Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin
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Dear Brenda,
In the midst of my iimpulsive desire to humorously illustrate Shelby's description of her fipple protection, I did not intend to overlook your pain. I am really so sorry you're sick. Gosh, I'd like to see you get a break. 2009, bring it on!!!!!!!!!! We're gonna be so good this coming year.
Love, Peace and God bless.
Bethany
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Happy New Year everyone!
Clinky Clinky!! Hic
Two glasses of champs and 4 glasses of water. Woopieeee
I am sorry that things get a bit dodgie but we will survive. Tomorrow is yet another day. Closer and closer to parting with NED>
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Happy New Year everyone and I second the good riddance to 2008. The best part was meeting, electronically, all of you.
Cupcake, I don't understand why they did not do a RAPID strep test. My daughter had strep throat about every two weeks for several years (well it seemed like every two weeks). Every time she didn't feel well and I took her to the Ped. and asked for a rapid strep test (they follow up with the twenty-four hour test too). Each time she tested positive with the rapid test. Antibiotics made her feel better in just 12 hours. Hope that happens to you so you can enjoy the holiday.
Shelby, Thanks for the warning about the ECHO report. I am having the test next week and will request that the entire report be sent to the MO and to me. Sorry you are having this complication but everything else looks good.
My good wishes to those still going through TCH. Remember, it will soon end and the other stuff, while annoying, is much easier.
My other stuff includes a frozen shoulder from the weird position one has to assume in radiation -- hands over head, and head back with no support. The PT has suggested some modifications of my position but the radiation therapists say I would need to have the simulation done all over again. If you have any shoulder, back, neck problems, you should make them take the problems under consideration before they set up your treatment.
Looking forward to a happier, healthier 2009!
Jo Anne
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I thought I was doing so well about this CAT scan thing. I've been trying to be relaxed and believe that it is probably a calcuim nodule and not lung cancer. It has been hanging over me for about 5 weeks and I've been so calm about it. But now that the scan has been done and I'm waiting for results, I'm losing it. It doesn't help that my onc is on vacation until Monday so I don't know when I'll get the results even though the report should be in on January 2.
Lung cancer is just so scary. Even stage I is only about 50% 5-year survival. It makes Stage I breast cancer look like a walk in the park
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HI bluedasher,
If you by any chance you have a cancer node on your lung, it would be breast cancer on your lung, not stage 1 lung cancer, with treatments appropriate to breast cancer, not lung cancer. I have a friend who had breast cancer spread to her lungs 16 years ago and is doing fine.
Most likely everything is O.K. but I know it is hard not to worry.
All my best wishes,
Jo Anne
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Cupcake: So sorry you're suffering - hope the antibiotics quickly kick in and you're feeliing better soon. I'm glad they were proactive and got you started right away.
bluedasher: Of course you're "losing it" - the thought of this spreading is terrifying, and waiting for the results of a scan is the worst. For me, chemo and surgery were walks in the park compared to waiting, and it all starts again in Jan. when I have a diagnostic mammo, MRI, and then, soon after, a PET scan. Please do whatever you can to relax and get through the next few days. Saying a prayer for B9 results for you.
Jo Anne: My husband, right now, is doing stretches for his frozen shoulder. What a pain that the rads treatment is creating, or exacerbating, your own problems.
Best wishes to everyone dealing with illness, family illness (so sorry for your brother, Grandma), TCH and all its side effects, surgery, scary, ambiguous test results, scanxiety . . .
Happy New Year! As Jo Anne said, the best part of 2008 was attending cyber Camp Chemo with all of you.
Love, Sue
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bluedasher I know exactly how you feel and how scary this whole thing is. I had some junk show up in my lungs as well and I was terrified until my next scan showed it clearing. Honestly I don't know just yet how people get past the being scared of the cancer spreading thing. I have a friend who was stage III (not sure if IIIa or IIIb) and she had a nodule show up in her lung scan as well but it later disappeared and she's doing great. I remember that she was very worried about it as well. I think it's pretty normal. I hope that you will be fine and that yours turns out to be absolutely nothing. I also know how hard waiting is.
