Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

sewingnut

linnyhop,

I took xanax the days I was on the steroids.  It helped me to sleep and it helped with the shaky's I got when the steroids  were leaving the building. Also had the red face but I also got the moon face (round) some people get.

racerdeb

Linda,

Thanks for the warning on the red face.  I'll be on the lookout! 

I posted feedback from my x1 today on the November thread . . . so far, so good!

I think I'll get some rest this evening too.  I don't really feel bad, but I didn't sleep well last night while anticipating my first treatment.

Keep posting your status, please.

linnyhopp

Sewingnut ~ Thanks for the tip.  I think the Xanax will be coming out of the bottle tonight since I was up until 3 or 3:30 a.m. this morning.  I have had to take steroids previously, was on them for 1 1/2 years for an autoimmune disease and boy, was I ever a moon face!  i also gained 30 pounds which was a bummer.  I am so glad this is just periodic dosage and not continual.  They do a number on us. 

Racerdeb ~ have posted on the November board to you as well.  Yes, I think with all the stuff they gave us as preventatives, the first night is not bad at all.  It's just waiting for the other shoe to drop if you get my drift.  Rest, relax and eat what tastes good.  I noticed a slight change when i was eating just now...wonder if it's real or just my imagination.  Will keep posting for sure.  All of us just starting can be support for each other and those who have already been through it are just invaluable to me.  Thanks, everyone!

Tipnas

Hi Ladies, I normally post in the Nov chemo group, but just wanted to gie you a heads up.  My friend in Pennsylvania is ER+/PR+ & HER2+.  She is in a study under the care of Dr Brian Czerniecki at University of Penn Hospital.  She is part of a study of HER2+ women being treated with immunotherapy vaccines prior to surgery to see the effects of the vaccine on the tumor.  They make the vaccine from her own WBCs.  Anyway, she and her doctor are being featured in a piece on the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelly this evening if anyone is interested.  It sound very promising!  take care

racerdeb

Tipnas,

Thanks for heads up on the news broadcast.  I'll definitely tune in this evening.

Awnooo

this will remind me to google it afterwards, i work until late :P

Thank you!!

linnyhopp

Tipnas ~ Just watched the CBS interview with your friend.  She is a brave and amazing gal.  So hoping it is going to be something that will help so many people.  Thanks for giving us the info to be able to see it.  Wish that might have been offered to us! 

Tipnas

Hi Linda, Yes she's a strong woman and also has a great attitude.  If not for us, I pray they will find a vaccine for all our daughters, grandaughters and all the young women coming along behind us! 

dragonfly1

Tipnas Very interesting-I just watched the interview on cbsnews.com. It sounds very promising!

racerdeb

Tipnas, 

That was an amazing story, and your friend is an incredible, courageous woman.  Here's a direct link to the video broadcast:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57326411/theres-hope-for-a-breast-cancer-vaccine/

Please let us know the outcome of her surgery and if the vaccine had a positive effect on her tumor.  It would be so wonderful to see this kind of hope for our kids and grandkids. 

I have two grown daughters who are now rightfully concerned about BC.  I just got the BRCA genetic test done yesterday, just to see if that's also a factor to consider.  I should get the results in a couple of weeks, and it will determine whether they should also be tested.

Judy67

linnyhop - thanks for posting as you go along.  I'll be taking treatments sometime late Dec. or first of Jan. and it helps knowing what to expect.  Thanks to everyone else too I'm taking in all the advice as it comes. 

Tipnas

Racerdeb, thank you for posting a link to the broadcast, it's very encouraging and we need all the hope we can get.  I'll let you know how Karen's surgery goes and if the vaccine was effective.

Here is a link to a you tube video on the same subject. It  features her oncologist. I found it fascinating:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9wyZmHwZcQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Tipnas

Racerdeb, thank you for posting a link to the broadcast, it's very encouraging and we need all the hope we can get.  I'll let you know how Karen's surgery goes and if the vaccine was effective.

Here is a link to a you tube video on the same subject. It  features her oncologist. I found it fascinating:

http://youtu.be/V9wyZmHwZcQ

Tipnas

So sorry, I'm a technophobe.  The link works if you copy it and drag it into the URL address bar

Laura5133388

racerdeb, Thank you for posting the link. I had wanted to watch it but had fallen asleep.

Laura5133388

Judy67, Just letting any new people know that you don't have to lose your hair during chemo. I am using Penguin Cold Caps and have had 5 of 6 treatments and still have my hair. This is one side effect that can be avoided. The website is www.msc-worldwide.com. Good luck!

GrandmaV

Hi everyone,

Just a quick post to let you know, I'm still feeling great.  I expect I will, until my next treatment 11/25.  Thanks to all for your wisdom and encouragement.

racerdeb

I'm actually still feeling pretty well overall on Day 3 after x1.  My disorientation from yesterday is much better, thanks to the excellent tip from GrandmaV to try some energy sports drinks!  My biggest problem now is sleeplessness.  The sports drinks may have aggravated that problem, but I've got to learn to make things work better together. Even my Advil PM didn't help last night. 

The Neulesta injection isn't causing any pain yet because I took the Onc recommended OTC Claritin prevention treatment.  However, I felt tingling and sensations instead that kept waking me up during the night. 

So far, my digestive tract is still doing fine - no nausea and vomiting due to my wonderful Emend prescription.  I don't have D or C either . . . yet!

We'll see what the weekend brings for me since my doctor had already warned me about severe fatigue, starting on Day 4 (tomorrow).  I'm planning on a relaxing weekend at our country place that's on 270 peaceful acres in the middle of nowhere!

