they follow the school holiday schedule so after Saturday they won't reopen until Jan 2nd. They will cut off my hair & make a "halo" out of my own hair for use under hats for $119. I hope that my hair can last until Jan 2nd. That will be Day 14 for me, so should make it. I have a lot of hair (at this moment . . .) so even if some has fallen out by then I think I should have enough left for it.


    My onc and the surgeon who did the port placement both said swimming was fine after the incision heals (so after 7-10 days).


    I'm sad about my hair, my kids are too, but it's my husband who looks stricken whenever I mention the word "hair" or "wig." There are lots of things to hate about this, but this is a big one for me.

  • Viji
    Viji Member Posts: 89
    edited December 2013


    Oranjemama, it is a BIG one for each and everyone of us. It is the one outward sign of being a cancer patient and it sucks big time. Good luck with your treatment.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    Oh yeah. Hair. Or actually no hair. It IS a big thing. My wig store buzzed me after it started falling off. Then took so hour to fit my wig just right. Even cutting and sewing it to fit. My DH came to the store with me. So did my daughter. She wanted me to go red. And long. Really bad idea! LOL.  I ended up with a wig so much like my own that no one knew. LOL.  Good luck. you will get through it. 

  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,304
    edited December 2013

    oranje- my MO said no swimming during chemo in a public pool because our immune sysrerm is so low and a public pool is just full of germs. If I had my own private pool he would have been fine with it. So the reason for no swimming didn't have anything to do with the port, the MO was very worried about infection.

  • lovewins
    lovewins Member Posts: 570
    edited December 2013

    today I had an episode where my eye was twitching and it effected my eye sight where in one spot it was like it was swirling around and I could not see right.  it did go away after about 15 minutes but it really scared me.  my next treatment is in 5 days so I am pretty far out from my mast treatment.  anyone else have this happen?

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    Don't mess with eyes. Call your doc. 

  • flaviarose
    flaviarose Member Posts: 249
    edited December 2013

    I developed eye twitching during TCH - sometimes it would affect my vision so that it was hard to see.  It didn't happen the first few treatments, and got much worse toward my last 2 or 3 treatments.   My last treatment was Oct. 16, and my eyes are much better.  I still get occasional twitching, but it is now rare.  The nurse practitioner said not to change my glasses because eye changes are usually temporary.  Still, you should mention it to your MO, and it wouldn't hurt to see an eye doctor.

  • oranje_mama
    oranje_mama Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2013

    1st chemo tomorrow.  feeling kinda freaked out.  

  • lovewins
    lovewins Member Posts: 570
    edited December 2013

    Omama...hugs to you.  I will share with you what someone told me that gave me comfort.  Getting the actual chemo treatment was pretty uneventful.  I thought it was going to be painful but it wasn't.  I hope and pray the same for you.  You maybe able to ask for an anti-anxiety pill prior to from the nurse.  I took a Xanax the morning of but I would say you should ask your MO first. 

  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 2,461
    edited December 2013

    oranje-mama -  you can do this!  Seek the courage that we all have within ourselves.  You are doing battle...you are a warrior...and chemo is your shield, your friend...not the enemy.     If I could do this, anyone can. :)

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,357
    edited December 2013

    Oranje - hope everything is going OK w/your 1st round.  Looking forward to hearing from you.

  • oranje_mama
    oranje_mama Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2013

    Just checking it, 1st chemo was fine.  Like lovewins said, pretty uneventful.  Read 3 People magazines & a Vanity Fair cover to cover :).  

    Took 6 hours from start to finish, I had a private room and a nice nurse.  No reactions to anything and tonight I feel a bit tired and foggy but nothing major.  I'm watching carefully what I eat, trying not to eat anything too hard to digest.  My boss sent over dinner for my family tonight :)(bbq brisket, chicken, mac&cheese, the works), I've tasted it all but tried to keep my portions small.  So far no taste changes.

    So it's a Thumb's Up for Day 1. :)

  • Viji
    Viji Member Posts: 89
    edited December 2013

    Good for you Oranjemama!

  • ChickaD
    ChickaD Member Posts: 971
    edited December 2013

    Yay Miss Oranje on completing your first chemo! 

  • soriya123
    soriya123 Member Posts: 384
    edited December 2013

    Had my follow up on Echocardiogram again, still in 70.  phew.....    Orange mama, i hope SE go easy on you.  Make sure drink a lot of fluids.

  • lovewins
    lovewins Member Posts: 570
    edited December 2013

    I am glad first chemo was uneventful!   Like everyone says drink lots of water!

  • dancetrancer
    dancetrancer Member Posts: 2,461
    edited December 2013

    Great to hear oranje! 

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    orange, glad you got through it. Drink. Especially now a couple days after I d I'd not want to but you need to. My nurses said eat a bit on even hours and be sure to drink on odd hours. Just to be sure you were doing both. Because you don't really want to. Good luck. 

  • oranje_mama
    oranje_mama Member Posts: 79
    edited December 2013

    Thanks all!  I'm drinking and drinking.  Never had to pee so much in my life!

    Made the healing tea from the Cancer-Fighting Cookbook.  It's pretty good.  Whole house smelled delicious while it was brewing.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    to ok I'll bite what's in that Tea?

  • lovewins
    lovewins Member Posts: 570
    edited December 2013

    moonflower...I like the suggestion of odd and even hours alternating food and drink!  hope you are feeling well.

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