Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Hey, anybody know why some folks get Taxotere and Carboplatin and others get Taxotere and Cytoxan? What's the difference, anybody know?
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And thanks everybody for the congrats!
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Sue: Thanks I do feel much better today. Prayer brought me out of it. I have a list made up for tomorrows Onc visit that is long as my arm.
Shel: Didn't know that they had a photo sight. Looks like a pretty crooked road, but I will try and follow it. Going back to a pix of the train ride that my hubby gave me a long stem pink rose.
Krsty: Good for you and I like your picture. How did the treatments go. I am going in for them after chemo, surgery, then rad. Any discomfort or sickness?
Aly I am right behind you on the sofa tomorrow. I wished I had number 6, but just going in for #4 because of the delay with the surgery and they had to stop for 6 weeks. I will go out with Carolyn. I will be thinking of you while in the chair and say a little prayer for you.
Niteie night ya all
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Hi everyone,
Just finished treatment #5 and am waiting for the SEs to kick in. On Wednesday I will get an additional saline infusion so perhaps that will help (thanks to suggestions from women on this list!).
In the middle of the infusion, the school called the hospital and reported that my 10-year old daughter had sprained her foot. My dh rushed off to take her to the doctor -- bad sprain, no weight on it for at least two weeks. Now all our childcare activities are on hold -- soccer, karate, active playdates -- and I can not go to the school to make sure she is getting proper accommodations. Unfortunately she thinks the crutches are toys and can not wait to zoom up and down the school stairs, run around the playground, etc. At least she is happy about them.
Best wishes to all of us as we make it to the end of phase I -- the hardest one. I am very interested to hearing about further treatments. I will be getting AIs as well as radiation. I understand AIs can have some SEs but nothing like chemo.
Jo Anne
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Hi Everyone! Love the new pics!
Jo Anne, your diagnosis is somewhat similar to mine. I'm curious to know what are Als? Adriamicin? Also what are you getting "poisoned" with now? I just finished TCH now on to rads and herceptin. Then I guess Tamoxifen. My husband is against me taking the Tamox. he doesn't like the side-effects listed. My onc says the benefits out weigh the risks though, hmmm? My daughter also broke her foot and was on cruches at volleyball this summer while I was having chemo! At one week I was at a doctors office every single day! They love the cruches the first day then they get really sore! She was pissed that they didn't cast it and only got a stiff boot! Very "unstylish" ! hahahaha!
Congrats Aly on the last one! WOOOOHOOOO!!! Hope the SE"s fly away quickly! I think Cytoxin is a lighter form of Carboplatin. Not sure though. But it seems that I read that somewhere. (of course I have that chemo-brain thang!!)
Has anyone read Eat, Love, Pray? I just started it and it is really good so far. The author has a great sense of humor.
Have a great day everyone!
Donalee
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Hello everyone! I have been under the weather for a while and finally started getting better Sat. I guess I may have caught something but not sure what. I do have a sensitive stomach and my stomach hurt so bad on Thurs. after my Herceptin which does not usually bother me. I was just in a lot of pain but no nausea or any of those se. Just pain and a headache that made me want to shoot myself but would not have had the energy if I wanted to.The tx room was full on that Wed. so no telling who had what or if I caught it someplace else but really had not been anywhere to get anything. I was sick from the TCH until that next Wed. and still was sick then. This 4th TCH was my worse and maybe because I ate instead of taking it easy on the solids. Needless to say I have a new list of things I can't stand to smell or think about from that.
Congrats Aly. I will do my 5th on Oct 8 if my WBC and Platelets are in range. I hope so! I would like to get this over with.
I need to get my pic on here I guess but I never think to have my husband take my pic. I can't get it to turn out doing it myself even with the timer but then have not tried too hard I guess. I do like to but a face with the names. I will try to do better and get it on here.
Have a good day everyone and I hope those that are dealing with se do well.
