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Chelee · 06-18-2006, 04:56 PM

I am leaning more towards the side of what Sara said. I too had the Taxotere, Carb, & Herceptin. My swelling started pretty much after my first chemo only to get worse as I progressed. I think in my case its the Taxotere doing damage? (But that is just my belief?) I have no way of knowing for sure after having so many drugs dumped in me.

I do know when I first got the swelling I did blame it 100% on the herceptin. I was scared to death my ECHO would come back bad and I would be removed from the herceptin. Since I heard herceptin can cause heart issues...I just KNEW in my heart that would be the problem causing my swelling.

Since all this I have been sent to a pulmonary doctor and he checked me out and said my heart is fine and didn't seem real concerned about my feet, ankles and lower legs swelling. Even the TOPS of my feet were SO SWOLLEN they hurt to walk on. The tops of feet got fire engine red like they were sunburned.

So he gave me lasix & potassium which I am STILL on to this day...and I still have the swelling. It is a little better with the lasix...but not that much if I have been sitting to long with my legs hanging down. I know if I sit at my computer too long they really get big and painful.

After I sleep at night they look pretty good in the morning...but not to long after being up and moving...they go back to their swelling mode!

In fact...they stay so bad that once I went back to this pulmonary doctor to show him how bad they still were...and right away he felt them...didn't like how much edema I had going up into the lower leg...and sent me to the hospital twice now for a doppler to be done on BOTH legs. He said my feet, ankles and legs shouldn't be that big.

(Well...sorry...but they are!) But both times I had the doppler on feet/legs...they checked out ok...thank goodness. They keep telling me due to chemo I am at more risk for clots. So they are always scarying me to death sending me for these dopplers. I rather be safe then sorry...but I have been told I have a possible blood clot about 4 times now.

But again, I do herceptin, taxotere & carb every three weeks...then weekly herceptin. That taxotere can be nasty...so I really think its that. When I go to the taxotere website...it does say it causes major fliud retention. That is one of its main side affects. Either way...I won't swear on which drug is causing it for sure...I just know I TOO ...have bad swelling that won't go away after using herceptin and taxotere. (I never had swelling before my DX)

Chelee

06-18-2006, 04:56 PM	#9
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	I am leaning more towards the side of what Sara said. I too had the Taxotere, Carb, & Herceptin. My swelling started pretty much after my first chemo only to get worse as I progressed. I think in my case its the Taxotere doing damage? (But that is just my belief?) I have no way of knowing for sure after having so many drugs dumped in me. I do know when I first got the swelling I did blame it 100% on the herceptin. I was scared to death my ECHO would come back bad and I would be removed from the herceptin. Since I heard herceptin can cause heart issues...I just KNEW in my heart that would be the problem causing my swelling. Since all this I have been sent to a pulmonary doctor and he checked me out and said my heart is fine and didn't seem real concerned about my feet, ankles and lower legs swelling. Even the TOPS of my feet were SO SWOLLEN they hurt to walk on. The tops of feet got fire engine red like they were sunburned. So he gave me lasix & potassium which I am STILL on to this day...and I still have the swelling. It is a little better with the lasix...but not that much if I have been sitting to long with my legs hanging down. I know if I sit at my computer too long they really get big and painful. After I sleep at night they look pretty good in the morning...but not to long after being up and moving...they go back to their swelling mode! In fact...they stay so bad that once I went back to this pulmonary doctor to show him how bad they still were...and right away he felt them...didn't like how much edema I had going up into the lower leg...and sent me to the hospital twice now for a doppler to be done on BOTH legs. He said my feet, ankles and legs shouldn't be that big. (Well...sorry...but they are!) But both times I had the doppler on feet/legs...they checked out ok...thank goodness. They keep telling me due to chemo I am at more risk for clots. So they are always scarying me to death sending me for these dopplers. I rather be safe then sorry...but I have been told I have a possible blood clot about 4 times now. But again, I do herceptin, taxotere & carb every three weeks...then weekly herceptin. That taxotere can be nasty...so I really think its that. When I go to the taxotere website...it does say it causes major fliud retention. That is one of its main side affects. Either way...I won't swear on which drug is causing it for sure...I just know I TOO ...have bad swelling that won't go away after using herceptin and taxotere. (I never had swelling before my DX) Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.