Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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I think it's wonderful for the gals who exercise. My doctor said it really helps a lot and I believe it. I do go to the gym 3 to 4 times on my good week, and it feels great. On treatment week I try but it doesn't usually work out. Between everything I need to do before I'm sick and extra babysitting because I take off a week of sitting, it doesn't seem to happen. My friends from the gym call and check on me, but they understand. I can't wait to go on a regular basis and I don't think I'll try to talk myself out of it as I sometimes do.
Lynnmom, I drink tons of water and I'm not sure it's done anything to help me, but it can't hurt. I'm actually a Lynn mom as well, my son and husband are both named Lynn. Good luck with your first tx. My port bothered me as well, more than the biopsy and the SNB both!!
Mary
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Terri, Nan, Cindy, and anyone else doing just Herceptin: How long does the infusion take?
thanks, Sue
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Sue,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,My herceptin infusion usually took about 1 1/2 hours. Not too bad really.
omg,,,,,,,,,I am so impressed with all you ladies exercising and all. Sheesh,,,,,when I was doing chemo I could barely walk up the stairs without feeling like crap. So big kudos to you gals.
Have a good day and take care of yourselves.
Cindy
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Terri: I guess I can do the swim cap thing because swimming is one thing I do not really for exercise but to hang out with people. When I really want to burn the carbon out, I'm basically land-based. The floral thing would detract from one's hydrodynamics, I imagine. I'm more of a fashionista when it comes to swimwear. The hilarious thing about the whole Dorothy Lamour ensemble is that I really have the figure of a prepubescent boy, so I'm playing with the irony.What blows my mind (and worries me at times) reading this thing is the utter lack of uniformity among onco-dom in how they administer our common "cocktail". There is no standardized "recipe". Like I had the same diagnosis as a lot of women who have to have 6 treatments, but I go to a doc who said 4, and so did my second opinion. And then my doc said 12 months of herceptin; my second opinion said 6. And now my insurance company is saying 6, so we'll have to talk to the doctor... Then I wonder if my chances of a complete recovery will be compomised by just having four. It's like the old thing they used to say about prunes,"Is 3 enough? Is 6 too many?" I guess it's all about making an informed decision and then not looking back.0
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As far as doing only 4 treatments, I begged my doctor that it would be enough since I got so sick. He told me that the ones that usually do only 4 TCH are elderly or sickly (that's would be me) He looked into it and said that there has never been a study as to the reoccurances rate with just four, only studies based on 6. University of Michigan sent him an email saying the exact same thing and the onc showed it to me. So he left it up to me. 4 would have been nice. Mary
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Sue: My herceptin IV is set to drip 30 minutes. But you have to tack on the waiting room weight, time it takes to get weighed, blood pressured etc, the poke, the waiting for the bag to be ready, the unpoke... It's about an hour on a really good day.
Mary: That is interesting info on the studies. I do think since I was tolerating the chemo my onc didn't feel bad for making me go to 6. Course #4 hit me like a ton of bricks.
Shel: I've never heard 6 months for Herceptin. The studies I read up on before choosing TCH all were based on a year. I think they were also studying whether two years is recommended over 1 year. I agree looking back won't accomplish much. I never had a second onc opinion but I won't second-guess that :-) I think I have a good balance of treatment and follow up.
Terri.
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Terri; re the studies of 2 years on Herceptin. My husband, whose career has been as an organic chemist in the pharmaceutical industry, said that those studies are probably being done by Genentec, the manufacturers of Herceptin. I guess I'll need to talk to my doctor. He had no doubts about just giving me four. Now I'm starting to wonder...
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Good morning gals, let's bump this up to the top, Mary
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I go in for my weekly Herceptin today. I am bringing "goodies" to the nurses, as I always do. My nurses are great, and they work so hard, that I bake something for them every week!
