Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
Comments
-
Sheila, all I can say is fight! I am with Blue Cross Florida and have never had an issue with my herceptin. Are you HER+? If you are, then there should not be a problem.
Vangoghpro! - We will have a blast! 15 women with their horses riding along the Suwannee River for 5 days! The weather will be perfect, so we will a have lazy morning and not ride out until about 10 am, but we will ride until about 5 or six each evening. I will post pics!
0 -
Lisa livin the dream!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
CC What kind of cruel joke. I am soooo sorry. I hope that you will get just what you need to feel sexy and beautiful. Judging by the pics I have seen of you this will not be to difficult to obtain.
Love to the sistahs!!
0 -
CC I am so sorry
I sent you a PM about Flap surgery and anyone else who would like any information that I have gathered I would be happy to share with you . I have not had the surgery yet 1/26/10 but any way that I can help anyone I would be happy to play it forward 
Ah Lisa that sounds like sooo much fun
I had my surgery on Monday and I am insisting on getting my drains out tomorrow. The highest amount that they have put out is 20cc in a day and they hurt. Now I am stressing because I know removing them is an odd feeling....that I can not stand
.0 -
Swampy, do you have Trader Joes nearby? My rads nurse told me that they have a 99% or 100% aloe vera gel that works. She recommended either that or Fruit of the Earth. Calendula gel is another alternative. I found that at a health food store but I liked the aloe vera better.0
-
CCbaby - I am so sorry. That just really sucks. Good luck in choosing which technique to use.
Swampy, I think there is a Trader Joes in Tampa. Some of my camping buddies are from that area, I will ask when I meet up with them later today.
Lisa
0 -
Shelia, I have Blue Cross & Blue Shield of IL and they have paid for my Herceptin. I do know from looking for my grandson some insurance they are not all created equal. this could go for Blue Cross too. do you have a booklet that tells you what they pay for or look on the Internet for your insurance and see what they have as far as information. My company always gives me a letter with the EOBs that I have a right to appeal the decisions to pay or not or how much I guess. My insurance has really gotten messed up because my husband went on Medicare and we use the same cardio. This caused everything to be paid with his name and insurance but of course Blue Cross denied it because he no longer has that so I got charged. I know it has to be confusing to them. We may never use the same doc again. It got messed up in April and I am still trying to get things straighten out. I am glad I am finished with chemo because my brain would not have let me figure all this out. My brain is getting back to normal I think now.
Have fun Lisa! CCbaby I am sorry about your disappointment. As far as pure Aloe I found some at a small local pharmacy. Alaina you look so cute! My bank all dress as the Flintstones but I did not work that day so I got out of it. I had an ultra sound Wed. but I don't think they saw anything. I really don't know what he was looking for though.
Carolyn
0 -
BLUE and LISA: Thanks for the Aloe Vera tips. I don't have a Trader Joe's locally, but will look for one next week when I'm in Tampa doing Herceptin.
0 -
I got my Fruit of the Earth aloe vera gel at the pharmacy at the medical center where I get treatment so you might also check that out if there is a pharmacy where you get your treatment in Tampa.
0 -
I got my aloe at target! Fruit of the earth too.
XO
0 -
Oh I almost forgot! Today is my year anniversary!!!! Thank you all for your love and support. I do not know what I would of done with out this thread. I still feel strength and the caring spirit of my fellow survivors. Thank you!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable. I hope that I have been able to reciprocate some of that to others.
WE ROCK!!
0 -
Happy anniversary, Bold!
Christy, so sorry to hear about your failed expander. You must be so bummed out after all this time. I don't have any advice for you about which procedure to choose now, but I'm sure there are many here who can help.
Swampy, I started rads this past Tuesday and picked up a couple bottles of aloe at Walmart. They had plenty. I'd be more than happy to send you one (or more) if you can't find anything near you. PM me with your address--it's no problem at all.
Becky
0 -
Thanks so much everyone.
Happy Anniversary Bold!!
0 -
Happy anniversary Bold! Yoo Hoo!! You are on the home stretch!