Cupcake good LORD you poor thing! You have gone through so much!! I hope that the antibiotics kick in soon and that you feel better. It's enough already I say!!
Happy New Year to all of you and here's to 2009 being a million times better than 2008!!!
Aly.
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Hi Ladies & Happy New Year to You!
Sorry I've been MIA. After treatment 3 I had severe fatigue and then developed a head cold. Talk about bad timing. I got a fever on Saturday and had to go to the ER, turns out that my white blood count was virtually non-existent, so they admitted me to the hospital for three days. The filled me with IV fluids and antibiotics for three days and a couple of nuepogen shots in the stomach to increase the white cell count (not fun). I also developed a serious ear infection while I was there. I just got released on Monday evening and have been staying in bed as much as possible, except for my Herceptin infusion today.
Tonight is the first time I've even felt like starting the computer, but I have been thinking of you all and hoping that everyone is well. I'm convinced that when we have cancer even the simplest things are not simple. When I went to the ER I never imagined that I would be admitted! (One of my nurses told me that if I ever go to the ER with a fever I should just pack a bag, as it's virtually guaranteed that you'll be in the hospital a couple of days...wish I had known that before.) I just kept saying I have a head cold, and they kept saying a head cold is a big deal with your condition. Well, now I'm home, I still have a head cold, but you really do appreciate the comfort of your own home after being locked up in the hospital for a few days. There's no place like home!!
Best wishes & hugs to all!!! I'm doing my utmost to stay out of the hospital. Guess I'll know next week when I do labs if treatment #4 will proceed on schedule. Can't believe it's time for another cycle already. I was so fatigued with treatment 3 that I can't imagine what treatment 4 might bring. Hopefully, I'll be over this cold & ear infection by then.
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Happy End of 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ice cubes clink on my Uncle Jim & Diet Coke.
Brenda: Here's to your quick recovery from your infection. God knows you've been through enough. You are definitely one of the patron saints on this site of women who have seen the most action and complained the least...and retained her sense of humor.
I wonder...Sue? Bethany? Aly? Maybe you dudes could help me on this, maybe we need Camp Chemo Awards, like the Oscars or something? Like everyone would get one for the cool thing that they are. Hmmm. I'll have my internet in Bellybuttonlint, Utah where I'm staying. So when I've been exhausted by skiing and oxygen-deprived, I'll come up with some stuff.
But seriously, I have a lot to repent to you all about...like Cali and Brenda who don't feel well right now and Carolyn with her on-going problems with transfusions and family members with serious health issues. God bless you all. Here I am with my piddling little stuff, and I whine like a pig in a poke...a pig with a large vocabulary....but a pig, nonetheless. To quote Rhett Butler, "I apologize for my shortcomings." This tour of duty with the war against breast cancer has been my first exposure to the world of illness and the annoying "combine" of the health care delivery system. So I have not at all wanted to ignore your real concerns. But I really wish I could do something about them. If nothing else, constantly reading this thread should make anyone aware of the fact that something needs to be done about the things that fall through the cracks in the average American HMO.
On an encouraging note, the Royal High Poisoner...the Lord of Suite 420....the Schmuck, Schmendrick, Putz who subjected me to THC in the first place and took me off Herceptin in a New York second because he cared enough to read the entire cardiology report--made sure that before I left on my ski trip, I knew that 1) my mammogram was OK 2} my chest Xray was OK, and 3} my Rx for Xanax was refilled. And, ladies, in addition to the results of our recent Presidential election, THAT is what keeps me here in the US of A.
My husband and I watched the ball drop on TV and lifted four middle fingers to the dying 2008. The new year will be kinder and more loving to all of us. I just know it.
Pretty scenes, smooth terrain, and soft powder!
Shelby
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Happy New Year everyone. I did not stay up because I was so tired. We took youngest grandson to the movie that morning and then out to eat afterward. This running downtown for tx and hubby rehad plus worry about brother is wearing on me.
