[harrie]

Hello Cristina,
(This is the 3rd time I am trying to post a reply to your thread. Each time after I write the entire thing, it DOES NOT POST! I wonder if anyone else has this problem...fustrating...)

Anyways, Cristina...again...yes, I had the exact same regime as you....taxotere, carbo, herceptin....6 rounds, 3 wks apart. I did mine from end of Jan to May of this yr. I have been done for a bit over 3 months and FEEL ABSOLUTELY GREAT!! Actually, I felt really good 2 months post my last round.

Here are some of my side effects:
1. Low WBC and low RBC. Took Nupogen for the WBC and only had bone ache once from it. Advil took that pain away.
2. Nausea: hardly if any, not during, not after. Just had the Aloxi as a premed at the time of tx and that was it.
3. Excessive salivation: that was lousy, and could not find anything to alleviate this problem, so just tolerated it. lasted a good 5 - 6 days after each tx.
4. Hair loss 11 days after my first tx. Ended up buzzing my hair off really short.
5. tired
6. leg muscles felt weaker
7. fingernails: after my last treatment they took a beating: some discoloration and some lifting. used tea tree oil and that helped alot;
8. I worked throughout my chemo txs. No problem.
9. Exercise: I exercised thoughout, but did take a break maybe a wk after each treatment and when I did exercise, it was modified to what I would normally do. I just listened to my body.
10. Took up yoga in Feb and I loved that
11. Decadron gave me a hard time sleeping so took something like Sominex, maybe 1/2 or one tab. (over-the-counter sleep aid)
12. Hard stools: maybe 4 days or so after each chemo. Used an over the counter stool softener and that helped a lot
13. Taste: for about a wk after tx, food tasted bad.

That is about all I can think of for now. Email me if you have ANY questions. When I look back, I am glad I did all 6 rounds. With the encouragement from our sister HER2, I was convinced to just do it! (thank you Jean....)

After round #4, the side effects did not seem to get worse. #1 round I hardly felt anything! #2 I definitely felt it, #3 was NOT fun, as the toxic levels accummulated....

I had my treatments on a Fri, and by Sun I would start to feel it. It would gen last about 5 days or so and then I could feel the side effects lift...like how a fog lifts...

Maryanne