Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

i wish we had a like button!

Special K got it in one.  That's whatI have except I have two - one for AM & one for PM.  Big enough for more than 12 pills in each compartment.

Wow, I really feel like I need a pill box now! But I'm wondering what all of the pills are that everyone takes. I still have one more chemo then I know I'll be taking Tamoxifen but what other supplements will I need???

marisa - taking supplements is a personal choice - it is difficult to find onc that will actually tell you what to take.  I did take L-Glutamine, Acetyl L-Carnitine and B^ during chemo to try to ward off neuropathy.  I have formulated a list, with my onc's approval - but not any specific recommendation other than low-dose aspirin from him, based on what many have posted here and other reading I have done.  I take this:

Niacin - I came off a statin for cholesterol and this helps keep it under control
CoQ10 - also for heart health
low dose aspirin - studies have shown (by accident - WHI) less breast cancer among takers
Krill Oil with Joint Care - omega fatty acids for heart health, with joint supplements
Acetyl L-Carnitine - took this during chemo as anti-neuropathy, continued for brain health
B Complex
B-12
Vit D - for bone health and to increase mylevel to help prevent recurrence
Calcium/Magnesium - bone health
Biotin - hair, skin and nails
Probiotic, and extra fiber - for digestive health - most of your immune system is there
Claritin - seems to help with joint pain and for allergies
Femara - my AI - the only prescription I take

lovewins - a lot us gained 10 lbs, myself included, during chemo but for me not "real" weight - mine was fluid from swelling.  To gain a pound of actual body flesh you need to eat 3200 clories and not burn it off.  I did seesaw back and forth, lose 3-4 lbs, then gain it back for the first three cycles, then I swelled and gained.

LoveWins:  I lost 40 lbs during the first 6 treatments - which I didn't really need to lose.  I took steriods only the day before, day of & day after.  There weren't many things I could eat w/o tasting nasty.  I didn't give up cokes & or worry about eating sugary stuff, since that was often the only thing I could choke down. The "big D" appears to have gone away with the end of tax & carbo, and I'm actually trying to eat more now, tho still losing lbs.  I expect the MO will give me the devil tomorrow about continuing weight loss.

I take pretty much what Special K takes with addition of Centrum Silver and no Biotin yet.  Before BC I was also taking Omega3, Vit E and Vit C.  My MO said to stop those for the duration of treatment.

Lovewins: I have gained and lost 5 pounds or so. I am down after not eating much the weekend after chemo, but I seem to gain it back after a few weeks.

Special K: Thanks for sharing your list! I actually printed it out. I am interested in the L-Glutamine and Acetyl L-Carnitine now because since my last chemo my two big toes are numb. Are they safe to take now while I'm still doing chemo?

Hi All!

Pity party at my house. Although my last chemo was on Tuesday  I can't get too excited about it because the cumulative side effects have started. Ugh. I hate this time of treatment. I just need to get through the next 4-5 days and wait for the nauseousness to go away. Please send ++thoughts++ as I will for all of you.  I can't stand the taste in my mouth. Even water is tough to get down this round. 

Hope you all are having a pretty good day.

The onc told me that the average weight gain on TCH was 14 lbs mostly due to the steroids.  I managed to lose 20 lbs in spite of taking a large steroid dose for 5 days every three weeks.  I am also curious about the supplements.  I've been reading a lot about tumeric and it being used to prevent breast cancer recurrence.  Anyone else taking this supplement?

mcgis, hang in there girl! you are almost done!!!! Last time to deal with the SE's.

I gained and lost ~10lbs during and after tx. But it took a couple months after last tx for it to all go.

Miss SpecialK....I also have neuropathy in my tongue...my Onc said that was a rare one for her

Sure specialk, thats your story and you are sticking to it.

I take tumeric capsules twice/day. Not sure how much is in them, but they are pretty big.  I saw REAL tumeric at the farmer's market recently - it looked like little fat orange catepillers (it is a vegetable, though).  Didn't buy it b/c I have no idea how to use it in cooking, but it was interesting to see.

I take D3, green tea extract, maitake fraction (mushroom extract), DIM (helps with SEs from estrogen-lowering drugs) for anti-cancer reasons. OH yeah, and 6mg of melatonin at night before bed.

For other reasons I take fish oil, daily multi, ubiquinol (similar to CoQ10 for heart, but easily absorbed for older people), calcium, vitamin C, and B6.

It's a lot of pills.  But it feels like a little security blanket to me....

ChickaD - so sorry to hear about your day.  What a round you've had.  Hope you can make it through the weekend with few SEs and just relax.  I've never had a transfusion either but I hear they really give you an instant boost.  And - it's your last chemo!!! (as long as we don't count a year of herceptin).  I see your radiation is already scheduled for the end of the month.

My test results showed largest tumor has only shrunk in half so now I'm scrambling to schedule more surgery ASAP & meet with ROs to make a choice between two.  The MO wants surgery done before 10/1 & this will involve BS & PS since implants will have to come out to prepare for rads.  This is when you find out how much clout your docs have - can they adjust & match their schedules & get me a space in the operating room? 

Thanks Miss SpecialK

Miss Minus...ugh on more surgery

ChickaD I had two tx. They are pretty easy as long as you dont have a reaction. Kinda like chemo, they watch you. But I had to get two units each time and they each take about two hours. Mine took place in the hospital so they ordered lunch for me. I felt much better after.



Specialk try opening it you should get a pop up asking you if you want to open it in a previous version or convert it. You could try converting. You might lose formatting but it should be there.



Minus, hugs! I hope they can squeeze you in.

Much love to all.