Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Congrats to you, it seems a long way off right now to the finish line, I started in August and have 10 more to go, so probably July before I am done. The thought of having the port out is very appealing, last week I pulled a stitch out, you know the dissolveable ones that never dissolved, it had caused some infection to build etc, tonight it is very sore and I am wondering if there's more still in there.
yaya how is your skin doing? i am about halfway thru rads and am pretty pinkish red and sore, but the RO says it looks good and is better than she expected it to be, I just hope it doesnt get too much worse.
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Congratulations SpecialK and dragonfly,
For any of you who did rads, at your first consultation, did they mention that they will nick the lungs a little bit? I go in for a ct scan today to start planning my rads and the fact they know they will nick the lungs scared me.
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A little bit of lung, a little bit of rib, a little bit of other tissue. Ask to see the plan, it's interesting and you can see where they treat.
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I have had 4 TCH courses and have had the constant runny nose and occasional bloody discharge from the beginning.
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Question for all you bmx ladies some of whom I've met on the triple positive forum. I am considering requesting a BMX. Currently doing neo adjuvant TCH and have finished the 4 th of 6.... 3 week courses. After the 5th I will be meeting with the BS to schedule a lumpectomy. He has never yet suggested MX or BMX and judging from all his previous statements will not advocate this. I asked my MO last week..' what would make you recommend a BMX for me at this point' and he said nothing.
Looks like if I want this I'm going to need to be strong. I understand survival statistics will not change much with bmx. My feeling is that I am not willing to go through all this again just to save my breasts if it recurs. This way I can just concentrate on the rest of my body.
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AShla,
The statistics for recurrence and survival are pretty much the same with lumpectomy and rads, and a MX.
I see your nodes were clear.
You might insist on a MX to avoid radiation. With a lumpectomy you're going to get Rads.
It's not up to them, it is up to you. Tell them you want a MX because you don't want Rads and because you don't ever want to worry about this again....if they don't like it...find new docs. Most Insurance companies will pay for 2nd opinions.
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ashla - I debated it for a while though I did chemo after surgery. I ended up choosing lumpectomy/rads thinking that if I had a local recurrence (which they SHOULD catch early I hope if it were to happen!!) then I could go with the mx. I think the RO was the deciding factor. She came in and said I was a good candidate for lump/rads. Have you met with an RO yet? If not, I would suggest that.0
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The mass is on the left breast which is one of the reasons I was considering BMX. I was considering BMX as opposed to mx because i have big boobs on a small frame which would make MX look weird.
It seems I am older than most of you ladies so i realize this lineof thinking would be less likely if was younger or single .
Btw... I have read in recent studies over A 20 year period......the use of radiation has a significant positive link to long term survival!0 -
Great advice! Thank you soo much. I have not spoken to a radiation oncologist.
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GrandmaV - At my rads consult, I was warned that they were going to get a good portion of my heart and lungs. I flipped out and had a meltdown over it. A different type of rads was discussed (IMRT?). I had my CT and Xrays and went home.
Came back for another Q&A session before I let them do anything to me. I don't want to die of BC but I don't want to die of rads induced heart disease either! Turns out my anatomy was a little different than they were expecting. They were only going to hit 1% of my heart and 18% of my left lung. I decided that people can live with one lung so I consented to the plan. Do as OMAZ suggests - ask to see your treatment plan! My RO sat with me and my DH and went over everything. It was fascinating.
Like TONLEE - I HATED rads. HATED IT. I think I was a nightmare patient for them because I questioned everything.0 -
ashla - I was a lump/rads candidate also who elected BMX. I have always had dense and very fibrocystic breasts so I really didn't want to relive this experience in the other breast, nor did I want the anxiety that would come with each mammo. I asked for a BMX and got it - my BS was very accomodating and never tried to sway me either way. I had a skin sparing/nipple sparing with immediate TE's. Post-op pathology showed atypical ductal hyperplasia and atypical lobular hyperplasia in the "prophy" breast so I feel like it was a good decision. I was relieved that I did not need rads, but I did end up having a node dissection for the surprise positive nodes.
