TNBC's that are on Carboplatin and Taxotere?

I am curious why does the size of it bother him so much???

I have basically the same dx as you. My onc said the fact that I was trip neg meant mroe to him then my nodes being clear. So he wanted to treat aggressive. He enver mentioned the size of it & mine is a bit bigger then yours. Mine was very fast growing in 6 weels it grew 2.5 cms. I have never ahd a PET either. HUGS to you.

HI there-- I have had several PET/CT combo's--the PET sees metabolic activity of cancer (they inject you with a sugar solution before the test, you wait for an hour, then take the test).  They only see to 1cm though....so I have had CLEAR scans but they still found cancer at the time of surgery that was less than 1 cm....so pretty small.

I had carboplat and taxol and did well with it but it was in combination with Rads---so the last week or so with the rads caused me to be very fatigued.

More than one opinion never hurts so keep the appointment....let the second opinion Dr know what the 1st one's treatment plan is and see if they agree....if they don't, ask why.  It is very standard to start chemo asap with us TN women.  When my cancer came back I started chemo the next week (I had left my port in so didn't have to deal with having another one put in)

Hang in there

Hugs and blessings

Carole 

I would definitely recommend getting the weekly infusions of Carbo/Taxol. That's what I did in 2007 and it was MUCH gentler on my body. And some studies say that weekly Taxol is the most effective way to get it for triple-negs. I think Taxol is easier on your body than Taxotere.

Because I'd been left with numb toes from my Taxol in 2005, I REALLY didn't want it again in 2007. In fact, I had a big argument with my onc about it. <grin> She convinced me that the weekly doses would be easier on me and she was right.

My numbness would get just a trifle worse for a few days after each infusion, but then go back to "my" normal before the next infusion. So I'm in no worse shape now, neuropathy-wise, than I was after my four DD Taxols in 2005. My fingers got so numb in 2005, I couldn't button my shirts, so they reduced the dose for my final infusion. My fingers eventually got better, but not my toes.

For me, the weekly regimen went for three weeks in a row, then I'd have a week off. Repeat four times.   At first I thought I wouldn't need the weeks off, but I was wrong. The fatigue would last for about one bad day. Even the air felt heavy. But I didn't need Neulasta shots for the weekly doses. My bones hurt so badly in 2005 and it was all due to the Neulasta.

The weekly Carbo/Taxol was a breeze compared to what I went through in 2005 with dose dense ACx4 followed by four rounds of DD Taxol. Plus Neulasta shots.

--CindyMN

hi puddingirl84, I am on taxotere and carboplatin (6 rounds every 3 weeks).  I was told that Taxotere is not as hard on system as Taxol and less neuropathy concerns. But at the end of the day, we gotta do what we gotta do... I tried not to, but kinda expected bad SEs going into this. I was pleased (*knocking on wood*) that I had really 3 days where I was tired - and I suspect most of my discomfort was really from neulasta shot, but since it was injected to help me produce more blood cells and my bones hurt, I figured it was doing its job and that was a weird comfort.

I start my second round this thursday. Will let you know how it goes... I'm 42 and in good health (except this stupid cancer!) and, so far so good. I got thrush the first round (that was weird! two days of yogurt chased it away) and not nauseous, but not hungry either. Just absolutely no hunger for like days 3-6. That seemed to be the worst part. Still learning what meds work. Sure wish I had access to some MJ but not legal in AZ...

Puddin, I am hoping your right. I did my second treatment tomorrow - (knock on wood) felt great yesterday and today. My sister is here and is an onc-nurses asst and she thinks it probably has some to do with my body adjusting (so it wasn't such a shock) and now that I know what's going on and what to expect, I am more relaxed, which helps. Whatever it is, I feel very well.

Anti nausea? They gave me compazine and atavin (compazine for round the clock coverage first 48 hours) and antivan if there is any breakthrough nauseau. My sister told me to take ativan last night - helped me sleep (an added bene!) - just in case.

I do my neulasta shot today. I'm sorry but that just sucks. Makes me achy. Dull but achy. 

Good luck to you. I think this is a good regime for you.

Puddin, oh they also put me on a steriod for first 48 hours, starts with Doxa.....

And I drank a TON of water, tea, gatorade the last week. My eyes are floating. I am wondering if this has had also something to do with feeling better this time. 

I had a scary onc-nurse (not my usual one) check me out before my second round. I am now calling her the chemo nazi. Anyway she was telling me how cumulative it was and trying to give me the worse cases on SEs so I won't be surprised - well she was just a debbie downer but I kept my smart alleck thoughts to myself. Hope i don't get her again. But overall the Mayo has been awesome.