I am very excited, as I am flying up to Oregon tomorrow for my youngest daughters baby shower...can not believe I will be a grandmother!!! Her due date is July 29th, so hopefully ther baby will come in between my BIG chemos, so I can fly up and be there for the birth!! I haven't seen my 3 daghters, my 3 sisters and my nieces and my grand nieces and nefews, etc.. in several months! My daughters are all in college and have part time jobs. (All 3 girls seem to be on the "6 year plan".HA...I wanted to get through college as fast as I could,!! My girls seem to be "playing" at college..oh well...hopefully they will graduate before the age of 30!!) It will be nice to visit when I am feeling pretty good, too. I will also see my teacher friends (taught with them in Oregon for 24 years, and whom I have known for 27 years). This is the best medicine for me, as it has been very difficult for me to move/live here in Cali. Oh well..in 4 years (or less) my husband and I will retire in Arizona.
When I return next Tueday, I will go directly to the clinic and have my blood drawn, take my steroid pills, in preparation for Big chemo #4 the next day, Wed. I have to say, chemo #3 was not as bad as chemo #1 or #2. Could it actually be getting easier each time??? Knock on wood!!
I hope everyone has a great day!!
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Im having TCH number 4 tomorrow and physically I think they are getting easier- or I am just figuring out my ses and how to deal with them. This treatment has totally kicked my behind mentally and emotionally though- Ive been crying all week and just dreading the trip to the chemo bar on Thursday. I think its just a case of the middle of the road blues and I think number 5 will be better knowing there is only one more when that one is finished!
Kristy
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Hi Everybody. Sorry I've been absent. I spent another day in the hospital yesterday. Over the weekend I was mostly feeling OK, just tired and a bit queasy. At midnight on Monday night/Tuesday morning I woke up and started vomiting. Major diarrhea kicked in immediately afterwards. It was so bad that (sorry to be gross), I had to sit on the toilet and throw up into a bag because it was coming out of both ends. I threw up (etc.) every 15 - 30 minutes all night long. My husband called the doctor at 2AM and she said try to get the anti nausea medicine down (it wouldn't stay down), push fluids (yeah, right!) and come in in the morning if it didn't subside. I couldn't get to the hospital until about 10AM because I couldn't get out of bed. I was there all day hooked up to I/V fluids and anti nausea meds. I was so dehydrated they had to give me 3.5 liters of fluids and I didn't have to pee until right before we were leaving.
My Onc was very confused by the diarrhea and was leaning towards it being a virus since my daughter had had a couple of bouts of it as well over the last couple of days but I don't know. I certainly hope it was just a virus and not the chemo because if it's the chemo I am going RIGHT back to the 3 week cycle let me tell you!
I'm up today and no vomiting so far (still a bit of the other). I ate some oatmeal and had some Gatorade and I'm waiting to see what happens. Feeling very weak, of course. Lost 5 pounds yesterday. It's amazing what a good puke fest will do for you.
)Aly.
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Aly: I am so sorry to hear about your horrible reaction - I had much the same thing a day after tx#2 (both ends, big time- butt on the toilet and head in the bucket) but it only(?) lasted from about 3 pm - 1 am. Then everyone else in the house came down with the same stuff, so I hoped it was a virus. Since I only had that reaction once out of the 4 tx's, I guess it was a virus. But whatever, I can understand (a little) your misery, although you were really dehydrated to get all that fluid. Glad you're feeling better today. I know the idea behnd weekly tx's for you was to LESSEN the se's, so this was a real kick in the butt (literally.)
Shel: It is strange (and disconcerting) to see the variety in tx plans. I get taxol, not taxotere, for example. And it does seem like most of us are on the 6 tx plan. On the April chemo thread, some Her2+ women do AC first then TCH.
Cindy and Terri: Thanks for the Herceptin info. Gotta work that into my plans for the next year.
KJ: Congratuatulations on the soon-to-be grandchild! I hope you get to be there for the birth.
Everybody have a good evening. Aly - take care! Stay hydrated, and I'm crossing my fingers that this was a one time only event.
