Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

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  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Member Posts: 766
    edited May 2011
    lilylady I have very short fuzzy colorless hair that has been growing in during treatment but there isn't much coverage at all and I still look very bald because you can see through it-very weird. As far as shaving my legs and armpits, I shaved at the beginning of chemo in Feb and have only shaved once or twice since-almost no hair growth.
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  • stlcardsfan
    stlcardsfan Member Posts: 466
    edited May 2011

    The hair that was remaining on my head after the initial fall out also grew all thru TCH. When the real hair started to grow - evident by the color - I had my sister in law cut the longer ones back. It wasn't healthy hair at all.

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  • lilylady
    lilylady Member Posts: 1,079
    edited May 2011

    Since I am almost completely gray I can't tell by the color. I have heard so many people say their hair grew back different. Mine was thick and poker straight before. Maybe I will do what you did cardsfan and cut them-if that is going to be my new hair I am less than enchanted!

    They do make wearing some of my scarves uncomfortable-the hair is growing forward and the scarves pull back against that. I guess I will just have to be patient and finish my last 3 tx before I get excited about hair again. The leg hair just plain old ticks me off. 1 of the few benefits of summer chemo-no leg shaving. Also the stupid menopausal facial hair is back. I reaaly didn't miss dealing with that at all.

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  • stlcardsfan
    stlcardsfan Member Posts: 466
    edited May 2011
    Lilylady - mine did grow back differently - for the better. I am probably one of the few who loves the chemo curls and waves that I got. The small amount of gray that I got gets covered easily with hair color. The stuff I use lasts about one month, and then I buy another box from Target and do it again. I got the facial hair too - shaved it a few times and resorted to laser hair removal for the pesky chin ones!
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  • sewingnut
    sewingnut Member Posts: 1,129
    edited May 2011

    TCH #5, weepy eyes, prickly toes and feet topped off with food poisoning = the week from hell. Tomorrow I'm having desert first!!

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011
    luckygmrabbi - why all the water is a good question.  I think it is to stay hydrated.  The medicine is very powerful and you want the proper amount of fluid in you.  I think it is to keep flushing the meds through the kidneys too.  Also I think the chemo is supposed to kill cancer cells obviously but it can damage healthy cells too and being fully hydrated helps keeps nutrients flowing to your cells.  It also helps with keeping blood pressure normal.  I am sure someone else will have a better idea.
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  • Ang7
    Ang7 Member Posts: 1,261
    edited May 2011

    I agree with the hydration comment~

    I was in a bad mood during my 4th chemo and decided not to drink much.  Well, I have never felt as sick as that when I had my neighbor drive me to the oncologists and they had to give me fluids.  I could barely stand up.  I drank constantly for my 5th one...

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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited May 2011
    My hair grew back with more gray. The dark brown hair grew back black! Even my eyebrows grew back black. The texture is different. It seems the hair shaft is thinner and dryer. Very dull looking. I used to have very shiny hair. So far it's still straight. I do hear that in about 18 months things go back to the way they were before chemo.
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  • Chrissyw
    Chrissyw Member Posts: 53
    edited May 2011

    Well, looks like I am finished with my treatments!  So happy to report that.  I am scheduled for surgery on June 1st which seems pretty quick. Until I meet with BS next week, I won't know the extent as I have the "bad" tumor near the chest wall and and ADH lump closer to the surface and there have been several different opinions as to whether the ADH should be removed - my feeling right now is that I want it out.  Anyone else have this?

    SpecialK - Thanks for the info on what organs process the TC - still planning to have that glass of wine when you come back to the Napa Valley.  W/O going back over the earlier messages,I think I recall that you are originally from Sacramento.

