Any other dose dense AC-TH'ers for early stage HER2 out there?

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Driftway
Driftway Member Posts: 20
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Wow, hundreds of pages of TCH but where are the AC-TH folks? I just started dose dense AC (4 treatments every 2 weeks) today, and then will do Taxol/H every week times 12 weeks.

Anyone (you are probably on the East coast) have tips/ experience on this treatment?

thanks.....

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  • GottaloveNED
    GottaloveNED Member Posts: 211
    edited July 2012

    I had AC every 2 weeks with a neulasta shot the day after the infusion. Then I started Taxol & hereceptin weekly for 12 weeks. I continued the herceptin every 3 weeks after that for a year. I am 3 years out from treatment and still NED. I found AC not too bad, but I felt like a slug for 2 days after each treatment, and I had some slight nausea which I cured with animal crackers ( the kind in the red circus box). I didn't have a lot of issues with the taxol besides digestive (constipation for a day), and toward the end some issues with tingling neuropathy in my toes. I'm happy to answer ?? if you have them.

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  • Driftway
    Driftway Member Posts: 20
    edited July 2012

    Nice to hear was so well tolerated by someone. Assuming hair and eyebrows lost?

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  • GottaloveNED
    GottaloveNED Member Posts: 211
    edited July 2012

    Yup.. After about 2 weeks. While I was fine with the lack of hair on the top of my head after about a week, ( I wore mostly bandanas, scarves or hats - never really was comfortable in the wig), the eyebrows and eyelashes were more of an issue. I thought I looked weird without them. I'm brunette and dark skinned, so I was used to having the black eyebrows and lashes with no mascara. I never really wore a lot of make up, so drawing on brows and lining my eyes every a.m. was a pain in the neck. Funny thing is, most people never really noticed or commented on the eyebrows or eyes. I guess people see what they want. If I would mention it to people, they would look real close and say... Gee.. You're right. Thankfully, I am a teacher and I had most of my chemo during summer vacation, so I only worked during the last 4 treatments of taxol. My hair was back by Christmas and I could have taken the hats off, but I live in WI, so I still wore them for warmth.

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited July 2012

    Driftway - my oncologist said he only prescribes AC-TH if you are node positive. I do a know a lady who is node neg and about to start AC-TH - maybe due to having a 5cm tumour and another smaller one.

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  • lkc
    lkc Member Posts: 1,203
    edited August 2012

    Yep, I did DD AC x4 then Taxotere with H, continued on w/ H.

    I had 12 pos nodes, so they threw the kitchen sink at me. I won't say it was easy all the time, but it was doable. That was 7 + years ago, and I am blessedly well and back to me.

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  • NWArtLady
    NWArtLady Member Posts: 360
    edited August 2012

    I'm doing the same regimen: DD AC x4 then Taxol with Herceptin, continuing w/ Herceptin.  I'll be done with H in October 2012.  Tolerating everything well now, still some nagging side-effects, but doable.  I'm also on Tamoxifen, so that gave me some new side effects. Yell

    Driftway, keep in mind that chemo is cumulative and the effects will get stronger with each session.  You can do it, just know that you need to take care of yourself and ask for and allow others to help you.

    For example, my friends would bring my husband and I a meal after each chemo tx and let me tell you, we were (and continue to be) so thankful to have a good meal to come home to after a long day at the cancer institute!  I organized the meals via the website Lotsa helping hands http://www.lotsahelpinghands.com/how-it-works/  It was a great way to answer the question/statement "how can I help?"  Friends could look at the schedule I set up on the website and sign up as they felt comfortable.  It let them "do something" which was good for them and it so helped me.

    Have you seen the chemo shopping list on this website?  It is full of useful information! Search for "More Tips (and a Shopping List) for Getting Through Chemo"

    Lastly, be sure to keep moving.  In the darkest days of chemo, I would still walk every day and I know this helped me get through it.  I walked slow, I walked a short distance, and I walked to a bench, sat down to rest, and then returned home.  7 months later I can walk past that bench (though I was so thankful it was there!) and know that I am getting better every day. Don't overdo it with exercises, but do get a little in every day. It helps both physically and mentally.