Sue
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KristyAnn: We are almost on the same schedule, too! I DREADED going ot chemo#3, but as I mentioned, this time around, it wasn't as bad, so now I am ready to take on #4 next Wed...I have days when I cry over NOTHING!!...just not feelig well, "sick of being sick", etc...etc..I think it is better that we cry ot out, than to try to keep it in!! Definitely, you are not alone!! Hey..we are almost done!! Just a couple of big chemo's left, then just the Herceptin every 3 weeks for one year! We will make it!! My husband and I are already planning a "post chemo golf trip" so that is something I am looking forward to. For me, planning our golf trip reminds me that there IS light at the end of the tunnel!, because sometimes it doesn't seem that way!!! That helps when I am in a bad/crying mood! I think having something to look forward to (positive reward system..HA!! just like a kid!!) helps!! ( I will have my last surgery to replace the breast expanders for breast implants in mid August, but I am not going to let that interfere with our golf trip plans!!). Hang in there!! It's difficult, but we will make it!!
Aly, Oh, man!!! I am SOOO sorry that you are having such a horrible reaction to the chemo!! I know your dr can change things up a bit...she/he will have to come up with the right combination/quantities for you, as clearly your body is not reacting well to the chemicals!! I am so sorry!!! I am going in an a couple of weeks for some heart testing, as I have never had high blood pressure and this weird rapid heart beat problem...who knows...I am sure it is a reaction to the chemicals...TAKE CARE, and I hope you feel better soon!!!! Fighting this evil disease really sucks!!!
Sue Thank you for the congrats!! I am so excited to fly up to Oregon tomorrow, and at the end of July or early August for the birth!!!
Take care everyone!!
I have to get ready for the Herceptin appointment!! (I decided to bring in some Jamba juices along with the cookies for the nurses today).
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Okay, I'm going in for TCH #1 tomorrow morning. Wish me luck! I'm bringing a book, my iPod, etc.
shelbaroni, I know what you mean about 4 versus 6 cycles. I"m going to ask my doctor about it. One nurse I spoke with today said she has seen many women get only 4 cycles of TCH when they are Stage 1 with invasive tumors < 0.5 cm (I had 2 invasive tumors, one 0.3, the other 0.4; All of my other tumors (some as large as 3.0 cm) were DCIS).
Aly, I'm so sorry to hear about what you've been going through. I hope it gets much better soon.
Everyone have a good night.
Lynn
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I had TCH #1 on June 11. I started throwing up day 2 and the diarrhea started day 4. It was miserable. I ended up in the hospital for fluids on day 5. Day 10 I was back in the ER with fever (101.8) and my white count was 1000. I was given neupegen (sp??) and antibiotics. Onc's office called today and said red count is low.
I am worried sick about #2 on July 1. Onc assures me there is more they can do about the nausea and I'll get Neulasta (sp??) and Procit with the drugs.
If anyone else has had any luck with particular anti-nausea drugs, I'd appreciate hearing about it. I was on Compazin and Zofran this round, with no results.
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Lynn: Good luck tomorrow. Sounds like you are ready.
Aly and Kay: I'm so sorry to hear about your bad reactions. I'm glad you guys are contacting the doctor's and they are giving you different meds to help you.
For mild nausea I took Ativan, especially if it was at night since it's a wonderful sleep aid. I also had Kytril, which worked wonders (I think it's one of those blood/brain barrier meds). Kytril is expensive (cost me $50 out of pocket for six pills, amount submitted to insurance was $327 or something like that). So I would try an Ativan first then move on to Kytril if needed.
I also had Copmpazine suppositories but never had to use them.
Terri.