    AmyIsStrong - Glad to hear that your friend only had 4 and is doing well.  I have tried many searches and can't find any info on 4 vs. 6 except one unsubstantiated post about 4 being as equally effectiive as 6 but that begs the question of why everyone seems to be doing 8!!  I keep meanign to ask my onc so next week I will try to remember - I ususally bring a list but sometimes get sidetracked.

    dragonfly1 - I started getting the twitches during TX3 - was not sure whether it was from the chemo as I have had eye twitches at times of extreme stress.  Oddly enough I don't feel very stressed through all this so I think it must be the chemo.  I have it in both eyes and my DH tells me it can't be seen by him. 

    Hope we all have minimal SEs this time around. 

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited May 2011

    Hi all,

    I have the eye twitch thing too - when they start at different times I feel slightly crazy!  No rhyme or reason, and I don't feel particularly stressed (other than having BC!) so it has to be the chemo.

    I also have had to shave my legs about once a week - the hair growth slowed but did not stop - still have a slight menopause mustache but I am afraid to wax it and hurt my skin.  I did not lose all my head hair and what was left after buzzing to 1/2 inch is still there and growing, but no new hair that I can tell.  It is now about an inch long and my family calls it duck down and sometimes feathers!  Wearing a scarf that flattens it sometimes hurts later when I take the scarf/bandana off.  I am now thinning on eyelashes, eyebrows thinned but I had good brows before so it is not noticeable.  I use a colored brow gel and they look fine.  I am still putting mascara on the upper lashes but I think I will stop on the lower because all I am doing is highlighting what isn't there!

    chrissyW - I grew up in L.A. - college in San Luis Obispo and then I moved to Sacramento after school.  My best friend is still there so I visit often.  I really enjoyed that area and would love to move back - nicely situated to go to Carmel/Monterrey/Napa/Tahoe/SF, etc.  Definitely planning on the wine too!  Congrats on being done and on to surgery - keep us posted on what you decide, and best of luck with that process.

    sewingnut - geez, when it rains it pours!

    dragonfly - hope you're hanging in!

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011
    Chrissyw - Here is the link to the substantiation for the 4 vs 6  chemo post.  It is a real study with over 3,000 participants.  The study hasn't been replicated yet, that is true, and the results only apply to a limited set.  There really aren't others of this size that's why it is so exciting.  Best wishes with your surgery! 
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  • pasmithx2
    pasmithx2 Member Posts: 227
    edited May 2011

    Geez, do I have bad timing or what? It just hit the news last night that there is a shortage of several cancer drugs in Canada, including carboplatin, due to scarce raw ingredients and manufacturing issues. At my last session, the onc said that they were short on carboplatin but I was ok. I just thought it was a hospital snafu that needed to be sorted. I hope they scrounge up some more by my next session. The news article said that they should have it under control by the end of June, but I want to be virtually done by then!

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  • Chrissyw
    Chrissyw Member Posts: 53
    edited May 2011

    Omaz - Thanks for the link.  Very interesting and it makes me feel better about getting 4 vs. 6 treatments although I had mine every 3 weeks vs. the 2 week intervals in the study.  Also, since I had my chemo before surgery we will be able to see how effective the 4 treatments were. I am scheduled for an MRI, mammo and US on Monday, 5/16 which is only 5 days from my last treatments so I am wondering whether TX4 will have had enough time to kick in.  I am at a major med center that is also part of NCCN so that gives me a lot of comfort on all of this.

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  • alison0415
    alison0415 Member Posts: 35
    edited May 2011

    I had sparce, wirey haird grow back on my head after I shaved it initially.  The woman that owns the wig/scarf shop I go to told me if it unhealthy hair and they recommend you shave it off once you are done with chemo and start with a fresh scalp.  I was annoyed with the longer hairs and they did look bad so I shaved them off next week and feel more comfortable now.  I still have two more TCHs, so then I'll do another clean shave and hope for the best!

    Alison

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  • pawprintgirl24
    pawprintgirl24 Member Posts: 173
    edited May 2011

    hi everyone! i am on the april 2011 board and i have been lurking here... but now the nail thing is bothering me?? when should your nails turn or change?? i look at mine all the time and wonder when or if?? i have 2nd treatment down and almost time for # 3. so far so good is all i can say. my se are so doable so far....

