Off to my first taxotere/carboplatin/herceptin infusion..

KsGal · 01-11-2012, 02:59 AM

Getting my first infusion this morning at 10 a.m. Its 4 in the morning now, and i can't sleep of course. I don't know if its the steroids kicking in, or just me being stressed out. I know I am just a beginner in this fight compared to all of you. I read all your posts and your signatures at the end of them, and i think what strong, strong people you are and how much you have endured and won. Still, Im totally scared this morning, and I am hoping this bag full of meds I have sitting next to me work as well as they have promised me, especially the antinausea meds. So wish me luck! ((hugs)) to everyone..I wish a beautiful day for every one of you.

chekmark · 01-11-2012, 05:31 AM

KSGal,
Ahhhhh I remember the day so well when I had that first treatment. I hope that all goes well for you. I think the not knowing what to expect is the worst and then after a few days you know what to expect and it is not so bad. Be kind to your body, give it what it wants, drink lots of water and rest. I remember people telling me it will be over before you know it. I can't say it was before I knew it but looking back it seemed like it was never going to end and here I am now done, feeling good and trying to move forward. you will too. Keep us posted. Good luck to you and god bless. Darlene

hestko76 · 01-11-2012, 08:04 AM

Your anxiety is understandable, but it will be fine. I had my first infusion of TCH yesterday. I was there for about 6 hours, but it went very quickly.
Be sure to take the meds as directed, my "sleeping anti nausa med" sure helped last night. I'll be on the steroids again for one more day, so I'll be glad when that is over. At noon I go for a shot to help rebuild my white blood cells. If you want to send me a private message, please do and we can compare stories through this journey. We are survivors!

snolan · 01-11-2012, 09:55 AM

Good luck you will do great, we are all strong and get through this each in our own way. Soon it will be just part of your routine (unfortunalty) but here's to it going fast and easy for you.

Kellennea · 01-11-2012, 11:55 AM

Good Luck today!!

On my first day, I received a simple note from my bff...

"This is a well-trodden road that many others have walked before you and I promise you, they've taken the rocks off the path so you wont stumble. you will be perfect because you are you".

NewSurvivor · 01-11-2012, 12:10 PM

KsGal: You are in the right place. There are strong women on here that will help you with all your questions and concerns. You will soon look at that "bag of meds" and say this is the last one. Good Luck to you!

Deb33 · 01-11-2012, 12:37 PM

I can honestly say that my 1st TCH was the worst of all my treatments because I was so terrified. I eventually figured out how to manage the side effects, knew what days I would be tired, etc so the entire process became predictable. I could never sleep while on the steriods, even with the anti nausea pills so my Onc had me take 2 Advil PM's and 1 anti nausea - that seemed to do the trick.
At the time, it seemed to go slow but looking back on the year, it has really passed fairly quickly. Try to stay in the moment and take things day to day.
You really will make it through this.

KsGal · 01-11-2012, 05:58 PM

Hi Ladies...went to the chemo today. It took about four hours. Im having a false sense of security right now because I don't really have any side effects except I haven't really slept in two days any reasonable amount of time. Im sure that the steroids and the big bag of premeds are keeping everything in check right now. There was a really nice lady in the chair next to me who had been having a really bad time with nausea and vomiting on this regimen. I gave her the address to this website, because i figured there was no place better to get advice. But it also turned out that she had not been taking her antinausea medicine on a regular basis. They only gave me Zofran for nausea..not sure how good that is, but I plan on taking it as scheduled whether I feel like I need it or not. So...when the steroids wear off after tomorrow is when I should expect to not feel good from what I have read, right? I have my Neulasta shot tomorrow, so I am taking the Claritin as was suggested, and other than that just trying to drink a lot of fluids. I have Senokot on hand, but I don't think I want to take it until I have some sign of which way things are going to go in that area...Thank you all so much for all the advice. The idea of it was definitely more scary than the actual treatment, and other than not sleeping and having a slightly weird sensation in my mouth like I ate something too hot and scorced it Im doing good.

CoolBreeze · 01-12-2012, 05:06 PM

I'm glad you are doing okay. The anticipation is way worse than the event. Take your antinausea meds even if you don't feel nauseous! Also, make sure to drink tons of water, it really helps. You probably won't have any SEs, but your mouth is going to get nasty. No remedy for that that I know of, except this company makes water that is supposed to help. http://www.delightwater.com.

If you eat a high fiber diet and drink lots of water, you may not need that senekot. I ate a very high fiber diet beginning the day before chemo and continuing until I knew it was going to be normal. I drank 64 ounces of water. I didn't have constipation and I also take pain meds! But, I do remember once having constipation after surgery and trust me, you don't want to let it get that bad! It was like having a baby, lol.

So, if by day three you aren't going, take your pills.

As far as the clariton, you only have to take it an hour before you get your injection. But, aren't they going to do a blood test first? I don't get the injection until they know my whites are low and they weren't automatically low, especially after my first couple rounds of chemo. I'd ask because that shot has some really awful side effects for some of us.

You are one of us now.