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Ashla - I am trip pos and had the BMX. All of my female doctors said they would do the same thing, even though when you first consult, they won't give you their opinion. I think they have been trained to let you make up your own mind. Although I had a work-friend whose doctor told her he didn't want to remove a "good breast."
The thought of showing up every day for radiation annoyed me. Also, I didn't want to have a mammogram every 6 months. I think they were telling me every 6 months for the first year or two--don't remember. My tumor was close to the nipple, so I might have lost the nipple anyways.
I miss my nipples, but the BMX surgery wasn't bad.
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Congratulations to all of the TCH graduates!
I do hope y'all stick around this thread for a while. Your advice has been so helpful to all of us "newbies."
I can't wait to add my name to the graduates' list at the end of November.
Good luck to all of you, and I hope you remain cancer free forever! You are now officially CANCER SURVIVORS!
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Adding my congrats to the graduates! I will finish TC in June and H in December. Looking forward to a year from now when I should have a cute short hairstyle to play around with ;-D
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Thanks ladies - I have to say I drove to the last H today with the tunes blasting and a smile on my face! Of course, after I got there and talked with the docs the reality of another PET, an echo, a bone density scan, bisphosphanate injections, port flushing, etc. dampened the mood! It's all good though, and my needle-phobic DD came over from the U of SoFL came after class to sit with me for the last one and take me out for a snack after!
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specialK, CONGRATULATIONS! WOO HOO!! i'm so happy for you and how sweet that DD came to sit with you through the last one. how wonderful that it's behind you now.0
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yaya - Thanks! DD had to be convinced to pierce her ears at 18 (too scared before I dragged her to do it!), and when she had blood drawn about a year ago she passed out cold! For her to come into the chemo lounge and surprise me is HUGE! She brought her ipad2 and showed me cute animal stuff on youtube the whole time! I got Herceptin over 90 minutes, so I appreciated her attempt to entertain me!
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Yayy SpecialK! What is the bisphosphanate injection for?0
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Congrats Special K! My oldest DD is the same way, passes out when she gets blood drawn, so cute. But they come through when it's least expected. Glad she made your last one special!
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Special K ~ Congratulations on finishing your year of "fun!" Like RacerDeb, I can't wait to be a graduate in November just like you and so many others. So happy for you and everyone who accomplishes this year of treatment. You make the rest of us who are in different stages of treatment know we can do it, too! Loved hearing about your daughter...how sweet of her to come and support you today. Makes you know you raised her to be a caring woman...you must be so proud! Enjoy your "graduation day." Thinking only positive thoughts for you as you move on with your tests and thanks for staying with us as we continue our journeys! Linda0
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omaz - I have been osteopenic for years - I had a complete hyst/ooph 10 years ago and even though I did HRT I did develop enough osteopenia that the guidelines say I should be treated. I tried both Actonel and Boniva but I had a surgery in '95 that made me a new gastro-esophogeal junction due to severe reflux. Both of those drugs gave me nuclear heartburn. When I discussed this today with the onc they ordered another bone density to see where we are after chemo and 6 months of Femara. My last bone density was done 9/9/10. They want to see the new baseline and put off the injection for a month. It is a twice yearly sub-cutaneous injection that bypasses the digestive process so no SE's from that.
Thanks guys for the well wishes! This time will fly and soon you will be where I was today! I was indeed surprised by my baby girl, and very proud. She has been immensely helpful throughout the last year and a half. She spent the night with me in the hospital after my BMX so DH could get a good night of sleep before I came home. Again, her idea. I think when our kids show us their hearts, like she did today, we feel gratified that we did them right raising them - and that they were born with that caring and love inside them. I will always remember that she put me before herself today.
