Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

Viji

Sasha, thinking of you.

Shasha10

thank you all for your kind words. 

Brwneyedgirl

I noticed that my hair is starting to come back.  I am half way through TCH.  Will it fall out again or is this really regrowth?

Moonflwr912

I kinda had a fuzz for most of tx. But not really hair. Much love

McKatherine

Shasha - hugs to you. 

I finished my last Herceptin in Feb and *think* my hair is growing faster now - but it's still much shorter than I thought it would be at this point.   But the drippy nose hasn't gone away yet.  Maybe soon?  

The only other lingering effect I'm still having is nail weirdness.  I quit taking all the vitamins I was taking (read too many books about vitamins and had a long conversation with my RO about them) except for the Vit D which I know I need.  But I wonder if I took something with some of the B vitamins if it would help my nails?  Although they are a million times better than they were last year - the pink shading in them is still different along the lines where they loosened last year - maybe it's just from tissue re-growth?  But the nails themselves are still really, really brittle.  I have to keep them crazy-short to keep them from breaking.  

Is anyone doing anything special to help their nails? 

Bren58

McKatherie, I finished Herceptin in October and my nails continued to be a mess. Cracking and splitting back into the nail bed. I finally decided to get gellish nails for a few months until the H nails completely grow out. I do take Biotin every day. I think it just takes a while for the old nails to completely grow out.

Moonflwr912

I believe it 6 months ,for nails to grow from the bed to the tip. Mine are still brittle. I take B 12 and biotin. It helps but they crack still. 

My eyes watered for at least 6 weeks after I was done with Chemo and Herceptin.  

Much love to all

soriya123

somwhow i dont have issue with my nails or eyebrows , some off my eye lashes fall out but not that much.  i thought i would have issue with nail too cus i can see weird lines on both of my thumps..but turn out okay.   i am almost 5 months out of chemo my nails grow really fast n i wish my hair grow as fast as my nails.

soriya123

OH during chemo i took B complex n vitamin d3...that all.  

MinusTwo

McCatherine - I iced my fingernails so I haven't actually lost any. But everything else is as you describe - red, brittle & peeling back & breaking at the hint of something like hitting a zipper.  Since starting chemo last April I have taken D3, B6, and B12 as well at Citracal w/D and Centrum Silver.  I had to stop Vit E for chemo and now I've been reading it might not be great for BC.  My MO wouldn't approve Biotin until after all chemo, but he's OK w/me taking it in combination w/Herceptin for the rest of the year.  I added that in January 2014.

My PCP recommended massaging in Tea Tree Oil.  I'm trying that and also Healthy Hoof (you can google it).  Both at least make my mind think there's progress even if there isn't.

Bren - I had gel put on only one nail that was splitting back to the cuticle.  I do believe I might end up losing that one due to damage when the gel was removed.

Anonymous

Good Afternoon Ladies,

I have a question regarding chemo brain. I felt fortunate that I didn't think I had chemo brain. My last chemo was on Nov. 4, 2013. The past couple of weeks I've been experiencing some weird things. I'm finding it difficult to keep track of things. I've lost a bunch of items which isn't like me. I'm having difficulty staying on task and multitasking. Also reading - I have to read something three and four times before I can fully comprehend something. Has anyone else experienced these things? If so, how long does it last? I find it odd that I'm experiencing this so far out from chemo which makes me question if it may be something else. I have an appointment with my MO next month, but in the meantime I would appreciate any input.

MinusTwo

McCatherine - I forgot the most interesting thing about nails.  I have a new PCP who had my blood tested for Zinc because of my nails. My levels were low so now I'm on 50mg Zinc per day.

MinusTwo

Slow - I had problems w/chemo brain but I don't remember it lasting more than 30-60 days after chemo ended.  Strangely my concentration was worse during radiation than chemo.

Anonymous

MinusTwo, Thanks for the response. Maybe I'm going down the wrong path thinking it's the chemo. I'm coming up on my last 7 treatments of radiation, maybe that's what is causing the problem. Guess I'll mention it to the RO as well. Thanks!

MinusTwo

SlowDeep - I'll be interested to hear what your RO says.  Mine pretty much denies that rads have caused any of my problems so far.

carolsue63

Just a thought... I had many of those "chemo brain" symptoms you mention even before I had chemo. I experienced those symptoms with the hormonal changes I went through with perimenopause. 