KsGal · 01-12-2012, 08:08 PM

Im really hoping I don't have any major side effects..I have to go back to work Saturday. Keeping my fingers crossed. They actually did not check my blood before giving me the Neulasta. Strange that they wouldn't, as they did mention it costs something insane like 5000 dollars. I still don't feel so bad today..just kind of icky in the head like Im coming down with something. However, I must add that I am such a paranoid person that I have an alarm set and I am popping a Zofran and a Lortab every six hours whether I need them or not. I did get dehydrated even without vomiting or any other issues, so they have me drinking a ton of gatorade and water. Other than that...so far its not near as bad as I expected, but it does still suck. Thanks for being there for me, its makes me feel so much better to have some reassurance from people who have gone through this.

BonnieR · 01-12-2012, 11:14 PM

KsGal, you're right, it does still suck! But soon you will be looking at it all in the rear view mirror. Just do it a day at a time and keep the faith.

KsGal · 01-13-2012, 12:41 AM

Thanks Bonnie. Im just trying to follow all the good advice and positive attitude I have learned from all of you here. ((hugs))

chemteach · 01-13-2012, 09:12 PM

KSGal, Do all that they tell you to do. My first treatment was very nice except for the taste in my mouth. I remember being afraid of the side effects that I'd heard about, but everyone reacts differently. The second and third infusions were ok, but I became more fatigued with those. The fourth one was tough because the Zofran didn't seem to work as well. I had to stay home for a total of 9 days during those treatments due to fatigue. I couldn't get going at all and was forced to rest. Those are behind me now, and the Herceptin for the next year will be easier. I will be thinking of you as the days go by, and we take our turns in "the chair."

KsGal · 01-13-2012, 10:44 PM

thank you so much. Believe me, I am following all the instructions. I feel more like myself today, and Im feeling pretty positive about going back to work tomorrow. Is there a time when I quit taking the antinausea medication on the schedule, or will this be routine the entire three weeks between treatments?

I've been afraid to let any nausea get ahead of me. Heard it was easier to keep it under control rather than try to get it back under control.

Thank you so much everyone for holding my hand through all this...I hope one day I will be able to do the same for someone else.

chemteach · 01-14-2012, 08:04 AM

I took the Zofran for about 4 or 5 days after the infusion when I was still feeling so weak. I always felt better after about a week, stronger and stronger each day until the next round. All these effects are cumulative, so I guess my body felt pretty beat up after the fourth round. Luckily it was over Thanksgiving and I didn't miss any school, but it was Thanksgiving, and the wonderful aromas triggered unpleasant side effects. You will get through this as countless others have. I had to remind myself of that every time, and it made me much happier. Be ready to laugh about everything and anything. It's much easier that way.

KsGal · 01-14-2012, 08:38 AM

thank you, thank you. I will keep taking the pills. Today is my first day back to work ladies, and I work in a restaurant of all places. Hopefully the smells don't get me too much!

KsGal · 01-17-2012, 12:09 AM

Well, just let me say...I have hit the anger stage, and Im just..well MAD. I hate this disease....I don't feel good, and Im just sickened to know that all of you have gone through the chemo rounds over and over and over. UGH!!!!! I don't even have words. And then I get on the website and see this stupid, stupid disease has taken away yet another wonderful woman, and its not fair and it makes me furious. I certainly have an even greater respect for all of you and how strong you are and how hard you have fought, but none of you should even have ever had to go through this ONCE, let alone for years on end. Im sorry, I try to be positive most the time, but I just had to vent somewhere that it was safe to do so. ((hugs)) everyone...tomorrow is my day off so Im going to try to stay home and chill and get in a more positive mood.

Ljiljana · 01-17-2012, 03:00 AM

Hi!
KsGal, and everyone!
I know you are furious, I understand and it's OK to get crazy at moments. I do too. Reading this makes me feel normal

I feel also good when reading this, because every time I change my therapy, I get afraid, cause I had a very, very strong allergic reaction on Taxol (anaphylactic shock), and now I am so scared of Taxotere.
So, I was off to receive my first Taxotere this morning and, it was said to me in the hospital that they were out of it. So, I was searching in the Internet, and couldn't find where to buy it on-line, because I live in Belgrade, which is in Serbia, Eastern Europe.
Does anyone knows where I can get it, to be delivered to here? I guess not, but.. I wanted to give it a try...
My regards to everyone here!
Take care!

KsGal · 01-18-2012, 10:41 AM

Here I am complaining and whining about the side effects of a drug I have access to, when you need it and can't even find it. Im so sorry.

I wish I did know a place where you could get it. This is all new to me, and I wouldn't even know the first way to go about that. Maybe someone here will.

Im praying for you, and I hope you are able to get the taxotere. Im on taxotere and carboplatin, and didn't have many side effects from the first round at all. I haven't had Taxol, so i can't compare. Big ((hugs)) to you..Im so sorry you are having difficulty getting this when you need it.

Ljiljana · 01-20-2012, 02:02 AM

It's OK, I received yesterday FAC Chemo, and so far-so good

After 4 treatments, I'll probably get taxotere. So, until then, keep writing your experience, I'll follow you!
Take care!