Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
-
Thanks for the recommendations you guys!
EDIT: just ordered aquaphor lip balm and creme from Amazon
0 -
slow... You are feeling bad in herceptin? How so? I feel so much better on H alone compared to TCH. I started rads this week
0 -
I do not think I have much SE from Herceptin....maybe stiff knees and my hair and nails growing slow. I have treatment scheduled for today...2 more after that. I am ready to be done...except I have butterflies even thinking about port removal. My surgeon does it in the office under local, and I also have my first mamo after dx. Hope you are feeling better soon.
0 -
Any advice on how to deal with icky mouth syndrome? I have a gross taste in my mouth all the time lately and aside from sucking on sugar-free candy all day, are there other solutions that have worked?
0 -
What worked for me Everforward was listerine blue mouthwash....it was painful but it helped me. Icky mouth is one of the hardest things to deal with. What worked one day would not work the next for me....it seemed like an endless battle to me. Sorry I don't have better info.0 -
princess, My bone pain and swelling over the past month has been increasingly worse. Originally when I had bone pain, SpecialK made the wonderful suggestion of slowing down my infusions. That really made a big difference. Over the past month, it's gotten progressively worse, and my ejection fraction dropped more than my MO was comfortable with. So he decided take me off early. I had three more infusions to go. My weight in the past month also sky rocketed. I'm just curious if anyone else had that happen and how long it took to feel better??
Sorry about your icky mouth EverForward. I brushed and flossed three times a day and that really helped me. I found eating spicy foods helped to mask the bad taste too. Sounds odd, but spicy salsa helped....i put it on everything.
0 -
jenkay, aquaphore is the bomb..love the stuff....but seriously if you can get Mary Kay emollient cream for face.....it's even better...I promise . U can put that everywhere too
0 -
sorry you r feeling so bad slowdeepbreaths....hope you get some answers soon. Can't help you out sorry. Just starting new stuff myself now and trying to negotiate . Hate figuring out a new routine
0 -
Thanks susan. I did really well on this regime until the very end. Good luck with it and I hope you have minimal side effects. Keeping you in my thoughts!!
0 -
slowdeepbreaths,I am already having some issues. Kinda surprised me cause I tolerate this stuff really well. Doesn't keep the cancer away, have blown through 7 chemos in 3 yrs, but it isn't holding me back much. But I was on taxol a few ago, and I think my body went...ohhhhhh I remember this stuff...and the side effects seemed to continue from where the taxol left off. Talked to nurse today and she said yeahhhhh, it does that... Oh well...at least I know what I am in for
0 -
I'm sorry susan. I was so hoping this one would be a tolerable one for you. What side effects are you getting?
0 -
Lovewins, is the listerine blue alcohol-free?
Everforward, I've been liking the biotene moisturizing mouth rinse. Swishing it all up between my teeth and everything really seems to refresh my whole mouth
0 -
SlowDeep - I just had #14 on Wednesday with 3 to go. I had an Echo just before infusion. My LVEF has been going down slowly so it will be illuminating to see the new results when I meet w/the Mo on Monday. I've gained some weight, but since I lost 60 lbs that is a good thing. While my SEs are less than w/the heavy duty chemo, they are still there - at least for the first week: headache, joint aches, swollen ankles, bloody nose, nails brittle & peeling (10 mos after Taxotere), some weakness of legs that's causing balance issues.
Susan - good luck w/your new treatment.
Ever - have you tried Biotene toothpaste & mouthwash? The thing that worked best for me (no joke) was straight, original Coca Cola. Also I chewed a lot of gum.
0 -
not sure about the Listerine. I got it from the grocery store....just blue Listerine.0 -
slowdeepbreaths, a lot of neurophay and mouth sores already. Just surprised so,fast. Just got first treatment Wednesday. Got all the goods to help, but unfortunately I was always plagued with moth sores as a kid. So,if that is a side effect, I get it pretty bad. I got all,the "tricks" but the best I can do is numb them up..thenI get relief for awhile....they told me to double my gabepentin, hopefully that will help. Since I am a hairdresser it's a pain..ha ha..when the hands have neuropathy...those nerve endings hurt in warm water and shampooing pressure on fingertips...oh well...could be worse. It's usually just an adjustment period to yet again get used to the new you...lol
Hope you r doing well....and all,you girls
0 -
Does the LVEF drop in the beginning or more toward the end? I had a MUGA scan after 4 treatments and the LVEF is the same as before Herceptin, 63. Is it likely to drop after more treatments?
0 -
debiann: I had my first Echo before chemo in March of 2013. Then I had them pretty much every 3 months. Mine stayed about the same until the one in April 2014 after radiation - a slight decrease. That's why I'm looking forward to the new results.
But I think it depends on what other chemos your getting. Adriamycin effects the heart too, which is why they stopped Herceptin while I was having that 2nd chemo treatment.
0 -
susan, Mouth sores are so uncomfortable. I was also prone to them as a child, and as an adult and was sure I would get them. Oddly, I never did. My MO told me to brush with Biotene toothpaste. I did that every time I ate and flossed too. I also kept water with me all the time and never let my mouth get dry. Not sure if that was the reason I didn't get mouth sores or not. The neuropathy really sucks - especially with what you do for a living. I hope you can get some relief.
debiann, My EF dropped at the beginning of treatment. I think I may have skipped a treatment due to that, but I will have to check my notes. Then it went right back up and stayed up. I've gotten MUGA scans every three months during treatment. The last one dropped considerably. Because of that and severe swelling throughout my body, my MO took me off of Herceptin. I know many women go through Herceptin treatment with no problems at all.
