Docitaxel/Carboplatin/Herceptin

Hi Billywig welcome to the  forum and i am sorry to hear what is happening for you and your family right now. I dont know enough about the regime that you are asking about but by my replying to your post it will bump it onto the Breast Cancer thread where there are others who may be better able to help.  

Thank you very much Gail

Hi Billywig  

I'm 4 cycles in with the same regime as your mum. So far I've found the first week after treatment the most tough, generally achey and tired. My sense of taste changed almost daily, always diminished but I found that what tasted OK on one day was awful the next. I chose food for texture not taste, tinned tomato soup with pasta slides down nicely. I try to make the most of the times when I have energy but if I'm tired I take a nap. I just tell myself I can bear it and it will be worth it in the end. When I started the treatment I felt the 6 cycles was all I could think about and couldn't see beyond it. Once I was half way through I began to think beyond the chemo and what might happen next. I hope this helps 

Thank you so much for taking time to reply.

I am sorry to read that you are going through this too and I wish you well with your treatment 

Have you taken any specific steps to prevent infections? Have you restricted how many people you meet etc?

I had two visits to hospital with neutropenic sepsis after my first treatment. No idea what might have caused the first, suspect the second might have been a cake I ate in a coffee shop, home made and not wrapped. The A&E department were terrific and looked after me really well. I was kept in until my blood count had improved, the first time it was 2 days, the second 4 hours. I was told that most infections aren't traceable and are from bacteria within the body. The important thing is to monitor your temperature and ring the helpline quickly. I had my chemo dose reduced for cycle two onwards, apparently a common thing. What I have done is to avoid crowded places or close contact with someone I don't know or trust in case someone has a cold or illness I don't know about. So busy pubs are out but coffee with friends in their home is in. I'm careful not to eat things which are not freshly cooked, sadly that includes cakes in coffee shops. I'm really careful about fridge hygiene and sell by dates. There is a guide somewhere on this website about food to avoid during chemo.

I hope this helps, it was a little onerous at first but I've quickly got used to my new habits. I thought I'd miss eating out but as I can't taste much anyway it's not worth it.

Hi, this is what I was on.  You can glance through my blog and see if that helps, the posts from mid 2021 would be the most helpful. Blog link

Honestly as tolerated it pretty well, and managed to work throughout, but we are all different. Best wishes to your mum

Thank you so much.  I've pretty much read your blog. Love the tips and hints during chemo.  

I am so happy for you that you are over that part of the journey. Thank you for keeping such a wonderful record for those like us who are trying to find as much help as we can.

I'm so glad it helped you

Hi - I’m on the same regime (2 down, 4 to go, every 21 days. It’s tough but doable. The first ten days post chemo are awful - it has completely wiped me out mentally and physically - 4 days of which are a complete write off - in bed.  But the second ten days are fine - I can feel my white blood cells picking up and a feeling of coming back to life. In these latter ten days I can potter, go for a walk, see friends for coffee etc. I could probably work if I wasn’t signed off. 

I don’t really want to at much and my taste has gone. Everything tastes horrible - including fruit, vege, chocolate etc. Bland carbs are fine. 

My main side effects have been fatigue, upset stomach, headache, pins and needles in hands and a mild urine infection- the last two I think as “extras” - they are more common apparently with Docetexel - although  it unique to chemo as a whole. 

The glucose in the carboplatin bag freezes in your veins - it will hurt if you don’t keep your arm warm while you have the infusion - take a hot water bottle to the chemo sessions and put on the arm while the drip is in place - it will stop the larger bruises and a painful arm for the next 3 weeks! 

I have cold capped and so far have about 50% hair loss but good coverage - I’m expecting it will get worse - if I get bald patches then I’ll shave it but so far I it doesn’t look too bad - just thin and limp 

Something else - the herceptin is a long injection into the thigh - it’s unpleasant but tolerable. Takes about 5 minutes of the nurse just pushing the plunger of a big syringe  - wear loose trousers you can roll up or you’ll have to get undressed! The chemo is given through a catheter in your hand - you might need a PICC line later in the schedule if the veins are poor/thin/damaged etc.