Swampy, I forgot to ask my Tampa freinds about Trader joes this evening, but I will do so first thing in the AM.
We had a great ride this afternoon after we set up camp and a wonderful group dinner with our friends. I am exhausted; bewteen my port removal surgery 10 days ago, a ton of normal "life stuff" company 3 weeks in a row and getting ready for this trip, I am just toast. I started the 5.5 hour drive this morning already stressed. After pulling a 36 ft trailer thru heavy traffic, I have managed to tense and spasm my neck, shoulders and upper back really well. I have taken a mild pain releiver, I hope it helps my muscles relax. I am not comfortable. Gotta get this under control before our 18 mile ride in the morning!
Have a great evening ladies. Lisa
0 -
Happy anniversary Bold. Yes you have been a great strength and I appreciate your caring forme & all the others. It is really hard to know what others go through if a person has not been there so that is what makes this site so helpful We all have been there done that. Hope you only get more healthy as the time goes on.
Lisa take care of yourself. We don't want you in the hospital with exhaustion. I could not pull a trailer through traffic and most especially with anything riding in it.
Have a good weekend everyone. I have to work today with a new program I know very little about.
Carolyn
0 -
Thanks to all... I finally found Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel at a local feed and western store of all places!!! They have a small section of "home remedy" potions and elixers such as Bag Balm and Butt Cream, Goodies Headache Powder and other fun stuff. I need to go back and explore since I was rushed to get to a funeral and didn't have time to "shop".
Lisa, your trip sounds like so much fun. I love that part of Florida. Just be on the lookout for alligators!
hugs, sisters!
0 -
Swampy I am so glad you found your aloe. BTW there is no Trader Joes in Tampa.
I am having a great time on my trip, Yes gramma I will take care of myself, I promise. We had a great ride today, about 6 hours. I am pooped, but it is a great pooped.
If I did this right, this is a picture of me on the bank of the Suwannee River.
0 -
Lisa,You look great! Your hair is so thick. I am glad you are having so much fun. It is good to get pooped by having fun and not just working.
Swampy, you are right about finding some neat stuff at a feed store. I used to buy a good rub on gel for sore muscles at the feed store. It is for horses and it is made by Asorbene Jr. smells like spearmint and works great for sore muscles on humans. You have to get past the little burn at first but the next day your muscles are a lot better. We use the bag balm too in the winter for hands that crack. My husband does more than me but it is good just does not smell good to me. We used to milk a cow and it was good for her too
Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Carolyn
0 -
Well ladies, just when I was feeling so great and really getting on with life..... I had my 3rd MUGA scan today. She attempted to start an IV, the way they did last time, so they could draw and re-insert the blood through the same vein. But she couldn't hit the vein, then couldn't get any blood. Tried SEVERAL very painful times (down by my wrist) and finally gave up. I tried so hard to be brave, but I was crying by that point. So we decided to try for a 'straight stick' where she does it up above the elbow, draws the blood and then re-sticks to put it back after it tags with the nuclear material. So she stuck me perfectly and it went fine. Then I had to wait in the waiting room 30 min while the blood mixed with the radioactive stuff. And that whole time I had to fight the anxiety that she wouldn't be able to get the vein again to get the blood back in (which is what happened on my first one back in April). So finally she called and got the vein and reinserted the blood without any problem. But by then I was all shaky and worn out and feeling beaten down and vulnerable, like a cancer patient - which is a feeling I haven't had in a long time (and haven't missed either!).
So my wrist is SO sore now and I just feel all tired and sad. I called my daughter to tell her and she said "I know that right now you are feeling like this will never be over" and I just burst into tears. That is exactly how I felt.Am home now and feeling stronger and am icing my wrist. But not a good day.
I have my 11th tx (5th herceptin-only) on Thursday. It makes me SO HAPPY to have a port. In fact, I may push for them to use the port for the final MUGA. They say they prefer not to because it can affect the test, but by that time, I will be DONE with herceptin and it won't matter as much.