My2boys, thanks for the prayers. He is doing a little better according to my sister. she is so fickled I am never sure if I am getting good info or not. they put a trac in so he could breath and so he could have ventilator in it instead of mouth. His mouth is so sore from first chemo and the mouth sores. I am not sure why they have not done much for that because the sores are still bad.
Cupcake I am sorry you are having a hard time but maybe if this is strep then the Pen will get rid of it fast. I was lucky not to get anything more than a stomach virus during all my trips to hospital while hubby was having bypass surgery. At least I was used to the throwing up with the chemo. Now if I smell anything or get a little choked I immediately want to throw up. My body needs to calm down with that I think. During and after chemo if I started getting full or didn't like something I was eating I would get cold chills and if I did that I knew I had better not take another bite or I would lose it.
Bold you are right about getting all this behind me. I am really thankful that the chemo is over and I want to get the rad over and I know it will be soon so I just need to go with the flow. I guess I was hoping too much that while my hubby was having to be there I would be able to get mine done too. He will be almost finished before I get started. I hope your tx go fast and will soon be behind you too. Are you going to have recon surgery? I just had lump. and 22 lymph nodes removed. My arm is still weak but I am trying to work on that and hoping no lymphedema comes along. It is my left side and I am right handed at least.
Shelby I hope all goes well for your foob replacement. I think if it was me I would be tempted to not have it replaced but then it is not me. I know the woman that works at the doc next to where I work had hers reconst. I have not talked to her lately so I am not sure how that went. She got her hair back faster than I did though. She is younger too so maybe you young ones just do better than an old gal like me. I think I might be getting some eyelashes now but they are so short it is hard to tell. Will you be able to wear matching flower pots?
I hope 2009 is a much better year for all of us and the economy.
Carolyn
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Good Morning!!! Happy New Year Lady's!!!! You Mid-west and California gals sure make it hard on an east coast girl to keep up during a holiday eve!!! After tx 4 on Monday, I was lights out by 9:30pm! I hope someone had some bubbly (or any beverage containing a respectable amount of alcohol) for me.
Based on what so many have gone thru in just the past week (much less the past year) 2008 needs to just go to hell! Sorry, not as prosaic as Shelby, but to the point! Ha!
Shelby, don't be too hard on yourself about getting annoyed with the cancer thing. I was the main cancer caregiver for a grandmother, mother-in-law and mother all with cancer. I thought I knew exactly what I was headed for when I was diagnosed. WRONG!! Until YOU are the one getting poked, prodded and pumped full of toxic chemicals, you don't have a clue. Go enjoy your ski trip and spray some powder for the rest of us!
Cupcake, hang in there lady!! Glad you got started on some meds and just try and take it easy. Sit back and let the others wait on you. Your body has had a bigger assault on it than some. Put up your feet and take a deep breath - a nap wouldn't hurt either!
Cali. 3 days in the hospital because of a head cold! YIKES! Boy am I gonna be more careful while my blood counts are low. Hope you feel better soon and thanks for the heads up.
Blue: Don't worry too much about a cancer spread. No need to borrow more trouble than we already have. When my counts came up low on Monday, the nurse gave me this gross little card to do a fecal blood count and my mind immediately went to colon cancer. I shut that nonsence right down; if I did not have mets 3 months ago, why in the world would I expect them now after 4 tx's of poison. You will be fine and prayers with you until you get results.
Carolyn. My prayers are with you, your brother and your family. This thing we call cancer does not discriminate. Hang on to your faith. God Bless you.
For everyone else and anyone I forgot.
HAPPY 2009!!!!!!!!!!!
Lisa
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Ladies, I need some advice here. Tx #4 was Monday. Before tx Hgb was 8.5 and RBC was 2.49. Yesterday I had no energy and was very fatigued. Today, I finally got off my fanny around 2pm and took a shower and while in the shower, I started seeing spots and the shower started spinning. Now I am getting light headed by just walking across my house.
Is it time to cry uncle and call the doc in the am for a transfusion? This is not a pleasant feeling.
