Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

sewingnut

My eyebrows are thinning but the eyelashes are still here.  Anyone else still have your eyebrows and lashes?  If not, what have you done to define your features on your face. I have never worn a lot of makeup so this aspect of treatment is causing me more anguish than losing my hair.

lago

My eyebrows thinned a little. I went to Ulta and a lady there help me with brow stuff. The also have stencils. My lashes are now falling out (7 weeks past last chemo). I wear eyeliner anyway so it's not too bad.

For good tips I attended 2 sessions and got great tips but the information is also online here: http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/beauty-guide

imatthew

hi all, my wife almost a week out from #5, she's having problems with swelling in her hands and very dry, cracking skin on her hands.  Has anyone had anything similar?  If so, what did you do?

lago

imatthew my hands got so try at the beginning that I had to stop using anti bacterial soap and sanitizer on a regular basis. For cuticles I used Hoofer's Choice Nail and Cuticle Cream. For hands I used Eucerin hand cream.

My feet are still very dry and at times can peel. I have been using extra virgin coconut oil on them. This would work on hands too.

Swelling in the hands. Does she have lymphedema? 

Omaz

imatthew - Taxotere can also affect the hand skin - just to be on the safe side you may want to mention this to your onc.

imatthew

thanks Omaz - she did mention it to him and his advice was to use Eucerin.  He did mention the skin issues could linger a while after chemo.  

Omaz

imatthew - During rads I found that Eucerin aquaphor really softened up the skin.  It's pretty thick, maybe with the little cotton gloves overnight.

motherofpatient

Has anyone had a increased heart rate at rest during TCH? My daughter's was 107 to 114 yesterday.

Omaz

motherofpatient - Yes I did from mild anemia.  Check with your doc.

michcon

How's everyone doing on Herceptin alone? I'm so tired still, having a hard time making it through an entire work day. The days I can get home for lunch, I take a short nap. I'm about to fall face down on my desk right now!  

michcon

sewingnut - I'm 12 weeks out of last chemo and my eyelashes have been falling out the last couple of weeks. I've been putting on eyeliner on top and bottom of lids to help my eyes stand out, plus a lot of shadow. It seems to work, but people might just be telling me they don't notice to be nice. When I point it out, they are amazed at how they are gone and the new stubble growing back!

Omaz

michcon - I'm at the desk around the corner, can you hear me snoring?

dragonfly1

Michcon and Omaz: Oh no, I wasn't counting on the fatigue being so bad from the Herceptin alone!  I just had TCH #2 yesterday and I'm falling asleep at my desk too...you can probably hear me snoring all the way from NY:)

By the way, what works best on these god-awful chemo headaches? I can't seem to ever get rid of them but it's particularly bad right now immediately following the chemo. Any suggestions?

nora_az

6th and final round of TC is this Friday....Yeahhhhh!

I have noticed the past week I am losing a few eyelashes and my eye brows are not looking too good. Very patchy!

nora_az

Dragonfly....

A tip for the headaches. I was complaining about them too. My ONC asked me how much water was I drinking. She told me that TCH really dehydrates the body and it's essential to drink at least 100oz of water each day. I have noticed on the days I slack off on the water the next day I get the headaches

Omaz

dragonfly - I don't know if it's the herceptin or still left over from rads.

TonLee

I agree Nora...had one this morning because I didn't drink enough yesterday...the Herceptin taste was so bad I couldn't water.

SpecialK

dragonfly - bummer, the headache is back?  I will be commiserating with you come tomorrow... I finally had to take a Vicodin last time.

IowaSue45

Congrats Nora!!! That is a wonderful feeling.

The one thing I think for me on just herceptin alone is the bodyaches all over, when I get up out of a chair I feel 90, or I think that is what being 90 feels like. I hate the bodyaches.

I had the opposite with headaches, my regular headaches that I got every month with cycle have ended since Oct. and I hope they stay away. I had migranes 3-4  days a month with my period and they are gone, I'm very happy for that.

LisaGH

I made it through round 2 of 6 TCH today. 9 1/2 hours rather than 3 1/2- waiting on emend delivery for hours- after I got herceptin. They asked if I wanted to come back tomorrow. No thank you. It was tough waiting- staff had to stay over to complete my treatment- I cried. The clinic director did come apologize several times and she stayed too.

So in at 9a then out at 630p today. More tears in the chemo chair than I'd like to admit. I did eat after coming home- might be the last tasty meal for about a week if like last time.

I don't have the headache yet dragonfly- but it did start on me midday. My md said I can take, motrin, tylenol, and then if needed stronger meds including my zomig which  i used for migraines prior to chemo days. Hoping not to have to- but glad to know I can do more. Last time I just took tylenol and that was just not cutting it. I miss my execedrin migraine- that combo would keep little ones from progressing (migraines) before chemo. Not an option now. 

They did sign me up for fluids too next week since I was dehydrated last time & had thrush/mouth sores. So I'll get herceptin and fluids next week- that did help me feel much much better but that was still 8 days out!!

Not feeling as weepy tonight- need to take my pm dose of steroids and then try to sleep. (I hope I hope).