Hope everyone else's day is better than mine has been!Amy
0 -
Amy another option is to ask your Onc. to do an echo. instead. I cried (yes I am a big baby) when they told me about the MUGA and how they do it so I have only had echo.'s the entire time. It is a whole lot less pain for me and I leave there smiling
Lisa~ You look awesome! I hope you are having a blast.
Bold~ You have been a huge help for me and I really appreciate it
Wishing you MANY, MANY more anniversaries. As for me I had my removal of the capsule surgery last week and it wasn't so bad. The anesthesia doctor gave me way too many meds so I was sick and it took a LONG time to come out of the anesthesia. I did come home with jp drains but I made my PS take them out on Friday because they were not draining. Now I am just trying to get my insurance company to pay for more of my flap surgery. I am ready to get this done...... I want 2 boobies back
0 -
Amy...I am so sorry that you had to go through all of that! That sux. I will be having my 3rd MUGA next Monday. I had an echo at the same time as my first muga, but not the second one.
0 -
Amy, I am so sory you went thru all that. Just remember, your are almost done!!!! Yes!
Jaimie, crangrats on another phase of your surgery being over.
0 -
Amy, I am so sorry about your bad experience. When they do my MUGAs they put a little shunt in to access only one time and when they put the radioactive stuff back they go into the line they first inserted. Like an IV connection. I hope you can get better next time but the echo is not bad. Maybe that would work and no radioactive stuff in there. Hopefully your results were good after all that!
Jaimie, I sure hope you can get the insurance to pay. sorry you had a rough time with meds but now that part is done. My original surgery where they took the mass and lymph nodes out was the only one I felt sick after but thankfully it was short lived. they wrap you up with all those blankets and I told them not to do that and I was just too warm and once I got uncovered I felt better. You would think they would understand you know yourself better than they do. Unfortunately I have had my share of surgery. Also with insurance. I get so tired of battling them. I think they try to make things difficult so you give up but can't afford to do that! keeping you in my mind and hoping for you.
I hope others are doing okay and not feeling too bad with tx. I go tomorrow to see what they found out with the ultra sound on my neck and chest but I think it is going to just be that it is swollen because of tendinitis or something like that. My onc & rad doc both told me it could be 3 yrs before the tenderness and tightness from radiation goes away. I hate it and my breast is so sore and tender. I have to have a mammogram on the one breast soon. I dread it and I am getting a headache just thinking about it.
Carolyn
0 -
Sweet Carolyn:
I wanted you to know that my positive thoughts are with you. You are going to be just fine. I understand how you feel. Testing is very rattling. I have my year check up on Thursday with my BS. I have Herceptin today at 11:30. I hate to go to get it. I think I have had enough. I only have 2 more after. So it should be a very Merry Christmas. My nails are so thin. The fatigue is pretty bad. Body aches, mostly lower back and feet. The list goes on and on. I can not tell you how my heart goes out to the sisters that have to be on it for the rest of there life. It is very humbling. I should be ecstatic. I am. Very very grateful. They say that gratefulness is the key to happiness.
0 -
CC Baby- I am so sorry to hear about your expander nightmare! I want you to know that I got the DIEP flap surgery. I have to say i am not thrilled with the scar across my waist. it isnt very attractive, but I was able to wear a bikini this summer. Not the low rider kind, but a higher waist bottom covered it up well. The recovery from this is hard. I still have numbness and soreness 6 onths later in my abdomin. I did not have a lot of body fat to use so my stomach skin really had to stretch! i felt like i was stuck between a rock and hardplace because i did not want expanders and i didnt want such major surgery either. I can tell you that my foobs feel so natural, they are still b cup size like i had before and the scars are not that bad. Just take into consideration if you do not have much in your mid section to donate to your foobs, then it is going to be uncomfortable for a long time. I wish i had known that before choosing. GOOD LUCK to you!!
Jamiaeh- I HATED THE DRAINS more than anything! But to be honest, they wont hurt to take out, i was pleasantly surprised! you have so much numbness in that area that it just felt kinda weird. But they did cause me so much pain, especially the lower abdomen drains. Good for you for getting them out early!
GOOD LUCK!!!
