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Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

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Comments

  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 169
    edited July 2007
    Leslie, I'm still getting the benedryl drip pre-chemo, and I just had #8 of 12 weekly Taxol/Carbo. I also get small bags of IV Pepcid and a steroid. Plus I take a Kytril pill.

    My face gets bright red the day after chemo. I was told it's from the steroid.
  • lg123
    lg123 Member Posts: 24
    edited July 2007
    Hi,
    I had TCH # 2 last Thurs and they discontinued the benedryl for some reason. It didn't seem to make a difference in the treatment except I didn't feel as sleepy afterward.
    I get the red cheeks and nose for the first 2 days and they said it was from the dexametheson. I also get a pink left breast-weird--the surgery side. The nurse said others have noticed this too. The first treatment it was bright pink but this time not as pink.
    I changed from Zantac to Prilosec but I still feel much worse this treatment. No appetite and everything tastes bad. I feel weak from not eating and drinking as much as I should. I haven't tried the Phenegran yet. Anyone had luck with that?
    I wish I was closer to the end of treatments. It helps to read your posts and they give me hope that I can do this.
    Shaved my head and now I look really old and sick. Going to have to learn how to wear that wig for work! I like those Buffs, Really comfortable around the house I feel like such a big crybaby today. UGH
    4 more to go.
    Leslie2
  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 169
    edited July 2007
    Hang in there, Leslie2. You have every right to feel like a crybaby. Having no hair is a kick in the gut, but it gets a little easier to deal with, as time passes.

    Talk to your doc today about how lousy you feel. There are lots of different drugs they can use to relieve the nausea, etc. It's a trial and error until they find what works with your body chemistry. You shouldh't have to feel so lousy.

    Everybody's different, and I happen to hate my wig. (Too hot and itchy!) So I wear these scarf-hats when I go outdoors, even to work. They're really comfy and cool.

    http://stores.ebay.com/Sewinjs-Do-Rags-a...6QQftidZ2QQtZkm
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited July 2007
    Leslie2, I also get the pink skin around my left nipple, which is the breast my tumor was on. at first, I was freaked out that it was due to inflammatory breast cancer, but my oncologist and surgeon saw it and didn't think anything of it. I'm on my 5th treatment and I still got it this time.
    As far as nausea, have you tried zofran? the phenergan does nothing for me except make me dizzy and sleepy, which for some reason seems to worsen my nausea. the only thing about zofran is that it can be quite constipating so you have to be careful to take a stool softner.
    Also, for some reason, I had a lot of nausea with my second treatment but not a lot since then. I read somewhere on line that people complain of more nausea when they get the carbo before the taxotere. i don't know if that is true but the one time I got the horrible nausea was when they did the carbo first. i asked my chemo nurse to do the taxotere first and I've been better since then. good luck, hang in there, it gets better.
    Leslie
  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 36
    edited August 2007
    The taste changes were the worst part of the TCH when i had it. I kept trying to find things that tasted good or even tolerable. It wasn't bad the first and second treatments, but got worse as I approached the 6th.

    Some things that worked for me: fudgsicles (NOT ice cream bars), hamburger (with no fillers or spices) or steak (no sauces), buttered noodles, raw(washed) fruit, bananas, cooked frozen veggies (no sauces. I had to avoid chocolate, anything with vinegar or wine, anything spicy.

    As far as drink, I always drank lots of water, even after it turned tasteless (I LIKE water). The only problem was the last cycle when even water tasted disgusting. So I forced myself to take a few sips and went 3 days before I could start drining it again. But that disgusting period DID end each cycle.

    If water doesn't work for you, there are flavoring agents that can be added, or even put in a few drops of lemon juice, a little koolaid powder, a little gatoraid powder, etc.

    Good luck.
    Janet
  • lg123
    lg123 Member Posts: 24
    edited August 2007
    Cindy: thanks for the link for the scarves. It's so hot and humid here that the wig feels like a winter hat.
    I will persist with getting those meds changed until I feel better. I don't want to lose a week every three week.
    Feeling a little bit better today.