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Aly...I guess I was worried about you for a reason. Well, whew. I guess you're on the upswing now. I sure hope they get your mixture right next time...you've had two nasty ones.Lynn...so are you on 4 too? I'm definitely going to ask my onco about it. But yesterday when I was so nervous about it, my husband the pharmaceutical chemist sat down with the clinical trial data and ran numbers with me. In one study, AC/T (4 treatments) was shown to be less effective than T/Cysplatin. Then the other study compared the various treatments with Herceptin. In that one, the taxotere and carboplatin (similar to cysplatin) was given 6 times. That's why many doctors use that as the protocol--because that's what they did in the trial. And the Herceptin was given for 12 months. But you have to keep in mind that TCH was only finally approved for use in adjuvant therapy in NON-METASTASIZED breast cancer about 4 weeks ago. So, in a sense, we're all kind of on the bottom floor of something that's very new. So I'm going to ask my doctor to repeat his reasoning (I'm sure he's told me all this before, but I was too shocked/frightened to hear it all). But bottom line: I have to trust him, you know? He has been on the list of San Diego's Best Doctors for years. And that's not exactly chopped liver.So I started my steroids today, but I'm not hyped like last time. Instead I'm wiped. Maybe just physically run down. I've been working out everyday, except for today when I spend my morning chasing third-graders around the Tijuana Estuary. It's weird how when you feel like crap you just blame it on the chemo (like Aly's diarrhea). But sometimes, you just feel like crap, you know?I have to tell you all, I'm really nervous about Numero Dos tomorrow, since some people are not exactly having a pleasure cruise on that one. But I have my Compazine "in-you-end-o's" and my Emend (thank God for insurance)...the sick thing is I know why these drugs cost so much...flying people to Japan and paying all their expenses for a 25 minute meeting, flagrant and ubiquitous expense report abuse, etc. But I'm biting the hand that feeds me so I'd better shut up.:)0
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I have read and re-read each post and even so to print them out so I can read them again. It is so helpful to read what I will be facing soon. Nanegge your advice was so good and Terri your day by day play was extremely helpful. I go for the chemo class tomorrow and I have the questions to ask thanks to all of you in here. I was surprised that before when a post would come on in this topic I would be notified, but now I just had to come in so sorry I didn't respond earlier. For sure I will check it more often, notify or not. One wise person told me if you get sick ,, they arn't doing their job cause there is so much out there to keep you from it. I am going to remember that and hopes each step I will be like one of you lucky ones that don't. I have the wig and scarfs set up and it was funny as I put them on I was thinking these are cool can't wait to wear them and then I remembered how excited I was to wear maternity clothes so many moons ago and couldn't wait to get out of them. Hair? Well if not for my husband I wouldn't care and go commando, but I don't want to embarrass him while out so I will wear the wig. I guess at my age I don't care what people think of me anymore. While at the wig saloon this girl came out of the private room with her husband and she couldn't have been more than 30 and my heart just broke for her cause she wanted so just to be a shadow that no one noticed. Another lady next to my chair reached up and ran her fingers threw her hair and just let out a cry. My heart just broke for her. This is such a difficult time and each of your post of your sharing just melts my heart on your days of not feeling beautiful. It's easy for an old lady who doesn't care anymore if she is bald or not to know just how awful it is for you. I do truly care and feel each of your stories..I feel such a comradeship with each of you on this sight.
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Only time for a quick post since I start chemo this morning. I wanted to say to shelbaroni it's okay we're all in this together. It sounds like you're doing round 2 today? Let us know how it goes. I'll be posting my day-by-day if possible.
Cupcake7, don't you minimize your own feelings because of your age. No one wants to have cancer or have to deal with the side effects of treatment at any age. You are beautiful and will continue to be so during treatment, hair or no hair. When I was first diagnosed I thought "I'm too young to have breast cancer". I'm 39. Well, since I've been on this discussion board I've seen women WAY younger than that. I'm a geezer to them. If I was 85 I think I would be thinking "I'm to young to have breast cancer". It's all relative.
Everyone take care.
