Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

SpecialK · January 2012

nmoss - me too - my rings and shoes are tight, and let's not even talk about my clothes! I bought a pair of jeans in December that were the biggest size I have ever worn. I refused to put them on and returned them today - I just refuse to weigh this much. I weigh the same as the day I delivered my first child!!! I have to just work harder (and apparently do Pilates!) and be really dedicated to what I am eating.

nmoss1000 · January 2012

Well I have not list any weight in fact I have put on but it helps with the Pain. Your not alone this is the heaviest I have ever been and it's pissing me off. But I am too watching my diet and adding dreaded cardio to the routine HUGS to you

vanlex · January 2012

hope y'all don't mind me jumping on the thread....I am also "enduring" TCH...about to have treatment #2/6. I felt like death for two days after the first infusion, and then started to feel better on day 3. I am also the heaviest non-pregnancy weight ever. I have always been plus-sized, but the additional pounds are insult to injury, especially since my plastic surgeon is "pseudo"-demanding that I lose 50-75 pounds this year. I have been trying to watch what I eat, but I really just want to eat whatever is nailed down, because I am convinced that one of these foods is going to help me feel better.

My first treatment was 12/21, and I started losing hair two week after treatment. I helped it along this weekend and went for a buzz cut. It is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and it turns out, I actually have a nicely shaped head.

I am going to the "look good, feel better" class tonight....any one had any experience with it? I have heard the goody bag is really good! Cool

SpecialK · January 2012

vanlex - hi! Hang in! Eat what makes you feel ok right now, during chemo it is hard to be as careful. I didn't gain weight during chemo, just excess fluid. A lot of my problem now is still fluid, but I need to get more aggressive about regular exercise, as Herceptin and Femara are causing trouble!

Glad your head is nicely shaped - that is a bonus! The "look good.." class is nice. The freebies are awesome, a lot depends on the instructor. They teach you about eyebrows and lashes and how to tie scarves and make a soft hat out of a t-shirt. The other ladies were a little shy but very nice.

dragonfly1 · January 2012

Vanlex Welcome! I loved the Look Good Feel Better class-very helpful. Like SpecialK I had a terrible time with fluid retention during TCH and it took a few months post chemo to drop the fluid. I've managed to work through all of my treatment but exercise, well, not so much. I'm just now getting to the point of feeling up to exercise again a year later...Hang in there!

SpecialK I forgot that you did the LiveStrong program last year. Don't worry, I'll definitely baby my SNB/BC arm because that shoulder is still hurting badly so I won't take any chances with it. I feel like that past year has just physically wiped me out and I'm finally able to consider getting active again. I hope this will move me in the right direction. 2 more Herceptin infusions and port removal and I'm on my way:)

GrandmaV · January 2012

Hi Ladies,

Met with my onco, today, and he's not sure what caused the tinnitus, but is sure the steroids are what caused my crash that almost led to a mental break down. So he said at this point anything they would do would make my side effects worse, so he stopped my chemo. I will continue with herceptin, rads, and a hormone blocker.

SpecialK · January 2012

grandmav - how are you feeling about this? I am no doc but it seems to me that small mass, stage1 and no nodes, but able to continue Herceptin and hormonals, and with rads you will be fine. I hope that you are feeling that as well. Sounds like discontinuing the chemo is for the best! I am so sorry you had such a hard time with all the SE's. Hoping you are on the mend soon!

GrandmaV · January 2012

I'm fine with it. I was afraid to do any more chemo, because I didn't want this tinnitus to be any worse. It just wouldn't be a good quality of life. It has gotten better and he said that was a good sign.

sewingnut · January 2012

Vanlex,

I can tell you first hand that chemo made my thyroid bonkers. Have you had yours checked? I also had the fluid retention and take a small dose of Lasix daily. I am hoping after Herceptin is over I can wean off it. The fluid retention makes my neuropathy worse.

nmoss1000 · January 2012

Grandma V I too got tinnitus after TX. It would last anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks. It does clear up after final TX

GrandmaV · January 2012

nmoss1000, thank you for that. That gives me hope this will stop. It is better than it was, but still annoying.

