TCH .. chemo cocktail starts on 9/8 .. Questions for sisters in Pink

VickiSam

Met with my onc on Friday .. he provided me with a graph indicating treatment plan, and cycle. 3 of us at my appointment, and we all walked out with different information - I called his office this morning to get clarification.

This sounds werid .. ok, so it just may be me ..

Herpercin (sp?)
taxotere
carboplatma sp?

Tues .. 9/8 .. Chemo 3 to 5 hours .. depending on port acceptance
Wed... 9/9 .. shot neulasta
balance of week --- I am free like a bird

Tues .. 9/15 .. Chemo 1 hour (herpercin)
balance of week -- cry and wait for my hair to fall out .. no other
treatments or visits required, or so I am told

Tues .. 9/22 .. Chemo 1 hour (herpercin)
balance of week --- cry because I am bald, and puffy like the pillsbury dough boy.

When do I have off week .. I was under the impression, that chemo would take 3 days .. tues, wed, thurs.. shot on Friday .. 3 weeks off.

Also, my onc has scheduled me for a bone scan, chest xrays, port installation, echo, and a few other scans. Normal ?

Am I crazy, or did I fill my head up with useless research and information. ???

Confused Mother of 2, Corona, CA
VickiSam

elm3544

It seems that there are
It seems that there are many different chemo regimens. Mine is once every 3 weeks for 4 rounds, with the Neulasta shot following the day after chemo. As they say, everyone is different and your Oncologist if going to prescribe what best suits you personally.
Good luck to you!

Moopy23

Vicki, we all have differing
Vicki, we all have differing drugs and regimens, but I admit yours is more confusing than most! The drugs you're getting sound like Herceptin and Carboplatin along with Taxotere. I had TAC--Taxotere, Adriamycin, and Cytoxin--every third week for a total of six treatments.

The Nulasta shot is to build your white blood cells, and it is given 24 hours after chemo. If you have a treatment on Friday, then the shot is given on the next business day. (As our Claudia likes to point out, cancer does not grow on holidays or weekends.)

Nulasta can cause considerable bone pain; it's like getting the flu with its aches and pains. Taking Claritin the day before the shot and for several days following helps. Of course, you should check with your onc. before taking the Claritin. (The tip on Claritin was given to me by Mimi and others on the board. It really reduced symptoms for me.)

All the tests you mention are to be expected. So, get ready for a whirlwind of tests. The echo is an ultrasound of your heart. The most intimidating tests are MRIs and PET scans, in my opinion. Any of us can give you info on them. And Zanax helps.

Good luck with all the tests. Hang in there. Things will slow down after the tests, and you'll be on a schedule that will become routine for you.

VickiSam

Moopy23 said:

Vicki, we all have differing
Vicki, we all have differing drugs and regimens, but I admit yours is more confusing than most! The drugs you're getting sound like Herceptin and Carboplatin along with Taxotere. I had TAC--Taxotere, Adriamycin, and Cytoxin--every third week for a total of six treatments.

The Nulasta shot is to build your white blood cells, and it is given 24 hours after chemo. If you have a treatment on Friday, then the shot is given on the next business day. (As our Claudia likes to point out, cancer does not grow on holidays or weekends.)

Nulasta can cause considerable bone pain; it's like getting the flu with its aches and pains. Taking Claritin the day before the shot and for several days following helps. Of course, you should check with your onc. before taking the Claritin. (The tip on Claritin was given to me by Mimi and others on the board. It really reduced symptoms for me.)

All the tests you mention are to be expected. So, get ready for a whirlwind of tests. The echo is an ultrasound of your heart. The most intimidating tests are MRIs and PET scans, in my opinion. Any of us can give you info on them. And Zanax helps.

Good luck with all the tests. Hang in there. Things will slow down after the tests, and you'll be on a schedule that will become routine for you.

Moopy23 .. Laughing out LOUD .. tears streaming down my
FACE. I am so very glad that you know which med's I will be taking - still laughing. My head is spinning today with all the various appointments, chemo, medication etc.

Thank you for giving me the correct spelling of ...Carboplatin .. yes, now I remember this is part of my bc cocktail. I hope I remembered to put undies on today.. wait, let me check. hehehehehe I did..

Also, I will ask about the claritin on Tuesday 9/8 .. first day of chemo- Thank you Mimi & Moopy23.

