Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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wizard. I worked the whole time. Tough walking in some days while panting. I did 4 TCH. I had chemo Thursdays and took off the Monday after for the 4 cycles. It got me in the end. The last cycle I was beat down even about 12 days later.
Doing well now. Energy up and back to running. Weight down less than at the start.
One day at a time
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Hi Oceanbreeze,
Below is a link to a thread with a list of things that may help with SE's - I wouldn't go out and spend alot of money buying all of this stuff cause some you may never need. Here is what I have used basically from the beginning. Biotin toothpaste and mouthwash - to help with the mouth issues. A stool softner and metamucil - to help with the constipation that i get every round. Imodium - I had the big "d" bad once and this help and glad I had it on hand and did not have to run out to get it.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/706846?page=1
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I think it is hard to know if you will be able to work, and on which days, until you get a couple of tx under your belt. It is best is you can be flexible, but I know everybody's employers may not be. I was fortunate to have short and long term disab - burned all my FMLA before chemo thanks to a lot of surgery.
oceanbreeze - you should not be handling your own OTC meds for anti-nausea - other than ginger tea or hard candy. You need prescription strength, and it comes from your MO. They should give you several options - I had three already filled and ready to go - instructions to use whichever one worked the best. Pretty much the same with heartburn stuff - I never had it but I know others did - chemo irritates all the soft tissue and your GI tract has a lot of that. You need to advise your MO of any OTC you are using, including the Claritin if you use it for Neulasta/Neupogen. I used Tylenol, Claritin, had Immodium and while I did have the Big D I didn't have it bad enough to use the Immodium -it laasted for about a week and a half after each tx - but not a severe case. I did use some anti-neuropathy stuff - 30g of L-Glutamine, Vitamin B-6 and Acetyl L-Carnitine. Talk to your MO about those if you are interested - some will let you take it, some won't, and some advise against it but say they can't supervise us 24 hours a day, said with a wink. I did have Biotene mouth products, but had to use a prescription for mouth sores. Some people gargle several times a day with the baking soda/salt/water combo. I used dark opaque polish on nails, removed it the day after chemo and then painted on Sally Hansen hard as nails clear polish, one coat a day for seven days, then removed that and started that process over until the next tx. I also iced hands and feet through the Taxotere infusion.
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I agree with Special K about waiting to decide on working. I was lucky also and had short term and long term disability and my job was not cool with me missing alot of work so my social worker told me to start off work for chemo and then if I felt good I could work. She said this put me in control and it was some of the best advise I ever received. She is a great social worker.
I took 5 months off and I would not have been able to work only very few days. I worked part time during radation. I am now back to work full time while on herceptin. 3 more treatments!!!
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Thanks everyone for the feedback on working during chemo. Luckily, my first chemo will be while I'm still on medical leave and I won't have to worry about should I or should I not go to work. I'll have to make my decision in the next couple of weeks about whether to extend by medical leave or return to work.
I found out today that my first chemo will be pushed back to next week instead of this Thursday...YAY!!! I had my echocardiogram last week, CT Scans today and tomorrow I'll get my port. I'm relieved to have this week to mentally prepare and get things in order as things have been a bit crazy and overwhelming around here.
Wishing everyone a good day
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I should have prefaced my comments with, I had no vacation, no sick and no FMLA because I changed jobs 10 days before I started chemo. My old company was closing and I got an offer from a competitor I could not refuse. They were and have been very accommodating, some days I just did not have what it took to be functional and left early. Had I stayed at my other job, I would have still tried to work. I found for me, that getting up and having somewhere to go everyday helped me focus on things other than treatment. Not that is was easy...... You will do what works best for you. good luck
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hmmmmmm, starting to worry a bit from reading posts but its just a wait and see I guess. I have no "time frame" for this. I stay on each chemo as long as they r working, then move on to the next. It seems for most everyone, it got tougher towards the end rounds. The chemos I have been on so far have been the same from start to finish, for the most part. I have scheduled one week off every month..hope that works.
