Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Special K,
Bummer on the water break. Gives a whole new meaning to "roughing it" !!
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specialK, i hope your yard is back to normal by now and that you have water! let us know.0
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Hi all - yard is ok - they were here until 2:30 a.m. with backhoe and dumptruck, etc. The entire sidewalk was on my lawn and an 8' deep hole that was at least 8' across. It was pretty crazy! They are back again right now reconnecting my sprinklers and bringing a dump truck full of dirt to fill up the hole. They replaced 5' of the main, but they pumped so much water and dirt out of the hole it washed away down the storm drains into the pond so when they put back all the available dirt last night it was not nearly enough to fill it up, and now worried about the fish in the pond - they are swimming in mud! I was amazed that my front lawn did not completely collapse - the guy I was chatting with (at 2:00 a.m.!) said that in 37 years of working for the city he had never seen a lawn not collapse in a situation like this, so he was happy. I only have about 10-12' of lawn before the side of the garage so you can imagine it was making me nervous. Florida is full of sinkholes and I really did not want my house to be in one! But, its all good now.
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Our whole cul-de-sac is on a "boil water" notice for 48 hours. Fortunately they are only a few babies and no elderly on our block. It was way more steps to make coffee! Right now they are all out hosing all the mud off the street and waiting for the load of dirt. Not sure when our lawn will be replaced. We are unfortunate that we are the house on the corner so the largest circumference of pipe is below our lawn, the pipe narrows as it goes farther up the street. The pipe was huge! What that also means is more water was spewing at a time - it lifted up the street! It is about 2" higher at the edge where it meets the gutter. Y'all are learning about water mains here on BCO!
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Oh my gosh SpecialK!!! What an ordeal!! So glad your garage and house are ok.
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I just read that they are testing out a subcutaneous form of herceptin rather than the IV. Anyone else heard about that?
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omaz - I just read about it after your post - very interesting. I was also unaware that Roche has purchased Genetech - may need to do some stock purchases!
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Hello ladies, hope all is well!
SK sorry to hear about your "adventure!" Hope it all gets fixed soon!
Saw my MO this morning for my mid-chemo F/U and we made some changes for my next tx - the most important one being I will be taking Emend!! Wooohooo! My insurance approved it and everything. I am soooooooooo happy and relieved. It worked so well for me in 2006, I know it's going to make TX#2 so much easier than #1 was. My WBC was reeeeeally high so we are also going to switch to daily Neupogen shots at a smaller dose to help with the really bad bone pain I got from the Neulasta (which, based on my labwork, was obviously working overtime on my poor bones). Plus my insurance covers for me to go into the office for the Neupogen injections so that's better too. A bunch of other little things too boring and gross to go into but everything was dealt with. All in all it was a great visit, he listened to all my whines and fixed everything. I adore him
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relda - yay for the Emend! My WBC went way up on my first Neulasta (like crazy high) but on subsequent ones did not spike as much - just put me into a nice, normal range. In general the first Neulasta injection is the worst for bone pain because it is the largest expansion of the marrow, subsequent ones don't have a dramatic an effect, but it sounds like the Neupogen is a better answer for you - glad you had such a good visit! I might still take Claritin with it though.
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I was so happy I posted a picture of my Emend packet on my Facebook page
Yeah I will definitely continue with the Claritin, I think it made a difference for sure.
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Is it standard for everyone to get a Neulasta injection the day after chemo? What's the difference between Neulasta and Neupogen? These are all to keep the WBC up, right?
Relda, that sounds like something I'd do. LOL!!! Your doc sounds great.
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Dancetrancer - just wanted to let you know how my TCH time went. I am in sales, and right up front I decided not to tell most of my clients about the BC. (I did tell them when tx was done) I work from home and was able to work pretty much all day/every day. I was glad to have the bathroom nearby sometimes, and when I had some bad stomach pain (the SE I struggled most with), I would stay off the phone until I felt better. But I wore my wig to business meetings (which I scheduled for the 'good' days) and they NEVER knew. And they all LOVED my hair (wig) and raved about my new hairstyle. I had trouble keeping a straight face. I walked every day (and ran the days right after chemo when I was on the steroid high).
The challenge I had was that when I didn't feel that great in my stomach, I could EAT, but I couldn't deal with actually fixing stuff to eat. So someone else would make some plain noodles or boiled potatoes or toast (that stuff seemed to work best) and I would eat it.
But bedridden? Nope. Never even napped. Work made me feel 'normal' so I just kept going.
You don't know how your body is going to react. Don't expect the worst - although it can be easy to do when you read enough posts from people going through it. It wasn't a breeze- I had some challenging times. But overall, life went on and before I knew it, I was DONE!
Also, re Neulasta/Neupogen - my onc waited until the blood work showed your WBC was falling before doing the shots. I took whey protein and a bunch of other stuff and they tested me each time to see if I needed the shot, and I never did (and chemo was never delayed either). So you can ask your onc if you have a choice about it. Some will let you.
Anything I can help you with, feel free to PM me anytime.
Good luck. One day at a time, you can walk through this! NEVER would have believed I would be saying it, but three years later, here I am!
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dancetrancer most of us seem to get Nuelasta or Neupogen on this site in the US but not all. Some insurances won't pay for it unless there is a proven need… they wait till your white count goes way down first. It's an expensive shot (Nuelasta is about $3000.00 a shot). Some oncs also rather wait to see if you need it. My onc requested it up front.
Neupogen, I believe is the same medication but given in a smaller dose in a series of shots.