By the way, who are those 2 beautiful and glorious creatures??? Your babies?

Thanks for the feed back ....and good laugh ..

....bottled blond and ditzy in Corona, CA.

VickiSam

sunshine1961

Hi VckiSam
I had the choice of doing Heceptin every week or just once every 3 weeks with my taxatere,and carboplatin. The infussions take longer with all 3 but I felt like I wanted a break from it all.I also have to go for a white blood cell shot (nuelasta) the next day after chemo.
I guess everyone is different.My first chemo took about 4 1/2 hrs. The first herceptin drip they did a little slower to see if I had a reaction to it. Next time it will drip alittle faster. I had to have a bone, ct, mri,and pet scan due to the fact my 3 sentinel nodes were involved. I had a port too.. That was easy. and made chemo day easier. The nurse numbed it up first I didn't feel a thing. I have to have all three drugs 6 times 3 weeks a part, then herceptin for a year.
Have any other Questions feel free to ask.

Moopy23

VickiSam said:

Moopy23 .. Laughing out LOUD .. tears streaming down my
FACE. I am so very glad that you know which med's I will be taking - still laughing. My head is spinning today with all the various appointments, chemo, medication etc.

Thank you for giving me the correct spelling of ...Carboplatin .. yes, now I remember this is part of my bc cocktail. I hope I remembered to put undies on today.. wait, let me check. hehehehehe I did..

Also, I will ask about the claritin on Tuesday 9/8 .. first day of chemo- Thank you Mimi & Moopy23.

By the way, who are those 2 beautiful and glorious creatures??? Your babies?

Thanks for the feed back ....and good laugh ..

....bottled blond and ditzy in Corona, CA.

VickiSam

VickiSam, I'm sorry if I
VickiSam, I'm sorry if I offended you about the chemo drug names. I taught English for 10 years--guess the impulse to provide spelling tips is still with me. (Actually, I usually told students to look the word up and then handed over a dictionary. Sometimes I was a softy and gave the spelling. So, you see, I was just trying to help.) I wish neither of us had reason to learn those names.

Yep, the two pups are our eldest. And, you're right: they're our babies. A few years back, I told my hubby we needed either a baby or a dog. The one didn't work out; but, we ended up with 3 "fur babies" whom we love dearly, even the last one, known sometimes as "Joe's dog."

By the way, "bottled blond" hits me right to the core. I am wishing and hoping and praying for enough hair to be "bottled blond," asap. I have a quarter-inch of salt and pepper hair, with entirely too much of it salty.

MyTurnNow

Hi, VickiSam
My chemo drugs are a little different than yours but I wanted you to know I'm thinking of you. I'm only on my second treatment this Thursday with 2 more to go so we'll be going through this together. I have already done the "buzz" cut due to handfuls of hair coming out late last week. It was tramatic but the tears really only lasted for a couple of hours. I allowed myself the weekend to get used to it and that was helpful. I am working every day and wearing headwraps in lieu of a wig. I also like ball caps too! I live in Florida and it's very hot here. Bottom line, it's all doable with the right attitude. Let's kick this cancer's butt together!!

VickiSam

MyTurnNow said:

Hi, VickiSam
My chemo drugs are a little different than yours but I wanted you to know I'm thinking of you. I'm only on my second treatment this Thursday with 2 more to go so we'll be going through this together. I have already done the "buzz" cut due to handfuls of hair coming out late last week. It was tramatic but the tears really only lasted for a couple of hours. I allowed myself the weekend to get used to it and that was helpful. I am working every day and wearing headwraps in lieu of a wig. I also like ball caps too! I live in Florida and it's very hot here. Bottom line, it's all doable with the right attitude. Let's kick this cancer's butt together!!

It's a deal .. We will BEAT this cancer ..together
It's hot and sticky here in California, I can not stand the thought of putting on a wig .. just yet. .. how long after starting chemo did you lose your hair ? I am sorry I don't know your bc story ..

Attitude is everything .. hair grows back, however when it's gone .. it devasting.

I am here for you ..Anytime.


VickiSam

MyTurnNow

VickiSam said:

It's a deal .. We will BEAT this cancer ..together
It's hot and sticky here in California, I can not stand the thought of putting on a wig .. just yet. .. how long after starting chemo did you lose your hair ? I am sorry I don't know your bc story ..

