Perjeta/Herceptin/Taxotere

Has anyone had eye twitch and or fluid in ears from tph?

Barb, I have occasional eye twitch (even as I type, lol) and my first round of tax I had a lot of fluid from one ear, so much so that my ear got raw and chapped. The first round I had such severe side effects that my onc rreduced the tax dose by 20% and I haven't had the ear problem since then.

When did y'all start losing your appetite/taste on pht? I'm steady gaining weight (and I'm not happy!) I still have a giant appetite and I've completed 2 rounds of chemi so far...



Bhd,

I've had the fluid in ears...it has since faded away.

I never lost my appetite. In fact it always got worse with taxotere in the mix. I didn't like most of it, but the steroids would make me hungry.

Shhhh, don't tell my docs, but I never took the steriods except as part of the pre-med. I was always caught on infusion day of being sooo tired from the Benadryl and hungry from the steroids. I tried to sleep so I wouldn't eat. I also tried to eat popcorn all night so I could stuff my face without many calories. Then a can of pineapple when that wasn't enough.



I do take Ritilan everyday for the extra energy and it's an appetite suppressant.



Really, we loose our breasts, go bald and now we have to gain weight while we worry about death. Something here just isn't fair.

SPAMgirl totally get it. I was the same way. I didn't take my steroids pre or post. But the treatment ones still made me a crazy muncher. I tried keeping veggies around all the time. Ha! still gained each round. Bald, boobless and bloated all at the same time.(a we still look better than snooky)

Been following all your triumps and defeats for a while and know some of you have had to leave this protocol due to either progression or intolerable side effects. I think I might have to do the same. Before getting perjeta approval I was on carbo/tax and not tolerating it well at all. We were excited to move to this but I have been finding it just as intolerable. First couple rounds gave me sore throats and high fevers..the last that landed me in the hospital for a week. Took some time off and went to Florida..came back and had my third treatment. My onc reduced the tax by a little. Aso got a neulasta shot to try to prevent the situation that landed me in the hospital. But this time I got terrible nausea and vomitting..surprised me since nausea doesn't seem to be a common side effect of this and I didn't have it the first two rounds. The carbo gave me regression which I haven't had in over a year but not willing to suffer the side effects. Will scan in a week but judging from tumor markers my onc and I both think this is working. This is another time I almost want progression cause I just can't do this anymore. I might be willing to compromise if she significantly reduces the tax or takes it away altogether. Or maybe an every week schedule instead of every three? Any ideas? I won't see her for a couple weeks when I have my next infusion but I plan to call and leave her a message giving her a heads up that I'm not doing this again unless she can change something significantly. With the exception of smalls breaks here and there my qol has been horrible since the start of the carbo/ tax back in early December. It's just not fun anymore.

I went to weekly so I didn't feel horrible. I just felt a little icky every week. I too, was secretly want progression so I could get off of it. But I got, "dramatic progression" instead.



Sometimes, extra fluids can help with the nausea.

Abraxane instead sounds like a good suggestion...have never tried that.



Glad you weighed in, Spamgirl. I know you got progression and are off this now but I was thinking about you specifically because I knew you tried an every week schedule for a while. According to the nurse I just spoke to about it, she says they don't do taxotere every week...just taxol..at least at that facility.



I wonder if they'll consider Abraxane as an option instead of taxotere. Glad I at least made the phone call so they know where I stand and they can consider all the other options before I get there for my next infusion.

I'm sorry to hear that Jill. Hoping you can find some relief soon!

So what finally worked Jill? Xox Jo

JillThut I have the same problem with severe nausea and vomiting. What helped me was steroids during the second week and priolsec worked wonders for the heartburn.

Lynn,

You should call your onc in case its an allergic reaction.  Hopefully it is not .  In that case he can prescribe something for them

I am battleing the fever right now and it sucks cause it refuses to break. I for see a bad night of sleeping. 

Jill, we have the exact same opinion of this cocktail. I just hate that I got dramatic progression instead of mild progression. I'm glad you think this is one of the worst. This was only my 2nd chemo (I was to hopped up on fentynal to remember navilbine) and this one sucked.