    Leslie: I took the Phenergran and it made me sleepy and dizzy. I was like zombie for the rest of the day so it's back to the drawing board. Guess it doesn't work for me. I'm going in for a Herceptin treatment tomorrow and I'll see what they suggest.
    Janet: Thanks for the food suggestions. My list of acceptable foods grows shorter and shorter so I'll try some of your suggestions. I did get some orange flavored water today and that helped a lot. I never thought of adding a bit of Koolaide powder to regular water.
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited August 2007
    I get incredible redness around my nipple.....they cut back the decadron and it seemed to solve the problem. The decadron also makes my white count go really high. I also have what feels like a cut just at my nipple....oncologist doesn't seem worried.

    Leslie: I have not heard anything about cutting back on the benadryl....I've had it every time. I go this morning for my 5th chemo--just like yours--and I will try to let you know when I get home if I had it or not. They even raised the does to 50 the last 2 times. I'll be really surprised and scared if they don't give it to me.

    Hope your 5th treatment is going well...Let me know. I have been most similar to all of your symptoms and I always appreciate your input.

    Katymom
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited August 2007
    HI Katymom,
    good luck on your 5th treatment today. So far, it hasn't been too bad. My doctor finally gave me some prosom for sleep, so I took it monday and tuesday but found I was so tired during the day also so I didn't take it last night. So I got no sleep last night! I always get the worst hot flashes the week of chemo, plus I got my Zoladex shot which also give me flashes so this week has been miserable as far as hot flashes. It doesn't help that it is over 90 degrees here in chicago.
    I don't know what to make of the benadryl, but I did okay without it.
    I was also told that radiation starts about 3-4 weeks after the last chemo. the oncology nurse just emailed me with an appointment for the radiation/oncologist for 1.5 weeks after my last chemo. You have to meet with them several times and they have to line up the radiation beams, which I hear can take hours! No one has told me how many weeks of radiation, but I have heard somewhere between 4.5 and 5.5, ,they're leaving it up to the radiation people.
    I also have to get a MUGA again because of the herceptin. I hope our hearts are holding up so we can continue to get the drug. They should repeat the heart scan every 3-4 months while we're on herceptin.
    Good luck today, I can not wait to be done!
    Leslie
  • carol_kelley
    carol_kelley Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2007
    hi all
    New to this forum. Had my 2nd round yesterday and had a reaction to the taxotere so they slowed it way down. I had some real low back pain/cramping going on followed by multiple bathroom trips to uriniate. Then it just went away. Not sure what that was all about but makes me wonder. My onocologist gave me his home number and told me if I have any problems to call him at home and not go through the service. He wants to know and be involved in any treatments. I really wish I didn't have to do the taxotere because I think it I what gives me most of my negative symptoms. Well, I am almost bald and will work on shaving my head today. I guess it is my rite of passage dealing with this whole cancer thing.
    I sure am glad this forum is here because is nice to find people on the same chemos as me and see I am not alone in what I am experiencing. Also the good tips on what might be helpful to eat and drink. Are any of you working full time? I work for a school district and I am suppose to return soon and my 1st round, I was pretty sick, ended up in the ER and I am worried about the whole work thing. Just wondered how doable it really is.

    Well thanks for listening.

