Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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MinusTwo Thanks for the distinction. I'm going to Kaiser - We live in San Rafael, just south of Novato. And I definitely did the ice chips in my mouth during the taxotere. When I asked about the nail icing they were all willing to let me, but also pretty certain that with the protocol they're recommending they almost never see it. I think I'll give it a try next time though. Since I was pretty comfortable otherwise I figure why not do everything possible from a preventative standpoint. Slept most of the night but keeping a careful watch on how this is all going to affect me. I suppose there is a range of normal that is quite broad. Hope you are all of to a great start of the week. Oh. I'm on the every three weeks for six sessions routine, then every three weeks following that with just herceptin for a total of a year. I wonder if the frequency (once every 3 weeks vs. weekly) has any impact on the nail problem?
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CG - most of us that did TCH did the every three week protocal, that is the way Taxotere is usually given, which is the culprit with the nail issues. Many oncology nurses don't think the nail icing does much, but they are not the ones who have to live with that side effect. I would rather do more that may not be necessary than not do the one thing that makes the difference. There area number of people who post regularly on this thread who have had nail issues so that goes counter to what your nurses are saying.
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Hi all - had my annual (5 year) mammogram today. All good! Surgeon said "See you next year" - those are the BEST words to hear.
For those of you currently going through this, just KEEP GOING. One day at a time, and you will come out the other end.
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Woo hoo Amy!! Another Good News Bear!!
CG on the nail issue - my nurses warned me about the nail issue and they said they see if quite often with taxotere but didn't think the icing would help - but I iced anyway. They are quite impressed now with my nails LOL and are now actually suggesting icing to new patients. Sounds like you have a very caring group of nurses at your center and that is a huge help. The nurses at my center are angels.
Today is 7 weeks PFC - still have the back pain and muscle twitches at times. Eyes are not running anymore. Stomach is still a mess at times and I have white peach fuzz on my head and I mean WHITE lol. I didn't have any gray pre-chemo - this is going to be interesting to see what comes in. I wore my "Heck Yes they are Fake, The real ones were trying to kill me" tshirt to the PS yesterday. He LOVED it and told me he will miss me when we are done. I also went out to dinner with my DD and DH with that shirt on and managed to score a free meal from the manager at Carabas - she loved the shirt also. The free meal paid for the tshirt
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Congratulations Amy!!! 5 years - such a great milestone!
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I never iced and my facility uses the spray too that works great! Unfortunately about 3 weeks after chemo was done my fingernails started lifting and turning black/red. I had gel nails put on(which is controversial) but it was the best thing I ever did. I never lost any fingernails completely thanks to the gels. Haven't lost any toenails and my last treatment was May 28! Good luck to you:))
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SpecialK - My thumb and forefinger nails are starting to get painful (6 days past 3rd infusion). After the 2nd, I started noticing some numbness that seemed to get better before the 3rd infusion. Don't know if you recall, but I'm the one whose doc wont let me ice anything....starting to regret paying attention to him. Just hope there won't be any permanent damage.
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so far nails are good..icing..but only second infusion so far. I will be on this as long as it keeps working..no time frame. So I am willing to bet I will lose the nails eventually. Just trying to hold off as long as I can. Down for about 4 days, but the rest is ok
Hope everyone is doing well
Hugs
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Blownaway nail lifting and pain are different symptoms than numbness. If you are feeling numbness in your fingers, hands, toes and feet you should tell your onc.
susan3 I think my nail issues (starting with toes) began after tx1 or 2. Fingers much later. Got worse after treatment ended.
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blownaway - yes, as lago said the numbness sounds more like neuropathy, and you need to tell your onc, even if it resolves between treatments. Neuropathy can be cumulative and what resolves between treatments now, may not later. Pain on the nail bed and under the nails is different, that would be more connected to nail lifting/loss which is a completely different thing. I would have iced anyway - I think it would be pretty surprising for anyone to get mets to the fingers and toes.
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I'm a year past Taxotere & Carbo and 8 mos past AC, but still on Herceptin. Interesting that my fingernails hurt. The ends of the nails are lifting back on 2 smallest fingers on each hand. I knew Herceptin had nail side effects, but this is nuts. A week after each tx I have bright red splotches under my nails between the cuticle & the already lifting nails. They appear to lift more towards that red nail bed. Doesn't seem to matter how close I cut them. Unfortunately I got a pseudamonas infection between the nails & the beds but that seems cleared up & didn't solve the problem. Anyone else have nail problems on Herceptin only?
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minus - I think fluff did
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hi all...
Started the chemo 8/19 before the surgery . Taxotere , Carboplatin , and Herceptin 3 weekly 6 rounds and will continue Herceptin after surgery 3 weekly for a year. I will have to read all the posts from the beginning .605 pages!!!!! Was planing to do Herceptin weekly but Mo decided to do 3weekly with the higher dose.
Day 1 post chemo I already can taste the metal taste on my tongue. lol .has been drinking a lot of water.
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pangtidor try drinking your water with citris ( lemon, lime, orange, etc.). It might taste better. Also get some plastic utensils to eat with. You can try sucking on ice chips 15 minutes before, during and after your Taxotere infusion. It might help.