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011
    Chrissyw - Keep us posted on how things go!  I am very curious to know how your tumor responded to the TCH.  I don't know about the 5 days, that is a good question.  Did you ask your onc?
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  • libraylil
    libraylil Member Posts: 528
    edited May 2011

    pawprint, My nails did not change until near the end, but everyone is different.  They first became a little sore.  You may not have that SE.  Glad you are doing well.  libraylil

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011
    pawprintgirl - Are you icing your fingers and toes?
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  • pawprintgirl24
    pawprintgirl24 Member Posts: 173
    edited May 2011

    no and i saw on here to do that...

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011
    pawprintgirl - I  wish the oncs would tell women about it, I just discovered it by accident.  Not too late to start.
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  • AmyIsStrong
    AmyIsStrong Member Posts: 1,755
    edited May 2011
    Jodie - I never had any change in my nails.  I didn't ice them either - there was no info on here about that when I had my TCH.  I think it is an individual  SE- some get it, some don't.
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  • pawprintgirl24
    pawprintgirl24 Member Posts: 173
    edited May 2011

    i just work with my hands and would really like to keep it that way!! but hopefully they won't do anything!! and another thing...???? when all your hair comes out are the scarves harder to keep on cause right now the little hairs seem to grab them and keep them in place but they are on they way out!!!

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011

    I think I read that about 30% of women have mild nail changes.  The severe nail problems are much less common.

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  • pawprintgirl24
    pawprintgirl24 Member Posts: 173
    edited May 2011

    thanks everyone!

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  • AmyIsStrong
    AmyIsStrong Member Posts: 1,755
    edited May 2011

    OK - hot flash question:  I have been on tamoxifen for 18 months or so and the hot flashes were really decreasing, almost to nothing. Then it seems like when the weather changed, they have drastically increased.
    So here is my question - can BEING too warm bring on a hot flash?  For instance, if I am sleeping with lots of covers on and get too warm, I will wake up just as a major hot flash/night sweat is beginning. But - was it CAUSED by me being too warm under the covers, OR was I too warm under the covers because it was the beginning of a hot flash?

    OR as a third option, does this question make me sound totally crazy? Tongue out

    Thanks, Amy

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited May 2011

    Nora_az: They give you the aromatse inhibitors if you are post-menopausal and Tamoxifen if you are pre-menopausal. 

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited May 2011

    Amy - I had a TAH/BSO 10 years ago so had surgical menopause - like overnight!  I have to adjust my covers, pajamas, clothing, etc. to the weather most definitely.  I think they are triggered by the weather change - then adjust and calm down again.  I live in FL and when it turns hot I am uncomfortable for a little while and then OK, although always slightly more aggravated in the summertime here.  I change out my comforter and blankets to lighter weight.  Also - there are some wicking sheets and PJ's available on the internet. 

    I think being too warm in the covers triggers them.  It makes me feel like the "Princess and the Pea" like it all has to be perfect to get a good night's sleep!  If the covers are too heavy or the PJ's not right, sleep is not going to happen!  You are not crazy!

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited May 2011

    I had the twitching eye, and until I saw the post, I didn't realize it was gone - ended TC in September and the twitchy eye probably lasted until Jan or Feb, off and on.  My nails are still a problem, but they are slowly growing out and healing.   Last Herceptin tomorrow!!!!!!

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  • Omaz
    Omaz Member Posts: 5,497
    edited May 2011
    Linda - Congrats big time on the last herceptin!!!
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  • amylynn1108
    amylynn1108 Member Posts: 19
    edited May 2011

    Hi everyone,

    I am new to this thread. I have recieved 2 rounds of TCH and I go in this Thursday for round 3. Round 2 seemed to be a lot worse, side effect wise, on me. Did anyone else experience this? I am very nervous about getting round 3, I hope things do not continue to get worse. I also seem to be overly emotional this time, I am finding it difficult to stay positive, the unkown keeps lurking up and taking over. Does anyone else experience this? Thanks.

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