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Chelee · 11-25-2008, 12:29 AM

Diannes, Dexamethasone is given to help reduce allergic reactions to certain chemotherapy drugs...not just for herceptin. In order to be safe you have to have the Dexameth with Taxotere, and Carbpotin.

As far as your symptoms on day 5...there is no way to say for sure what caused it? Every body reactions differently. I know the Taxotere was the worse for me. Aches, pains all over...felt weak at times, tired, fatigued and there were so many times I thought I had a fever because I would get so hot. But I would check and it was fine.

And no...its not necessarily the norm for everyone to get nauseated. I took my pills as instructed by my chemo nurse...but I believe it was my 3rd infusion and I was use to the drugs by then & decided I didn't need them, so I took nothing for nausea & I was fine.

But still go easy on yourself because I noticed you said the first infusion you only got part of your Taxotere and no carb. Then the 2nd infusion a reduced amount of Taxotere. So I would still take my nausea meds if you get a full dose of Taxotere, Carb and herceptin to be on the safe side until you know for sure how your body will react? My hair started coming out in small clumps...by day 17 or 18 I believe it was pretty much gone! Yours might come out slower because again you haven't had full doses of Taxotere unless your a lucky one and you won't lose yours. But most do on Taxotere I hate to say.

Don't worry about asking us questions...that's what we are all here for. Ask away and we will all be more then glad to answer your questions.

Keep them coming...and hang in there...it won't be long and this will all be behind you.

Chelee

11-25-2008, 12:29 AM	#3
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Diannes, Dexamethasone is given to help reduce allergic reactions to certain chemotherapy drugs...not just for herceptin. In order to be safe you have to have the Dexameth with Taxotere, and Carbpotin. As far as your symptoms on day 5...there is no way to say for sure what caused it? Every body reactions differently. I know the Taxotere was the worse for me. Aches, pains all over...felt weak at times, tired, fatigued and there were so many times I thought I had a fever because I would get so hot. But I would check and it was fine. And no...its not necessarily the norm for everyone to get nauseated. I took my pills as instructed by my chemo nurse...but I believe it was my 3rd infusion and I was use to the drugs by then & decided I didn't need them, so I took nothing for nausea & I was fine. But still go easy on yourself because I noticed you said the first infusion you only got part of your Taxotere and no carb. Then the 2nd infusion a reduced amount of Taxotere. So I would still take my nausea meds if you get a full dose of Taxotere, Carb and herceptin to be on the safe side until you know for sure how your body will react? My hair started coming out in small clumps...by day 17 or 18 I believe it was pretty much gone! Yours might come out slower because again you haven't had full doses of Taxotere unless your a lucky one and you won't lose yours. But most do on Taxotere I hate to say. Don't worry about asking us questions...that's what we are all here for. Ask away and we will all be more then glad to answer your questions. Keep them coming...and hang in there...it won't be long and this will all be behind you. 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.