Carolyn
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Jo Anne: Let us know how the extra IV helps you. I know it sure does mine. I go in tomorrow for mine as I had my big one today. DRINK lots of water until the SE kick in to flush out the chemo.
Carolyn: So sorry you have been under the weather. Do you think it is the new stuff or just picked up a bug? I found that the Herceptin following my big 3 hits me harder than the rest of the times and I am sure it is my body is weak from the last chemo biggie and not strong enough yet to take another hit. I feel good today, but I know that dark cloud will settle in by tomorrow night. I have to go make some jello so chat with you all later.
I never could find that photo sight? Got lost and ended up reading some other interesting post...
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Hi Donalee,
Sorry for the delay but just had treatment #5. Getting very tried and sad from this style of living.
As I understand it, ALs refer to a class of antiestrogen drugs for post-men. women who are hormone positive. Along with Tamoxifen for pre-men. women, they reduce/eliminate estrogen depriving the cancer cells of a factor they need to reproduce. The extent of side effects vary widely.
I need to be around to raise a ten-year old so I am certainly going to take anything that research says makes a significant difference.
I am a little depressed about returning to the infusion room tomorrow for more saline. How much do people get when they return for additional saline? Is it safe?
best wishes to everyone,
Jo Anne
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Jo Anne,
I'm sorry your sad. I was really sad and depressed the worst right before my last one. Do you have one more to go? I know I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired! I never had the saline so I can't help you there. After my last chemo, everyone would say "aren't you happy, you did it!" I felt like saying "yes I'm thrilled and sick as a dog! Geez you would be happy too being this ill!" People just don't get it. Then my husband thinks I should be fine just one week out! I had to keep reminding him that it always took at least 10 days before I came out of the "funk". I guess it's just wishful thinking on his part. This is my third week and I have the usual runny nose and eye thing. Also really bad aches and pains I think from the Neulasta shot. I'll be getting Tamoxifen since I was not menapausal before chemo. I'm in chemo-pause now. I forgot about the Arimadex for post-men. women. I have 2 kids left at home too that I need to be here for. 15 and 11. Oh and my 21 year old daughter is more needy than both of them! (College student!)
Hope everyone has a good day!
Donalee
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Hi everyone! I don't think we ever get to the point where we don't think we are needed. I know I have children and grand children and I feel like they need me and also my husband. I guess if we get to the point we feel we are no longer needed then we would truly get depressed.
I am feeling better and I am able to eat more now but I am still not eating good enough. I know protein is what I need but just can't seem to eat enough. My throat and stomach is still messed up from throwing up the last bad poisoning. I go for Herceptin today. I expect to feel okay except of course I am always sleepy after I get home.
As for the extra saline I don't think it hurts anything to get it and I was given 2 bags at one time. I was dehydrated then though and even though I try to get the 3 quarts a day down I can only manage 2 most times. I was told that coffee counted as liquid but soda did not. Why the difference I wonder. I don't drink soda because it is hard on my kidneys but I can drink root beer sometimes after a treatment because it kills that chemical taste I get. Water finally just doesn't want to go down after a quart and a half. I have tried kool aid and some other things even tea but I am not sure the tea is good for me either. I was drinking tea and my red blood cells got too low so I wondered if that was the cause. The doc said no so I did drink tea some this last time. Do any of you have the problem with getting all that liquid down?
Brenda, I never started the new meds. they just lowered my dose again the last time. I am wondering if he is going to want to do the rest of these and then do something else. I hope not! I guess we will see when the blood tests come back today. I get my blood work done and within a few minutes we get the results. My husband has it all planned out as to when we will be through. I just hate feeling pressured like that. We have a coat giveaway at church set for Nov. 1 which is going to fall right on my sick day. I hate for him to have to do all this by himself this year but I am just not up to it. We have so many that are older or sick and so it is left to a few to get stuff done. I was hoping we would not have it this year but we do still have a lot of coats left from last year. I usually do a lot of the shopping for it and getting the flyers made to take to school. We just take them to our small town schools but there are 6 of them. I sure hope I can get some help this year. We need to go through the coats to see what we need and no one is offering to help.I do get discouraged at times with this. Sorry I am whining.
