Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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I had my first H-only infusion on Wednesday and I didn't have any noticeable SEs. They still want to monitor my heart with an Echocardiogram every few months because Herceptin can weaken the heart.
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Pang,
Thank you.
Sometimes the effects are cumulative. I had issues days 2-10. I learned how to manage my side effects somewhat after # 1, Iced my mouth during taxotere #2 and no more mouth sores, watched what and how I ate and gastro issues were better, still had diarhea days 5-10 but the fatigue was hardest for me especially with #5 and 6.
Herceptin is easier, I receive it weekly on Thursday. It makes me achy and tired. I get a runny nose and a rash. But I am able to function and usually feel better by the weekend.
I wish you all the best,
Vivian
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thank you so much for the info Vivian.....I was feeling like the morning sickness days on day 2-5, diarrhea 4-10 and mouth sore on day 4-10. I tried different things suggested by other members and I hope the next round will be better. I could feel the fatigue at the end of the day.
I supposed to her Herceptin initially. My echo turned out great and I have to drive for 2hours to get the chemo so I get Herceptin higher dose every 2 weeks instead .
Thank u so much I hope you keep feeling better Vivian !!!
Shirley
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Pang.
Try ice and icewater in your mouth 15 min before taxotere all the way to 15 min after. Keep mouth as cold as you can. This helped me avoid mouth sores. I had a mouth full after first treatment and they hurt. I kept mouth cold and no more.
Vivian
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Fionascottie you might find anything citris tastes good. Try putting some lemon, lime or orange in your water. Lemonhead candy is a favorite to give to someone doing chemo.
pangtidor The side effects don't always get more intense. The seem to do it gradually or just last a bit longer. Herceptin was a breeze for me. I had no issues with it. I too sucked on ice chips all through taxotere infusion on my MOs recommendation. Never had another mouth sore. I had the big C. So I found taking Metamucil the night I did chemo (Tuesday) through Friday worked for me. Things moved normal on Saturdays. Metamucil can be good for the big D too. I too felt the fatigue sometimes as early as 4pm. Took a nap and felt better. I also had surgery first so I was also healing from that too.
I know this chemo journey seems endless but eventually you get back to your life. Cancer is suck a huge time suck… OK just a big SUCK in general but you'll get through it.
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Thank you lago for the advice.
I will chew the ice on my next round. I forced myself to drink 6 bottles of water room temperature on my first round. I tried Immodium with the big D just made me sick with the gassy tummy. I will be off from work for a week for the next chemo so will take some naps too. My surgery will be after my 6 rounds TCH because of my stage ; and H alone for targeted chemo for another year. Will do the barca test too, most probably another surgery if it's positive.
I know lago, it's huge time suck. Lol. I am really thankful and grateful for this forum and everybody in here. You are all my inspiration to get through this...
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You don't have to chew the ice. Just suck on it. The goal is to keep your mouth cold so the chemo doesn't reach your mouth. It makes the blood flow slower. Don't worry. Breast cancer doesn't go to the mouth/tongue but again be sure your MO is OK with this.
I did the BRCA test and tested negative. I too was ready to rip out a few more organs if I tested positive
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thanks a bunch lago... MO sees me before each chemo. I will ask him....
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Fionascottie - You're going to have an awesome visit with your grandbaby, I know it!
My nails look the same way (red lines midway down the nail bed) and they hurt.
I've tried soaking them in ice water and that seems to help with the pain. I have no idea if there's any long term benefit. My #6 is coming up this Thursday. I'm going to put on my game face and try and get through it. I just can't believe how much worse everything got. I'm trying to eat a lot now because I know that after Thursday I won't want to eat anything!0 -
Headed in for #2 tomorrow morning and appreciate all the tips. Haven't posted lately because it's been all good the last 10 days (I'm on 3 week cycles). Will report back after tomorrow's events.
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Scooby,
Have you tried icing your nails during treatment? A lot of ladies here have done it and it has helped to not lose nails. I just stuck my fingertips in a cup with iced water during taxotere, but not my toes.
With me several of my hand nails got ridges and they don't seem to be going away yet. I file them down. But no hand nails ever lifted or got red. My toe nails were all fine until after the 6 th tx. I noticed a few weeks pfc that a few of the smaller ones were lifting off comepletely, but a small nail was already underneath. I never had any pain. I have another one now. The big toes have seperated a bit but not totally yet. The one I have lost are all doing well now.
Take care,
Vivian
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I want to re-state that I never did anything to my nails during TCH - back 5 years ago, nobody was really talking about icing. I had never heard of it. And I never lost any nails or had any lifting. So it may be that it just happens to some people and not others. But I don't want people to think that it is definitely going to happen if they do not ice, because that is not the case.
I didn't chew ice and didn't have any mouth sores either. So this stuff just seems to affect everybody differently. (which can make it even more challenging to prepare for, I know)
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My onco won't let me ice anything - he said "You are not to try to protect any part of your body from the chemo." Makes me wonder if HER2+ is considered a breast cancer or if it can be anywhere in your body. If that is the case, how will I know if it comes back somewhere else when the doctors only promote mammogrms to check for this cancer?
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I'm going to just try and think positive thoughts and hope that my nails stay attached to my fingers! I have not tried icing during treatment -- I've done it at home, and at that -- not even every day. So far I haven't noticed anything with my toes yet. Honestly? I've tolerated everything pretty well up until this point (other than the diarrhea from the Perjeta) and have been able to manage most of my SE's with OTC remedies.
Blownaway -- that's an interesting comment from your MO. It does make you wonder...
