Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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i do notice some bruises more now, but i am off arimidex and on letrizole. But i do take an aspirin 81mg daily. I see MO next month will ask her.
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I definitely bruise more now than before Chemo. The bruises are also more 'dramatic' looking and take longer to go away. My platelets are normal, but in the lower normal range. The fact is, all my blood counts are depressed from their pre chemo counts and I am 21 months out from final chemo. The Hematologist I consulted with said my counts might never get back to my former levels. Only time will tell.
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Hi. I had my first TCHP March 30. Taxotere Carboplatin Herceptin Perjeta. It is 8 days out and the only food that doesn't make me nauseated is chicken noodle soup and peanut butter crackers. Any suggestions? Does it get better through the weeks? I'm getting treatment every 3 weeks for six times.
And does icing the hands and feet protect from neuropathy?
And did anyone at this point just still feel weird and spacey?
Leslie
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Leslie - this is an older thread and many of us were treated prior to the approved use of Perjeta, so we got TCH without P. It is normal to feel spacey - I usually felt off and had GI upset for the first 10 days after infusion, then the second 10 day period leading up to the next infusion felt ok but my taste buds were still affected. I found that bland foods, fruit, smoothies were good first 10 days, then tried to eat high protein the second 10 days even though I couldn't really taste it, in an effort to keep my red cells and hemoglobin up. I am not personally convinced that icing prevents neuropathy, I did it to protect my nails - hands and feet during Taxotere. I took L-Glutamine and Vit B-6 for neuropathy prevention. What kind of anti-nausea meds are you taking
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Hi Leslie,
I also did the TCH combo awhile back (2012) before Perjata but I can still remember how you are feeling! The first week was always the hardest. The best advice I have is to eat whatever you can get down st that point! One thing that happened to me though is that I developed food aversions so the foods I could eat during chemo (particularly that first week after treatment) don't appeal to me to this day! Comfort foods like mac and cheese and chicken pot pie helped me then but now turn my stomach even five years later.
I didn't ice and didn't have any neuropathy. I did use tea tree oil on my nails and did not lose them.
I wish you the best!
Stac
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I did TCHP. I had no nausea but ongoing diarrhea. Mostly I just ate the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce & toast. I drank Carnation Instant Breakfast with Nestles Bene Protein powder added. I did ice (with frozen peas). It not prevent neuropathy which is ongoing 3 years later, but it did keep me from loosing my nails. (fingers & toes). I also took L-Glutamine & B-6 & B-12 to counteract neuropathy, but in my case it wasn't successful. Or maybe it was - since I have only profound numbness in my feet & still occasionally in my fingers, but no pain. I usually had an additional bag of saline/fluids half way between the every 3 week treatments.
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LeslieS: I also did TCHP, every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. I had very little nausea, but my taste buds went wacky. Fortunately, fruits, veggies, citrus, and tomato-based products tasted good to me thoughout my chemo. Most days I didn't have an appetite, but forced myself to eat. Apple sauce and bananas were my go-to foods. Before chemo I was a daily coffee drinker, but coffee didn't appeal to me until about day 12 after chemo. (Around day 12 my taste buds improved and other foods were more appealing, until the next chemo round.)
I didn't do any icing, and haven't had neuropathy. After my 6th and final round my finger nails starting cracking but I don't know if icing would have prevented that. My toe nails are fine.
I remember feeling a little weird after the first round. I assumed it was from stress and anxiety.
Good luck to you!
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pasmithx2- I know it has been a long time since you posted..so I am hoping you get this message. I finished Taxotere and Cytoxan with Herceptin 12 weeks ago (4 rounds). I am now getting Herceptin every 3 weeks until Nov 2017. I too have had eye twitch and muscle twitches all over my body ( cant see) but I can feel them they are constant in random places. It is very anxiety producing. My Onc is young and she says she has never had a patient complain of twitches. But, I have read so many posts regarding this.. How long did it take for yours to go away? Any info would be appreciated!
Thank you!
mdba
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Was wanting some feedback on when, in the 3 week cycle, you experienced the most side effects? I want to work and am trying to anticipate. Also, did your side effects worsen with each successive round? I will have 5 more rounds, once every 3 weeks.
