HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Chemo, fever question & incision

Chelee · 11-01-2009, 01:56 AM

Vicky, Everyone reacts differently to these drugs. I did TCH & I had a rough time of it...so your not alone. When I had my infusion I felt ok the 1st two days after it...but day 3rd day is when it would hit me hard. I honestly don't know how so many of these woman worked, ran errands and did other things? I was lucky to get back & forth to my appts, scans, labs, etc. I was just dragging myself around....aches, pains, weakness & major fatigue. Lost my apetite & had to force myself to eat. Most said they gained weight on trt...I lost 37 lbs. I didn't have that metallic taste...but I call it more or a "sewer mouth". My taste buds were gone...nothing tasted good...food was disgusting to me.

The only time I didn't feel too bad was about a wk before I was due to go back for my next infusion of TCH. As far as fever's I had low grade fevers like your mentioning often. I was told not to worry unless they reached a 100 or over...but they never did thank goodness. So that might be a reaction from Taxotere? I don't know if it helps you any but the infusions actually got easier on me around cycle 3 & 4...I'm not sure why...maybe the body kind of adjusts to it? Don't get me wrong, I was still feeling lousy...but it wasn't as bad as when I first started. Don't beat yourself up...seriously...take one day at a time. See how things go...it might improve some. But by no means think this was easy for everyone here...it wasn't. As to hair...it looked like I wasn't going to lose mine and then all of a sudden on day 18 or 19 it started falling out in clumps. So just in case...don't be surprised. You hang in there and and go easy on yourself. Rest when you can and don't push yourself too hard. Accept help when needed. I do believe in time it will get better. We are all here for you...keep us updated on how your doing.

Hugs!

Chelee

11-01-2009, 01:56 AM	#6
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: Chemo, fever question & incision - I'm tired Vicky, Everyone reacts differently to these drugs. I did TCH & I had a rough time of it...so your not alone. When I had my infusion I felt ok the 1st two days after it...but day 3rd day is when it would hit me hard. I honestly don't know how so many of these woman worked, ran errands and did other things? I was lucky to get back & forth to my appts, scans, labs, etc. I was just dragging myself around....aches, pains, weakness & major fatigue. Lost my apetite & had to force myself to eat. Most said they gained weight on trt...I lost 37 lbs. I didn't have that metallic taste...but I call it more or a "sewer mouth". My taste buds were gone...nothing tasted good...food was disgusting to me. The only time I didn't feel too bad was about a wk before I was due to go back for my next infusion of TCH. As far as fever's I had low grade fevers like your mentioning often. I was told not to worry unless they reached a 100 or over...but they never did thank goodness. So that might be a reaction from Taxotere? I don't know if it helps you any but the infusions actually got easier on me around cycle 3 & 4...I'm not sure why...maybe the body kind of adjusts to it? Don't get me wrong, I was still feeling lousy...but it wasn't as bad as when I first started. Don't beat yourself up...seriously...take one day at a time. See how things go...it might improve some. But by no means think this was easy for everyone here...it wasn't. As to hair...it looked like I wasn't going to lose mine and then all of a sudden on day 18 or 19 it started falling out in clumps. So just in case...don't be surprised. You hang in there and and go easy on yourself. Rest when you can and don't push yourself too hard. Accept help when needed. I do believe in time it will get better. We are all here for you...keep us updated on how your doing. Hugs! 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.