Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Thanks Lago, I think sitting still will be my problem too:)
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when you get herceptin every week for a year 9,000.00 a pop is super expensive. I will probably pay min payments on all the mounting medical bills for the next 30-40 years, but I am greatful, that my life is extended because of these expensive medicines.
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All of the drugs that I received through infusion were covered under the medical part of my insurance, not the pharmacy. Which was good also because my oncologist pharmacy wasn't a provider for my pharmacy insurance.
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Nuelasta was covered under drugs for me. I had to have it mailed to me which wasn't a problem because my husband gave it to me at home anyway.The first insurance I only paid $25 for the shot but then my insurance switched in January. Cost was 20% with a max of $100. Good think my final chemo was in January. Herceptin is paid under medical. My current insurance has a max out of pocket that I reached in January. Too bad I have to switch to husband's insurance next month with a super high deductible. I might wait to get nipples and tattoos till I land a full-time gig. Hoping to land a full time job by the end of the year.
To be honest I need a break from all this medical stuff.
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wow!! so glad we didn't lose our Health Insurance, God's provision for us for sure. I must keep checking the bills, they seem to be arriving in droves at the moment, 6 or 7 a day!!
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My Herceptin bill is coming in at $22K.mo. Wonder why so much higher than is mentioned here? The hospital bills $22k...my insurance pays $13K-ish.
My total bills since January 5 (bad mammo) total $292K. That's a LOT of money.
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I just looked back at my insurance for comparison. My neulasta was covered under my medical along with the Herceptin and chemo.
My provider billed: $8900 for each TCH chemo date (Blue Cross allowed $4675) and $3500 for each neulasta injection (Blue Cross allowed $2765). They are billing $5240 for each Herceptin infusion and Blue Cross is allowing $2765. I'm grateful for the coverage but I can't even believe these numbers!
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I feel for all of you with limited healthcare. I am lucky my hub has it and the Cancer center was on the HMO list.
I am starting day 3 of my hospital stay. I had my first Neuprogen shot last night and so far no bone pain. Waiting for the labs this morning. Hope the counts went up and up a lot. I need to get out of here. Tough to sleep when they wake you every 4 hours for vitals and IV exchanges. I miss my family too.
Hope you all had a pleasant and less dramatic 3 day.
Hugs.0 -
I feel for all of you with limited healthcare. I am lucky my hub has it and the Cancer center was on the HMO list.
I am starting day 3 of my hospital stay. I had my first Neuprogen shot last night and so far no bone pain. Waiting for the labs this morning. Hope the counts went up and up a lot. I need to get out of here. Tough to sleep when they wake you every 4 hours for vitals and IV exchanges. I miss my family too.
Hope you all had a pleasant and less dramatic 3 day.
Hugs.0 -
I feel for all of you with limited healthcare. I am lucky my hub has it and the Cancer center was on the HMO list.
I am starting day 3 of my hospital stay. I had my first Neuprogen shot last night and so far no bone pain. Waiting for the labs this morning. Hope the counts went up and up a lot. I need to get out of here. Tough to sleep when they wake you every 4 hours for vitals and IV exchanges. I miss my family too.
Hope you all had a pleasant and less dramatic 3 day.
Hugs.0 -
Ok - my numbers above are off...but I can't click the infor in my online insurance acct. right now. It looks like my insurance was being billed $22K+ for chemo and they paid $13K+. Herceptin only is billing $16K+...I don't know what they'll pay - it's still pending.
Are the amounts you guys are listing individual fees? I'm listing the total bill for an infusion.
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Pejkug3 the amounts I listed were for each day of chemo, herceptin, etc. So, when you total it my insurance actually paid $28,050 for the 6 TCH treatments and $16590 for 6 neulasta injections. They continue to pay $2765 per Herceptin treatment which will eventually easily total over $50,000 because I had Herceptin weekly during TCH before going to every 3 weeks...It's staggering when you look at it that way.0
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I think I must be being gouged. My amounts are per infusion...so my total is already upwards of $292K and I had lumpectomy, TCH x 6, 33 rads and three Herceptin only.
It's so crazy and I'm so blessed to have good health insurance.
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Haven't checked in a couple of days. Wow, sorry you are in the hospital, Musicalmom. Hope you get to go home to your family soon. The Neulasta shot was always listed as an automatic part of my treatment because of the Taxotere. I am so glad I get it, although I agree with the others that seeing the cost is very shocking. I feel so blessed to have good insurance.
I have a question for all of you ladies who are done with chemo. Which tx# was the hardest for you? I am facing tx#3 next Monday and I am dreading it. I didn't do too well with #2: took longer to recover, had more GI issues, taste changes didn't stop and felt more tired. I also now have watery eyes, what looks like the begining of acne and a black shadow at the base of my nails (despite icing them durint tx).