    1.5 cent, lumpectomy, stage 1, 2 lymph node neg, ER/PR-, HER+, FISH+
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited August 2007
    Hi Carol,
    I don't have the back pain with taxotere, but I do end up peeing several times on the taxotere, which I'm told is not abnormal.
    My first round was horrible also, I ended up in the hospital after I got overstimulated when they tried to freeze my eggs (i'm 30 and my husband and I don't have kids yet). The rest of the rounds have been okay so far. I had to get IV fluids after the 2nd and 3rd round, now I force myself to drink over 70 ounces of fluid a day.
    As far as working, I know people who do it, but I haven't been doing much. I go to work during the 2nd and 3rd week between chemo, but the first week after chemo is spent sleeping all day at home!
    good luck, we'll all make it through somehow! I only have 1 more chemo treatment to go!
    Leslie
  • cinrae123
    cinrae123 Member Posts: 211
    edited August 2007
    Hi girls...........havent posted in a little while but have been keeping up on everyones progress. Sounds like we are all almost to the end. Thank Godddddddddddddddddd. I cant wait for it to be done with. Having my 5th treatment on this Monday,,,,,,,,,then one more to go after that. Yipeeeee. My fourth treatment kicked me in the butt. On the Friday after my treatment on that Monday,,,,,I got terribly sick,,,,,,,,,I am hoping the 5th and 6th will not be like that,,,,,,,cause it really sucked. This has been a good week for me so I went to the fair that was in town and the beach yesterday and had my teeth cleaned today. lol Wish I had more energy though.......kind of a bummer when you cant walk as much as you used to without getting tired. But soon the end will be here and I will be back to normal.
    Hope you all have a good weekend,,,,,,,,and do something fun.
    Take care ladies,,,,,,,,,
    Cindy
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited August 2007
    Got through the chemo okay....they did give me the benadryl...I have been up since 3 again. I think the steroids wire me! I too will be glad when this is all done. My oncologist pretty much said the same thing. Radiation starts 3 -5(max) weeks after....I'm shooting for 3weeks ...and lasts about 6 weeks. I've heard the first appointment is a pain...lots of placment issues, but after that it is quick. I've heard the blistering can be quite bothersome....Well, we should be coasting by the end of October! I have to get a Mugga, too. A friend of mine who works at Baylor College of Medicine's breast center said if there are problems they pull you off herceptin, let you recover and put you back on. She said don't let them keep you off of it because it really makes a difference. Just give your heart time to recover then start again. Hopefully, we can just get through it! Keep me posted on how you're doing! Good luck this week. Stay strong!

    Katymom
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited August 2007
    Hi Leslie2.....try some altoids for the taste and see if that helps. I discovered after treatment #3 that the altoids really did good for me. You might also try other HARD candies, but I didn't like most tastes.

    Katymom
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited August 2007
    Hi Carol,
    Good luck with everything. I'm not sure my symptoms are quite the same as yours, but I felt like I had a bladder infection a couple of times, got checked for that and it was negative...felt like it was the chemo drugs. I am drinking about 60+ ounces of water plus as much other fluid as I can everyday. My oncologist prefers NO TEA until chemo is absolutely done. Working might be touch but you can do it if you have to .... I am lucky that my office is at home and I have some flexibility, but I know others get through work. You might have to use up sick days. Hopefully, they will be understanding. Good luck with that I know it will be tough, but we are all here for you!

    Katymom
  • katymom
    katymom Member Posts: 73
    edited August 2007
    I'm with you on all of that! The fourth treatment was tough....I'm hoping for good things with #5 (which I had yesterday)...Obviously, I'm starting out with no sleep which isn't so great! I'm taking Kytril for nausea....anyone else on that? I've been living on milk products....seems to help. Hope everyone has a great weekend and this #5 is not too bad! STAY STRONG we are almost to the top of the next hill!

    Katymom
  • talbrig13
    talbrig13 Member Posts: 358
    edited August 2007
    Hi girls...I haven't posted here for a while. I started TCH back in the beginning of Feb. At that time, I couldn't find very many on TCH. Mostly AC & T...anyway, I had 10 biweekly doses and finished the first week of July. The worst part was the horrible taste in my mouth, dry mouth. I did manage to work thru it all...took the day of chemo & day after off (thurs & fri) and felt lousy on Sat & Sun...back to work Monday. I will say, my butt was dragging by late May, but I did it. Just continue to drink as much water as you can to flush everything out as soon as possible.
    I have been feeling much better....started rads on July 18th and now have 13 out of 33 done. No side effects to speak of yet.
    had my first dose of every 3 week Herceptin on 7/26...I do feel a little queasy with it and have some mild bathroom running. Go again for that on 8/16.
    I truly think those of us on TCH don't get quite as sick as the AC girls and it is a little less rough on the system.

    I had another MUGA on July 2nd...down only 4 points, so onc said nothing to be concerned about. Will have another in a few months. Going on Femara when rads are done. And will have a bone desity test then. Femara can cause bone loss.

    Seems like you are all doing okay...just hang in there and it will soon be over!

    Love to all of you,
  • talbrig13
    talbrig13 Member Posts: 358
    edited August 2007

    I forgot to add...my cheeks did the red beet thing too the day after chemo. And hot flashes, which I also get with my Herceptin infusion....so see, you are not alone!