0 -
yep slowdeepbreaths, got the toothpaste and all the goods. Found another something. Maybe new don't know. But it's a biotene gel that keeps things lubricated. Maybe that will be the extra kicker to help. I hate looking at all the stuff..pill bottles and ointments and just all those remedies. Makes me feel like a sick person. I have everything in pretty boxes in the bathroom. I think I might need a bigger bathroom. Lol. Have 2 pretty boxes already..might have to make room for three
Hope everyone is sleeping well..I hope I nap today..not getting much sleep..so much for the ..you r gonna be exhausted and not get out of bed theory..that side effect I do t have yet
0 -
Debbian, Minustwo & SpecialK - thank you, thank you ,thank you! I now have printouts of everything. The only med I wasn't given in the IV is Emend. I asked to have it added and have had absolutely no nausea this time (my second infusion was this past Thursday). Nausea is the one s/e that I cannot deal with - I have others but so far I can handle the rest. I'm low on battery in my tablet right now so gotta plug it in. BTW- my drug is Taxotere not Taxol as earlier stated and on the labwork printout, my red cells, hemoglobin & hematocrit have dropped below normal range already.
0 -
Blownaway, my counts were below normal right away too, but they never got low enough for any intervention. They dropped and then continued to creep downward.
0 -
BlownAway - if they fight you about covering the cost of Emend, try Kytril in the infusion. It worked well for me and I never had to use the oral Emend.
Sorry I can't remember - Are you getting Neulasta shots 24 hours after? I had those every time for low white blood cells. 7 months PFC, my red blood cells & hemoglobin are still low. Maybe it's my new normal. They dropped with radiation too but now are holding steady. Seems most places like to do a transfusion if hemoglobin gets below 8. I got down just below that point a couple of times but it was always on a holiday weekend and it crept back enough to continue.
0 -
No neulasta shots yet. A script was called in for oral Emend but I didn't pick it up because Ive not been nauseous with the Emend added to my chemo mix. I have a life long history of anemia that comes and goes every few years but since menopause and a hysterectomy, I haven't had that problem. I wonder if they could shoot a little B12 into the chemo mix? It never occurred to me that the Emend would not be covered. That just doesn't make since - I feel so much better. Ive only had slight wooziness, mild headache, red rash, ringing ears - all doable BUT ABSOLUTELY NO NAUSEA. I can handle the rest.....for now.
0 -
lovewins...had my port taken out in my BS office. It was fine. I took a driver and an ativan. Chatted away through the whole thing.
0 -
Thank you LindaK.....I am having butterflies and it is over a month away. I have a mamo same day...maybe I should take the day off and take a Xanax. Thanks for letting us know the good news!!!!
0 -
Lovewins - my port removal was similar to LindaKR's. I had a local, and the surgeon took it out as I lay there and we chatted. I was a month away from my daughter's wedding, and told her I was wearing a strapless dress, so she said she would take extra time and give me a 'nice scar' (which she did). She told me a long story about how she and her husband had recently attended a friend's wedding, and they sang opera as the bride came down the aisle. I was very surprised to learn that my breast surgeon was a p/t opera singer!
But anyway it was one of the best days in the entire BC journey - don't dread it - count down to it!!
0 -
thank you Amy.Does it leave a big scar? I am working on telling myself it won't be as bad as I think. I had a rough time when they put it in.
Glad yours was a good experience...hope mine is too. I do love my breast surgeon...she was the bomb.
How long did it take?
0 -
Mine really hurt for about 2 weeks when it was put in. I was very worried that I would NEVER get used to having it there. (But I did.) But there was no comparison with taking it out - where there was no pain, no discomfort, and it was a BREEZE. (I mean it!)
I think it may have taken about 30 min IN the procedure room. Probably 2 hours start to finish being at the facility. Sort of like a colonoscopy, if you've had one (but without the prep, haha). I was a little nervous in the beginning - they assigned a nurse to stand there and talk to me and hold my hand. They injected the Novocaine and a little tiny bit of it splashed on my chest - I gasped thinking my blood was pouring out of me. But it was just a little Novocaine from the needle (which I didn't feel). Once i was numb, she did the procedure. I had my head tilted the other way, and we just talked and I ended up relaxing and almost forgetting about what she was doing. She gave a tug and it pulled loose and was out. I asked if I could take it home and they said no, it was a biohazard. Then she took her time stitching me up (which was about 95% of the time of the procedure) and then I was DONE!
My scar is almost totally invisible, a very faint skin-colored line about 2" long, and about 3" below my collarbone. Nothing I ever notice or think about. It's been 5 years, so that is one thing. But I think it was hardly noticeable much sooner after removal.
0 -
susan, I kept all my stuff in a back pack. Along with all my medications. Kept it right by my bed. When I went somewhere, I just threw the whole backpack in the trunk.This way I had it all with me, but didn't have to look at it all! I also kept track of all my meds. on an excel spreadsheet - time, dose, side effects, temperature. I found I was forgetting what time I was taking them so that helped. Came in handy when I went to the doctor. Just printed out the spreadsheet. Wish I had know about the Biotene gel. Hoping things are getting better for you!!
Best wishes to all going through treatment.
0 -
slowdeepbreaths,,good idea with backpack...and spread sheet...first week of premeds at home I didn't take enough...lol. Went by what i thought they said instead of reading the bottles or writing things down. Gave me treatment anyway...lesson learned...used to not forget anything.....I think now I actually half listen...had a bad few days but feel like normal again.. Happy to know, for right now, the bad passed quickly. Hope you r doing well
Hi all...hugs and prayers to everyone
0