Good luck to all of you for a good weekend before and after your next chemo treatments!

YaYa5

grandmaV, so glad you're still feeling good!  that's just excellent news and means you should have a good thanksgiving!  YAY!!

racerdeb,  glad you're doing well so far also.  planning to relax all weekend is an excellent idea. being extremely tired was my worst s/e.  i spent a lot of time on my bed during the week or 10 days after tx.  enjoy the peaceful time at your country place.  where is it?  i'll come right over.  ha!

racerdeb

YaYa5,

My Onc has already warned me about Days 4-7 being the most fatiguing ones, so that's why I've made some relaxation plans away from home. Of course, I'm packing a whole arsenal of drugs and foods to hopefully be prepared for any and all side effects!

Our country place is not too far away since I live in Texas!  I'm actually headed your way in a couple of weeks.  My sister is treating me to a weekend at the Winstar that's located on the TX/OK border. She knows how much I enjoy gambling trips.

I hope you have a great weekend ahead, celebrating your survival!

ricia

thanks for the post re: vaccine trial... crossing fingers and toes....

also for the cap link, though it's too late for that on my end ;p

 I've a few questions for those whom are (or have in the past recieved) herceptin...   

After months of me reporting shortness of breath and long durations of heart palpations - and hearing only that a) there were "no issues" with my first MUGA scan, or b) the suggestion that it's "just anxiety" (I knew it wasn't and said so) - a second MUGA showed a 11% left-ventrical decrease.They've decided to suspend the herceptin treatment until future scans improve. The problem actually stems back to AC  treatment, which I completed 1 month ago (have since started Taxol), so it may yet clear up a bit. It's probably evident here that I'm annoyed by the always-friendly-and-likeable  but too-readily-dismissive character of responses my med-team can engender... anyhoooo...;p

 Has anyone here experienced something similar and, how long did it take for your heart to recover? Or did it ever? Did you have to resort to a different anti-body treatment, or just did without targetted treatment for HER2 altogether?

 I've read in here that some women have experienced far more dramatic decreases before stopping with the herceptin too - I would be interested in hearing of your symptoms, as I have only my own experience of "normal" and than "definitely not normal" to refer to at present. I also have FMS (Fibromylgia Syndrome), diagnosed seven years ago, so am wondering if this is a factor in my experience of these kinds of symptoms (Taxol definitely exasperates other symptoms). I'm thinking I may be able to parse that out a bit for myself when 'comparing' notes, would grateful for your various insights....

GrandmaV

ricia, I don't have any answers for you, as I've only been on herceptin 2 weeks.  I really don't know much about it myself.  I have read many other ladies on this thread who have been on it for nearly a year and most have not mentioned any affect on their heart.  I've only read a couple others that have, so hopefully they'll see your post and can share their experience with you.  I hope a break from herceptin is all you need and then you can finish your treatments.  How long have you been on herceptin?

ricia

thanks GramaV.

Have been on this cocktail for a month, I recieve weekly (intravenous) infusions to help lesson impact of comorbid symptoms (w/FMS). Were you on an AC cocktail previously? It's known for being a little hard on the heart anyway. I'm sorry I cannot recall right now what those drugs are actually called, have been using the abrv. so long; compensation for brain-fog :}

Omaz

ricia - I didn't have adriamycin but I have read that it can affect the heart.  Herceptin can also affect the heart and that is why they monitor function during treatment.  Sometimes with herceptin I have read that women are prescribed a blood pressure medicine when their heart function drops and that seems to help them go back to the herceptin.  I don't know what your numbers are but my doc seem to think that 55 and above is fine to continue infusions (measured by ECHO).  

ricia

thank you, Omaz. Recent reading is at 46%. My guess is ECHO and MUGA the same (? I'm in Francophone-Canada)... for clarification; has high or low blood pressure been associated to low ventrical output, then? My vitals have been much higher lately (but I usually have quite a low normal).

Judy67

ricia, I haven't started treatment yet but I have read that taking coenzyme Q10 can help protect the heart during chemo.  I don't know if it really helps but I do plan on using it myself.  Hope your scans improve soon.

Omaz

Judy - Please ask your onc, my onc didn't want me to take CoQ10 during the chemo part of TCH.  I don't know what the mechanism is for the blood pressure medicine helping with the herceptin heart issue.  

ricia

Thank you for the suggestion Judy. I'll look into it, meanwhile I concur with Omaz. I've been ping-ponging between naturalpathic advises, a dietician, and a pharmacist and found that there are some very tricky details to negotiate further with. Drug interactions being the most important of these (can make life worse, or can simply undermine chemo treatment), but dietary needs are another big deal. Differing BC's call for additional attention to what promotes the cancer cell growth and what doesn't, for eg. I've had to put a serious research-cap on to figure some of these issues out (lots of contradicting infos to sort through)...

GrandmaV

ricia,  I have only had 1 tx of Taxotere, and Carboplatin and I've had 2 of weekly herceptin tx.  My Onc doesn't put people on Adriamycin who are also to receive herceptin.  So I'm still learning about all this myself and will be interested to the responses you get.

SpecialK

ricia - some oncologists are reluctant to prescribe Adriamycin for their patients who need to receive Herceptin as well because of the cardiac problems associated with both drugs.  I think the criteria my MO uses for discontinuation of Herceptin is below 50% ejection fraction, or a drop of more than 10% between echo or MUGA screenings, which should be every 3 months.  Also, docs use either echo or MUGA - they both measure ejection fraction.