Carboplatin/Taxotere/herceptin, I am calling it quits..

You're allowed to vent - I encourage venting - bc is a crappy disease! I too am wondering if the taxol may be a little more tolerable - also you need to sit your onc down - or maybe your PCP would be a better choice and find a solution to the nausea - there are many, many drugs on the market to combat this now and you shouldn't be nauseated all the time - any chance you can get Emend with your next treatment - it is quite pricey but I was able to get it on my insurance plan six years ago when it was quite new - it is indeed a wonder drug - hope this helps - sending hugs your way. S.

Dear Violet,

It's so discouraging isn't it to be more sick from the chemo than cancer. I remember a few weeks when I couldn't take Emend, and I was ready to chuck the whole chemo thing entirely. I agree with the ladies above that maybe there is a nausea drug that will work. In any case, once you feel better, then you can revisit your decision to go off chemo. Your decision doesn't have to be forever.

BTW, my chemo that I was ready to chuck has made me NED.

With no node involvement and the fact that the chemo hit you so hard even with all the anti-nausea drugs I'd say you're going to be o.k. - my BFF crashed after the very first chemo and went in and told her onc. - not gonna take it anymore and they lowered her dose - she's still NED 11 years later. Frankly, it's about quality of life IMHO.

What type of pain are you having. My only pain was after Neulasta shots.I did better with Neupogen. Also Epogen for red cells-it us unusual to need transfusions. Taxotere varies in SE. I got them all but many do not.

Rest up and watch movies or listen to music. Drink lots of fluids to help w/the the energy.Many hugs and prayers coming your way.

Please don't quit. I went thrust the same thing with the cytoxin/adramycin. After a week in hospital with severe infection then 10 days twice a day visits for IV antibiotics I finally got back to chemo regimen. However it was the taxol weekly instead. Much milder impact on wbc and rbc counts. Still achy but nothing like the other chemo.

Give taxol a try. Its milder because dose is smaller.

Please. I'm in week 6 now So I know you can do this too.

Violet,

Only you know what your body can take. While your cancer is Grade 3, you caught it at stage 1, so maybe four rounds is enough. I did weekly Taxol for 12 weeks. In some ways, it was gentler than AC. But, I did have some mildly annoying SEs, like mild diarrhea (which I treated with Immodium AD), and dulled taste buds. I did not get neuropathy, though, other than some mild tingling in my fingertips/toetips. That seems to be fading, now that I've finished Taxol.

Good luck!

If your MO is saying that 4 rounds should be OK, then don't worry. They are just trying to hedge their bets with more rounds and if you'd rather not because of how badly it's affecting your body, it's entirely possible what you got is enough. I wish you all the best in the world!

Violet-

I stopped after 4 rounds of chemo as well (was suppose to do 6)... but of course finished my herceptin. Like you, I couldn't take being sick ALL the time. I felt like the chemo was killing my body way more than the cancer! I was scared of lasting side effects.

My family and friends all argues for me not to stop but I explained to them IF the cancer came back... I have been at complete peace with my choice.

Here I am 5 years later, still cancer free! Praise GOD!! I made the right choice with a lot of prayer.

Find peace with it and go with your heart!

Praying for you!

Sherri

Violet I totally understand the nausea issue. We tried every drug under the sun to help with my crazy nausea during A/C. It was completely debilitating. Emend took the edge off (sometimes) but I was ready to throw in the towel as well. I remember crying in the bathroom after my 2nd infusion thinking there was no way I would be able to endure anymore A/C because I was sick every single day. Long story short I stuck it out. I am now finishing up Taxol and it has been night and day for me. Nausea is pretty much gone. Still having a little fatigue and that's about it. Sending you good thoughts!

I've just been admitted to the hospital a week after my first TCHP chemo session!

I couldn't keep anything in (diarrhea like you would not believe). No working tastebuds... meat tastes like cardboard.... Stomach aches and burns. This is not a good start!

I'm totally dehydrated. Kidney function and potassium too low...

I'm not sure what's going to happen. They may need to wait longer cycles so I can recover a bit before the next. Lost 20 lbs this month.. but some of that was the stress of getting diagnosed. I thought things might settle down once treatment started... but no.

Hello all! So I went in for my 3rd round of TCH on Dec 19, but ended up having a blood transfusion instead! My RBC, hemoglobin, & platelets were too low. I went back today for treatment and they informed me that my doctor is removing the carboplatin for at least this treatment and #4 as well. They also told me I would not need the neulasta shot tomorrow. Has anyone ever heard of doctors removing drugs from a chemo regimen? Or not giving a neulasta shot? If so what was the outcome? Thanks

raspysqueen- The blood transfusion brought up your hemoglobin ,RBC and probably platelets. Also your WBC was probably much better and since they are holding the Carboplatin this lessons the need for Neulasta shots. Hang in there. Hugs coming way.