Anonymous

MinusTwo, I will definitely share whatever insight he can give me.

carol, Thanks, I will ask about that as well.

Anonymous

MinusTwo, I spoke to my RO today after rads and he said it's not a SE of radiation. He said if I had brain radiation, then maybe - but not from full breast radiation. He also said it could be hormone related and suggested I speak to my MO. I will do that at my next appointment. Thank you for the suggestions.

Moonflwr912

SDB, are you having trouble sleeoing? That makes chemo brain worse. Also when is your next muga? Much love. 

MinusTwo

SlowDeep - interesting about the hormones since you're ER/PR negative.  Thinking about Moon and the Muga.  I get Echocardiograms but wouldn't hurt to get one of the other before you see him.  And maybe test the thyroid?  When do you finish rads?

Anonymous

Moon, I've had two Muga scans so far and I just got the call this week to schedule another one. I typically suffer from insomnia, but since I've been doing rads, I haven't had problems sleeping. If anything, I've been having problems staying awake.

MinusTwo, I've got six boosts left. My RO said it could be due to the hormonal changes from chemo? I'll ask my MO when I see him. I'll also ask about the thyroid. Thanks for the suggestion.

Moonflwr912

SDB I'm glad! LOL.  It's good you are on top of things. Much love

Notbuyingit

interesting reading in this topic - i had/having this combo. I am definitely experiencing more chemo memory loss ( last treatment was Jan 8 2014) maybe it is hormonal & accelerated by the Herceptin? hope not cuz i'm on that for a year

my eyelashes fell off after i was done & I have had a terrible time with itchy eye lids - anyone else??

my nails are not brittle but some of them are white farther down & there seems to be another nail growing under the top one...

the hair on my head head is taking it's time - but Holy chin hair!

hang in there, ladies - we'll get there

2ndtime4me

Hi Ladies

I need your opinion on my tx. I had skin sparring mastectomy in Dec. on Left breast with IDC tumors in two areas. Have been on TCH Chemo and saw RO today because I had 3 pos nodes. I will be getting RADS next.

The problem is I have small area in my incision that has never healed. My PS said she would excise it after chemo & before RADS to let it heal. I have TE in place. No infection right now. My RO today says maybe we should do "more of a mastectomy" to take more skin than just the eraser sized non healing area. This I am assuming would mean take out TE leave me flat. He said I would then need a Flap because after RADS and mastectomy reexcision I wouldn't have enough skin for implant.

I am just flabbergasted never heard of doing MORE of A mastectomy. Isn't one enough? I had a close margin to my skin and this is why he is considering this. I just want to know if anyone else has ever had this happen after a Mastectomy?

MinusTwo

Notbuying - I'm on Herceptin for a year too so I agree - chemo brain was the fault of something else.

I used Latisse all through this TCHP chemo and Systane for red, itchy eyes.  Eyelashes fell out after 2nd chemo with AC when I couldn't use the Latisse due to crusted eyes.  But they came back pretty quick.

My nails are brittle and red going towards the cuticle, not white.  They break when I try to zip my pants.  I've been taking 5000 mcg Biotin for a month & started Zinc last week since blood test showed I was low.  Hope for results!!

And oh my goodness the chin hair.  I'd been going to electrolysis off & on for 10 years and it was finally all gone.  Now it looks like I'll start over once my blood it back to normal.

Yup - we're all hanging around.

McKatherine

minus - thanks for the tip about the zinc.   I'll start taking my trace minerals and see if that helps!  

Notbuyingit

yes thanks M-2! that is the second time someone has mentioned zinc for the nails..

my eyelashes are slow to come back -- anyone else try that Latisse?

on another beauty note anyone tried the onions in the shampoo to make your hair grow? thought i was getting April Fool's pranked but I googled it!

lovewins

Hi NBI>>>I asked my MO for a prescription for Latisse and they never heard of it and when I explained what it did they said my MO was not comfortable with that!  I wonder if we need a precription still?  I can google.  LOL  never heard of the onions!

I think of you ladies often and continue to read this thread.

I am praying all goes well for your surgery special K/

Notbuyingit

that figures - i have heard it's expensive

the onions on the other hand are free put chopped onions in your shampoo - wait 15 days - then use regularly - spose to grow like crazy                                                                                                             putting them in today

princessrn

notbuyingit.   Let us know!!