Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

lago

BTW for nausea, if you need additional help with the meds, I would try eating the pickled ginger, the stuff they server with Sushi. I didn't have nausea with chemo but in the past that has worked for me. Also these candies have real ginger in them. They might work too. I like the Orange the best. I actually found them at Marshalls but you can get them I think at Cost Plus world market, at Amazon, etc. They do have a store located or the site:

Chimes Ginger Chews: linky

AmyIsStrong

Hi everyone - I don't post here too often anymore, since it has been 4 years since I did my TCH. (Am doing great, btw.)
Anyway, now i have to have a hysterectomy on Friday. Doc wants me on stool softeners post-surgery to avoid straining. (Charming thought, right?)

Does anyone have any recommendations for a brand or type? I have no idea. I take ground flax every day and that usually keeps me in good shape. 
Please let me know and thanks in advance.

I can't believe I am having surgery again, but I am really ready to get it over with!

SpecialK

amy - my BIL is a gastroenterologist and recommends Miralax.  Sorry you have to have this surgery - I had a total hyst/ooph for numerous uterine fibroids about 12 years ago.  Aside from the hot flashes that commenced immediately (surgical menopause) it has not been bad. Are you already menopausal?

AmyIsStrong

Yes, my 'chemopause' turned into permanent menopause. Plus I have been on arimidex (and tamox prior to that) for a few years now. I am not anticipating any real problems in that area. I am a little nervous about sexual changes with all those parts gone, but everyone reassures me it will be ok.

And nervous re surgery in general. I hate this stuff.

But i will get the miralax and take it. Thanks for the advice.

lago

I used Metamucil during chemo. I had the worst constipation I ever had in my life. It worked well for me.

SpecialK

amy - I will paraphrase lago - you have to "use it or lose it" so interpret that advice in any way that works for you!  I am not gonna lie, there may be more challenges going forward in that department, but potentially no more than chemopause and aromatase inhibitors have already caused.  Not sure it that makes you feel better or not!  The only additional thing I have is joint pain - I already had all the other SE that usually occur with AIs from surgical menopause, so the reverse will hopefully hold true for you.

volleymom77

MRI tomorrow, results Wednesday. Doctors seem pleased with my response to the chemo, so happy taxotere and carboplatin are in my rear view mirror. Went for 10 day blood work today did better still needed fluids she gave me two bags. Feeling better. Does anybody know if the Herceptin only chemo causes sun sensitivity, I live in Ohio and the sun is actually been shining lately. Looking forward to going to my girls track meets don't want to get sunburned. Promise to keep you posted on MRI results, is anyone else doing chemo first before surgery.

Msbelle

I'm getting deported next week. Only getting a local. Nervous about this since they put me to sleep to put it in. Those ahead of me....how was it???

McKatherine

Volley mom - I'm doing chemo first. Round 4 in a few hours.

I wondered about the sun, too. Had the PA order Vit. D bloodwork today. I'll ask the nurse tomorrow about the herceptin / sun. Swim team this summer could get interesting . . .

GrandmaV

volleymom, I have very fair skin and don't tan much and I did have to be careful about sun exposure during herceptin.  I would get a mottled, red rash on exposed skin especially my arms.  But other women on this site said they didn't have a problem with the sun during herceptin and even got a good tan with their onco's blessing.  Again, I think it varies from person to person.

GrandmaV

Msbelle, I just had a local for deportation and it was a piece of cake.  It was out before I knew it.  The stitches took longer than the port removal.  Incision healed up really fast. 

lago

volleymom77 I would powerwalk through the park in the morning and never noticed any sun sensitivity. I wasn't sun bathing though. I don't do that. Skin cancer is the 7th common cancer in women according to the CDC.

