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rentrac · 08-31-2007, 10:17 PM

Dear Christina,
I was on the Herceptin, Taxol, Carbo combo last year (had Taxotere alone 2 years earlier). I had more side effects from the Decadron and Benadryl, with some hair loss thrown in - though I was left with wisps which I shaved off. The result was the best short hair I've EVER had- My white hair continued growing, then later the dark that had fallen out... so I had a "reverse pelt" of silky white, underlaid with thick dark. That was the best part. The worst was that I developed an allergy to both the Taxol and the Carbo - My 11/12 tx with Taxol, and the final 12/12 with Carbo. Speak up quickly if you start feeling odd... such as chest flutters, sudden skin flushing, sudden rash, or just feeling strange. My chemo nurses were on top of my reactions at once. Got lots more benadryl and decadron, but wasn't any worse for the scare. Don't let my experience scare you, just be aware that it can happen and don't be afraid to question. My motto is "when in doubt, check it out!" Other than that, I just seemed to get a little more fatigued with each treatment. Good luck. You'll be in my thoughts.
Rentrac

08-31-2007, 10:17 PM	#39
rentrac Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 65	Dear Christina, I was on the Herceptin, Taxol, Carbo combo last year (had Taxotere alone 2 years earlier). I had more side effects from the Decadron and Benadryl, with some hair loss thrown in - though I was left with wisps which I shaved off. The result was the best short hair I've EVER had- My white hair continued growing, then later the dark that had fallen out... so I had a "reverse pelt" of silky white, underlaid with thick dark. That was the best part. The worst was that I developed an allergy to both the Taxol and the Carbo - My 11/12 tx with Taxol, and the final 12/12 with Carbo. Speak up quickly if you start feeling odd... such as chest flutters, sudden skin flushing, sudden rash, or just feeling strange. My chemo nurses were on top of my reactions at once. Got lots more benadryl and decadron, but wasn't any worse for the scare. Don't let my experience scare you, just be aware that it can happen and don't be afraid to question. My motto is "when in doubt, check it out!" Other than that, I just seemed to get a little more fatigued with each treatment. Good luck. You'll be in my thoughts. Rentrac __________________ Oct. 2003: Dx age 48, Stage IIIA Ductal Ca. dense dose neoadjuvent AC. BrCa 1&2 -, ER+, PR-, Her2+. 2004: R mastectomy, 3+ nodes, dense doseTaxotere ( allergic), total hysterectomy, radiationx36 . Tamoxifen x6 mo., Arimidex x9 mo. Jan. '06: Multi left metastatic nodes left neck. Stage IV. Taxol, Carboplatin (allergic to both), Herceptin, radiationx27. Herceptin cont'd. 1 mediastinal met in old rad field. April: 2 brain mets - Rcerebellar, Ltemporal lobe. Gammaknife. Stop Herceptin, Start Tykerb. May: CyberKnife-mediastinal node, Zometa restart. July: New RLung mets. Xeloda add. Jan. 2008: CT: Lung mets shrinking. Fatty liver w/increased liver function panel. Feb '08: MRI: brain mets back, 2nd GammaKnife. June: Migraine headaches from cerebellar tumor. Team for WBR - Choose Craniotomy on Cerebellum only. Aug: Crainiotomy successful. Sept: PET -right lung apex clean; left internal mammary artery appears malignant. Herceptin in future. Left mastectomy?