Thanks again everyone
Good luck wizard...I start a week before you
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Hey Wizard, Susan, and OceanBreeze - best of luck!!
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Here's a lil good news for us HER2+ Girls!!!
low recurrence risk is small HER2 positive tumors:
http://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/Risk-of-Recu...
Neratinib passed Phased III trials!
http://www.pharmatimes.com/Article/14-07-23/Puma_l...
Here's a study from last yr for advanced HER2 and Neratib
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Working and treatments - I had my first treatment and went back to work with a "plan", I'd take X days off after treatment, work part time certain days then full time...mistake!!! Each treatment effected me differently, plus the fatigue increased each time. You just don't know what will happen. I like the suggestion that you plan to take the time off, then if you feel up to it you can work. I did have short and long term disability, thank God. In retrospect I wish that I had just stopped working at the time of surgery through radiation. All trying to work did was frustrate me. Then when it was all over, I ended up with residual side effects that did not allow me to go back to work....again thank God for long term disability!
Not everyone has the same issues that I did, so don't mean to scare you, just letting you know my experience.
Linda
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QUESTION - Is Herceptin easy to take through the veins? or does it kill them the way Chemo does?
I have a port put in...but I want my reconstruction done this year.....dont want to pay an additional $6K for out of network deductibles/co-insurance to have reconstruction next year (Plastic Surgeon is not In Network).
The port location is almost part of breast area....so would imagine it would need to come out to do reconstruction.
My chemo ends Oct 29th....and want to do reconstruction (trade these ridiculously hard TE's for nice soft Gummies) ASAP after.
So if Port is removed, then my Herceptin transfusions (end mid July 2015) would be through an IV in my arm...just wondering how difficult or easy that is....
Thanks!!!
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jennliza - since Herceptin is not a chemo agent I don't think it would have a deleterious effect on your veins, but you have to consider whether you want to be stuck that many times. They will start in your hand usually, because if they start an IV further up, then can only move up, not down - I recommend hydrating prior to infusion and using a warm towel prior to them trying to set the IV. I still have my port and have had recon (several times, lol!) already, no problem with my port which is just below my collarbone and the hollow of my throat, but I understand wanting to remove yours, particularly if you can do it all in one surgery.
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that's funny jennliza I just asked that question on a different thread. I just had surgery and they moved my port up just slightly. But it's been bothering me. And I feel it limits me sport and exercise wise.
I have herceptin until march probably, but I was wondering the same thing how hard is it on your veins?
I have pretty easy veins so I think I rather ditch my port. It was definitely worth it during my 6 hour chemos though. I just wish I'd thought about this before my mastectomy. They could have taken it out then. I'm not in any hurry to go back to the hospital.
Anyone had the port taken out? How is it?
Good luck to you guys staring chemo, and I hope all have little to no SE.
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My port removal was easy-peasy. Twilight sedation, back to normal almost immediately (within a day or two I was exercising that arm with no symptoms).
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Thank you Jennliza....I had a small her2+ tumor removed almost 1 year ago. This seems like very good news!0 -
I had TCH and almost a year of Herceptin with no port. My veins are difficult to find though. I had one vein they used all through my Herceptin treatments and it held up really well (on the side of my wrist). Just don't let them use it for MUGA scans. They messed mine up last week, but fortunately my MO decided to take me off of Herceptin, so I'll never know if they were still able to use it.
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I had port problems so they pulled mine out after my 3rd chemo. I then got chemo #4 and later Herceptin only #1 through my veins. They went in through the lower part of my arm since I didn't want my hands stuck (ouch). My chemo was TC (no adriamycin) so the IV was ok, and the Herceptin alone was just fine. The Herceptin is much less risky.
But I got a new port. I had ~12 more Herceptin infusions to go and I didn't want to scar my veins. But then for the second port they gave me a "slim" port. This is great because I have very little flesh between my collar bone and skin. The first port was very painful, I would feel the catheter rubbing against my collarbone. The new one isn't doing that. Well it might also be the skill of the different surgeons who put them in.