Have a good day all
Carolyn
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Carolyn, I'm sorry your SE's are so bad! I usually put tons of lemons in water when my mouth gets yucky. After treatment # 6 I started hating lemons!? It seemed my tastebuds changed.
I have a web-site for everyone on the latest cancer treatment. It is being manufactured in my city. Erie, Pa. One of my friend's fathers company is manufacturing the machine to treat patients. They will start human trials very soon! http://www.johnkanziuscancerresearchfoundation.org/ John Kanzius is the man who invented the process. He himself has cancer. He has been on several news programs nationally for this invention. It seems very promising.
Donalee
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Jo Anne I take one bag of saline day after Chemo and find it really helps me a lot. It does not cause any side effects and the direct infusion into the veins to hydrate is actually more beneficial than just drinking water. That is what the onc nurse says. I know it is a part of my regime from here on out. I am into TX 4 and have 2 more to go and that is what I focus on. I can do it, just 2 more after this one. I write on the calendar how I feel on what day and it helps when I go back in for my next three week TX in that I can look back and know just which days I am going to have to deal with and how many days until I come out. Like I know yesterday and today I am on steroids so won't feel so bad, but tomorrow will be the crash and by Friday I will have my worst day. During this time I focus on the Chemo and how it is killing those cancer cells. Saturday weak and just don't feel well. Sunday will be weak but can get up some, but not for long. By Monday I am able to function some, but still takes until day 8 before I feel half way decent again. Day 10 my immune system will be the lowest and I am careful at that time to really stay away from crowds. Then my body begins to heal and replace the good cells and back to normal, or how normal cancer can be. But at least another TX down. Thats how I work through it. It's quite ok to be sad and depressed through this at times and I like shell once wrote double black diamond chute on pure ice into this hell.
Carolyn maybe it is good you can't do it this year and your husband steps in and gets the blessing of helping. Yes I have problem getting fluid down on day 3 and that is why I want the infusion to tied me over. I can do 6-8 bottles of water before then, but again like above posting I think the IV works better. On my worst day it takes all I have to sip water. I work all day and only get 1/2 bottle down.
Donalee I'm going into the sight and check it out..thanks for sharing...You all have a good day...
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Has anyone had swollen feet? I going to have treatment 5 on Tuesday, but this is the first time my feet are really swollen.....anyone else have that problem?
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I'm all for the I/V fluids as well. I got chemo on Mondays (just had my last one!) and then follow up with a liter of I/V fluid on Wednesday, and two liters on Friday when I know I'll likely be more dehydrated. I swear it has helped me even though the last two treatments have been difficult.
)Aly.
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HensonChi: Yes. Gravity-related edema (swelling) is a side effect that you can get from the Taxotere specifically. It usually doesn't show up until around tx 4-5, but mine started after tx 3. I only had 4 tx's, and I'm currently about 7 weeks out from my last one. I still will get swelling in my legs in the afternoon and evening if I'm on my feet too long. My doctor gave me a prescription for Lasix (a water pill) which I take every morning. It helps some. But if I walk or run a long way or have to work on my feet a long time, I make sure I put my feet 90 degrees up the wall for about a half hour in the afternoon and massage my legs, pushing the fluid up from my feet. Mine is more in my calves than in my feet. Tell your doctor. You may need to take a water pill for awhile.
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Hi Everyone,
I haven't posted in quite a while - and I just caught up on about 3 pages of your posts.
First and foremost, THANK YOU, BETHANY, for that GREAT article on Herceptin. So informative and assuring - we are all blessed in having the good fortune of being treated with Herceptin!!!!!! A short ten years ago, that wouldn't have been possible for us!!!! GOD IS GOOD!!!
I read each and every post - and I truly feel for all of you that are feeling "not so great", emotionally and physically. We are all in the same boat and you are all in my prayers!!
