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Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
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Well,,,,,the swelling in my legs and ankles went away. Havent been eating much since Wed,,,,,,,,,just not hungry,,,,,got on the scale,,,,lost 6 1/2 pounds. Go figure huh? So guess the weight gain was from the fluid retention. Wonder why all of a sudden it went away? I mean,,,,,thats good,,,,,,,I'm not complaining ,,,,,but strange.
Have a great weekend all................
Cindy0 -
Hard to figure out this chemo stuff huh?
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my weight fluctuates by as much as 6 pounds a DAY! It's got to be fluid. The sad part is everytime i"m happy about the way my stomach looks when it's flat and my weight is done, my doctor says i'm dehydrated and my heart rate is 140, so they pump with with IV fluids and my bloating comes right back! Chemo sucks. I can't wait to be done with it. 3 more treatments!
Leslie0 -
I'm starting Taxotere and Carboplatin on Monday no Herceptin as im Trip neg this is 2nd diagnosis for me in 14months found lump under right arm on node scar no nodes involved first time any tips on these chemos Cas
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hi Cas, I'm sorry you had to join us. I don't know what you received the first time, but taxotere and carboplatin is very doable. Make sure to take the steroids they prescribe you because it prevents reaction to the chemo and also keeps the limb edema down to a minimum. Not many other problems with the chemo except I hear the carbo can cause quite a bit of nausea but i haven't had too many problems. I take zofran twice a day for about 4 days, and then the nausea just goes away. don't plan on getting much done the week of chemo, but on day 7, I wake up feeling normal again. Mouth sores aren't a big problem with this chemo, I think I've had a total of 2 sores and I've done 3 rounds of chemo already. Good luck.
Leslie0 -
Cas, this is my second diagnosis, too, and I'm also triple negative. I had dose-dense ACx4, Taxolx4 in 2005. New primary found in other breast this April. I'm now on weekly Taxol/Carbo, which is supposed to work especially well for triple-negs. Three Fridays in a row, then I skip a week to rest. Just had my fifth of 12.
My side effects have been minimal, probably because the dose is spread out over several weeks instead of getting it all at once. Very slight queasiness and a little numbness/tingling in fingertips and toes. The worst side effect has been the fatigue. I'm pretty well flattened on Sundays. But compared to my 2005 treatment, this has been a walk in the park. Hope it goes well for you, too.0 -
Thanks for your encouragement I have servived my first treatment so far so good a little tired but other wise good Cas
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I just started swelling in my ankles.....did you do anything specific to make it go away....how long did it last?
Katymom0 -
Katymom,,,,,,,,,,,I think the retaining fluids in legs and ankles lasted about a week,,,,,,then all of a sudden it went away, Weird huh? Went to the dr today for my lab work,,,,,and lost 6 pounds in a week (go figure, although appetite has sucked so thats probably why),,,,,,,labs were fine,,,,,,,platelets were very good. White count was like 50,,,,normal is 5-10,,,,,but she said thats from the neulasta shot,,,,,,white cells building up again. Today is my 9th day out from my 3rd treatment and feeling pretty darn good. Thats usually how it works,,,,,so now I will have a week and a half of good days till my next treatment. Its all good though,,,,,,,,,i think of the good days on my bad days and that helps a great deal. Had some times of nausea,,,,,,,,which I didnt have after treatment #1,,,,,,,,chemo is sure weird huh? Lets get this over with girls,,,,,,,,can't wait,,,,,,,,,,lol
Happy Fourth of July everyone,,,,,,and be safe.
Take care,,,,,,,,,Cindy
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Hey Gals,
Done with yet another round of chemo! Only 2 left to go. These past couple of days postchemo are the worst! No energy at all. Everytime I complain that I think this is the worst it's ever been, my husband reminds me that I said that last time and that this too shall pass. The hot flashes right after chemo are unbearable. I couldn't sleep at all last night. Plus, the zofran was working so well for me, but causing me to have so much constipation, so this round they asked me to take phenergan instead, which doesn't work as well and causes me to be severely sedated. Ughh, sorry to complain, I just need to keep in mind that in a couple of days I'll be feeling fine again. Hang in there girls, hope everyone is doing well.
Leslie0 -
Hi Everyone,
I've been following your progress for about a month and now I am finally ready to jump in. Your suggestions have been really helpful.
Had my first TCH on 7/5. The actual treatment was OK and I even slept through some of it but I've had a lot of indigestion and now diarrhea--yes, it is 4:00 AM. I am so envious of everyone who is further along in treatment.