shelclaire · January 2012

Hi gals..boy has it been ages but I thought I would pop in and say HI. I read your posts often and I remember when I was dealing with this crud I wanted someone from a few years back to post so I know they were still alive out there. Well alive and kicking here. I finished Herceptin in 10 and got into a trial with neratinib until July 11 and now I am in a Her2 cancer vaccine across the country hoping it does what they want it to. I did so much since I was certain I would be dead by now but I am happy, healthy, hairy and hopeful. There were great days back then and down days but in the end as long as you wake up to a new day just make the most of the journey. I started a non profit, write a blog, invented a product and wrote a children's book. Book never published but fun, blog is www.todaysliving.net, non profit is www.cleaningwithameaning.com and product is www.thebagholder.net Now if you find time on a daily basis to follow me I would love if you come hang on my blog and if you would so kindly want to help me win a contest for my foundation to bring awareness so we can clean even more homes for families I would be grateful for a daily, yes daily vote. Details are below. Gals...you are star of your story so make it shine. Blessings and Hugs. I get daily updates as you post so I am always praying for you all.

To vote for
Kara's story, just go here and cast your vote for "Kara
Anderson":

http://www.examiner.com/public-education-in-jacksonville/kara-anderson-cleans-with-a-meaning-for-sick-children

PLEASE VOTE DAILY UNTIL JANUARY 27, 2012. Voting is based on
email address, so you can cast one vote every day for each email address you
have.

Also, please post the link on your Facebook page and other social networks, and
spread the word among your family, friends and colleagues.

In order to vote, you have to sign up to Examiner.com, but that
basically just means providing an email and password; your email is not shared
and they don't hassle you at all. If you already subscribe to
Examiner, then you might have to "reset" your password; it will
prompt you to do this when you attempt to sign up.

Thank you very much for your DAILY VOTE! Kara has an amazing story and
winning this contest would allow her to continue the great work she is
doing.

steve

PS: Don't forget that you may
vote EVERY DAY until January 27 using all of your email addresses. I'll be
sending you a daily email reminder, just to help you remember to vote since the
contest window will close very quickly.

http://www.examiner.com/public-education-in-jacksonville/kara-anderson-cleans-with-a-meaning-for-sick-children

YaYa5 · January 2012

i took the LGFB class today and i was disappointed because they didn't really teach us anything at all. the goodie bag was great, but the 'teacher' just told us to put stuff on and didn't, for instance, show how to do eye brows if you didn't have any. i couldn't see because the mirror wasn't magnified enough (!) so i was disappointed. i think, like specialK said, that it depends on the instructor and my instructor didn't do a thing. it was still a really nice gesture from the american cancer society, so i can't really complain. i left depressed, though, and i'm not sure why.

TonLee · January 2012

Yaya,

I was disappointed in my experience as well, but it was kinda funny too.

There were about 4 women teaching, one leading the other 3 walking around. I am not kidding you. They talked real slow, and treated us like we were mentally challenged half the time, and the other half with pouty lips full of pity.

They held up foundation and said, "this is foundation, it is used as all over or spot coverage for your face...this is blush, does anyone know what it is for?"

And I don't know if they did this in yours but they gave us all a black eyeliner pencil and said, ok, now draw eyelashes on your lids. Um, what? Every single woman who did it looked like a CLOWN and didn't appreciate the recommendation. There may be a way to do it, but it alluded everyone in that room.

I was the only woman there in active chemo and bald. I whipped off my wig and got the pouty pity lips from all of them. But you could see the satisfaction in their faces...like..Ah, now THIS is what we were expecting...

Oh and I wasn't drawing eyelashes on my eyelids. I'm not that artistic! lol

As we were leaving one older woman BC patient said, "Oh I don't have time to talk. The short bus is waiting."

I couldn't stop laughing.

We have cancer. We're not retarded. And I can't stand pity.

Seems to me the American Cancer Society is large enough to train their people a little better. But that just sounds ungrateful doesn't it? I have cancer, I shouldn't have actual expectations of people who volunteer to work with "the dying."

And yet, I do. Kiss (Note the drawn on eyelashes...that's EXACTLY how they looked...hahahahah)

SpecialK · January 2012

TonLee - you're killing me....so funny!

kenyohunt1 · January 2012

TonLee

You all should not have been treated that way. I have a daughter that is MR and she would have been offended, I could hear her say I have mental retardation but I am not dumb. Those people just didn't understand how to speak to anyone whether that be a person with BC or a person with mental retardation.