I wish I had known about the slim port from the start - I think it makes a difference.
As for removing the port, it's not too bad. I had mine pulled under just local anesthesia, no sedation, but I wouldn't do that again. The lidocaine really, really, really stung when they injected it.
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Hi everyone!
I'm Jen, and I'm new to this forum. Diagnosed at the end of April, bilateral mastectomy on May 30th, and just started TCH a week ago today. I'm 42, normally an avid hiker, biker, bodysurfer, and yoga enthusiast (and the opposite of a germophobe! So weird to have to think about that stuff
)So far I haven't had any real nausea, but if I eat more than a little bit at any one sitting my tummy hurts like heck for an hour. Ginger seems to help some, and just eating teeny meals. Fruit tastes bad to me, but most other things are ok so far
I've been super - duper tired, Although yesterday and today were a bit better. Think an hour and a half of activity begetting a five-hour nap. This probably has to do with the pain I'll talk about at the end of this post. ..So, with no further adieu, here's a quickie list of some complaints and quick questions that go with them, followed by the main concern that's prompted me to make my first post here
I break out in a rash whenever I get hot. sitting in the 90 degree shade for half an hour today made my chest and shoulders bust out in red, itchy dots. Not being in the sun, just the heat. (Is cortisone lotion a good solution for this? And does gold bond or other body powders help prevent it?) Also, my lips are horribly, horribly dry, even though my mouth hasn't gotten bad at all yet. (what's the best type of lip balm y'all like to use?)
My biggest problem has been pain around my tissue expanders. My reconstructive surgeon put 120ccs of saline into them just before I started chemo, and they were noticeably more sore and tighter than they'd been to that point. Since my first infusion though, the pain has skyrocketed. I've been back on percoset a good hunk of the time just to get through the day. I called my oncologist and my RS about it on Monday, and ended up having to go to the ER to have it checked out because they were worried about blood clots in my lungs and because the pain is in my chest (chest pain of course being big red flag words). Naturally all my tests came back negative and now I'm looking for a referral to physical therapy next time I see my RS, hoping that myofascial massage might be the solution. anyone else have any experience with this?
Anyway, sorry for the long post. I'm just excited to be on the forum!
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Welcome Jenkay...I went thru chemo during the Winter, but I think I remember someone saying to stay out of the sun during chemo. I ate tiny meals too. I had lumectomy so can't help you out with expander question.Take care...
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Hi JenKay and welcome - I will just address one item - my TE's were more uncomfortable after chemo than before - seemed to come on about 4-5 days after my infusion and lasted about 4-5 days. I think it may be a SE of taxotere and how it effects your muscles. Your pecs contract and then your TE's will be more painful or uncomfortable. I found this happened after each treatment.
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Linda505,
Thanks for the reply. I'm sure at this point that it's going to be one of those things that I'll just have to deal with each time
Lovewins,
You're right, I'm supposed to stay out of the sun (and the ocean). It's hard because pretty much all of my recreational activities involved being out in it. When I talked about the heat rash in my other post, I meant it was just from being hot in the shade or in a building or car, not from the sun
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JenKay...we are almost Cancer Twins!
I'm Jennifer and 42 as well....I was diagnosed Mid April and had BMX on May 20th. I went in with just DCIS came out with .6cm of ER/PR/HER2+ IDC in my right breast! I also had tissue expanders put it in and am doing TCH. I started Chemo last week b/c I did 2 rounds of IVF first (unsuccessful).
Question: were your TE's expanded at all when you came out of surgery? Mine were and I was in unbelievable pain. I had to stay in the hospital an extra day for the pain....and the nurses kept screwing up and not giving me the doctor ordered break through shot of Dilaudid. I had to set my phone alarms to get my meds.....
So if that was your 1st expansion....I would expect it to be quite painful. I had a second expansion (first since surgery) a few weeks...and it didnt really hurt....nothing that Aleve wouldnt take care of. I am getting another expansion on Aug 1st...will let you know how it goes.