 Bummer for me that HGB is down more- losing about 1 point per tx. Today I was told that if it gets to 8 get a transfusion. Was told sometimes people stabilize after losing a while, sometimes it creeps down. She said if I need a transfusion, it might be after 3rd treatment or 4th guessing from my numbers. I am going to look into designated donation- to see if my family or a friend might donate me a unit in case. Would rather that if I do have to have blood. They said procrit is now only approved in metastatic disease- working well in that- used to use in earlier but FDA pulled it for adjuvant pts b/c no research. Lovely? So instead of a shot of procrit, I'll get a blood transfusion. Some ways I understand, but some ways I wish I could get the procrit instead if the numbers went down. SIGH.....

Wishing all a good day tomorrow! I am 33% done now? YEAH!!!!!! (i don't mind the herceptins after- I feel that's going to be ok).

 Lisa

nora_az

Lisa,

Just curious....why aren't they allowing you to take exederin mirgraine?

LisaGH

it contains aspirin- aspirin is not allowed for me due to the anticoagulant type properties- worry about bleeding- and w/ the low hgb etc. no aspirin products of any kind per my md. i know we all have different mds & all need to follow our own md recommendations.

i am trying to be a good patient (not easy for me- being a nurse!) for this disease- i am following their advice to the perfect degree! 

nora_az

That must be hard. Tylenol does nothing for me either.

I hope your SE aren't too bad this round. Sounds like you had a hellish day today. You are that much closer to being done!

Anniemomofthree

Lisa - Bummer on the day.  But, you are now 1/3 done!  Baby steps...

Re the hemoglobin, I had the same story.  Google iron and CDC which lists the number of mg in food.  Really helped mine. I am in for blood work. I was at 11.3, then 10.3, then 9.3, then 9....heading to transfusion.  Worked my iron and raised to 9.7.  

Hang in there! 

Ang7

Nora~

Found my hernia about a month after surgery.  It was very painful and a bulge on that side.  They went in using the same incision and put mesh in.  My trouble right now is a staple came out during some ab. exercise and it is poking up by my belly button.  They are going to remove it. 

No more ab. machine for a while...

nurseronda10

LisaGH

I have been getting Procrit for several weeks now and have refused a blood transfusion on two occasions (hemoglobin 7.2 and 7.7).  I told my oncologist I felt pretty good and was able to clean house, cook, do laundry, etc. without shortness of breath.  I completed chemo on Feb. 21st and this past Monday hemoglobin was 7.7, got Procrit and go this coming Monday for repeat labs.  I go back to work Tuesday night 12 hour shifts.  I have been off 6 months.  I know it is going to be rough but I have no choice.  May be wishing I took a unit or two of blood after my first shift.  My oncologist told me she only gives Procrit in lower doses and does not try to get hemoglobin up very high due to possibility of stroke.  Up until my last two chemos, hemoglobin was hanging between 8.5-11.0.  I did read an article about Procrit possibly decreasing the effectiveness of Herceptin which does concern me. 

libraylil

lisagh  anything that disrupts them chemo schedule will work your last ner ve.  For one thing us BC ladies are very suspicious of questions and glitches in anything.  For a lot of us it is a flash to our last "normal" mammogram that we were recalled for.  First disruption in the even flow.

You will feel so much better when the thrush is under control.  I found that to be the worst SE.  It is just gross and causes your throat to hurt constantly.

You are almost 1/2 way there.  Celebrate when number 3 is under your belt.  I'm off to rads today and a Herceptin Happy HOur.  Libraylil

dragonfly1

Lisa So sorry to hear that TCH #2 was such an ordeal and that you are dealing with so many side effects. I'm thinking of you and hoping things improve quickly.

SpecialK Wishing you well on TCH#2 today... 

SpecialK

LisaGH - I thought my first TCH was long at at 8 hrs. - OMG.  What a pain.  All my stuff is done in house, they are really quick with the meds mixing, they just infused slow first time.  They gave me the option of speeding up my H so they cut off 30 mins.  Was out 90 minutes faster this time.  I can't bear the thought of you boo-hooing in the chair.

If you want to arrange for a "directed" donation for transfusion try to find a matching donor or an Oneg/Opos.  It is good if you know that a family member or friend is the same or compatible ahead of time.  If they aren't and donate, the blood bank will just use the blood for another patient but that doesn't help you.  My employer takes about 72 hours to process one, so factor that in.  You might also want to consider the CMV neg/irradiated modifiers as well if you can.  They should irradiate for sure if the unit/s come from a blood relation, but I would personally ask for it regardless to cut down on possible transfusion reaction/graft vs host.

I know what you are saying about eating - I just did the same.  Last time I lost a pound a day until that hallelujah day when I woke up feeling perfectly normal, exactly a week after.

dragonfly - hope you are hanging in and feeling ok.  Do you have to go to work?  How about you Lisa, do you have to work or are you off?  How crazy is it that we all work in hospitals too?  More triplet stuff!

dragonfly1

SpecialK I'm off on Mon/Tues so I get my chemo/Herceptin on a Tuesday and then work Wed-Sunday. So far I've been able to manage it. I work 12-8:30 pm so I'm able to take my time in the morning and sleep in which really helps as well. Day 3-7 are tough but I walk around like a zombie for a few days and the staff are understanding. I pretty much go straight to bed when I get home. It's all working out somehow and the routine seems to actually keep me moving forward. If I was at home I'd be completely isolated since DH is gone most of the time and we don't have kids or family in the area. Hoping we have an easier TCH this round but who knows...I've already had a headache from hell and constipation and it's only day 3!