Thank God I really feel good,except for the stupid SE's - but it's all a part of this road to recovery. I just hit the halfway mark (for the chemo) today!!! 3 more tx's to go!!!! NEUNASTY shot tomorrow - sorry, can't remember which of you gals named it that - but that's a perfect way of referring to it!! I will be going for my second MUGA test after my next (4th) tx. I never asked my onc about the actual reading of my first MUGA - she just told me it was good. When I see her again, in 3 weeks, I am going to ask her the actual reading and then of course, I will ask her about the 2nd one too, so that I can compare, as well as her comparing.
I'm told by everyone, (even my onc and my PCP) that I have a positive attitude - which I think I do too (thank God!) But, of course like everyone, I do have "my moments" also - I don't want to come across as a toughie, because it's only natural to sometimes "get a little down" about this whole thing. If I didn't, I wouldn't be human - and if I told anyone that I never "get down", I'd be a liar!!!! BUT, I'M KICKING BUTT, LIKE I'VE NEVER KICKED BUTT BEFORE!!!!!!!!!!
Finalized the tx schedule with my onc today about vacation to DisneyWorld that my dh, and 2 of my dd's and their hubbies and 2 of my grandchildren plan on taking the first week of December. The week that I'll be away should have been my final tx - but onc worked with us and pushed it to the Monday after I get back (which is just a little over the 3 week reprieve in between tx's that I've had all along) It will be only 4 days later than it should have been.
So, everyone, keep your chin up - we will all soon be able to put this all behind us - and enjoy life each and every day!!!!
Love ya's
Maggie
P.S. I don't know how you gals got to put your Dx on the bottom of your posts - I never did it - but:
DX 7/10/08, IDC 3.2 cm, Stage II, Grade 3, 12 nodes removed all benign, sentinel node removed, ER+/PR+, HER2+
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Hi gals,
Well, I guess I'm not as dopey as I thought I was!!! I just never realized or bothered to do a profile - so that explains why my DX is not at the bottom of each post I make - DUH!!!! I'm still kind of a "newbie" here. But, I'm catching on - slow but sure!!!
So, now it's there! I am wide eyed - that Decadron will do it every time!!!!! Took a sleeping pill, but it hasn't even thought about kicking in yet - this is always a problem for me on the night that I get tx - I'm sure most of us have that SE.
Have a good night's sleep gals, and have a great day tomorrow!!!! (I should say today, it's after midnight).
Maggie
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Is anyone getting less than 6 treatments of TCH? I think I recall reading that someone was put on 4. Just wondering if I can bag out of this a little early. I'm miserable!! Rose
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Shebaroni...thanks for the reply. I thought I was going crazy as I have never had swollen anything, and yesterday my feet were huge and they hurt. I will definitely tell the doc. Thanks again!
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Hi everyone. I got through my Herceptin yesterday in good shape but I am low on red blood cells again. I may have to have another blood transfusion. They can not give me the Aranesp because of the FDA ruling that it could be harmful to a person's heart or possible blood clots. The nurse told me if I was considered terminal they could give it but since I was considered cancer free then they could not.I had read some stuff on the Internet about this a while back after I had the second one at the beginning of my chemo. Then all of a sudden it had to be a transfusion. I had 2 units of blood then and did feel better for a while but after that is when my platelets went down. I am not sure the blood trans had anything to do with that but they did say to eat a rare steak and see if it would come back up. I did enjoy that! As my grandson says that is the best prescription he has ever heard of. My problem is I am not a big meat eater but I got that down and the restaurant cooked it perfect. Maybe I just don't like my own cooking?