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I need to say it again - you all are my lifeline! I feel so encourage to go into this with a positive attitude that I can handle this. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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Dancetrancer it really helps to get answers. After the 1st tx you won't be so scared. Chemo is more annoying than anything else. It's not like you see on TV or in the movies or even your grandmother's chemo. (Lost both my grandmothers to colon/lymphoma). 1st one when I was in the 5th grade and the 2nd one when I was a sophomore in college. My mom took care of both of them at our home.0
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dance, my onco ordered the neulasta from the very first chemo. here, it costs almost as much as herceptin, but thankfully, my sweet medicare paid for it! it's very expensive wherever you live, i think. the sweet nurse who always gave it to me told me that she'd accidentally dropped and broken a syringe full of the stuff. wouldn't that be awful?0
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Just finished my final TC of TCH. Thank God that's over. Ladies that are reading this, don't beat yourself up if you feel like crap or can't run miles after your infusion. I was one of the unlucky people who felt like crap after chemo. You just keep going. Drink fluids and take your meds.
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My husband gave me mine at home.
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My sister in law who was recently diagnosed will be starting TCH in a couple of weeks. She is really resistent about seeking information. She just wants to go with what Drs. are telling her (which is not a bad thing) and does not really know what all they are going to do or how long. I asked her about Nuelasta, and she doesn't know if she will get it.
I want to be supportive, have given her links to info, this thread ect, but she is in deep denial. Any advice? I don't want to push myself on her, but my heart aches for her. I know we all deal with it differently and I have decided to just back off for now. I wrote her a long email with what she can expect and gave her tips on icing finger nails, supplements for nueropathy, ect. I told her to read it (or not) when she is ready.
Another sister in law just had a bad mammo and is waiting to hear results of sonogram. Three people in one family (not blood related) in less than a year is too many!
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I like your new avatar ana! It's hard to know what to do. Sounds like you are handling it just right.0
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Ana - I had an office buddy who went thru BC 2 years before me. I was astounded that she did not want to know anything! She just showed up and prayed. That's was her plan for getting through it. Now when I talk to her (and she has been the most supportive of all my friends), she really did know alot. I think she learned when she was ready.
You have offered and sent an informative email, which she can choose to read it or not. I think the only thing you can do from here is keep an eye on her for the guaranteed 'mind-bend' we all get, suggest meds for depression or sleep if she needs, and make her a dinner or two. She may end up relying on you alot!
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I'd back off, let her come to you if she wants. She certainly knows you have any and all info she may need, you are there to support her etc. Some people react this way, they are just too overwhelmed by the diagnosis to do much more than put one foot in front of the other. To some knowledge is power, to others its more terrifying information on an already scary journey. She will either come around after awhile or deal with it this way for her entire cancer journey. Let her make her own decisions, she knows you are there if she needs you.
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Ana - it is hard, I remember being in denial for a while and not wanting to talk to anyone about it. Hopefully she will come around....it's an awful lot to take in. Sounds like you are doing the right thing...offering the help and letting her choose. Even one person in a family with this disease is too much.
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anafoefana every one is different. This is her journey. She will eventually come around and get out of denial but as far as information… not everyone wants to know. Let her know if she wants any info you will be happy to provide it but don't force it on her.0
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Ana, I have a friend who was diagnosed about 2 years before me. When I got diagnosed she called to offer support, which was great, but I really didn't want to hear too much about her journey, because she had decided to go to alternative treatment, and forgo chemo, rads, etc. and I didn't want her to sway me over to her way of thinking. She'd had a bad experience with doctors and I just didn't want to hear that just before going through surgery, etc. At some point I may be ready to check out what she's doing, after I've exhausted everything conventional medicine has to offer me. Your SIL may be afraid of hearing scary stories. I think she'll come around eventually.
By the way, I just finished rads, yesterday and am moving on to Femara in April.
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Thank you all. I have backed off already. She knows I am here for her and will be supportive however I can. I pray her journey is like mine and that she is able to get through it with minimal SEs.
She lives in Chicago and I am in VA, so any support I give her is over the phone. I worry for her because she does not work, has a recent empty nest, an old dog that is going to have to be put down soon, and she does not have a lot of friends. She is not part of a church or any organization, and she spends a lot of time at home cleaning her house. I pray she does reach out if she needs it.
GrandmaV, congrats on finishing rads. I hope you had an easy time with it. I finished 4 weeks ago and am feeling pretty good. I faired pretty well, did you?
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grandmav - yay on the rads finish! I am on Femara as well, just some aching - not too bad, hope you tolerate it well.
ana - love the new avatar! Some people move forward better with information and knowledge - like all of us, and some move foward wanting no detail. They just put one foot in front of the other until it is done. It is so individual, but there is no one right way. Just be there when, and if, she needs you. That is all you can really do.
relda and yaya - like your new pics too!
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Omaz.
Thank you, I am embracing my gray hair!
It is pretty white around my face and darker in the back. But it is hair and it mine!!! I have not worn contacts since November because I lost my eyelashes and kept getting things in my eyes. I've been using Latisse for 4 weeks now and have new stubby little lashes. 0 -
Ana, I did pretty well. I'm just very red, and a little itchy. Peeling a little in the fold under my breast. But other than that I can't complain. Like you, I used emu oil. Thanks.
Special K, thank you,
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ana, i agree with what the thers have said about your sister-in-law. when i was first diagnosed, a friend had a friend of hers call me to discuss HER breast cancer experience. she was loud and VERY positive (you know ... sometimes it just sounds insincere) and wanted to called me every day. i decided i wouldn't talk to her again when she told me that she had 18 wigs and that she'd named them all. that just didn't work for me. ha!
i too, love the avatar. i wish our pictures here were bigger, but from what i can tell, you and i have the exact same hair. mine is white on the sides and then more salt and pepper everywhere else. you look wonderful!
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