I also wanted to ask if it is a given that side effects get worse with every tx, that new ones tend to develop and how long after tx do they start to subside. Although I am grateful that there is an effective treatment for this cancer, the prospect of not feeling well for the entire fall is starting to depress me. Sorry for the 'woe-me' attitute. Just need a few words of encouragement, I guess.
Thanks.
Amelie
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amelie, i would like the same answers. you and i are on the exact same treatment schedule and we have the same diagnosis. it seems rare to see ER+/PR- and HER2+.0
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My total bill for each TCH-including everything; drugs, placing my peripheral line, etc- was around $16000 and ins pd approx $8000. I haven't seen my herceptin only bills yet.
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Pej-for my lumpectomy, 6 TCH's, MRI etc my bills have been about $120k. That's not counting rads or heceptin by itself.
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Hmmm...maybe I'm right in line with everyone else's costs. Either way, it's crazy expensive. The medical biller wanted to set up payment arrangements with me for $180/mo. Um, yeah...
Amelie - I think everyone varies a bit on which round of chemo was their worst. For me, it was #3. I felt the worst and my counts were the worst. But as a general rule, the effects are cumulative. They get progressively worst with each round. Regardless, most women will say that while chemo is no fun, it's doable. Major SE are pretty uncommon and before you know it, it'll be done. Good Luck! Drink your water and eat whatever protein you can tolerate!
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for me #4 was the hardest, and I just finished #5 and it didn't seem as bad
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I had #5 last Thursday. I was doing good until Monday, then came the horrible, horrible stomach cramps and then the Big D. Zantac and Zofran didn't touch it. Same thing happened to me on the fourth of july. But it has only happened twice so far like that, so I guess I am lucky.
Maybe for #6 I should go to the brat diet for a couple of days...
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Amelie and Yaya - #1, #4 & #5 were the worst for me but for all different reasons. The only consistent SE I had with every tx except the last, was the Big D for the first 10 days after each tx. For #6, no Big D. Don't know why but there was dancing in the streets! #4 & #5 fatigue was crushing as hemoglobin reached its lowest point - closing in on potential transfusion levels. #5 I developed slight neuropathy, which is now resolving. I really found #4 to tbe the turning point, #3 ishalfway but by #4 you have turned the corner and can see the finish line. You ladies can do this !
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thank you, specialK. i have another question, though. i'm having my 3rd tx next monday and this week i've been so, so tired, almost flu-like. i feel like this s/e should be gone. i haven't had it until now and i'm worried about my blood levels. ideas?0
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I hope you don't mind if I chime in--it might be your blood counts, but for me it was getting enough electrolytes. I was having headaches and dizzy spells and drinking 90 to 120 oz of water a day. But was told I needed electrolytes (sports drinks, juice, vitamin waters). I turned the corner after 1 day of adding sports drinks (I needed to water them down though cuz they are just too sweet).
But my counts do funny things--my liver counts were fine the week immediately following chemo, but the following week spiked, then went back to close to normal right before chemo. Is your doctor drawing blood every week?
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wendyspet, no, he isn't drawing blood every week, just right before chemo. i have no idea what my blood counts are between tx's.0
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wendyspet - I kept waiting after #6 for the Big D - I finally got a reprieve! It never came - I was so happy! Hard to plan when everything is a surprise, right? Definitely, mix in stuff besides water. For liquids soup counts, as does fruit juices, etc. I drank half-strength Gatorade also. I found that full-strength gave me a stomach ache. Also popsicles!
yaya - are you tracking your hemoglobin? Also, and I know this is hard, you need to consume enough protein. Scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, etc., anything you can manage.
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specialk, is there a way to track hemoglobin at home? dumb question, probably.0
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Hugs to you yaya!!! Are you able to walk outdoors a little bit? Keeping up fluids and protein? Thinking of you!!0
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yaya - are you having blood draws between your chemos? I always had to go in every week whether or not I had chemo and have a draw so they could see my numbers. I always asked for those printouts so I would know what was going on.
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Hugs to you too, omaz! The weather here has been beautiful so I need to get out. I need to push myself. Maybe I should call the onc's office tomorrow and get my blood checked. All I want to do is sleep.
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WOW!!!! So my first EOB came in for my first TCH....shell shock. This is what it says: Pharmacy-$61,224.80; Lab Path $371.00; Chemotherapy Oncology $2,339.50; for the GRAND TOTAL of $63,935.30!!!! Benefits paid my cost $0.00. Made my heart sink especially with how awful I have felt after this treatment. TX 3 has kicked me square in the rear and spent all of Labor day weekend in bed. Feeling better today and hope it stays that way. Need to get out tonight and walk just to walk some of the pain from sitting all day. I don't get the neulesta shot but have had serious pains from my hips down and just can't force myself to drink anything this time. Knock on wood, I haven't had any nail issues, have been keeping them painted like I was told. YaYa......all I did do Sunday and Monday was sleep.
Tina
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