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upheld - I usually felt ok day of infusion and day after, but had fatigue, and some GI issues from days 3-5-ish, didn't schedule much for the following few days but then felt pretty normal for the remainder of the time until the next infusion. That is pretty typical for TCH, and I iced fingers and toes, and held ice chips in my mouth for the Taxotere infusion to prevent nail lifting and mouth sores. I took vitamin B6 and L-Glutamine to prevent neuropathy. I had tingling after the first infusion, which resolved by the next infusion for the first 3, then it stayed. I continued the B6 and L-Glutamine and all neuropathy dissipated by about 90 days after the last infusion. I took Claritin prior to my Neulasta injection, didn't have bone pain.
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Upheld - everyone reacts differently so be prepared for the worst, but expect the best. My experience was the first 3 sessions were alright. Yeah, some tiredness, a little bone pain, some taste issues - no real big deal. But on cycle 4 I had debilitating nausea, diarrhea, and tiredness that kept me home bound in bed for days at a time. The 5th cycle was the worst with active vomiting despite 7 meds and exhaustion I didn't dream possible. Taste issues made water taste like pond scum and food (especially bread products of any kind) wasn't much better. Slept for days and lived on ensure shakes. By 6th cycle, the doctor lowered the dose and I handled it better, but not well enough to 'work'. I am a homeschool mom and cancelled school that entire cycle. Now, others breeze through it in comparison. You never know how it will hit you until it you go through it. So be prepared for all eventualities.
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Checking in! 2 years post LX, 2.5 years since DX and start of TCHP.
Dental-- I have horrible teeth... I was lucky to have no problems while getting treated for BC (worried about infections). I don't notice any worse teeth post chemo. I have a possible cavity, but mostly likely due to having Type 2 diabetes, which DOES mess with your teeth. My diabetes is pretty much under control... so maybe it's just a random cavity! --I did not have problems with dry mouth. I think my MO said the L-Glutamine was supposed to help that.
Diarrhea-- During chemo, I had it BAD. Not C-Diff. It would start within a week after the infusion--so much that I was hospitalized for several weeks the first two cycles! AND I had HOME saline drips the other 4 cycles. AND that was after my MO reduced my Taxotere for the last 4! It didn't seem to make a difference, but they still reduced it. I would lose 10-20 pounds each cycle and gain some back between cycles! UGH. Plus, everything tasted like cardboard, so I hated eating. I didn't get nausea (well, once or twice only)... mostly just couldn't eat and couldn't keep anything in me anyway...
Neuropathy-- I had it. Got tested by neurologist and had weakened nerve response in both legs and a bit in the arms. I didn't really get pain... some tingling. And got a bit of drop-foot, so that I actually tripped and sprained my ankle! BUT... most of that resolved after chemo! I currently have a little tingling in my thumb, but that came on about year or so later and could be carpal tunnel! And my foot no longer drops, but sometimes I feel like I'm not picking up my feet enough--so maybe some of the weak nerve signals remain.
GI tract-- Not fully back... I get diarrhea still, but not at all as bad. Rumbling tummy a fair amount. But not really a problem.
Perjeta/insurance -- When I was diagnosed I was at Kaiser. They wouldn't give me Perjeta until I got an outside 2nd opinion. I switched insurance after that--worried that I'd have to fight for everything...!
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Got a junk call one day asking if I'd had taxotere... something about lawsuits. Anyone else got anything like that? I wonder how they search that kind of thing??? but maybe they can pick up stuff from online posts??? *__*
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I hope you all are doing well. I'm pretty much back to normal... I just need to exercise more and get my energy up, and things would be better, but that's all. (Oh, and am Fosamax, so I guess my bones aren't doing so well, but hopefully the meds will help, and that could just be from being post-menopausal and older.)
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I saw an ad on tv about a class action lawsuit involving taxotere and permanent hairloss....
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I brought this up to my MO (the Taxortere Class action lawsuit) and he laughed it off. Easy for him to. But if my hair doesn't come back, I'll take the money. I'm ok with no hair. (for now)
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rljes - the class action suit does not hinge on whether or not your hair returns, to join the class the basis for the suit has to do with whether or not you were made aware that the possibility exists that your hair loss could be permanent. This class action stems from the previous lack of warnings in the US from the manufacturer, which constituted a lack of full disclosure on their part. If you have received the current warning sheets from your oncologist at the time of drug administration it does include the information that permanent hair loss can occur. It is incumbent upon the patient to read this information, and it absents you from the class if you received it and did not read it in full.
