Please lay it out for me...

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daystar
daystar Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

...Hi,

My mother was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer and completed her first chemo treatment last Thursday and then Friday she had the Neulasta shot.  She is on Taxotere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin.  She is suppose to do 6 treatments total every 3 weeks, then surgery (bilateral), then radiation and then, if she chooses, reconstruction.  She is 62 years young. =)

Today, Mother's Day, was her 3rd day post treament and she acts and feels like she was hit by a Mac truck.  She's had a headache and neck pain all day and finally conceded to take some Advil after calling her onc.  Oh, and she did take the Claritin after the Neulasta on Friday.

What I'm searching for right now is some information concerning what she might expect, symptom-wise, over the next couple of weeks between treatments.  When is the lowest point?  When will she start to feel better?  What is the typical pattern she will experience through this?

 I'm going in for my 3rd c-sec on the 26th, 2 days before she will be receiving her 2nd treatment.  I'm curious how she might be feeling by that point at the tail-end of the first treatment period.  She's been very private about this whole thing.  Only immediate family knows.  But we've got DH's family coming in to town for the birth and I know she isn't eager for them to know what's going on.  I didn't know.....she doesn't know.....if she would be able to "pull it off", kwim? 

You all seem to be a treasure trove of information and I would appreciate anything you could offer.

Thank you.

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  • Makratz
    Makratz Member Posts: 12,678
    edited May 2009

    Daystar,

    I cannot help you as I did not have chemo.  I am positive that there are way to many people here who can help you.  The threads may be slow today since it's Mothers Day.  Be patient, they will answer you!

    Congrats on the soon to be birth of your child.  I hope this birth helps your Moms desire to get through her treatment so she can be healthy for her grandchildren.  I will keep you and your Mom in my prayers.

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  • daystar
    daystar Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2009

    Thank you Makraz. =)  I sincerly appreciate your response and your prayers. 

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  • Debbi5108
    Debbi5108 Member Posts: 182
    edited May 2009

    If She won't be having Chemo again until after the baby , I would say she will feel fine for the delivery.  I had Chemo 1st day was ok but, it hit me the 3rd or 4th day then by the 6thor 7th day couldn't tell I had Chemo at all. and not that it willet better for everyone but, my 2nd treatment didn't hit me as bad. so I hope its the same for your Mom good luck and you and your family is in my prayers.

    Debbi

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  • tkone
    tkone Member Posts: 511
    edited May 2009

    Daystar,

    Everyone is different of course and I had a different regime than your mom is having but generally day 1 and 2 were pretty good, days 3 and 4 were the worst, 5 and 6 energy down, but starting to feel better, 7 or 8 starting to feel back to "normal" if a bit fatigued.  I would echol what Debbi5108 said as far as the 1st one seems to be the worst for a lot of people.  I think the not knowing what to expect or how to manage the side effects probably makes it worse.

    As far as radiation goes-everyone is different and reacts differently, but most people say that if they have gone through chemo-radiation is easy.  If they have not gone through chemo, they say that there is a lot of fatigue with radiation.  It is a different type of fatigue than chemo.  It is more like you have been out in the sun all day vs. getting hit by a truck.  In my opinion radiation was a walk in the park as compared to chemo, but that is not the case for everyone.  Good luck with everything.  She is lucky to have you to help her out.

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  • daystar
    daystar Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2009

    Thank you everyone for the insight and information.  I haven't seen her today, but according to my dad she is feeling a little better but of course she isn't ready to run a marathon or anything. Wink  I'm hoping she will continue to feel better in the coming days.

    Thank you all again.

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  • Analemma
    Analemma Member Posts: 1,622
    edited May 2009

    I did carbo and taxotere last year when I was first dx with mets.  It's tough.  Days 3, 4, and 5 are the worst, and then it's gradually better, though the fatigue will accumulate over the treatments - that is, with each treatment you don't bounce back all the way before the next one.  Neulasta pain lasts about 24 to 36 hours, starting about six hours after the shot.  I self injected, and did it in the late afternoon so I slept through the first part of the pain.

    Taxotere can cause leg pain that feels like it's stabbing in the bones.  I had taxol in 2005 (a related chemo) and it was pretty bad, and I got a prescription for Vicodin when I started taxotere, but then it wasn't as bad as I had expected and I was able to control it with advil.  I also got thrush in my mouth and throat, which is very common but I believe underdiagnosed, and uncomfortable.  It's easy to treat, though.

    She will have lost her hair in the few days before your c-section, usually on about day 15-17 from  the first treatment.

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