The stomach upsets have taken my mind off of the upcomping hair loss. I have thick, salt and pepper hair but I'm going to shave it once it starts to go.
What do you like to eat? I don't have an appetite at all and I think not eating much is making me feel weak. Most of the time I think this is very "doable" but sometimes I get discouraged.
Thanks. My name is also Leslie.0 -
Welcome, Leslie2! My acid reflux got a lot worse on this teratment so my doc gave me a prescription drug and that helped a lot. Nexium worked but was expensive so now I'm on protonix. I think they're proton pump inhibitors.
Re eating, I've had to avoid raw fruits and veggies, except for the ones you can peel, like cantaloupe. Apparently, my compromised immune system can't handle the bugs on fresh produce that don't bother the rest of the population.
I *have* been craving protein, especially beef, and I think that's helped my blood counts rebound a little better. If you're not hungry, you might try drinking those canned supplements, like Ensure and Boost.
Your hair should hang in there until around Day 14-17 after your first treatment. It's a shock after you shave it, but it does make you feel like you've got some control over at least one aspect of this situation.
Hang in there. This road is rough, but it's definitely doable. Just keep plugging and before you know it, you'll be on the other side!0 -
Hi Cindy,
Thanks. I'll keep that Protonix in mind. They told me to try Zantac but I'm not sure it's going to be strong enough especially if the indigestion gets worse as I go along.
Re: food. Right now I don't crave anything. I was also told to avoid fresh fruits and vegetables. I thought if I washed them real good or sprayed them with the stuff you can get at the health food store, I could get away with it but the nurses say no. Thanks for the suggestions.
On a positive note, that port is great. They told me I was done,unhooked my port, and realized the Taxotere bag wasn't empty--I will be paying attention next time. It was no problem being accessed again. They gave a small injection of lidocaine first and I didn't even feel it.
I am trying not to comb my hair much so it doesn't fall out, haha.
Leslie0 -
Frankly, I wouldn't even bother with any OTC acid reducer. Tell your onc you want something stronger.
I've screwed up twice now and eaten raw vegetables from restaurants and ended up with food poisoning!
No kidding!!! Awful diarrhea to the point where I literally had dry heaves of the butt. 
So learn from my mistakes!
One time it was spinach on a Subway sandwich and the other was some lettuce and tomatoes with a fajita. I think it must be the carboplatin because I had Taxol before and had no problem eating raw fruit/veggies.
Maybe if you get your indigestion under control, your appetite will return. I crave beef so much that when my DH and I are out on errands and he asks me what I want to eat, I actualy say: "Cow!" Sometimes, I even moo. LOL0 -
Hey Cindy,
I can't stand the thought of fast food right now but before treatment #1, I liked fast food. I am starting to feel better and today I worked an 8 hour day for the first time since surgery in May. I sit at a desk so it's not too strenuous.
Finally I am starting to feel like this really might be doable.
Still waiting for my hair to fall out. Tic Toc. Just a few more days to go.
Leslie20 -
Hi Leslie2,
welcome to the group. the strange thing is that with my first treatment I had horrible diarrhea, but with the rest of the treatments, I have been having constipation! Strange how things work. I would definately suggest a proton pump inhibitor for the indigestion. if the zantac works for you great, if not i would ask for a prescription. If your insurance doesn't cover it, you can try prilosec otc.
Hang in there, the first week after chemo is always the worst, but by the second and third week, i can actually go to work and not feel too bad.
You can do it! I'm so excited, only 2 more left to go for me. The herceptin will be an inconvenience, but not as bad as the chemo! can't wait to be done with all of this.
Leslie0 -
Leslie:
I am with you....had chemo last Thursday and I was saying it is the worst ever and my husband reminded me I say that everytime (although I do feel it is worse.) I can't sleep at all....seems like I'm up every hour. My doctor prescribed halcion....anyone taken that before? I'm a little afraid to take it to sleep....I keep hoping this will pass quickly. It seems all I do is sleep and eat and GAIN WEIGHT......Hang in there, Leslie! Hopefully, by the end of the week we'll feel better....I'm usually just a few days behind you with everything!