Attitude is everything .. hair grows back, however when it's gone .. it devasting.

I am here for you ..Anytime.


VickiSam

My hair started "shedding"
My hair started "shedding" pretty heavily by day 14. I didn't want to wait for it to come out in handfuls, so I buzzed it on day 17.

My story: I was diagnosed in June with IDC, stage 2, grade 3. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy in July. There was a microscopic cancer cell in the sentinel node. I'm having 4 chemo treatments, taxotere and cytoxin every 3 weeks. My next treatment (2nd one) is this Thursday (9/3). I also take the Neulasta shot the day after chemo. I did have some bone pain 3 days after the last shot but I think this time I will try the Claritin and see if that helps. Then, it's on to 6 to 6-1/2 weeks of radiation and then hormone therapy for 5 years.

rjjj

VickiSam
Hi, I was also on taxatere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin, they gave me this every 3weeks, all together, now Herceptin alone every 3 weeks for the year. I had claritin before each treatment.

I also had all the scans they are normal, and the port which I am still thankful for. When you are on Herceptin they test your heart every 6 months beuse it can be damging to the Heart, although I haven't had problems with that so far. I did get puffy from the steroids that were also given.

You can do it! it will be over befoe you know it. My hair is growing back now and it sounds about like Moopy's salt and pepper with lotsa salt. My little grandaughter calls it sparkly silver, LOL! I will be coloring it as soon as its long enough. Right now I can go without a cap to work and that feels good.

I wish you all the luck in the world. Jackie

lolad

rjjj said:

VickiSam
Hi, I was also on taxatere, Carboplatin, and Herceptin, they gave me this every 3weeks, all together, now Herceptin alone every 3 weeks for the year. I had claritin before each treatment.

I also had all the scans they are normal, and the port which I am still thankful for. When you are on Herceptin they test your heart every 6 months beuse it can be damging to the Heart, although I haven't had problems with that so far. I did get puffy from the steroids that were also given.

You can do it! it will be over befoe you know it. My hair is growing back now and it sounds about like Moopy's salt and pepper with lotsa salt. My little grandaughter calls it sparkly silver, LOL! I will be coloring it as soon as its long enough. Right now I can go without a cap to work and that feels good.

I wish you all the luck in the world. Jackie

Im on
a different cocktail, but it does feel like a waiting game up until they get your treatments going. Its like you wait forever for tests, surgeries ect then WHAM you get hit with never ending appointments. Almost everyday or every other day. You will do just fine. Im on my chemo right now and it hasnt been as bad as i thought except for being so tired. They gave me plenty of nausea meds to take, so thats awesome. Make sure you ask for them if they dont offer. It has helped tremendously. Get some rest if you can, everything will work out fine for you. Sending a prayer to you and hugs

laura

butterfly343

Hi VickiSam,
My chemo is
Hi VickiSam,
My chemo is different than yours, I go every 2 weeks for Taxol and it lasts about 5 hours. I also have a ton of pre meds before the actual drug starts. Benadryl, streiods, tagament, and anti nausea throught my port. They really do help. The steriods and anti-nausea last for about 2 days after and I feel ok. Then they wear off and I get hit hard with the side effects. I also have the neulasta shot 24 hours after chemo. That really sucks.
All of the tests are very normal and help make sure everything is ok before,during and after treatments.
Good Luck,
Julie

Ritzy

butterfly343 said:

Hi VickiSam,
My chemo is
Hi VickiSam,
My chemo is different than yours, I go every 2 weeks for Taxol and it lasts about 5 hours. I also have a ton of pre meds before the actual drug starts. Benadryl, streiods, tagament, and anti nausea throught my port. They really do help. The steriods and anti-nausea last for about 2 days after and I feel ok. Then they wear off and I get hit hard with the side effects. I also have the neulasta shot 24 hours after chemo. That really sucks.
All of the tests are very normal and help make sure everything is ok before,during and after treatments.
Good Luck,
Julie

I just want to wish you good
I just want to wish you good luck with your chemo Vicki! You sound like such a great lady!

Sue

susie09

You confused me now Vicki!
You confused me now Vicki! Good luck hon! Praying for you!

♠♣ Susie ♠♣