TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
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Omax--thanks for the journal article link on the big Herceptin study. Lady _Madonna, I'd like to know if Dr. Slamon thinks a study is coming along with a larger sample of TCH patients to compare to ACTH patients. It's clear H is good! Turns out I may be pretty allergic to Taxotere--hands very itchy--hives--had to go on steroids today. I don't want AC instead because I'm worried about heart side effects, so here's hoping! I find out Friday when I get my blood counts whether I will get Neulasta, and my drugs may have to change for my next infusion in 2 weeks. Hair is not thinning yet. Throat is red and dry. Biotene helps some. By the way, pejkug3, I had to have a MUGA scan before starting Herceptin. It made my nose run. Now I'm on Benedryl so that's not much of a problem. I've felt a few palpitations, but only fleetingly a couple times. The worst day was Day 4--gastrointestinal cramps/constipation for many hours. Day 5 was almost as bad in the afternoon, but not quite. Thankfully my gut has calmed down with Colace.0
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I get the echos every three months, but I'm on a cardiology study so insurance doesn't have to pay for all of them. Also did AC first, so that probably is another factor.
Lago, good luck on your job applications. Can I ask why you're not at your old job? I have to start thinking about going back, but am having some serious misgivings because of the amount of stress at my old job. Don't know what to do.
NancyJill, I was allergic to Taxol and had to switch to Taxotere, but had a much different allergic reaction. I got high fevers and pneumonitis, not hives. I had no problem with Taxotere though. I wonder if you could switch to Taxol instead of Taxotere and see if that gives you problems? I did AC as well, but can understand your reluctance. My path report is much different than yours which is why my onc wanted me to do both. Sounds like you are on top of your symptoms. Hope the rest of chemo goes well for you. Let us know if you have questions.
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Hi ladies, found out yesterday that I am her2 positive to go with all my other positives!! Had to wait for fish results. Starting chemo on the 19th. had the echo scan already but am waiting for the appt still for a port. was told it would probably be put in between the first and second treatment. Not sure I like having a treatment without one but I'll deal...
I'll try and catch up a bit on past posts,
Glad to find you guys
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dai123, does your onc have an assistant who helps with appointments. I go to a very busy teaching hospital and sometimes when I try to make an appointment, they can't give me one for quite a while. I call the onc's assistant, and she works her magic and I get an earlier appointment. I am sure you could deal with one tx without the port, but maybe you don't have to.
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kay1963 I was laid off from my job 5 months prior to diagnosis. I litterly came home from my biopsy (was told at biopsy that I did have cancer for the first time) and was called about setting up a telephone interview the next day. So on 3 hours of sleep I did the telephone interview but didn't get the job… which was a good thing because I would have been the only one doing the job. No way could I take time off to be treated in that position. I have been doing some free-lance but no full-time gig yet.
So now you know why I had so much time to post here. No kids, no job.
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Kay- the assistant was the one who told me yesturday that I might not get it inserted till after the first session. I'm still hopeful they will do it before. I'm also doing the AC/T.
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Good luck! Hope your side effects are few. Mine weren't too bad (other than the taxol allergy which is really rare). Just keep on top of everything and ask questions here and with your docs. Make sure to join the thread for those starting chemo in October. It helps a lot to have others going through it at the same time. It is hard to believe how you bond to people you've never met in person. I feel like I know the people from the March chemo thread as well as my real life friends.
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Kay is right. Us October chemo 2010 folks are all wishing each other happy chemoversary here and on facebook. OMG it seems like such a long time ago. Really it does get better.
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Hi All --it's been a while. Finished my year of Herceptin 2 weeks ago. Saw the radiation doctor this morning and have a "palpable abnormality" at the site of my lumpectomy. I am scheduled for an ultrasound - earliest they could get was next Thursday. Possibilities are hematoma not yet resolved, scar tissue, or tumor. Anyone know what the odds are of having a tumor reoccur at the same place so soon after finishing treatment?
If any cancellations happen, I'll have my ultrasound sooner...it's gonna be a long week. : (
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dia123: If you only get Herceptin the first infusion like I did, it's not that long a time, so don't freak if you don't have your port. That said, I'm glad mine was in for my first TCH combo because that was a long appointment and I was more mobile (restroom breaks). The port placement was a bigger deal than I realized-general anesthesia, 5 hours at the surgical center. Don't plan anything else that day! Kay 1963: I will have to switch to something: it may be Taxol, I don't know. My MO said that Taxol generally has more side effects than Taxotere, so I'm not sure what she will do. I get my bloodwork for Day 11 on Friday, then see MO on 10/25--2nd full chemo day--will see. I'm a little worried because I wanted to hit this cancer hard, and don't want to quit until I know I've done all I can.
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bbryant04: Oh, goodness, yes, this would be a difficult week for anybody! I bet it's just scar tissue!0
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bbryant - I hope it is nothing!0
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My port placement for me was local anesthesia and I was going home soon after I woke up and dressed. Had chemo the next day but my port surgeon actually tried to have me do it the same day… just no room open that day.