Katymom0 -
Katymom,
I can't sleep at all either, but I don't know if it is from the Zoladex (ovarian suppresion) or the chemo. Are you on Zoladex? I wake up almost every 2 hours and then it takes me almost another hour to fall back to sleep (if I'm lucky, sometimes I sleep for 3 hours and never fall back to sleep.). I'm afraid to take anything for sleep either so I really haven't complained about it to my physician, but I should. This round of chemo really was worse than the previous, I still feel tired today and usually by now I'm back to "normal". I've been gaining weight too, I am now the heaviest I've ever been in my life. It's going to be a bitch to lose this weight when chemo is done! I feel so unattactive being fat and bald. I had to give in and buy some new clothes because I didn't have any professional clothes to wear to work after gaining all this weight. it was sooo depressing to try on clothes. Even the clothes that looked okay on my body showed my port so I couldn't buy them.
I'm so ready to be done with chemo. I still have to get radiation after chemo because I had a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy but I hear the radiation is not as bad as chemo. My husband and I want to take a vacation after all of this is done and I'd love to go to a beach somewhere to relax but I really don't want to wear a bathing suit!
Leslie0 -
Leslie,
Your entire post sounded like me talking...literally, except for the er/pr/her positive part and the zoladex. I'm triple negative so....ovaries are coming out right after my body heals from chemo.
I hope the best for you girl.
: ) Traci
ps....We'll get back into those clothes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!0 -
thanks Traci, I hope so. I hope these pounds just melt off when the chemo is done!
Leslie0 -
When I have trouble sleeping, I take an Ativan and it really works well for me. I've got them on hand for treatment-related nausea/anxiety. I don't take them every night, but when my mind is racing with "what if" questions, an Ativan will do the trick. And I stay asleep, too. But maybe a regular sleeping pill would be better, re dependency issues, etc. 0
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I have gained so much weight....I think I eat to keep from feeling sick. I don't know how I'll lose it either..What is the zoladex for? My oncologist hasn't mentioned it. You and I are pretty much on the same track. I have the radiation after the chemo since I had a lumpectomy, too. My oncologist did give me halcion to sleep and the one time I took 1/2 a pill it worked but the pharmacist said to be sparing in taking it as it causes memory problems....great....I've been really sick at my stomach lately. I did eat raw fruit for the first time this week and wondered if that was it....This is gross...but my stools are black...anyone else have this...wondered if I should call the doctor or if it is just the chemo. Seems this 4th round was a killer for all of us. Hope I recover in time for the next one. Did you have an oncotype test? Someone said I should have one....wasn't sure if I needed it... Hope you are feeling better and sleeping. This is so exhausting. I wake up starting at 2am every 2 hours...usually because I'm so hot......
Katymom0 -
the zoladex is to shut down my ovaries during chemo. I believe it is part of the hormone therapy, but also they give it to younger women because it is thought that it might protect the eggs. Not everyone gets it in addition to tamoxifen. It depends on the oncologist.
Are your stools loose or formed? If they are loose and black, you definately have to call your oncologist. you should call them anyway even if they are formed. When blood goes through your GI tract, it turns it black. The only other thing that turns stool black (but they are formed, not diarrhea, is iron tablets or peptobismol). THe upset stomach could be an ulcer from the decadron. Sorry, I'm a physician, and I'm actually training to specialize in gastroenterology, so this is what I do for a living everyday:-)
I did have an oncotype score, but the only reason to get it is if there is any question as to whether to give you chemo. But since you are on chemo already, it is useless. Most oncologist will give chemo if the tumor is greater than 1cm, higher than grade 2, HER2 + but there is some thought that there are other markers that tell you whether the tumor is agressive or not and those markers are tested in the oncotype. Some women decide to forgo chemo if there oncotype score shows them that the tumor is not that aggressive. My score was very high, but I wasn't surprised since one minute I had no lump and then 1 year later I have a huge lump!
I have had a sore throat this whole chemo cycle and my glands under my jaw are tender. no fever though. I wasn't going to do anything about it, but my friend, who is also a physician, told me I had to complain to my oncologist, so I finally emailed my oncologist's nurse. They always blow off all my complaints, I don't know if it's because I'm a physician or they do that to everyone. Do you feel like everytime you complain, they just say "oh it's just from the chemo, you'll be fine!'?
Leslie0 -
Hi Leslie,
My oncologist's nurse is great. I feel like she really listens to me. But it seems to me that the nurses in the treatment room aren't as helpful. They are all very positive and kind but if you aren't as positive right back at them it doesn't seem to go over too well. I also told one of them that I've had a lot of burning when I urinate and she said she "had never heard anyone say that" and it "shouldn't happen with the Herceptin" and that was the end of the conversation. I know it's not a common side effect but I have seen posts on this site that mention the problem so I know I'm not the only one. It's not a UTI. I have been tested for that. It also happens whenever I have a scan with contrast or one of the nuclear medicine scans. It's definitely not all in my head and it didn't make me feel too good to be blown off like that.
