Needed some advice
 

Hello ladies !!

am back after a long absence !! mom s done with her 4th chemo !! cant believe how the time flies...seems like yesterday we were so apprehensive about her 1st chemo and now here we are done with the 04th one already.....

wont lie and say it wasn't difficult and trying but we are doing it together as a family with all our strength and love and taking it one day at a time !!

now asking for some help....mom s mouth has gone very bad...she complains her mouth is like sawdust and everything tastes bitter ....anyone else gone through this ?? how can i help her ??

also is it true Herceptin sometimes causes weight loss or is it the chemo after effects??

any help for the bonepain caused by the Fligrastim injections other than a hotwater bag ??

and lastly my mom is very worried that just the Herceptin infusion is as bad as the ones with the T & C ?? is that true ??? Ladies who have bravely gone through H after T & C would really appreciate your insight n experience on this

thank you so much and keep fighting !

Re: Needed some advice
 

I too had terrible mouth problems while on TCH. Nothing tasted good and swallowing was difficult. A week after infusions I went back to the cancer center for some re-hydration. Meanwhile I would use an alcohol free mouthwash and also rinse with salt/baking soda water. It would eventually go away. All I can say is she should eat/drink whatever she can handle.

I have had 3 or 4 Herceptin infusions since the end of TC. No problems with that except for feeling "chilled" the next day and a constant runny nose. I lost weight on TCH but not on H alone.

Also once I was done TCH and the subsequent shots my bone pain went away. I was afraid some of the bone pain was due to Herceptin but I haven't had that issue since about a month after my last TCH.

I hope this helps. Hang in there, your mom is almost done!
Best Wishes
Leah

Re: Needed some advice
 

thank you so much Leah !!!!!!!! am making my mom read this !!!!!!!!

Re: Needed some advice
 

Oh yes - food and chemo just don't mix well. I remember trying to explain to my husband that bread tasted like drywall - and him asking how did I know what drywall tasted like. Funny now - not so much then. But it really did mess up my sense of taste. I discovered that things that were sweet and cold still tasted like they should and ate lots of sherbert, watermelon and other cold fruits, milk shakes fortified with extra protein powder, etc. I couldn't even stand to smell meat being cooked so tried to eat veggies sauted, etc. Luckily, it all subsides fairly quickly and only a few weeks after finishing chemo, things gradually started to taste better. As for Herceptin, it really has very few side effects for most people: some problems with finger and toe nails, a really runny nose, mild fatigue or flu-like symptoms for the first few days after treatment. But nothing like the other chemos. I took a Zyrtec generic every day during Herceptin and it helped a little with the nose drips and extra-strength Tylenol for the aches. Tried to manage rest and mild exercise. As for the bone pain, I took Neulasta shots and only had some bone pain for a few days each time. Mostly manageable with Tylenol but did have Tramadol for the worse pain. Hope this helps and so glad your Mom is done with the tough part. Give her regards and congratulations.

Re: Needed some advice
 

I know this may sound weird but...green apple jolly rancher candies tasted so good and got rid of that metal yucky taste I seemed to always have during my chemo. Also, I would eat off of plastic utensils instead of metal and that seemed to help too. Hang in there, almost done!

Re: Needed some advice
 

NanaJoni described it to a T. Everything did taste like drywall! I couldn't think of that at the time, so told my family everything tasted like flour. Like her, ice cream and milkshakes and things of that nature did seem to taste much better. I also used the Boost shakes and kept them really cold. I drank them with a straw and they were a real treat for me. As far as the Herceptin, it was nothing like the chemo at all. I had very few side effects with the Herceptin. I did have some nail changes. They got weak and would bend and break easily. Also had the runny nose that was just about like water. Never knew when it was going to start pouring out of my face, so had to carry Kleenex everywhere I went because it could get a bit embarassing out in public! When I went to Herceptin only, I was able to work my normal schedule at work with pretty much no change in how I felt at all. Big hugs to you and lots of prayers.

Re: Needed some advice
 

Cotton mouth is a real nuisance .. Had it when on A & Tx with Herceptin added when I started Cytx in 2011-2012 now out one yr from treatment BC came back, on Herceptin & Kadcyla for a year and cotton mouth is almost constant... Drink lots of water especially while eating...Biotene spray, mouthwash and gum help... My daughter found Halls 'mouth watering drops and they work better than the gum, but rather hard to find.

Re: Needed some advice
 

Also I ate a boatload of gummies lifesavers when I had mouth sores, yummy for gummies!...also stayed completely away from carbonated drinks, they can really get your mouth stirred up.

Re: Needed some advice
 

Someone asked about foot & leg cramps...chiropracter (sp?) suggested maganeseium and my oncologist said OK.. It has helped a lot. The last time it was charley horses at night GP said to drink tonic water with juice and it stopped the whole thing in about a week.

Re: Needed some advice
 

Mary

The tonic water probably contains Quinine in
very small amounts. I was curious if such a small amount of
Quinine would be beneficial to treat muscle cramps. Apparently, at least in some people, it can.
This info may come in handy in the future.
Quinine used to be a cheap OTC drug and I sold lots of
it in my pharmacy for leg cramps. Its an RX drug now.

Paul

Re: Needed some advice
 

My GP said it was great especially for the intense night-time charley horses I had been having for about three weeks straight, it stopped them and I was only taking about 1/2 cup tonic water to 1/2 cup orange or crabapple juice every night before bed. When they had stopped For awhile I would just add some to a bottle of flavored water three times a week. Crazy but very worth a try.