Thanks. Lisa
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Dear Lisa,
Call the doctor. I just can't imagine that you've been hauling around 50# bales of hay. Call the doctor.
Shelby,
Can't wait to see what your creativity produces in the awards categories!
Cali,
So sorry you were in the hospital!
Brenda,
How are you today?
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Lisa - why wait to call? this sounds serious. My rule of thumb on calling any doctor late at night or during off hours/holidays: do you feel crummy enough that you would head on out to the hospital if they recommend it? if not, then wait til the morning. Meanwhile, take it easy!
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Bethany, trust me, I am not lifting anything today! When I crashed, I crashed fast!
gk2 - Yes, if they told me to go to the hospital I would, but I would rather go into the office in the morning.
I will call the office first thing in the morning.
Thanks guys.
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Lisa, definately call the office very first thing. The transfusion process takes a while. First they have to do a blood test for type. Even though they had done one for me before when they thought I might need a transfusion and didn't, they still needed to do a test right before and put a band on my arm to make sure I got the right blood. They are so careful about this whole process. Then they had to get the units lined up. The transfusion of 2 units took about 3.5 hours. And this week missing a working day made scheduling infusion chair time a bit difficult too.
I do feel better since I got the blood. I wasn't to the woozy lightheaded stage yet, but exertion like carrying my 30 pound granddaughter or going up hills was making me breath really hard.
Cali, 3 days in the hospital and an infection is no fun at all. After my first tx, I spent the night in the ER due to a fever from low white cell count but all the tests showed no infection so they sent me home in the morning. On future Tx, the give me Neupogen so the problem hasn't recurred. I hope you feel better soon.
Jo Anne, I have difficulty believing that it is a mets from my Stage I, 0.9 cm tumor. In the retrospective study they just did of node negative, HER2+ tumors less than 1 cm where the women didn't get chemo, it took about 2 years for distant recurrences to start showing up. But either is pretty daunting - going from Stage I to Stage IV breast cancer or going from breast to lung cancer - I need Rock to supply the words because I just don't have them.
But I'm still hoping that it is a harmless little calcium nodule. I wish I had thought to ask about how big it was on the X-rays.
I don't think I gave all the details before, but around 15 years ago I had pneumonia. Then my allery pulmonary doctor said there still something on my post-pneumonia X-ray. He seemed to really think it was cancer and made a point of telling me that it looked like its location behind my heart would make it inoperable. I spent about 5 days thinking I was going to die very soon. The stats for lung cancer, especially in non-smokers who often get an aggressive one when they get it, were even worse then. That turned out to be a calcium nodule. I had X-rays every 6 months for a few times just to check that it wasn't growing and then on an X-ray to check it a few years later it wasn't there anymore.
The oncologist said this thing in my lung was on the upper left part of my lung so that might be around the same area but since it was more than 15 years ago, we don't have the old X-rays or CAT scan.
So having gone round this merry-go-round once before, I've been pretty calm about it this time but I still really want the results soon!! My patience is wearing thin. My onc did say that it looked pretty smooth in shape which is more indicative of a calcium nodule than cancer. And this time I'll ask for copies of the X-rays and scan.
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One other thing - one of my sisters has lung cancer which was discovered when it produced brian mets. She has been beating the odds so far. I think she's close to 5 years now. I don't know if there are any hereditary markers identified for lung cancer.
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Hi bluedasher,
It sounds like it is very unlikely that it is breast cancer that has travelled to your lung. Just remember, if it is that it is still breast cancer. As Susan Love explains it: If you move to Paris you are still an American, just living somewhere else. That means the prognosis and treatments would be for breast cancer in the lung, not lung cancer. Your sister had lung cancer that travelled to the brian, not brain cancer.
It is hard not to worry but it certainly sounds like it is nothing. Have they discussed scar tissue? I have a 3 mm spot on one of my lungs which they will look at again but they are almost certain it is scar tissue from some long ago lung infection.
Jo Anne
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Lisa: I hope you're doing nothing more strenuous today than lying in bed! If you're going to wait until tomorrow to call, then TAKE IT EASY.