Re: the Herceptin. I get a treatment once a week for the first 18 weeks and then I go to every three weeks. The burning is the only problem I get. I dread walking back in that room next week because I also will get the Taxotere and Carboplatin. But the Herceptin alone is no problem at all. I'm stage 3A and they said I might also get the Herceptin longer than a year.
Only 2 more treatments for you. There is that light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there.
Leslie20 -
Hey ladies. Hope you are all well. I had my fourth TCH on last Monday and it kicked me in the butt. On Friday I had vomiting, diarrhea and passed out twice. Thank God my son was here to take care of me. He was so worried he wanted to call 911,,,,,,,,,I said o noooooooo this will pass. Today I still feel like crap. But wanted to know from you ladies,,,,,,,,,,does it get worse with each treatment? I have 2 more to go and hate the thought of feeling like I did on Friday. Sad when us as moms are here to take care of our kids and now they have to take care of us. I feel so unable to do anything. I see people walking around and enjoying things and I just dont have the energy to do shit. Sorry,,,,,,,,venting here, I'm in a depressing mood today. I wonder if I had a touch of the flu at the same time,,,,,,,,,,,,cause I have never had this happen to me before during my first 3 treatments. In the past there was only a few times that I was even nauseated so the vomiting and all was just a total surprise to me. Anyone have some insight? Are the last ones the worse as far as side effects go?
Have a good day all..............take care
Cindy0 -
Its me again. I know I havent posted in a while,,,,,,,,just been busy then not feeling well. But I have been keeping up on everyones posts. Just a little fyi for ya'll. lol I havent fallen off the planet,,,,,,,,,I've just been an observer for a while. lol
Cindy0 -
Hi Cindy,
Not sure whether your symptoms were from the chemo or a virus or food poisoning? This 4th round has been by far the worst for me, as far as energy level goes. Usually, by the second week and definately by the third week, my energy level is usually good, but this time I still feel exhausted! I haven't had any diarrhea since the first round.
I had the worst nausea the second round when they gave me the carbo before the taxotere. I looked it up on line and found several people complaining of worse nausea and vomiting when the got the carbo before taxotere so the 3rd and 4th round I asked the nurse to please hang the taxotere first. I don't know if it is true, but my nausea has been better since then.
I am sooo ready to be done with chemo. I still have to do radiation after this since I got a lumpectomy instead of a mastectomy, but from what I hear, radiation isn't too bad except for fatigue.
I keep gaining weight, about 3 pounds in between each cycle! Pants I bought last cycle aren't fitting this cycle! Ughh. when does the fun stop?
Leslie0 -
Hi Leslie,,,,,,,,,,,,,hope all is going well with you. Yeah, I wasnt sure and still am not sure if maybe I had the flu or something. All I know is that day was a horrible day for me. I was ready to just stop treatment on that day,,,,,,,,,,it was so bad. I'm sure I was dehydrated and thats probably why I passed out the two times. Guess I'm just gonna have to force myself to drink tons of water every single day, which I admit I am not good at sometimes. Usually by the 3 week after chemo is when I start retaining fluids,,,,,,,henceforth the weight gain, Then the week after chemo is when I lose because nothing tastes good,,,,,,,,,are your taste buds messed up? So my weight has seemed to stay the same. I gain, I lose,,,,,,strange. My doc did give me a pres for a diuretic to use only when I get the fluid retention.
Well,,,,,,,,,,,off to the laundry,,,,,,,,
have a good day,
Cindy0 -
Has anyone had a red rash after chemo....my face has splotchy red spots around my cheeks...just wondering....
Katymom0 -
i don't get a rash but my cheeks do turn red the day of chemo and the day after. I think it may be from the decadron. If it is a real rash, you should let you oncologist know. my chemo nurse tells me that if you are going to have an allergic reaction to carbo, it happens around the 4th or 5th cycle, and it can manifest itself as a rash after chemo.
i hope you are doing well otherwise. I just had my 5th chemo today. for some reason, they said I didn't need the tylenol or benadryl anymore as a pretreatment. Is that right? Anyone else getting benadryl? it made me nervous not to get it.
Leslie0
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