I was so fortunate to have my hand held by the great ladies on these boards (you know who you are!!!) and I feel lucky to be able to hold the hands of the ladies coming along behind me
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musicalmom,
You and I are on a very similar plan. I finish herceptin in August. I finished my 35 radiation treatments Dec 7th. I am on day two of my hormone therapy 5 year pill . Chemo through me into full menopause, so I am on a generic of Arimidex. It is suppose to cause hot flashes, but I already have those day and night. I am so glad you finished your chemo.My hair is coming in thicker, but only about 1/2 inch long all over, and my eye lashes are about half as long as they were, so I hope they keept growing. I haven't been on here in so long, The daily radiations bummed me out, but I was able to still teach my zumba classes through all of them.
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special K, that is so wonderful that your daughter came to your treatment. My daughter is also 18, but hasn't been to any of my many apts
My hubby just came to one of my herceptin treatments. He hadn't been to any of my treatments. You are blessed. My girlfriends have been my chemo buddies, and sometimes herceptin buddies, but my herceptin only takes an hour each week, so I usually go alone. 0 -
zumba - I had not wanted to expose her to chemo because I was not sure she could handle it. My DH came to all 6 of those and brought my son (the fireman) to #5 directly from the airport when he came for a visit. He had escaped having an up close look at much of my treatment because he lives in Virginia. I felt he could handle the environment because of his job - but he was more emotional about it than I thought he would be. He hugged me and didn't let go and I was all hooked up to the IV - it was very sweet. I have gone to all of the Herceptins by myself except he was just here for Christmas and I had a one so I had him take me. My daughter came to pick him up to run an errand and instead of having him meet her outside she came up. I was shocked! I think she was curious, but found out she was stronger than she thought! Also very sweet - and yes, I am blessed. She is 22, but she is a mama's girl! Another nice thing - my out of town friends texted me during many of those appts - they actually calendered them on their own, and then texted me while I was there, so nice! I just bought the Zumba for xbox360 with the kinect feature - I hope it is good, I have never zumba-ed (is that a word?) but I need to get back in shape!
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Congrats to this month's graduates!! WOOT WOOT!
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ashla Initally my BS said I didn't need a BMX, and doesn't like to remove healthy tissue but if I wanted to do the double he would support what I wanted. Your BS should do the same. It ended up after I had the MRI that some suspicious stuff (ended up LCIS) that would have to be biopsied every year was found… BS changed his tune and then recommended the BMX. BTW LCIS typically does not show up on a mammo or US.
If you want a BMX then it is your choice.
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special K, I am excited for you that you are trying zumba. It is my favorite thing. You should try a live class, after you get comfortable doing zumba on x box. I asked my daughter last night if she wanted to go to one of my up coming herceptin apts and she said maybe, so we will see. :O)
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zumba - that was my plan on the zumba - get into the xbox one for a while so I don't emabrrass myself in the live class! Sounds like your daughter may be willing to come - that is progress! Herceptin is good too because it is shorter. The nice thing at my center is that everyone is very friendly, but I was afraid that she might be freaked out because it is a communal room, so that means she is not seeing just me but all the other patients all hooked up. My MO calls it the "filling station" like we are hooked up to gas pumps - he is such a card! She came later in the afternoon and it was a lot less crowded so that was good too.
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filing station, LOL, that cracks me up. that is exactly how it is where I get treated. It is a small room, and 5 lazy boy type chairs in a semi circle all facing each other. I am usually the chatty happy one with the friendly nurses. Most of the people hooked up recieving treatment are alot older than me, and most of them sleep during their treatment. I even have the nurses dancing and singing. One of them joined the gym I work at and even comes to my night time zumba classes. It is really awesome.
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zumba - nice! My center is big (it is in the onc office) takes up the whole back side of the building, in a elongated U shape, but it has about 35 recliners with the nurse's station in the middle. I usually sit at an end so you are next to people but across from the people on the short side of the U shape. We sometimes get a group conversation going, or just a neighbor chat. There are always a couple of sleepers, but not too many who are really not feeling well. Our pumps are portable so you can "drive" around with your IV pole too. Hard to believe that I won't be there anymore - I felt like Norm on Cheers, because I had been going there for so long!
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