Breast cancer nor mental retardation = dumb

dragonfly1 · January 2012

Tonlee You just can't make this stuff up-how much stupidity do we have to endure? Pretty bad when it's coming from people representing the American Cancer Society...I would have come unglued at the point that they told me to draw on the eyelashes. I like the older woman's exit strategy-run for the short bus to avoid any further insults or interaction with those people!

By the way, did you get the followup internet survey from the American Cancer Society about your class? I'll bet you had some feedback...

YaYa5 · January 2012

tonlee, my experience was almost the same without drawing on eyelashes. WTF? we had a 'cosmetologist' who just stood there and told us to put on the foundation, the blush, etc., etc. she didn't do another single thing. it was really, really disappointing and if i get a survey, i WILL tell the truth!

vanlex · January 2012

WELLLLLLLL, my experience with LGFB was basically non-existent. I showed up at the specified time, waited 20 minutes, and the instructor never showed up!!! It was not a completely wasted trip though, the makeup kits were already in the room, so I helped myself to one, and then got out of dodge. Looks like I didn't miss much though! Laughing

Kelloggs · January 2012

My experience was slightly better. There were only 2 of us and the room they had it in was HOTTER than hell! The instructor was very nice and did a good job but it felt much like a Mary Kay party! The makeup kit was the best part and I scored a free wig too!

AmyIsStrong · January 2012

Mine was lovely. About a dozen women, several instructors, some good makeup/nail/skin tips and the nice goody bag. They also had a lot of wigs that you could try on and take one if needed. I already had one, but had a great time trying on all different colors. I have a photo of myself as a redhead with my nice makeup job on my face. I look better than I usually do in that photo!

I guess these vary from place to place. But I have to say mine was a great evening.

TonLee · January 2012

Van, the exact same thing happened to me! The first one I went to, no one showed up! hahaha...

Guess volunteers ain't what they used to be

SpecialK · January 2012

They were stealth volunteers...

GrandmaV · January 2012

Does anyone know if it's ok to have green tea while on herceptin alone?

Amelie_Rose · January 2012

TonLee, this is such a funny story! I am like you in that I am very uncomfortable with pity. My LGFB session wasn't too bad. I took it a week before I started chemo. The instructor was very nice and did teach us how to use makeup to replace eyebrows and eyelashes. I found some of her advice very informative and the goody bag was pretty awesome. I guess it all depends on who you get.

YaYa, thanks for the radiation advice. How are you holding up? How about you, Ana? Also, any sign of hair growth? It's so hard to wait...

SpecialK and Nmoss, I sympathize with the weight gain. I have gained 15 lbs since diagnosis and can't wait to lose it all. I hear that AI causes weight gain. Any truth to that?

GrandmaV, I drink green tea once in a while. I didn't realize it might be a problem. Please let me know if you find out otherwise.

Vanlex, welcome! and Dragonfly, I like your new picture. Did all your hair grow back?

YaYa5 · January 2012

amelie, i'm holding up but damn ... radiation hasn't been my favorite treatment! i dread going every time because i know it's just getting progressively more burned. however, i must say that i haven't had any blisters or peeling skin so i'm very, very blessed. and how are you doing? where are you treatment-wise?

Grimbol · January 2012

Hi, I haven't posted in a while though I am keeping up with the reading. I have just completed 10 rads and i am not enjoying this bit. I am already quite pink, sore and itchy, despite doing everything they say to do. I am fair skinned so maybe I should have expected this, but not this soon, what's it going to be like later on?

I have lost all my eyebrows & lashes now and no hair growth to mention, I can't see anyso it's not worth mentioning! BUT, I am feeling sooo much better 7 weeks out from chemo, and so far Herceptin isn't bothering me much at all.

I thought green tea was supposed to be good for you, it's in the Anti Cancer book.

GrandmaV · January 2012

Grimbol - That's why I want to start drinking it again. My onco said no to it while doing chemo, but I didn't ask about herceptin alone. He said some anti oxidants can interfere with chemo.