    I'm so sorry you have to go through this!! I wish you didn't.  But know that you can do this and that you are doing everything to fight off that evil. I'll be thinking of you!

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  • ladyfighter
    ladyfighter Member Posts: 184
    edited August 2012

    I had DD AC X 4 all done worse one!!! now I am getting #11 of 12 taxol/herceptin weekly this thursday, yahoo! then onto herceptin itself for a year every 3 weeks. I am supposed to get radiation after taxol/herceptin, but havent yet met any Radiology oncologist yet as my Medical Oncologist supposed to set up appt for me. He said I can go to New York for a week after chemo ends and before I begin radiation. To give a break in between chemo and radiation.

    Any question you want to ask ask away!

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  • sduch1
    sduch1 Member Posts: 104
    edited August 2012

    Hi, I had TH every week for 12 weeks, then a BMX, and now I am getting DD ACx4 every 2 weeks. My 2nd infusion of AC is this Friday. I am going to Mass General in Boston. At the time of surgery (after just TH) I had no invasive cancer left, just a little DCIS.



    I tolerated the TH pretty well, still worked, exercised (more that I did before my diagnosis), did yoga, etc. My main issues were gastrointestinal -- mild sore throat, Hemorrhoids (sorry TMI) were aggravated from child birth (daughter just turned 1), UTI, mouth sores if I ate a lot of citrus, and I had a few days where I was laid up in bed with flu like symptoms but no fever. I never had neuropathy -- I had mild tingling every so often in the end but it stopped once I stopped treatment. My hair thinned and eventually I barely had any left. I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows at the very end. It is all growing back and now I'm on to AC, boohoo!



    With AC, I've noticed that I had one bad week (last week, after infusion) where I was extremely fatigued, queasy but not nauseous, no appetite, and had mouth sores but then the 2nd week (this week) is really good -- I feel almost completely normal, doing everything I normally do.



    I was never offered TCH as an option and ended up coming across it while reading online. I was actually ok with getting AC TH (although in reverse order) after reading the BCRIG results. Even though they say it's not statistically significant, it was significant enough for me.

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  • Ella_117
    Ella_117 Member Posts: 54
    edited August 2012

    Hi Driftway,



    I felt similar to you, in that I was in the minority when i was getting AC-TH treatment.

    It does seem like most people on the boards do the TCH combo.

    I just completed dose dense AC-TH followed by 12 weekly taxol herceptins for stage 1 ER, PR, Her2 positive Breast Cancer in March.

    I went for 3 opinions.... To Memorial Sloan Kettering....Fox Chase Cancer Center....and Enstein. All recommended the AC-TH regimen. No one even suggested the thc combo.

    The worst side effect I had was terrible leg, knee, ankle pain that would come and go, but after I completed the treatments the pain resolved. I also had slight neuropathy in my hands ans feet, but took 3 teaspoons a day of L Glutamine at my oncs suggestion and it really seemed to help. It is sold at GNC amd comes in a large bottle for about $19.

    Fortunately I didn't have any nail problems, like some of the other women experienced during Taxol. I would be happy to answer any questions...I am still receiving the every 3 week Herceptin infusions. Good luck!

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  • Driftway
    Driftway Member Posts: 20
    edited August 2012

    Thanks fellow ddACTHers.

    Ella I guess it goes without saying hair and eyebrows lost after around 2 weeks?

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  • vballmom
    vballmom Member Posts: 426
    edited August 2012

    I'm doing the AC-TH.  I had #4 of 12 Taxol this week.  Taxol has definitely been easier on me, but I still have some pretty intense muscle and bone pain.  I have not had an easy time, but take it day by day and manage the SEs as they come.  I definitely feel outnumbered here with compared to those on TCH, but am okay with that.  Here's an interesting article discussing the topic:

    http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/30/18/2179.full "However, a retrospective, single-institution experience suggested higher rates of complete pathologic response, and better long-term rates of tumor control, for patients with HER2-positive tumors who received neoadjuvant anthracycline-based and weekly taxane-based trastuzumab regimens compared with those who received TCH."

     I lost most of my hair (75% or so) around day 16 of AC.  Still have my eyelashes and eyebrows.

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