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SpecialK - Ive only seen a PA the last 2 appts. I told the first PA about having some numbness in my thumb and first two fingers and also told the 2nd PA at my most recent appt about the numbness. They write down all the s/e that I tell them about. I didn't start having actual pain under my thumb nails (and less under the forefinger nails) until a couple of days ago - 4 days after 3rd infusion. The PAs didnt seem particularly concerned and the onco hasn't followed up, so I guess they consider my s/e's to be pretty standard. I'm reading that many of the ladies here are getting 6 infusions but the last PA that I saw told me that I would only have 4 (but that she would have to confirm it with the onco). What's more prevalent - 4 or 6?
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Blownaway - the standard is 6 but some get 4, especially if side effects are increasing and you have a smaller tumor, clear nodes, etc. There is one study out that compared 4 vs 6 treatments in node-negative patients - gain for preventing cancer recurrence was marginal in this subset of patients, while side effects increased more over tx's 5 and 6.
I did 4 TCH's because I did not feel the risk of additional treatment was worth it for my case - had a very small tumor (invasive portion).
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blownaway - what dance said
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Blownaway - there is a study that 30g/day of L-Glutamine can help with Neuropathy. I take about 10-15g/day. I bought a powder on Amazon that contains 4500mg(4.5g)/teaspon. I put 2-3 tsp in my morning yogurt. Also rubbing tea tree oil on your nails during infusion (I also use during the weeks in between) help with keeping your nails...fights infection. I do ice...so cant say if any of it helped...but no lifting or neuropathy so far (2 treatments down....either 3-4 to go).
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I did a combination of L-Glutamine, B6 and Acetyl L- Carnitine during chemo - I have no permanent neuropathy, but had some that resolved between treatments until the last third. It stuck around for a few months PFC but then dissipated. I did ice for every treatment and had no lines, discolored areas or ridges. I also used opaque nail polish on the day of chemo as there is some thought that light penetration during the infusion can cause nail problems. I also used clear hardener between tx. Just an FYI - tea tree oil is estrogenic, so if you are using in a place that it can be absorbed (skin) you should be aware, not saying you should or shouldn't use it - just that it is.
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Dancetrancer - well that explains it, my tumors were very small (one invasive one not) and the lymph nodes were clear so I guess my next infusion will the the last hard core one. After that, I will continue on just herceptin for the rest of the year with 4-6 weeks of rads everyday thrown in there somewhere. Of course 5 years of the anti-cancer drug....
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thanks so much lago....
I will try that ice chips trick for the next treatment. I brought 6 bottles of water during chemo and drank them all plus 2-3 cups of iced water. I wasn't sure if they will provide water. Next time I will just bring my huge water jug and fill it full for the next treatment.
Will buy some lemons for my water.
Blownaway
I think we will get the same rounds of chemo. MO rushed me to chemo before surgery and will continue another year for chemo and I will be on hormones for some years. We were talking on removing my ovaries so I won't be worry with my estrogen driven cancer anymore. We will wait on my genetic testing before making any decisions on that matter.
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Congrats Amy!!!! Very happy for you!
Minustwo....my last Herceptin treatment will be in 3 weeks. I had final TCH in December. My hands are doing ok but my big toe nails have lifted to the middle of toe and are very painful. Even a sheet can hurt. I found some Clark shoes that have space on the top of nails...I bought 3 pairs in different colors. I am hoping once the nail grows out it will not hurt. I did have nails growing under my middle toes and they seem to have grown out, I may have a nail growing under big toe not sure. Not sure where I heard it but I heard Herceptin slows nails growth. I hope things get better for you with your nails.
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I took Acetyl L- Carnitine to prevent neuropathy after my 1st treatment. I was starting to get it in my fingers on my left hand and my left heel. Once started taking it the fingers never had a problem but I do have some permanent neuropathy in my left heel. There was a study where they took big doses of this to prevent chemo induced neuropathy… they study felt that it actually might have made it worse. Right now they are recommending that your DO NOT take ACETYL-L-CARNITINE.
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Blownaway - Sounds like we have virtually the same diagnosis. I will check in with my oncologist about the 4 vs. 6 treatments. Thanks all!
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lago raises a good point - it is important to speak with your onc about any supplements you are interested in taking while you are receiving treatment. At the time we were receiving chemo the recommendation to avoid Acetyl L-Carnitine had not come out, and I took it in much smaller dose than the study participants, but hopefully your physicians are reading current guidelines and will advise you accordingly.
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Personally I do feel the Aceryl-L-Carnitine helped me but who knows… maybe that's why I have permanent damage in my left heel. I still take it because it's a memory booster and I found it works for me. Again I don't mega dose. I take as directed on the label.
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I too feel Acetyl L-Carnetine was useful if only as a mood booster. I am still taking the dose on the label - two capsules/day, 500 mg.
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Pangtidor - I am 57 (however very immature for my age) although I went through menopause early and later had a complete hysterectomy so that I could take Premarin for my extreme hot flashes. Of course, when estrogen receptive cancer was diagnosed at the end of March this past spring, the doctors put a stop to that! I doubt I have any estrogen left in my body. I try to keep my weight down so maybe my body fat won't be producing very much estrogen. The 5 year anti-cancer drug is supposed to cause more hot flashes so I'm looking at living with my head in the freezer from now on. Guess I could move up north....
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Lovewins - My PA told me that once you are switched to Herceptin only, the side effects subside. Did you find this to be true or am I being fed $$)&&((@;??? Also, about the same time, I'm to start rads every day for 4-6 weeks, wonder what the two together will be like.
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Blownaway - for me way way way better with just herceptin - I have a day or two of being a little achy and have a runny nose sometimes with just herceptin. Night and Day compared to chemo for me. Not doing rads so I can't tell you that
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