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Thanks Special K - I will read my paperwork and see if I was made aware in the thin fine print! You are such a wealth of information - thanks for looking out for us!
rj
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Fine print is pretty accurate! You really have to look for it - but it is now there. When I had Taxotere in early 2011 I don't think it was included, but I learned about the permanent hair loss on this board and did discuss it with my oncologist.
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Paperwork? I don't remember getting ANY Taxotere paperwork. But it was all a blur to me then, so who knows.
BUT more importantly, my hair (which has always been very thick) is NOW thinning DRAMATICALLY. On the top and along the sides, especially. I can't imagine this could be related, could it? (I did the chemo in 2009) I just had my thyroid tested b/c that could be a cause of hairloss, but nope - it's normal. It is a small thing, but I am really bothered by it. Any thoughts?
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amyisstrong - the side effects and black box warnings are on the inserts - like you get at the pharmacy when you fill a presscription - I had a big folder from the manufacturer - Sanofi-Aventis. It is unlikely that it is Taxotere this late causing your hair problems - that loss is permanent at the time it happened. Are you still on Arimidex? Lack of estrogen can definitely cause thinning, mine has as well. Did you have the T3 thyroid test, the T4, or both? Sometimes you need the more sensitive test to uncover thyroid issues.
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I buzzed my head as soon as my first hairs started coming out. I'm not worried about it. Just more curious.
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hi. JUST WANNA KNOW IF ANYONE HAS THIS SIDE EFFECT. Just started my 1st cycle. Its been 4hrs and my my chest hurts a bit. Its like compressing but not that bad. Like 2 out of 10 pain scale. But its not normal for me. I just wanna know if anyone has experienced it. I feel normal other than that. No stomach pain or nausea or anytging. Just my chest is compressing at the center and its bugging me out. I can breath normally but theres a stabbing pain. Compressing my chest. My onc said that it may be the meds reacting. Im not thinking well right now. And im freaking out. And also, do u wear masks? Just wondering. Thank u for ur time! I appreciate it so much if someone could tell me im not the only one experiencing this.
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A few seconds ago Cassie23 wrote:
hi. JUST WANNA KNOW IF ANYONE HAS THIS SIDE EFFECT. Just started my 1st cycle. Its been 4hrs and my my chest hurts a bit. Its like compressing but not that bad. Like 2 out of 10 pain scale. But its not normal for me. I just wanna know if anyone has experienced it. I feel normal other than that. No stomach pain or nausea or anytging. Just my chest is compressing at the center and its bugging me out. I can breath normally but theres a stabbing pain. Compressing my chest. My onc said that it may be the meds reacting. Im not thinking well right now. And im freaking out. And also, do u wear masks? Just wondering. Thank u for ur time! I appreciate it so much if someone could tell me im not the only one experiencing this.
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Cassie: this is not a very active thread. I don't remember that SE & didn't wear a mask. But I recommend you try the link below to the January Chemo thread, or see if there is a new February thread yet.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...
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heartburn perhaps? I had it. Scared me initially. OTC helped but didn’t get rid of it completely. Talkto your MO.
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Hi all, not sure if this is the right place to post this but Im having a weird chemo side effect & hoping one of you have advice! I'm on round 2 of taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin & Perjeta (given every 3 weeks).
I’m managing pretty well - but I have weird gas/bubbles in my throat. Feels like I'm going to vomit, or somethimes it feels like there is vomit in my throat - but with no retching, and I dont actually vomit. Not accompanied by the usual dizzy/motion sick feelings of nausea. It won't go away. I'm taking compazine for nausea, I tried brioschi and alka seltzer and gargling with baking soda water on recommendation of onco nurses - didn't help. 🤢 any ideas of what I can do?
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I had a burning feeling in my throat that lasted throughout chemo. My MO said it was acid reflux and recommended Prilosec OTC and Pepcid AC. These meds helped with the discomfort, but the feeling didn't go away completely until one month after finishing chemo.
Hope you find some relief.
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I am on day6 of my first cycle. I noticed a tightness and discomfort when breathing in deeply, but it has improved quite a bit. Not sure if this helps.
Lulu
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Cassie, I recommend going to have it checked out. If MO won't do it, then ER will. Stabbing pain and compressing at the center are worrisome.
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