HensonChi, I have had a swelling problem for years but if you limit your sodium intake it does help.I used to take lasix all the time but my blood pressure meds has it in there. I also wear support stockings when I know I am going to be on my feet or if I am sitting a lot too. I guess it all goes to my feet. The more water you drink the more water you get rid of normally but then there are some that have to limit their water intake. I guess the doc is the best judge of your situation.I like the web site for the Mayo clinic.It is easy to read but I think some like WebMD too.
rak, I think Shebaroni only had 4 tx. I could be wrong there but I am sure she will let us know. I have been hoping we could reduce mine to 4 but I am guessing not. They have lowered my dose on Carboplatin 2 times and it has not helped the se but they are thinking that is why my WBC,RBC and Platelets get so low. I am like you about being miserable. I would like to get to feeling better or at least as good as I did before the chemo.
Brenda, I talked to some at church last night and explained that I could not help my husband as much with the coat giveaway this year and we needed help getting them organized. they were happy to do it and I should have asked sooner.It seems my husband does most of what is done there. He will get up there and mow and clean up around the building. I guess some are just waiting to be asked to help.My husband has been the organizer of this coat giveaway for the last 4 years and really works hard getting it together so I can not say he does nothing. He is busy doing things like signs and getting the building ready for the crowd. He also pays for most of the coats, hats and gloves. I just hope he does not get too overwhelmed by this. He is not one to ask for help or tell others what to do like I am. That is why I am worried. I will have had my last tx that Wed and I am usually sick that weekend afterward. Unless I have to postpone one it will fall then.
It is cool here today and even though it is nice I have been cold all morning. If I am wearing a winter house coat over my clothes now what will I do this winter! Maybe I will be through with the chemo by the time it gets that cold and I will be back to normal which is warm natured. I guess it is the low RBC. I never put my dx on my profile either. Maybe I can do that now!
Carolyn
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Rose;
I only had 4 poisonings. I think there's someone else too, but I can't remember who it was. I'm now on the Herceptin-onlyx3wks stage. The reason that I only had four and others have six is that one of the clinical trials leading up to our particular cocktail of choice used 6 treatments and another used 4. My doc feels that four is enough and minimizes side effects. Especially since my tumor was small and there weren't any active nodes.
Carolyn;
Red meat isn't going to do any good for your red blood cells anyway. It will increase your iron; but if your bone marrow isn't making the red blood cells, it doesn't do a lot of good to increase your iron. So eat it if you like it, but don't think you have to force it down like medicine!
Well, I'm off on a Very Long Walk. Have a great day, everyone!
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Shelbaroni,
Thanks for the info. When I went for my 2nd opinion, the oncologist at the Dana Farber told me to "just get through 4". That has been at the back of my mind through all of this. I SO want to stop after 4. I will discuss this with my oncologist. My tumor was small and node neg. Maybe she'll be o.k. with it. Rose
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I too just had four treatments. I asked my onco about this and she said that many of those with 6 treatments are on Carboplatin, whereas those on Cytoxan/Cyclophosphamide (the "C" of my TCH) tend to get 4. I think there is some variation based on clean margins, size of tumour, and node involvement also.
Gina
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I had read about the 4 tx and ask my onc, but she said because my cancer has metastasized to the Lymph Nodes and I am Her2+ my cancer is very aggressive, so she wants to hit it hard so I get 6. After explaining it I understand and will buckle down for 2 more. Tuesday I had my big one, Wednesday Iv fluids and the Newasty shot, and last night I was whipped. I thought I was crashing, but I think I was just over worn out with to much time in the Chemo chair. So far today I have rested a lot which seems to help me some. Tomorrow, if on schedule should be my worst day. So far no nausea again...THANK GOD. So will close and go back and rest. Chat later gals
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rak, I hope you do get to stop after 4. I am sure I will not get to since I had 3 nodes with cancer. they do say they got it all since they took the lump and it had clean margins and the rest of the nodes. 22 nodes in all taken out and the sentinel and 2 more had cancer. I wish a thousand times I had gone earlier since I knew I had a lump but I kept telling myself it was like the rest of them I had over my life and just benign. Should have, could have, would have but then that does no good to think like that. My lump was not there in Nov. 2007 and at the end of Dec.2007 it was there but it did not seem to grow to me after I noticed it in Dec. I had been eating chocolate and drinking more coffee with company during Christmas. I had always been told the caffeine was what caused the fibrocystic lumps I had. It did feel a little different though. My sister told me she has her mammograms every year and I had mine at least every 2 years so I felt like they should have found it. In fact the Dec. 2005 I found a lump no one else could feel and even had an ultra sound in addition to the mammogram and all they seen was thick mucus membrane. They said it was because of the fibromyalgia since I have them in other parts of my body it made sense to me. I will no longer let anything go like this. Now if we can just find out why women are getting breast cancer in bigger numbers. I hope it will be in the near future to find a reason why. I have seen a lot on TV since this is breast cancer awareness month and I was shocked at the number of women being diag. One woman said it is because of the awareness more are getting tested and more are living. She said back in the 1980s more women died because they did not get tested early enough. I hope I can convince anyone I know that it is a good idea to get the mammograms early.