0 -
CC Baby- I am so sorry to hear about your expander nightmare! I want you to know that I got the DIEP flap surgery. I have to say i am not thrilled with the scar across my waist. it isnt very attractive, but I was able to wear a bikini this summer. Not the low rider kind, but a higher waist bottom covered it up well. The recovery from this is hard. I still have numbness and soreness 6 onths later in my abdomin. I did not have a lot of body fat to use so my stomach skin really had to stretch! i felt like i was stuck between a rock and hardplace because i did not want expanders and i didnt want such major surgery either. I can tell you that my foobs feel so natural, they are still b cup size like i had before and the scars are not that bad. Just take into consideration if you do not have much in your mid section to donate to your foobs, then it is going to be uncomfortable for a long time. I wish i had known that before choosing. GOOD LUCK to you!!
Jamiaeh- I HATED THE DRAINS more than anything! But to be honest, they wont hurt to take out, i was pleasantly surprised! you have so much numbness in that area that it just felt kinda weird. But they did cause me so much pain, especially the lower abdomen drains. Good for you for getting them out early!
GOOD LUCK!!!
0 -
LISA!!! you look great!!! I love the picture and look at all your hair!!!
I am so jealous of your horse trip! My horse currently is sleeping under an oak tree in her winter coat on an 80 degree day out her in SO CAL.
Congrats BOLD! you ladies are my inspiration to keep looking forward in this journey. And boy is it a journey!
0 -
Trish, thank you SO MUCH for telling me that because I am thin in the waist and wondered about how there was going to be enough to stretch back down. Even though my PS says I have enough in my waist to do a tram flap, I am still leery. I don't know if that will be worth it. I would almost rather just have it removed and wait the 2 years as my PS suggests to do an implant. I am hopeful that maybe I could get it done sooner than that if I go that route. Decisions, decisions.....I am sorry that nobody told you beforehand and you are in such discomfort. That is why I am so fortunate to have found this website and all of these great ladies with wonderful advice.0
-
Hey, anyone here have a facebook account?? PM me, I would love to add you as a friend!!
0 -
Trish~ Thanks for the drain well wishes. My drains after my mastectomy hurt when they were pulled but my drains from this surgery didn't hurt when they were pulled. I was telling my PS that I was scared about how bad it was going to hurt and she just said "oh okay" and I looked up and she was putting drain #1 in the trash.....whhhooo!!! I left there all smiles with my arms swinging. I had the tendancy to hold my arms out like a body builder while I have drains in. Sorry to hear you are still tight from the Diep. I am dreading all of the drains that I am going to get in January but in a way I am looking forward to them because it will mean I have to foobies again
Christy~ Thanks for the hair tips. The purple shampoo helped a little but I think I am going to have to go back and dye it again. I have never dyed my hair so this is all a new thing for me.
Well I found out from my oncologist that I will be doing 19 herceptin treatments after a couple of weeks ago they told me 17. I do not care too much but I just wish they would be consistent for once.
Bold~ I noticed you are a photographer what do you normally take pictures of ??? I am a photographer who mainly does little kids
0 -
"What a day this has been, what a rare mood I'm in"... or so the song goes.
Had radiation Monday, the drove to Tampa and spent the night with one of my sisters for Herceptin this morning (Tuesday). I was miserable Sunday and Monday nights, with hard pain and swelling in my right breast incision and axilla, so called my surgeon from my chemo chair and he said come right in. I had developed a sernoma and had to have 230ccs of sera drained by needle aspiration. I hear this is normal (35%) for mastectomy patients. I got scrubbed down with lidocaine and was not uncomfortable during the procedure. Sernomas are common in about 35% of mastectomy patients.
Then I beat a path back home because I was to have radiation again at 3:00. Made it with 10 minutes to spare only to find out that there had been an electrical storm last night and the radiation equipment was down. Then a wait at Walgreens to get a refill of Vicodan. I'm still sore, but not as bad as last night.
Off to bed and maybe some sleep tonight. My sister is going shopping with me tomorrow. I need new clothes since I've lost 40 pounds. My britches are falling off of me!!! LOL
hugs, sisters!
0
