TCH anyone?

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iamgiggles1
iamgiggles1 Member Posts: 29
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

I am starting TCH treatment Thursday. I wanted to see if anyone was on this treatment and worked. I am getting kinda scared because I am widowed and have twin 8 year olds to take care of. My job has been great but I just wanted to get some heads up on what to expect. The more knowledge the more power right? Thank you all for your love and encouragement!! Lots of Love your way!!! Kelly

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  • wendyk13
    wendyk13 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited September 2009

    Morning!  If by TCH you mean Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin...yep, I did that!!!!  AND.....

    I never got sick, never got tired....just the Great Hair Exodus, of course.  I had Kytril as my anti-nausea meds and I did have to take Neulasta the day after each tx as my counts did drop.  I did 6 rounds and was able to do the full year of Herceptin as my heart did just fine.

    I started Jan 2007, finished chemo 5/2007, finished Herceptin 1/2008 and port came out that month as well.  Just had a mamm/us and so far everyone is telling me I am just fine.

    Chemo is hard, and I know I was lucky but you can do this!  You have 2 beautiful children and you need to be around to babysit the grandchildren one day so....throw everything you can at this beast.  For me, the waiting to start chemo was the most horrible part...once I got that first IV started I knew my hair was going to go and then I just didn't care about the chemo...it was something to get thru and out the other side.  And I am a wimp and I did it....so can you!

    I am so sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us.  This group of women will be your support system, this is where you come and cry, and scream and vent.  Then you come back and support the new girls.  I'm part of the Illinois Ladies thread and we are now over 10,000 posts and we have a group that gets together once a month.  Hopefully you will also find a group to connect with...makes this journey so much easier!

    Hugs, giggles!

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  • bluedasher
    bluedasher Member Posts: 1,203
    edited September 2009

    Giggles, I'm sorry that you have to join us but at least this is a really effective chemo. We have a thread for women on TCH:

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/578284?page=193# 

    If the link doesn't work, you can find the thread in the Chemotherapy forum with the title taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin.

    You can read a few pages there to get an idea of how this was for us. There are women in the thread who are going through the chemo now and those who have finished. I finished the chemo in February and I'm almost done with the Herceptin. Just 1 more to go. I mostly worked through chemo but took some days off and worked some short days. Sometimes I would take a nap for an hour. I'm an engineer and work from a home office. The best time was the third week of the cycle. I felt almost normal then and would go on business trips. The most difficult time for me was 4 days after chemo for about 4 days when I would feel really exhausted. The down time got longer in cycle 5 and 6.

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  • azsunn
    azsunn Member Posts: 201
    edited September 2009

    I did Taxol Carboplatin and Herceptin.  I did ok with it.  I too am widowed, but my kids were teens so that helped out a lot!  I still had that dread of throw everything at it so I can see my kids grow up, they need a parent!

    I really did not experience much nausea, I did find I didn't bounce back as quickly with each successive treatment.  I had Nuelasta on a couple of occassions, and Nuepogen the rest.  My white count was constantly low (even with the shots) and is still low a year later. 

    I found that if I made a meal that we could eat off most of the week it helped.  I usually made a turkey breast on Sunday, then we ate leftovers and turkey sandwiches during the week.  The bad thing about doing it that way is I no longer care for turkey much. 

    I hope that it all goes well for you.  You'll be in my thoughts.

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  • regalbee
    regalbee Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2009

    I've had 2 chemo treatments with TCH.  I had a hard time with my GI tract the first time, but took Gas-X and my Compazine this time when I had symptoms and came through this second one much better.  Don't hesitate to take something!  I do get very tired, though, but am also on Parkinson meds which contribute to that.  Appetite is way off; soup is best for me.  Neulasta is keeping my counts up so far; no effects from that.  I get chemo every 3 weeks and the first week is usually not too great energy-wise.  I found that cooking the two weeks before the next chemo, when I feel better, and putting things in the freezer have helped my family out; also the ladies from our church bring a meal every week; maybe there is a neighbor or someone else who can do that for you.  Keep on keeping on!

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  • iamgiggles1
    iamgiggles1 Member Posts: 29
    edited October 2009

    Hey all you beautiful people. I'm sorry I havent posted lately. They changed my chemo drugs the night before my 1st chemo. My insurance company would not approve the Herceptin so they put me on the A/C for now while we fight for the other treatment. I was floored and upset for a little while but I am doing all I can do to fight for my treatment. I was down for 6 days after my chemo and they think I had a bad reaction to the Neulesta shot. I have been good for almost 2 weeks now though Thank you God!!! I go again Thursday for my 2nd A/C. I am hanging in there like you all and proud to be with such great company! My hair is gone now and am having fun being somebody new everyday with hair pieces. I was Marilyn Monroe this week and I am going to be Raggedy Ann next week. My kids are getting to be troopers. They are having fun helping me decide who to be. Love to you all!!!

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  • chicagomom
    chicagomom Member Posts: 35
    edited October 2009

    Hi-

    I am a 35 yr old mother of 2 living in Chicago.  I saw one oncologist who said I should go with 18 weeks of TCH followed by 6 weeks of radiation then staying on H for a full year. This all after a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction....I am seeing another oncologist for a second opinion - why radiation???  Anyone know the protocol as to when you need it and when you don't??
    Thanks

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  • azsunn
    azsunn Member Posts: 201
    edited October 2009

    I am not 100% sure, but I believe it is because of the positive nodes.  I was node negative, had a mastectomy and was able to avoid radiation; if I'd had a lumpectomy I would have had radiation as the standard of care.  I think lumpectomy always equals radiation, and positive nodes always equals radiation.

    I am not positive though, so please continue to check.

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  • bluedasher
    bluedasher Member Posts: 1,203
    edited October 2009

    There is generally agreement that with no positive nodes and a mastectomy one doesn't benefit significantly from rads. There is also generally agreement that, with large tumors (>5 cm) or more than 3 postive nodes, radiation is recommended. The breastcancer.org page describing when radiation is appropriate also says it is recommended with one positive node for pre-menopausal women and lists some other factors that may make it recommended like not getting clean margins.

    The controversial subect is what to do when 1 to 3 lymph nodes are postive. Some are recommending rads then and some don't. That is a gray area. There is a thread on that in the rads forum.

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