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KJ, You've probably already left for the shower, but if not, Congratulations!! Being a grandmother is the most wonderful thing in the world. Both my children and their spouses had problems conceiving, my son-in-law even had to have surgery on his testicles!!! But I have a beautiful 3-1/2 yr old Grand daughter from him and my daughter. My son and his wife had to do invitro to have thier 2-1/2 girl (was twins but lost one) then magically without even trying my daughter-in-law found out she was pg when their girl was just one and they had a son last July. I thank God every single day for each and every one of them and I am extremely fortunate to live in the same town. I babysit 2 days a week and through this chemo fight it's been really hard and my husband has to do a lot, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank God for each and every one of them.
Lynnsmom, Good luck with your first treatment, hopefully you'll sail through them as a lot do.
Kay, I get the diarrhea each and every time. I live on Immodium which is weird because in my "other life" constipation was always a problem. It makes me weak and nausead. The tx I had last week, my 5th, has been the easiest. I've tried compazine, zofran (helps the most, but not a lot) kytril, reglan, tigan, emmend, and ativan. The only thing that's helped my nausea is continuing to take one decadron steriod a day for 8 days after the tx. I am shocked and pleased with the difference. Although food taste even worse than usual this past treatment, I have gone to lunch, dinner, got my nails done and went grocery shopping on the week I normally would go from my bed to the docs for IV fluids.
I do agree with Terri, ativan is great for a sleep aid and I keep renewing that prescription, but I don't think it helped through the day with nausea. Good luck, Hope you find something that works for you.
Everyone have a great day with minimul s/e. God Bless, Mary
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Well, four hours until infusion time. I've had four melatonin, an Ambien and a middle-of-the-night Xanax and have slept 3 1/2 minutes. Decadron. The anticipation is like the soundtrack in the movie "Jaws". Maybe I will lie down and see if I can at least generate some alpha waves for an hour or so...
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Aly,wow! we were all worrried about you. So sorry to here about the damn SE's. Hopefully it was a virus so you don't have to go thru it again! Glad to here your back!
Good luck Shel! I hope this one will be better than the last for you! I don't know why but I'm so much more tired this time. Must be low blood cells? I had my neulasta shot though. Oh well, it's probably my mind being tired of being tired!! Going to my couch now, I'll check in later with you guys.
Hugs to all!!!
Donalee
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I'm sorry lynnmom68. I didn't mean to minimize feeling good with no hair and not feeling beautiful. What I meant was I do feel beautiful, just moved past the self doubts I had so many years ago when I had to look perfect (hair, makeup etc) to be accepted. For me if I loose my hair it won't bother me as bad cause I don't attach what I look like with who I am anymore. I sure don't want this cancer, but I am trying to leave off everything I can so I can just focus on getting it out of me. Hope your chemo went well with you today and you can post back how you are doing....hugs...Brenda
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Donalee,
It might be your red count is low making you tired- I never felt tired when my white counts were low and neulasta only helps the white counts. I chew flintstone vitamins (with iron(, eat more red meat that I usually do, include beans often and walk- all of those are supposed to help thr body regenerate red cells and help the iron/hemoglobin levels. I crashed on treatment 1 and ended up in the hospital with low wbc, ANC, hemoglobin (was 9) and potassium. They added neulasta for the wbc and I took the rest into dietary mode- did a lot of research to see what I could do to help because I didnt want to take procrit again after that hospital visit.
Might at least be worth a discussion with your doc and maybe an extra blood check to see what is going on!
I finished TCH number 4 today and my mental state seems to be improving - my nurse said the middle of the plan seems to cause problems for many people and asked if I was taking anything for depression- Im not and told her I really dont want another pill to take- thought it would clear up once I got through this one. Hopefully I am right- cant stand the thought of adding another drug to this mix.
Has anyone on here heard anything about dietary helps for Her2neu positives? I ran across some early research that seems to indicate olive oil might add synergestically with herceptin to help kill off her2neu- seems to be pretty new research and in the early phases but quite interesting. My ONC is on vacation this week but I plan to ask her about it when she returns.
Have a great weekend- Im am hoping to be on again but the weekend after chemo is always kind of iffy depending on my "grogginess" status!