Msbelle I was deported last November. I too had local and was out. I was told to eat lightly after surgery… F that. You can't eat before surgery and I didn't get out of there till around 12pm. We went to this little Italian joint around the corner and I ate spinach lasagna. I had no issues. My port surgeon uses glue not stitches so after removal I never saw him again. I did have mine in for 2 years and I'm rather thin up there so it did stick to the skin according to my surgeon and not as easy to remove. Since you didn't have yours in that long it might be easier.

jittersmom

Msbelle.....my surgeon gave me Avatan to take before i went in a to relax me because i was so nervous. It wasn't bad at all. it didn't take long the worse was the shot of Novocaine! I kept my port as a souvenir! lol

AmyIsStrong

I was nervous about port removal also. But it was no big deal being awake.  I told the surgeon that my daughter was getting married a month from that date, and that I was wearing a strapless dress. So she said she would take her time to ensure an 'extra nice' scar.  We just chatted throughout - she told me about a recent wedding she had attended in which she and her husband sang opera as the bride walked down the aisle. A peek into the secret life of a surgeon! Like when you were a child and you saw your elementary school teacher in the grocery store and couldn't believe she had a 'real life' outside of school.

Anyway, I was nervous beforehand, but it really was nothing. Absolutely no pain before/during/after. To me, it was one of the best days of the entire cancer experience-  a milestone that said treatment was over! That is something to celebrate. 

Good luck!

volleymom77

It worked my MRI results show NO CANCER yeah!!!! Wow it really worked. Still have to wait a week for surgery details. I am amazed thanks for all the prayers and hugs. Hopefully this will make the rest of the journey a little easier.

SpecialK

volley - yay!

Bren58

volley I am sooo happy for you!

Sunday1856

Thanks for all of your posts.  You help me cope and cannot begin to tell you how brave you all are.

I have completed 1 of 6 TCH over 18 weeks.  Do the treatments seem to worsen with each one?  I am taking the Neulasta shots each day after.

lago

Sunday I found that the SE lasted longer or I got a few new ones but for me they didn't actually get worse. The first nuelasta I had the most discomfort but all these others were much easier. This is typical for Nuelasta. If your not taking Zyrtec ask your onc if you can take Claritin (not claritin D). It's supposed to help reduce the bone pain on nuelasta… if you even get the pain.

LeeA

Congratulations, volleymom!  

jittersmom

wonderful news Volleymom!

volleymom77

Thank You!!! Quick Question how many days does the herceptin only chemo make you feel bad. I already noticed because it was my first at each treatment, my legs and ankles ache. Is it true if they drip it slower it helps. Also noticed brain fog even though they say it does not cross over to the brain.

sewingnut

volleymom, I had my Herceptin run over an hour. It really helped the aches. My guess is you are still working thru the last TCH tx. I had what I call gumby legs. Could barely walk up the steps at the house. It will get better.

SpecialK

volley - I had my first Herceptin in 30 minutes (with chemo they ran it over 90 minutes) and I had a lot of aching, which I did not experience during chemo.  I asked to slow it back down to 90 minutes and did not have that problem again.  It is worth a try.

Bren58

My last TC was 4 weeks ago, but I notice that my legs, ankles and sometimes hands still seem to be retaining fluids. It is more prevelant on the left side (BC is on the right). Is this normal? For how long? Am I going to have to deal with this until I finish Herceptin in November?

ldesim

Hi Bren 58,

I had the same trouble midway through my Herc/chemo treatments.  It was about a month after getting my last Herc/Chemo that I finally stopped retaining fluid.  My Onc prescribed Lasix (sp?), which helped greatly.. my ankles, feet and knees just blew up and I could feel the fluid in my hands.. it was an uncomfortable experience.

I have since received two Herceptin treatments and did not have the swelling.

You should bring it up to your onc though, regardless... as swelling can be a sign of a blood clot as well.

lago

Bren let your onc know about this. I too had the problem and was put on a small dose of diuretic. It worked for a while but then I got it again… My PCP feels this is from the Anastrozole so I'm still on it. If I eat anything salty I gain 2-3lbs even on the low dose now but it's a different type of retention than the chemo retention.

Latte

Hi all

This is a really long thread and I didn't manage to read through it all, but I am about to start a clinical trial that is taxol and carboplatin plus velaparib. I've done taxol in the past so remember what it or like, but am wondering what SEs carboplatin has. I am a single parent to a five year old and am wondering if I will be able

To manage on my own during this chemo. Thanks for any insight you can give me!

lago

Latte I think most of my SE were from the Taxotere not the Carboplatin but there is a list here: http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/druglist/carboplatin  Seems Carboplatin has the "usual chemo SE"

Latte

Thanks lago. I will look there. By the way, I remember you from the bco boards when I was first dx in 2010!