Cali4: So sorry you've been in the hospital! They really don't want to mess around when we're in the middle of treatment - Glad you're home now. Read my advice to Lisa: ditto.
Like Jo Anne, I had a scare from an x-ray - supposed to be of my lower back, but they called about "spots in my lungs" and scared the crap out of me. Turned out it was scar tissue from Valley Fever (common here in Phoenix) - they injected the test into my arm and it instantly puffed up - I didn't even know I'd had it.
Brenda, hope you're doing better today.
I thought I'd have a quiet day taking down decorations, but future son-in-law was in a crash this A.M. - he's OK, but waiting to be seen in the ER - not his fault, but he ran over the top of a car with this Dodge Ram after another car hit him from behind. Those poor people seemed OK, but went in the ambulance - sure hope they only have minor injuries. Then I had to fill out an online medical record for dh who keeps getting sicker and decides today he needs to go to urgent care because he thinks he might have pneumonia. Jeez, what am I doing hanging around with this bunch of sickos?
Shelby, we'll help you come up with some good categories for the Camp Chemo Awards. Do I have to buy a ball gown to attend? Or will my sweats and flip flops work for you?
Gotta go take care of DD#1's cats - she's on the East Coast with future husband's family. Best wishes to all.
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Thanks Sue. I have done NOTHING today. I feel better this evening, but I will be calling the doc as soon as they open. I felt pretty awful after my first tx, but today was just awful. I guess I was dissappointed too cause I had been doing so well. Oh well. 2 friends that are cancer survivors have both said I will feel like a new person if I get some fresh blood in the bod.
PS: I freind gave me a new recipe today for Broccolli Cheese Soup and hubby made it for me this evening. I DID NOT get the after tx taste with it and it was really good and healthy. I will share if anyone is interested.
Lisa
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Ladies,
Thanks so much for your encouragement, reading all of your posts today certainly lifted my spirits!! Hope you all had a very Happy New Year!
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I could have saved myself some worrying time about the lung thing if I had checked my HMO message page. I checked it Wednesday at around 5 or 6 PM and then figured there wasn't any point in checking it again until today. It turns out that the hard working onc who was covering for mine on vacation put in a response after 9 PM on New Years Eve.
There is one 6 mm calcified granuloma and everything else in the lung is clear. That means it is almost certainly benign. They will probably do a follow up X-ray or CAT in 6 months or so to check that it isn't growing (which is what was done the other time I had a calcium nodule in the lung).
The other time was toward the end of a period of my life when I was having respritory problems and I'd had pneumonia a couple of times so I was told the calcium probably formed around scar tissue from that. I haven't had any problems like that since the time I had the X-ray where the calcification was gone so I don't quite understand why I have it again. Maybe it formed on some really old scar tissue. Or there are fungal infections that occur in this part of California that can sometimes cause this so maybe I had a minor one of those without realizing it at some point.
The silver lining of this little exercise is that it puts Stage I breast cancer into perspective for me. Between surgery, chemo and radiation I'll have had about 9 months of uncomfortable side effects and then another 6 months or so finishing up Herceptin with less side effects and then I should be done with it. Recurrence should be pretty unlikely thanks to chemo and Herceptin.
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Good news Blue!
I am off to the docs office - they finally called back and yes I am getting blood. But due to the time (almost 1pm here on the east coast) I may only get typed and crossed today and have to go back to the hospital out patient in the morning for the actual transfusion
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Blue: Yay!! And how nice - an HMO message page - I like that idea. You're right to "put it in perspective" and realize that "stuff" happens to everybody's body and in your case it is NOT likely to be a recurrence. Get it over with and get on with life!
Lisa - Hope you're feeling better soon. Everybody who has a transfusion says it's almost an instantaneous effect.
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Thanks Sue - I am home now. Turns out my blood counts had not fallen any more - I was SEVERELY dehydrated! They pumped me full of fluids and I feel sooooo much better. Amazing. Who knew dehydration could make a person feel so terrible - I was even have mild chest pains by the time I left the house.