Kristy
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Hey Cupcake7, I get what you mean. I think it does take a few years of age to figure out that how we look is not the #1 thing in life. It sounds like you've got a great attitude.
TCH #1 went well today. I watched a movie on my iPod, listened to music and some podcasts. I have a slight headache this evening, but that could be from watching that damn movie on such a small screen. I was warned about the steroid jitters, so I've got some Benadryl in case I need it to sleep. I go back tomorrow for my Neulasta shot.
Hope everyone is well.
Lynn
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Donalee and everybody, thanks for being so worried about me. I'm still very sick. I don't know what's wrong. I haven't been able to eat anything to speak of since Monday and what I ate on Monday evening I threw up when this whole nightmare started. Today I've been able to drink 2 Ensure and eat a piece of toast and that's it. I just spent 10 minutes on the phone with my doctor's office telling the MA that something has to be done that this is NOT how things should be. She's very sweet but completely useless since she's not the doctor. I've been crying all afternoon. Maybe this is just a virus and hopefully so but I'm beginning to really worry. I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow morning. I'm supposed to have my second weekly chemo treatment right after but I can't see how that can happen with me in this condition. I'm afraid I'm feeling painfully sorry for myself at this point. We've got really amazing cancer care here in the Seattle area but right now I feel like nobody is listening and nobody gives a crap. I look around at all of you on this site and I see all of the women in the infusion room at the hospital and everybody seems so strong and you're all just plugging away and getting through what you have to get through and here I am a useless mess who can barely stand up. I don't get it.
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Hey you guys...just had my second treatment. Did the Emend this time, and they reduced my taxotere, so I shouldn't be blasted as badly this time. I was assured by the nurse that the doc really weighed the costs and benefits of 6 vs. 4 treatments for me and like with many women with small tumors and node negative, he chose 4. So there you go. I can't really argue with that. And I'm almost happy to discover that I'm anemic, because I've been really tired although feeling good, and I breathe heavier and it's harder to run. The nurse was surprised I'm running at all! Kristy, by the way, I asked the nurse if I should add more iron to my diet or take supplements. I didn't know--I've never been anemic in my life, even with 5 pregnancies. She said since it's actually red marrow suppression, the dietary iron really wouldn't do anything right now. Also, I have read about olive oil being a natural HER2 neu suppressor, and my clinical dietician has also recommended it. So there ya go. Eat Mediterranean!Lynnmom--Be sure to drink LOTS of water. Get as much of that stuff out of your system as soon as possible. It's also going to help with any nausea or fatigue you might experience. (Listen to me talking like an old pro.)Aly--Wow. My prayers are still with you. They really need to find an answer for this stuff. And just so you know, when I was eating it after the first treatment, I felt like everyone was stronger than me, too. I think that might be kind of a universal.0
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Lynn so glad your treatment went well today. I was thinking about you and said a little prayer for you knowing it was your first time. Did you get sick or anything?. I had my chemo 101 class today so will be behind you in a week. My first treatment will be July 8th. Just seems like it is taking forever! I had blood work done for the baseline, and although I ask for someone that was more experienced cause I was a bad draw I ended up with a person that said they knew, but they blew another vein, stuck me 3 times in different places and then couldn't get but one bottle of blood with four needed, so being upset with some things going on in my head from the class I just totally lost it after she was going for another vein...jumped up and said, "YOU ARE SO DONE!" and just walked out. I cried all the way to the parking lot with tears just streaming and not caring who was looking on. They should know some of us chemo first timers are on edge anyway and not try and shove us over the cliff. When I got home I called my OC and of course she was off today. She did check her messages and I guess could tell I was upset so she called me to say she did order a port for me after I told her they once again butcherd my veins. They also had the wrong meds on the slip and I told them no it was Herceptin, Taxotere and Carboplatin, not Cytoxan that they had written down. I knew what it was cause after the OC appointment I came home and looked up the meds on the Internet. Also I did not have a MUGA yet, and I had ask a week ago for a port after the bad mess up with veins on the cat scan. I was feeling like, with the large class, that I was being herded with a cattle prod into the chemo chair with the whole group. Sorry to rag on, it was just a tuff day for me. I am going to be a basket case by the time they get me in the chair. ps to this I did go to another hospital where they usually draw my blood and got the guy who is good and he hit the vein and got everything in ONE shot. So they did get the baseline....
