Carboplatin

[Ltrimnell]

This is comforting to hear as I stopped at number 5 yesterday- I worry I made the right decision but my white blood cells were not bouncing back and always remained before 1.5 with 2 weeks delays in between. Ive decided I’d rather risk not having 6 in favour of getting surgery quicker! It feels like the right decision but always have what ifs! It’s good that your Dr decided it so it’s not on your shoulders lol. My tumour has gone from 6cm to 1.5 so pretty happy with that. What a rollercoaster this journey is! Thankyou haven’t written anything on here before. Leanne xxx

[blueash]

I did not get much hair loss but if you don't cold cap it tends to stay for about 16 days after your first one before it sheds alarmingly! Most people buzz it off if they don't cold cap.

[Sib]

Just a wee update

Had 2 Carboplatin and doing fine. Not too bad SEs ( i suffered badly with ses on fec and docetaxol) a bit of nausea, controlled by meds and a bit of upset tummy but all in all, able to function to a reasonable level.
Hope this gives comfort to anyone about to start this treatment. Also getting my hair back under this treatment!! Xxx

[Starfire9]

Blueash can I ask you about hair loss on Carboplatin and T combined. I am not going to cold cap and I am cutting my hair short to start with as I have dreadlocks and would be mortified if they fell out one by one x I’ve no idea how to find this out but I can imagine they would just fall out one by one leaving short tufts. I don’t think it’s worth risking it and waiting to find out... especially with a 5 year old...

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[blueash]

Sam to help with the bone pain from the g-csf injections get some Claritin hay fever tablets. Here's why:

http://myangrycancer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/claritin-is-worth-its-weight-in-gold.html

[SamH87]

Hey Sib - I’m on both Docetaxel and Carboplatin (alongside Herceptin) . I won’t pretend the first cycle was all fun and games but it’s do able and I’ll be going into round 2 next week knowing what is to come.
The main thing I found was the heartburn but I was quickly prescribed antiacids for that and will be taking them before I start round two. My worst day was day 3 but day 2 and day 4 I did get out of the house! I found I had aches and pains from the white blood cell injection but that was to be expected apparently. Let us know how you get on 🙂 x

[blueash]

I did not have FEC because of heart issues and the Docetaxel and Carboplatin will make you feel very fatigued but not sick as in throwing up. They gave me tablets just in case but I did not have to take them.

The cold cap works well on this chemo - I kept lots of hair. It just thinned but I never needed a wig.

[Starfire9]

Hello. I’m starting Carboplatin and Tax after Christmas. I was originally to have FEC T but in my first meeting with the oncologist yesterday he changed it as I have Muscular Dystrophy and the E in FEC is cardio toxic, it’s really interesting to read about its SE and thank you for posting. I agreed to have chemo for a 1.5 % benefit. Before going in for the onc discussion met a lovely lady with secondary METS who had BC 30 years ago with lumpectomy and rads which kind of swung it in favour of chemo. I don’t know what to expect but having my hair cut short in preparation. Ripley off the film Alien springs to mind! 

[blueash]

Sib I would like to reassure you because it is the Herceptin which will do you the most good but they are not allowed to prescribe Herceptin unless you have had some chemo. My chemo was stopped early (after 4 instead of 6) because my blood counts went too low. The oncologist said it was OK to stop then. You will also get tomoxifen (or similar) for the ER positive xxx

[Xena75]

No worries Sib, I was very scared and disappointed when they stopped mine, so I know exactly where your at.

I'm triple negative, grade 3. So no follow on drugs for me,so if the chemo and rads don't do it, that's it!!! 

I was also told that for me, doce was the best for the job, so  I'm feeling I'm on a much lesser drug now as my oncologist didn't really reassure me much! 

However, at least they can still treat me with the carbo.

I've just had my genetic bloods done,because I was 41 at diagnosis and its triple neg,no familial history. I'm worried about my girls too, they are 4&6, so would be preferable if they don't discover a gene link at least they won't have a hugely increased risk then, even if I get no answers for me. I'm not bothered as I have had BC and nothing can change that. 

Now I just hope it buggers off for good and let's me see my girls get big enough to find someone to marry! Huge ask!!!  

[Sib]

Thank you so much Xena, its so goid to hear from someone similar to me, i have been really scared as they wanted to stop my chemo completely but im stage 3 er and her2 positive with brca 2 gene, I need to do everything and take every treatment I can to fight tnis.
Ive already had 3 x fec, 1 x Doxetaxol and 2 x weekly paclitaxoel plus 2 x Herceptin. The oncologist is hoping i can tolerate carboplatin and if i can he will give me 2 or 3 to blast me.
Im so pleased you have tolerated Carboplatin and am really grateful for all the information you have given me.
Bless you
Much love and hugs xxxx

[Xena75]

I should also say the list of my SE is all either very short (a matter of 3days say) or mild and very doable. I've just had my sixth chemo today and feel in would have had a much harder run ofnit on doce!

The other thing is my hair is growing back! Legs,head,hoohaa! Eyebrows and eyelashes, which were basically hanging in there in a suspended animation fashion, fell out as new hair grew and pushed them out,so as they finished going they were already on the way back in! This happened at cycle 5, I now own full eyebrows again and a full set of stubby lashes!!!

[Xena75]

Hi Sib. I have this exactly! Started on docetaxal and carboplatin combined, but had a reaction to docetaxal when administered on first treatment. I then suffered what i though was bad heart burn on day four. Second cycle no reaction but milder heartburn on day three.

Turned out the heartburn was actually my heart disagreeing with the docetaxal. So they took me off it and I had the remaining four cycles as just carboplatin.

For me the side effects on carboplatin alone have been easier than with the doce.

No chemical hangover

No dry mouth

Food a bit more tasty, though still needing flavour to "cut through" a bit.

The aide effects worth noting for me are gagging, slight nausia (never been sick though), significant skin aches around days 456, sensitive sense of smell (like in pregnancy), tension headache, tiredness and muscle fatigue.

Please ask if you want to know any more, its a bit scary when your regimen changes and I've also found it hard to find people who have had this happen. There isbone other lady on here that had a really bad reaction to doce also but they put her on a different chemo instead.

[blueash]

I had that in combination with Docetaxel and Hetceptin. I had them all at the same time so have no idea if the side effects came from just the carboplatin. Have you looked into fasting before chemo to minimise the side effects? I fasted before mine and had far less side effects than many others on my chemo monthly thread or women I met in the unit. If you are curious,search Google  for Valter Longo, chemo and fasting and you can be reading for hours xxx

[Sib]

Im starting carboplatin next week hopfully 2 or 3 on a 3 weekly cycle after my doxetaxol and paclitaxel were stopped due to extreme reactions and side effects. Does anyone have any experience of this chemo and SEs? I seem to suffer badly with SEs and if this chemo effects me, treatment will be stopped. Any info greatly received. X