I tend to think more in terms of horses then humans - (just me). I know how dangerous and uncomfortable dehydration is for a horse, I never stopped to realize the symptoms and warning signs are exactly the same for humans.
Thanks for thoughts everyone.
Lisa
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Happy New Year Everyone!
A little belated because I started the New Year with a tummy virus- much better now and hopefully done so my surgery Thursday wont be postponed!
Kristy
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Well spent my new year day in the Doctors again. The strep test came back negative so they took me off Penicillin and put me on a high dose of Antibiotics in case its bacterial. They want to prevent Pneumonia. The throat doesn't hurt as bad now, but I lost my voice from the trauma in the throat area. The Antibiotics create diarrhea so back to the old chemo ways. Man this is sure not the way I wanted to begin 2009 and hope it is not a microscope of the future. I am better today, but totally exhausted. I am staying in and resting until I get over what ever I have. I know WHEN you are on chemo they tell you the temp to watch for is 101 and to go in immediately if you have that high, but what after? I am 6 weeks out from my last chemo so does that still apply? If it takes 6 months for the chemo to rid your body of it then does that mean you still follow the old rules? I am hoping all of you had a good new years day and will have a good 2009. All of you that are in tx I pray it will be gentle on you and you will get through it soon.
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WOW! Everyone has had so much going on. Blue, I am so happy you got good news!! Cupcake and christy I hope you two feel better. I am about five weeks out from my last chemo and they told me I still need to call if I have any problems with fever or anything.
Lisa I did have some problems with dehydration when I was doing my tx's. I have to take potassium for a while because my levels were so low. I could tell something was wrong because my heart would skip around. The potassium fixed me right up. (You should never take potassium unless you are having your levels checked regularly) I am not sure if they are checking your levels but it might help.
Shelby have a great vacation. You more than earned it this year!!
Happy 2009 to all of you. May 2008 become a distant memory. God bless each of you...Traci
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Greetings, Campers, from snowy South Jordan Utah!
I'm up at 4 a.m. gazing out into the snow-covered parking lot at our hotel (won't get the rental house until tomorrow), unable to sleep well because I've been sitting on my butt in the car for 2 days. But I still feel like I'm sliding into vacation mode. Which is a good thing.
Blue, I'm so glad that your doctors have been able to offer you some relief from what I've seen Sue call "scanxiety". After having a recent spate of panic attacks over various scans and tests, I know how you were feeling, and it's not fun.
Lisa and Cupcake, I hope you're both on the road to feeling better. Cupcake, when you're only 6 weeks out from chemo, yes, I think the old rules still apply. But I might be wrong. I frequently am.
Well, Sue and Bethany, it is time for the Academy to caucus about the Camp Chemo awards. I move that we should call our award the "Mammy" for obvious reasons. Here are the few categories and some nominees I have come up with thusfar. I may have made passing references to some of these before. Drum roll, please.
The Golden Latrine Award: Cupcake
The Linda Blair Award (for the best reenactment of projectile vomiting scenes from "The Exorcist"): Blue
The Bela Lugosi Award (for the most other-people's-blood consumed during treatment): Carolyn (Gramma)
The Chocolate Bunny Award: Donalee
That's all I have for now. Probably more will come once I'm finally on a chair lift. There's this one tree under the Gadzoom chair on Snowbird that people traditionally festoon with bras. I have a couple to add this year, because they'll never fit me again after my surgery.
One more day before I hit the slopes. My husband and I will be doing the Costco run tomorrow for 28 people for a week. We've been the ones to do this several years in a row. We pay in cash, and when we line up with at least 2 huge flats, they probably think we're nutty survivalists or something! I'll keep you all posted. Just thinking about this is making me more tired. I think I'll try to get a little more sleep.
Shelby
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Wait a second, I want one of these awards. I am at least a runner-up in the using other people's blood award (two transfusions, 2 bags each time). Still anemic so may be able to improve my ranking.
How about an award for the most lbs. lost and then gained during treatment, the Weight Watchers Award (I am sure to win this one!)?
I can think of some others. What about the the rest of you?
Jo Anne
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