Nervous about Carboplatin

Joan2844

My doctor wants me to start carboplatin in a few weeks. It sure seems to have lots of side affects? Can anyone tell me about their experience, good or bad, with this drug?

chumfry

I had weekly carbo and taxol last year. The combo is supposed to be extra good for triple-negs but I'm not sure why. My biggest side effect was a crushing fatigue that would hit two days after each treatment.

I've had triple-neg BC twice, left breast in 2005 and right breast in 2007. The second instance was deemed a "new primary," which means it didn't travel from my first tumor. In 2005, I had four ACs, followed by four Taxols. Schedule was every two weeks.

In 2007, I got 12 lower doses of Carbo/Taxol on a weekly basis. I'd get treatments for three Fridays in a row, then rest a week. The weekly treatments were MUCH easier on my body and I didn't have as much neuropathy as I did in 2005.

--CindyMN

FloridaLady

Joan2844,

I am doing Carbo for the 2nd time around along with Avastin & Gemzar.  I just did #5 and still working full time.  I would like a nap about right now daily, other than that I find it easy.  I did this protocol weekly over a year ago and continued to work. It not a bad drug, you just need to watch what other chemo's they want to mixed it with; for example Taxol and Carbo does cause more fatigue.

This is really considered one of my more gentle chemos.

I hope you get a great response with it.

Flalady

nancyluvspink

Hi - Just wanted to say that I was given Carbo and Taxotere, and I did fine with them.  It had been six years from my first bc diagnosis.  The first time I had the Adriamycin/Cytoxen combo.  I really can't say that I noticed any differences between the two different treatments I have received besides the "norm"  ie, feeling like crap, depressed, and so on.  Good luck.  You will be fine.  Nancy

drcrisc

I am currently taking Carbo with Cytoxan.  I had actually finished four rounds of that and started one round of Taxotere by itself (at a third dosage b/c WBCs were too low for full dose) but had a very strong onset of neuropathy that they stopped that plan.  So I am now having 2 more doses of the C/C and am actually glad.  As crappy as I felt for 4-5 days, it was do-able for me, compared to the Taxotere. 

On your bloodwork, watch out for your platelets.  If they get too low, it can be dangerous (generally below 100).  If so, they can possibly lower the dose.  It's hard to know which s/e's were from which, but I think Cytoxan caused the worse ones.  Maybe I can blame the fatigue on the Carbo.  It also stung a bit while being infused (for me, everyone's different) but usually a hot pack would take care of that. 

I hope it's easy as can be for you.  Everyone said Taxotere would be much easier to tolerate, but not for me!  So if you're doing it alone and you tolerate it well, it should be easier than most.