  • lg123
    lg123 Member Posts: 24
    edited August 2007
    Hi all,
    Treatment #2 was so much worse for me than #1. I've had nausea so they prescribed Emend for the next round. Anyone take that?
    The worst part was the diarrhea for 4 days. I've never had diarrhea like that in my life. There was no pain,it just wooshed out. Yikes. Immodium didn't help at all so they prescribed Lomotil. It finally stopped the diarrhea. I lost a lot of weight--the hard way. Hope that doesn't happen next time. I wonder if all the fitness water that I drank had anyhting to do with it? It has vit C in it but I didn't see sorbitol on the ingredient list.
    I am finally well enough to go to work tomorrow and except for the bad taste and a bit of fatigue I feel almost normal. I'll try those Altoids, Katymom.
    I saw my radiation onc a week ago just to touch base. It sounds like it will be so much easier than the chemo. He said to make sure I got the range of motion back in my left arm because I'll need to hold it behind my head. I had 18 nodes removed and then the surgical drain for 5 weeks so my arm got a bit frozen from lack of motion. I'm able to loosen it up each time they give me the decadron so it should be fine in a couple of months. Can't wait for the chemo to be over. I'm a few treatments behind most of you but I am cheering you all on to the finish line.
    Leslie2
  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 17
    edited August 2007

    Hi ladies, I am new here and not even sure if I will post this properly. I am 32 years old, with 2 kids. I am HER2 + and hormone receptor negative. I started on Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin on 8/2. I just wanted to try a quick post and hopefully get some more discussion later. So, that's it for now, I guess. I don't even know where to begin!

  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited August 2007
    hi chemomom, welcome to the group. sorry you had to join us but glad you found us. you are young like me, I'm 30, married but no kids yet. TCH is very doable. sounds like we do better than the ladies on AC/T.
    Leslie2- I had horrible diarrhea the first round, like every 15 minutes! but strangely enough, it hasn't been a big problem the following rounds, so don't worry, you may not have it again next time. Now i have only about 2 days of diarrhea on days 5 and 6 after chemo. definately not as severe and I've noticed that once the diarrhea resolves, I feel almost back to normal. maybe it's my body's way of clearing out the toxic medications? don't know if that's true or not,but I'll go with the theory for now:-)
    Cindy-so good to hear from you. hope you are doing well after your 5th treatment this week right? only 1 left to go.
    Katymom-how are you doing after the 5th treatment?
    Leslie
  • carol_kelley
    carol_kelley Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2007
    Hi all,
    Still doing okay after second treatment. Just not real hungry and a little diarrhea but nothing like the first round. I am not near so sick and haven't had to go to the hospital so I am very happy!!!!! So, 2 down and 4 to go then only have Herceptin and radiation. That will be nice!!!
    My boss and I had a very nice talk the other day and my work is willing to be very flexible with me during my treatments so that I can work as much as I am able but if I need to rest, I can do that also. They assured me that my job is secure and they want me to get well and they will help in whatever way they can. Isn't that the greatest? I am really touched by all the support I feel. I have a great job.
    Chemomom, welcome to this group. We are here for you if you have questions or just need to talk. Got to go for now. Take care all.
  • chemomom
    chemomom Member Posts: 17
    edited August 2007

    Hi gals, chemomom here. I am up with what sounds like a typical case of crazy-rotten chemo diarrhea! Terrible! I had been doing OK with side-effects, I thought until yesterday. No vomiting- I credit Emend with that. But after 3 days, I got a bit of reflux to go along with the extreme tiredness. A little face-flushing, which meant I didn't feel like having to even mess with any makeup (as if i were going anywhere!). I was counting myself fairly lucky. Then yesterday, I started losing sensation in my feet when I walked and finally the diarrhea and hot flashes. Good lord, I thought I was in the clear until then! For the moment the extreme cramping has subsided. But I read that perhaps I shouldn't have eaten fresh fruit. Really? I assumed going to the natural stuff would be the thing to do! I would have to think i brought this on myself!!!