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In early stage cancer there is always a risk that mastectomy and lymph node dissection did not get all the breast cancer cells - that a few microscopic cells might have packed their bags, left the breast and sneaked past the lymph nodes, traveling to other parts of the body before surgery happened.
How high that risk is depends on multiple factors. HER2+ cancers have a higher likelihood of packing their bags and traveling. So, most docs recommend chemo for HER2+ cancers preventatively - to try to kill any small microscopic cells that could be anywhere in your body - so that they do not have a chance to hang out and grow, resulting in metastasis a few years down the road. Nip it in the bud, per se.
Breast cancer cells usually do not like to go to the mouth, fingers, toes, scalp - hence the reason why many docs are fine with icing those areas to prevent chemo from going to those areas. But some docs are very conservative, like yours, and refuse to allow patients to ice anything.
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I tried icing my nails but it didn't work for me. I had pretty serious nail lifting of all nails. Lost some toenails. The worst part is never never completely recovered. My nails aren't flat, toenails have some still lifted and one toenail nail bed ruined. But better than having cancer.
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I did not ice my nails. I'm only 2 weeks pfc, but so far it appears I'm not going to lose any. Midway through chemo I was concerned because I begin having some pain and lifting at the corners of my thumb nails. I noticed it got worse after washing dishes so began wearing gloves and the problem went away.
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Dancetrancer - thank you for the explanation - I guess they will either cure me or kill me - my blood work came back so good they decided I should go for 2 extra chemos (I guess just to top me off, even though the doc had originally planned only 4). My burned feet are the only s/e they seem concerned about at this point.
Anyone - One other question, I have a port (right side of chest) so I am not getting chemo through arm veins and also am using the port for blood draws. Have you ever heard of someone developing a small knot (pea size) in the forearm (right side)? It is only slightly sore and just mildly pink/red. If you were holding out your hand for a handshake, it is located almost on top but slightly inside. I am actually projecting that it may be a blood clot but there is no swelling to the hand or the wrist. There is no mark or red dot as you would expect from an insect bite. I am probably just being paranoid. I would hate to drive an hour and a half to MD Anderson and wait around half a day to be told it's just a lump.
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lago.....thanks for the reminder about citrus in my water. I've turned the corner for this cycle finally and my taste has gotten so much better! I get my 6th and final TCHP treatment in a week and I'll stock up on lemons and limes. I do have a bag of Lemonhead candy....given to me when I started chemo!
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Blownaway, I think peace of mind is important. If the lump is pink and slightly sore I would get it checked out in case it is an infection of some sort. Do you have a number to call when you have a question or a problem? A onc nurse triage line? If so, I would give them a call for advice.
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Fiona - I finally gave in to my paranoia and called my nurse who does not believe its a blood clot but just told me to keep and eye on it. It's definitely some sort of little site of infection. She told me to watch for it to get larger or for fever/swelling. It looks about the same today as it has for the last 2 days so I'm still not going to drive all the way in to the medical center.
On another note, I have been buying sugar free Jolly Ranchers. They are really sour and get those saliva glands going when no amount of water will quench the dry mouth.
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I just remembered and thought I would share the one thing that tasted normal to me at times during chemo was milk.0 -
thank you for the tips ladies. Round 2 went well. I don't know about nail icing. My comfort zone is 72-75 F. I bring my thick blanket for each chemo to keep me warm. Soaking my hands and toes in the ice will freeze me to dead :-)
Blownaway remind MO again about your lump on the next appointment. Keep the after hours on call number handy.
Bananas, avocados, ginger and lemons help me get through my nauseated days. Watermelon helps with my acid reflex. I don't drink anything else but water and green tea now.
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Pangtidor - If the red lump on my arm is still there in two weeks you can bet I will show him and not let him fob it off like he does all my other s/e's (except my feet - that really got his attention). I take an over the counter Omperazole 25 mg every night and stopped having any heartburn symptoms after about a week. My onco approved it. Before I discovered it, I was taking Pepcid A/C at night and drinking Mylanta out of the bottle and chewing Gaviscon tablets after each meal and still having heartburn. Hope this helps.0 -
thank you for the tip blownaway. The heartburn and acid reflux are not bad for this second round . Knock on wood. I have everything handy in case the worse days come.
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pangtidor I had really bad heartburn/reflux with the 1st chemo. Prilosuc (what I call it) never works for me. By the time chemo ended I was on 2 prescriptions. Protonix and Carafate Solution. If you are having a problem let your MO know. If over the counter doesn't work don't suffer. Hard to sleep when you wake up in the middle of the night with reflux!
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thank you lago. I always try some snacks first before pop in some more pills. Bananas, avocados and watermelon have been big helps so far. Anyway, I still bring all my 'as needed' pills anywhere I go.
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Yup. I found the "as needed pills" they gave me I didn't use. I had no nausea so didn't use those pills nor did I use any of the narcotics. I'm special and had to get special pills (for heartburn and reflux)
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This board has gone dead for a while so I thought I would wake it up. I just had my first round of herceptin alone after 4 rounds of TCH. I understood that there would be no side effects and therefore I would get no steroids or anti-nausea drugs during the infusion. Well, wimpy me got very nauseated the next morning and I felt physically ill all that day but was fine the day after that. Is anyone else getting sick from herceptin alone? Should I ask for a steroid to be added to the infusion or do you ladies think its not worth the steroid side effects and I would be better off to tough out that one day of illness every 3 weeks.
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blownaway...how long was the infusion? Shorter infusion tends to make for SE. I get mine over 90 minutes. I do occasionally have a sore low back and some increase in muscle aches
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