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I had the same experience with the port as Lago. They only do port placements one day a week. How weird is that? And that didn't coincide with the day I was getting chemo. But I just had twilight sleep. I went home very quickly after the procedure. Wasn't a surgeon that did it, but a radiation something specialist. All he did the whole day was put ports in. There were 6 other people there getting ports at the same time as me. Don't know how many he must have done in the whole day. Wasn't done in the hospital, was done in the cancer center, but they have an OR for it. I had no pain or anything after it.
bbryant: Any one would be scared, but I am sure the overwelming majority are scar tissue. Sending you positive vibes and hugs.
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I just got the call and I'll be getting my port this Friday. It's actually a relief and I'm not sure why!! I guess I'm just glad I'll get a chance to get use to it before chemo on wednesday.
It's too bad I didn't read your posts first to ask her some questions but she was just the booking lady. Just said no food or liquid after midnight.
Bbryant- waiting is the worst!! Hope you get a call this week0 -
lady Madonna Wow what an honor for you!! Can't wait to hear back from you to see what he has to say. I would ask the same question as Lago. What next? I just watched LIVING PROOF a couple of days ago for the first time. It being Pinktober, our cable company has a whole slew of programs (On-Demand) on breast cancer, including programs from our Breast Cancer.Org founder Marissa Weiss M.D. Very informative I must say, but alot of it I already knew from being on here.
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For port placement my surgeon suggested that I draw an area on my chest for placement that wasn't under my bra strap.
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omaz, that's genius. wish my dr. had suggested such a thing.0
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Hi Omaz - I tried the link for the trial results and it brought me to a log in page. I tried to create an account with no luck. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Pejjkug....I am with Arlene. Your onc should have done a baseline mugo or echo before you started, and then one every three months to monitor. I was talking to my onc last week about my results and he said he has had three women affected to the point that two of them had to quit for a short period of time and then restart, and one who took so long to return to normal that she couldnt take it again.
He is hoping that mine will stabilize now. It didn't drop during chem/herceptin, but my 6 month test showed a drop to the lower normal range. We have slowed down my herceptin infusion to 90 minutes which helped with side effects a lot last time.0 -
Just when I'm starting to feel better, my right shoulder has been progressively hurting more and more in the past week and then yesterday it became excruciating to the point that I couldn't sleep, can't move the arm without pain, etc. Went to the doctor this a.m. with so many fears in my head (worsening neuropathy, lymphedema, blood clot?) It really sucks where cancer will put your thoughts. Anyway, diagnosis is a likely torn rotator cuff and an MRI on Monday if it doesn't improve with anti-inflammatories over the weekend. No idea how I could have done this but it is on the surgery/radiation side. Anyone else had this happen during treatment or soon after?
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dragonfly1 that is crazy about your shoulder, seems to me that you would have known if you did something really strenuous enough to tear your rotator cuff? common in men who do a lot of heavy lifting , pulling or weight lifting. maybe the area was just weak from the surgery and rads and gave out easily? hmmmm sorry you have to be in pain. i just get so frustrated knowing that my body will never be the same or feel 100% after all this cancer stuff.
got my period today after being on tamoxifen for 4 months!!! AAAHHHH I am 53, my body needs to give it up already!!!
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Dragonfly, I am sorry to hear about your shoulder. I hope the anti-inflammatories work. It isn't far what happens to us even after we think we're beyond se's. Carberry, you're scaring me. It is the one side effect I have been happy about. No interest in having it back!
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Carberry getting your period again sucks too! Yes, it's weird that I managed to hurt my shoulder like this-doctor says the same thing about the area being weakened and said she has had people do damage like this gradually rather than from a sudden injury. I'm still hoping it will improve over the weekend which would support it being a severe tendonitis instead of a rotator cuff tear. I was in such pain that I cried when she told me what was wrong-I was so relieved that it wasn't any of the things I had worried about and she smiled and said, "I guess it's nice to have something "normal" to deal with for a change?" I do see everything from a different perspective these days...0
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I am 3 weeks PFC. Today I noticed oozing from under my index fingernail. I see from the threads that this is pretty common, but my question is, do I need to call my doctor, or should I not worry too much about it...
If its oozing, is it infected? Thanks.
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Wendyspet it's not that common but happens. Yes you should inform your doctor. It may be fine. This happened to many of my fingers and toes BUT you do want to be sure it isn't infected.0
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Wendy, watch for a fever. I had oozing from my toenail before it fell off... it didn't ever get infected, but it didn't smell very good. Keep it clean and covered, but allow it to breathe... I know easier said than done!!
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I only lost 2 toenails (not including the one my podiatrist removed) and none of my fingernails. Just because they ooze and smell doesn't mean you'll lose them.
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Thanks ladies--today it definitely looks like it is "lifting" and is more white at the end. That's the bad news.
The good news is that it seems like overnight I see peach fuzz on my head and some eyelashes growing back!
You guys are a wealth of information. It sure would be hard to do this alone.
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