I havent really been in the sun since I started Chemo.....last weekend was my 1st weekend after chemo and I was sleeping most of the time. But my MO did tell me that chemo makes you more light/sun sensitive and to wear a wide-brimmed hat if I'm out in the sun.
Fruit is still delicious to me.....but salt...normally my favorite thing is just too much!!! I can eat it, but it's intense and also upsets my stomach. Thankfully, my s/e's have been mild so far....has some aches/headache and crampy stomach on days 3-5....with day 4 being the worst. Next time I will take my meds starting day 3....and not wait for symptoms.
I hope your TE pain goes away soon.... and take your time with expansion....not like you can do the transfer before chemo end anyway!
-Jennifer
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Jennifer,
You're right, we are cancer twins! I had a similar experience with the DCIS turning out to be stage I... And I had the same issue with pain in the hospital. They almost kept me another day, but ended up just prescribing me stronger percosets. So yes, I did have them expanded during surgery, and have had several expansions since (surgery was may 30). This last one was basically my next-to last expansion, but it was a larger volume fill than the rest of them have been, so it was already sore, and the chemo just seems to aggravate it.
I have been avoiding the sun too, but it's summertime in Southern California so just running errands is a hot and sweaty experience.
It's funny you say that about salt, I have the opposite issue- I can't really taste it, and have to be careful not to dump a bunch on my food and blow out my taste buds entirely
Thanks for your reply! Let's keep in touch as we go
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JenKay - Oh...and to add to the twins...I was supposed to start on July 16th (saw your post in "Starting Chemo in July")....but had a port put in instead so was moved to July 17th. But will be doing Chemo on Wed's going forward....next one Aug 6th.
Will definitely keep in touch!
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jenkay - ask your PS for some Valium, it will help relax the pectoral muscles (and possibly the rest of you!) and may help with the discomfort. There are some other muscle relaxers - Soma, Skelaxin or Flexiril, but a lot of ladies think Valium works the best. Chemo agents will cause a photosensitive rash, so be careful of the sun - the heat may be enough to trigger. I had chemo during hot months in Florida and basically just had to stay inside - I got the rash on my arms and face. Tell your onc about it though because it can also be a mild allergic reaction to the drugs themselves. If food is hurting your stomach you might also benefit from a acid reduction med - like Pepcid/Prilosec/Zantac, or even Tums. Chemo irritates soft tissue and the GI tract has a lot of it. Having less acid in your stomach might make it less sensitive.
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My MO took me off Herceptin early. I'm officially finished with treatment. Can anyone share how long it took them to start feeling better after stopping Herceptin? I'm curious how long I'll be feeling yucky.
Welcome to the new ladies I see!!
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SpecialK, thanks. I'll as home about the Valium when I see him next week. I went to yoga this morning and plan to be doing that 3-4 times a week on my good weeks so hopefully that will help as well.
I should clarify, I'm not hanging out in the sun at all, I'm covering up and staying inside/in the shade like I'm supposed to.. It's hard since most of my favorite activities involve being out in it, but that'll just make next summer that much more awesome! When I was talking about the rash I just meant when I'm hot, like in a warm building or in the shade when it's 90° outside. I'm in Southern California so it's pretty much just gonna stay hot here for the next 3 months
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jenkay, all I can answer is the dry lips. On xeloda I tried about everything I could for peeling dry, all areas...a client of mine gave me Mary Kay emollient cream for the face. It is truly the best thing ever. I put it on my feet, hands and lips and had a much easier time. I am happy she suggested it. Good luck.
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I also used Aquaphor. Everywhere. Seriously, everywhere.
jenkay - I am in Florida - I feel you on the heat - probably ambient temps are enough to set off the rash. I also noticed that my node arm swelled in the heat.
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jenkay - second the Aquafor. They also make a small version for the lips. My favorite lotion & cream was CeraVe - everywhere all the time. I used it through rads too and didn't have much burning. I'm in Houston and was doing chemo last summer. I found I had to stay completely inside in the air conditioning for the summer. I even had to give up walking in the evenings. Major bummer.
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