  • carol_kelley
    carol_kelley Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2007
    Angie,
    Fresh fruit is normally good for your and your body but is is a natural laxative. That is why it is better to stay away from them shortly after treatment. The chemo brought it on because it comes with the chemo (or it least it has for me my two times) no matter what I eat. But I stay away from things which will make it worse and I take immodium to lesson the severity. It wasn't near as bad this time as it was the first time, so I think my body may be adjusting.
    Hope that helps Angie, and good luck. I know it is not fun but it does pass and we are here for you!!!!!!
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited August 2007
    Hi Gals,
    i've been experiencing a strange side effect since the second round, but it has become more frequent. everytime I sit down or stand up, I notice white lights in the periphery of my vision. also my vision is not what it used to be, just this morning, the numbers on my digital clock were blurry but when I blinked and looked again, it was fine. anyone else with these side effects?
    Leslie
  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 169
    edited August 2007
    I've heard to avoid raw fruit and veggies unless you can peel them. (Kind of like when you're in Mexico!) My assumption is that there are germs on raw produce that usually don't bother people, but can bother us when our white cells and immune systems are down.

    I've managed to food poison myself twice already, from raw veggies used as garnish for sandwiches and fajitas. It was violent (and apparently never-ending) diarrhea with lots of cramps. Immodium finally turmed off the faucet. Sigh.
  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 169
    edited August 2007
    Leslie, I had vision changes with my 2005 chemo and am experiencing it again this year, to a lesser degree. The white lights at your peripheral vision are a little troubling. Could be indicative of your retina pulling away from the back of your eye. Does it look like a flash? Or more like sparkles from getting up too quickly?

    If it's like a flash, I would get to an ophthalmologist PRONTO and get checked out. I mean immediately. Go to the ER if you have to and they'll call someone in. I am incredibly nearsighted, so I've always been warned about the symptoms of retina detachments because the back of my eye is extra curved so it puts more stress on the retina.

    I actually experienced a "posterior vitreous detachment" about a month ago, which is when the gooey stuff inside your eye comes loose from the back of your eye. That can cause flashes, too. We didn't think it had anything to do with my chemo. I'm at high-risk of vitreous detachments because of being super near-sighted and almost 50 years old.

    The reason they need to see you quickly when you experience flashes is that it's much easier to fix retinal problems at an early stage vs a later stage. It's nothing to mess with. I have a friend who literally lost the sight in one of her eyes because she didn't get proper care.
  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited August 2007
    thanks CindyMN for all the info. when I told my oncologist, she wasn't too worried about it. she said it was probably from the decadron. I shouldn't use the word flashes, but it's more like white spots or bubbles that float around. I too am afraid of retinal detachment and when I told my oncologist that, she laughed. She thinks I'm nuts because I'm a physician and worry about all the symptoms. My Primary care doctor was very responsive and put a referral in to the opthomologist for me. I even emailed the optho myself to try to get an appointment sooner. It's been going on since May, so I assume if were my retina detaching, I'd be screwed by now. It may still be damage to my retina and that's what I'm more worried about. Do you think it is from the taxotere? it can cause neuropathy so I imagine the retinal nerve is susceptible to damage also.
    Leslie
  • chumfry
    chumfry Member Posts: 169
    edited August 2007

    Well, I'd still have it checked out. I don't know that I've ever heard of those particular symptoms occurring, just when you stand up or sit down. That's pretty odd.

  • lwy
    lwy Member Posts: 116
    edited August 2007
    Thanks for all your advice CindyMN, I finally got ahold of the opthalmologist and she's going to see me tomorrow morning. I'll let you know what she thinks. Do you have any exciting weekend plans? it is just so hot in chicago, is it hot in Minn also? we haven't been able to do much this past week because of the heat. I'm afraid to get to dehydrated.
    Have a great weekend ladies!
    Leslie
  • carol_kelley
    carol_kelley Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2007
    I am also experiencing unusual sensation this second time. Not only is the lumpectomy site sore but my neck where I had a lipoma removed two years ago is bothering me. Why would these areas be hurting? Are cells more fragile there or something? Maybe I am over sensitive or something but it seems weird, especially the neck. I have an appointment with my surgeon tommorrow, just a follow up, so I will ask him.
    Hope your appointment goes well Lelsie, I will be thinking about you. I know I used to get the "lights" but they were opthamalogical migraines and am now on a very expensive migraine medicine called topomax for them. But hopefully you do not have anything that complicated!!!!
    Hope to be back on tommorrow.

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