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Hi Brenda (cupcake7), I'm sorry you had such a rough day. I'm sure we've all gone through something like that. I had a complete and total breakdown at the pre-op appointment before my mastectomy.
I do think the port is easier. Especially if you are going to be on Herceptin for a long while. That is a lot of poking at veins. The insertion of the port takes a few days to recover from. I just had my port put in on Monday, so when I went yesterday for my first chemo it was still very tender. I was afraid for them to put the needle into the port. It just seemed like it would be so painful. A kind fellow patient in the chair next to mine said "It really doesn't hurt, trust me". And I did. I squeezed one nurses hand while the other inserted the needle. It really wasn't bad at all, and much better than having someone dig for a vein. I blew a vein before my MUGA scan last week and still have a red bump there. I'm wearing it with pride hoping it will be the last arm stick for a long time. As for sickness, so far I feel fine but it is only Day 1. I'll keep you posted.
Shel, thanks for the tip. I have been drinking water like a fiend. I also drank it all day yesterday while I got my treatment. I went for a walk last night. About a mile, while my daughter rode her bike. It was fun. Right now I'm hyped up on the steroids and planning on taking a Benadryl to help me get back to sleep. Yep, I'm having 4 treatments also. I thought they were going to be every 2 weeks, but found out yesterday that it will be every 3 weeks. I guess that's more the norm. I hope you are going to do way better after this second treatment.
It's 2 in the morning here (Tampa,FL) and I just got done feeding the baby, changing her, and putting her back to sleep. I think it's so important (and sometimes difficult) to remember that even with all this, life is good. I'm not trying to preach; I'm saying it mostly to myself.
Lynn
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Hey Lynn: It's good to meet another 4 treatment woman! I thought I was alone in the universe. Sounds like you're a young one, too, with a baby and all! I have 5 kids, but my baby is 9. It's funny, being the day after my second treatment, that I'm not nearly as "hyped" on the steroids this time as last. (I earned my handle "Empress", short for "Empress of the Galaxy" when I was on steroids last time, because I wrote part of a musical on this blog during my hype time.) I think, like Donalee, I'm just enough anemic now to offset my steroid edge. Such a shame! Instead of sleeping last night, I was going to write a chapter or two. Oh well... Don't be surprised if you feel a little "puffy". Steroids do that. With me, so do IV's. I wonder why some people get a MUGA (which I don't even know what one is) and some people like me just get an echo. I was in and out of that echo in seemed like 15 minutes. Short and sweet. And as far as the port...I'm fortunate enough to be a phlebotomist's dream and don't even have a mark on my arm from yesterday. My biggest worry is HORRIFIC dermatitis reactions from tapes, bandages, and adhesives I have to have put on me. My worst post-op horror from after my mastectomy was weeping dermatitis all over my legs from the TEDS hose and the leg pumpers (plastics). I was popping pain pills and benedryl for THAT more than my post-op pain! This gets back to what I was telling Aly...I think we're all pretty much one in this thing; but it's just that our individual bodies have their various vulnerabilities and weaknesses, and so different things happen. It's easy to think, when you're getting hit with your "thing" that everyone else is stronger. And go ahead and preach, Lynn. We all do it, and we all need it from time to time. I picked up this freebie baseball cap with Emend on it at my onco office yesterday, and it had a tag with a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt that said something about how right now is a gift, and that's why they call it the "present". I guess I might be groovin' on that ol' dexawhoozitron a little bit. I don't usually start oozing philosophy so early in the morning...not BEFORE yoga, anyway.Donalee: wazzup? Are you OK?0