Hey PUddin

Sorry I've been out of touch - my sister came out to be with me during my infusions and hang with me for a few days.  I have to say that I think maybe my fluid regime has helped some, because this round isn't hitting me as hard (knock on wood!) so far. Water I think helps with flushing this stuff out as well as constipation, which for the first time in my life, I have now with treatment. Yay. I am very healthy so all these new medicines are a little confusing but I'm learning quickly, and learned Miralax is great. I'm doing that in the morning, senekot in the evening and no problems. Last time, before I figured out what worked for me, ooowwwchhhh...

Are you taking neulasta? I am. I've seen on the boards that may recommend taking claritin before you get your neulasta shot, which I did, and so far I haven't had as bad of muscle aches (mostly very dull aches in my legs but, again, so far so good).  

Food tastes just icky; hopefully will only last a few more days. Last time I snapped out of that say around after the first week (pino grigio didn't hurt either!).  My onc said that somtimes having a drinnk of wine before dinner is not a bad idea, it helps stimulate appetite in some folks. I did not notice it did help after about 4-5 days : )  

I've only been taking ativan before I go to bed, and I'm sleeping better.  Compazine is making sort of groggy during teh day. Last round I only took it once a day around day four after my treatment. I'm just going to feel it out and see how things go.  What is Emend? They didn't give it to me. Hmm...  Hope you're doing well. This is creepy stuff I have to admit but my lump has already significantly gotten smaller and that's a blessing. My hair is decideding to slowly pull out of dodge. I invested in a beautiful wig (pricey, synthetic but really nice) and then a fun goofy one for weekends. It's not totally gone yet so I can get away with ball caps or even go out without anything righ tnow, but won't last for long. My eyebrows are still intact (one small thing). What a weird world we've entered...

Ativan is very good for helping you get to sleep. In addition to being relaxing, it makes the doom-and-gloom voices in your head shut up!

Drinking LOTS of fluid helped me out, too, re flushing out the chemo. But I don't think it helped much with constipation. Pre-emptive Miralax and Senokot to the rescue!

My hair (both times) started falling out on Day 14 after first treatment. I got a buzz cut to minimize the mess, but then my scalp actually started hurting so I had my husband shave my head down to the skin.

My eyelashes and eyebrows thinned, but hung in there...until a month after my final treatment, when they ALL fell out!  That doesn't happen to everyone, but it's nice to be pre-warned. My eyelashes and eyebrows grew back very quickly, within about two weeks.

I never drove myself home from chemo, because the benedryl made me sleepy. My husband was out of work then, so he ferried me. I probably *could* have managed it, though, in light traffic. I was more absent minded and distracted, though, which is not good for driving.

I'm thinking about you guys starting treatment. It's a scary, awful, life-changing experience. But you'll get through it. Pretty soon it will be behind you, and you'll have good advice for all the *new* newbies. (Warn them about the constipation!)

--CindyMN

Yea thanks Chumfry. I was wondering about my eyebrows and eyelasshes. so far so good

Puddin, my breast lump has noticably gone down in size, even after just one round. It might be fluid but, hey, I don't care. Smaller is always better in this case.

Hey puddin, I should probably update my diagnosis business. Anyway the long and short of it is that the clinic wanted me to take treatment first to shrink the tumor ~ long story but it was a very large fluid cyst with a tumor lurking inside, which is why it was tough to diagnose and even my initial fluid biopsies came back all clear.  So, low and behold, the chemo is shrinking it. Clinic decided to wait until after treatment to assess surgery - my initial consult (which really sucked because they didn't know what they were dealing with... tumor in cyst deal) was "total radical double mastectomy." whoa! I got mentally prepared for that, then, I go to the Mayo and they're like, no, wait, we prefer to do pre-surgery treatment and shrink it down and see what we got to work with before we go in and cut you.  I obviously preferred that!!

So that's my story. Second round down. It's wednesday and I feel almost totally normal, except for hairy metallic taste still sticking around. I *heart* orange gatorade. My DH was teasing me because before I did treatment, I stocked up on every fluid known to woman so our refrigerator is bursting with every juice, tea and soda imaginable, but lo and behold, the only thing I drink  now is orange gatorade. haha.  Also, FYI - boost high protein drinks (chocolate or strawberry) somehow cut through the hairy metallic taste... yum! 

Have a good night and keep updating... you're certainly (unfortunately) not alone!

My treatment was Taxotere and Carboplatin last year.  My side effects were fatique and nausea.  I slept ok.  I also was allergic to the taxotere and had problems with fever and hives.  After the second treatment in addition to decadron and benedryl the doctor had me start a solu-medrol dose pack.  That helped a lot both with the hives and the nausea.  The first week I had very little appetite.  The two weeks in between I gradually started to feel much better, almost normal the third week.  I did have a lot of ringing in my ears.  I was loosing my hearing prior to the chemo but I do believe it pushed me over the edge.  I have hearing aids now.  I'm happy to have them and I'm half way to my three year clear mark and feeling really well. I never needed the neulasta because my blood counts stayed good.