Well, I have a lot to do today so I best get at it. I am slower about doing things these days.
Carolyn
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Carolyn,
I had mammos every year since I was 40. Then in Dec. 2006 I had a suspicious "dense breast" tissue so they sent me for an ultrasound and said it was just a "dense breast". The following December 2007, same breast, they found suspicious microcalcifications and sent me to a breast surgeon then for more tests. No one could ever feel any lump. I wasn't diagnosed until after several biopsies and tests. That was Feb. 13 2008. I also had a PET scan to see if it was anywhere else in my body. It was negative at that time. I did not have surgery until May 15th. MY breast surgeon was surprised that within that time the cancer had spread to my sentinal node so I was classified as stage 2 ( 1/13 nodes possitive). I was sort of angry. With the aggressivness (grade 3, her2+++)of my initial daignosis of my tumor that they did not do surgery more quickly! I think that if the surgery had been sooner it would not have spread to the lymph system. Or maybe the PET scan didn't pick it up. I know that some people told me that PET scans are not always accurate. Oh well what's done is done.
Hope everyone is ok today! Hang in there!!
Donalee
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Oh by the way I'm now 46.
Donalee
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Hey Donalee. You're just a BABY! Sheesh, I was nursing a 2 year old at your age! Speaking of birthdays, I found out that the San Diego Race for the Cure (5K) will be on my birthday. What an awesome way to celebrate being a 1 year survivor! I'll be 54. My husband and I are walking 15 miles today to get ready for the 3 Day. We did 10, got the kids from school, and we're about to do 5 more. My dogs are barking! When I'm done they'll be howling!
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OO OO OOOOO (Those are howling dogs, Shel.) Good for you - when is the 3 Day in San Diego? It's coming up pretty quickly here in Phoenix - I got a nice note from a colleague at another school who is walking.
I'm with the woulda coulda shoulda gang - I skipped my mammogram the year before they found my bc. I shoulda done it and maybe they coulda caught it before the dcis spread in my breast and maybe I only woulda had a lumpectomy.
Oct 14 - exchange surgery! I had the mast over spring break and now this over fall break - do I know how to have fun or what?!
Hope everybody has a good weekend. I went to the Y a few times this week, and it's supposed to cool down this weekend, so hopefully I can break a sweat once or twice.
Sue
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The dogs are howlin' and I'm gonna let them out!
Hey Sue--the 3 Day here is November 21-23, so it might be nice and cool. But then again, I remember a lot of Thanksgivings cooking my turkey in shorts and a tank, sweating to death! So we'll see. All I can say is that Body Glide is a good thing. Good for you, going to the Y! And good luck with Build-a-Boob Workshop. Are you getting one foob or two? I'll be getting one for the one they chopped off and a "booster" in the other side. But I have to wait until after the 3 Day and then after my winter ski trip. But then I won't schedule anything athletic for awhile! It'll be interesting to see if I am able to retain my boyish A cup after he'd done with me. I hope so. I've been totally devoid of curves for this long, and it's a little late to start actually looking like a woman!
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