Chemo drug : Docetaxel and Carboplatin

Hi Rosanna, I have just had my first chemotherapy treatment of

Docetaxel / Carboplatin / Herceptin. I am in Perth, at the Mount, and I did a lot of reading and research first. But there were still many surprises.  I have had a hard time for the past ten days, but it now starts to feel better and I think I have learnt how to get through it better next time. But I am sure that there will still be more surprises.

First, I understand that different hospitals organise the TCH treatment in different ways. I had all three drugs on the same day, Herceptin first, then docetaxel, the Carboplatin. I have heard of other hospitals doing the first dose of Herceptin on a different day.

Second, this Chemotherapy  is given into your veins, and for some people, to prevent trouble with veins some days beforehand, they do a small operation and put a special piece of medical equipment under the skin of your upper chest called a "port." My veins are easy to access so I didn't have this.Instead they had to put a large cannula into my wrist vein which they could then connect up to bags of chemicals one by one, and flow the chemicals in from a tall stand. They put the chemotherapy drugs in very slowly the first time, so it is a long and tiring day, but there are other people all having Chemotherapy, and several very experienced nurses looking after everyone, and it is a very sociable place, which is nice.

Make sure you have someone to be with you if possible through the day, or at very least, to take you home afterwards. Before you go home, make sure you have the telephone number of someone at the Chemotherapy who you can ring day or night if you are worried or just not sure about something, and what is a medical emergency and what needs you to see your GP. And make sure you ring for advice when you need it: this is part of their job. They will probably give you sheets of information, and people to contact, and advice on what symptoms you may have, so what I write may end up not needed.

Learn about how to avoid infections during Chemotherapy, and remember that you are the biggest source of infection: your hands can put infection into your mouth very easily. Your whole digestive tract from your mouth to your bottom becomes raw and easily damaged, and easily infected or irritated so during the day it is wise  to rinse your mouth hourly with good saline solution or alcohol-free mouthwash, and you have to work out what food you want to eat and can eat. And you have to make sure you drink enough even though most drinks taste bad. Your carrot and beetroot juice will be a godsend: my husband makes me that every morning and I am sure it helps.If you start to be constipated, take gentle medication to help prevent it I was told Movicol was good and safe, and to avoid laxatives. But if you leave constipation it can make you very sick. And have a good thermometer and make sure you don't get a fever without getting medical help. I was told that if my temperature went over 38 degrees, even if I felt fine, to ring the hospital or get in to emergency department immediately. If it was over 37.5 and I felt really unwell, the same thing applied.

I got a box, and bought handwash, thermometers, Movicol for constipation, Benedine Mouthwash and toothpaste, very soft toothbrush, sugarless gum, aloe vera tissues for the toilet, Kleenex flushable wet wipes for the toilet, gavison for diarrhea, special creams for mouth sores, panadol, and a number of other things my hospital and my oncologist recommended, and I kept these all together to have when I needed them. This was a good idea for me, but make sure you check everything with your own oncologist. Because I use my saline mouthrinse and gargle so much, I have been very lucky and not had mouth sores, so have not had to use all those supplies.I may not be so lucky next cycle. For me it has really helped to discover my own pattern, and to learn how my body handles this kind of Chemo.

One really big thing I think helps a lot is to walk every day, even when you feel too tired to bother. In some magical way it turns thetiredness upside down and makes you feel better. Robyn told me this and it has been a godsend. It is a hard, hard process, you may be one of the lucky ones who has minimal problems, but even if it is bad the first time, you will learn how to get through it a bit better each time. Use the group to support you so you are not alone. Remember, we are all with you through this. And you have more strength than you know, and you will get there