TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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My port is on the left side and seems to be the same. It is under my collar bone, and the catheter goes over my collar bone and I assume into the jugular vein. It was not put in by a surgeon at all, but by an interventional radiologist. It was done in an operating room in the cancer center which is detached from the hospital. I am not sure what the guy does besides installing ports, but on the day he installs ports that is all he did. In the short time I was there, there were about 8 ohers getting ports installed. I think there were three OR's. One had the patient he was working on, one had the next patient to be worked on and one had the patient he just finished. It was just like an assembly line, completely blows my mind. I don't think he ever sat down. He would go in the pre/post op room, talk to you and get the consent signed, then to the OR. There were at least ten nurses working there, but just the one radiologist doing the port placements. Talk about specializing!
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I didn't realize they ever put the catheter in the jugular. My surgeon put mine went into the main vein in the heart. Both methods sound awful but way better than using the veins all the time.
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Yes, the vascular surgeon who put my port in described how it was a catheter into the jugular vein. It was making me a bit uncomfortable how he was describing it. It was one of those things that I could've been a happy person not knowing!
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TonLee - How are you feeling?0
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Dragonfly, Yes it starts in my chest goes over my collar bone and connects about halfway up my neck on the left side. I can actually see and feel it just under the skin. Creeps me out a little. My neck is still very sore and I feel like I have a sore throat on that side as well. I'm hoping I'll get to the point where I won't notice it anymore since I'll be keeping it for a year. I didn't know they were ever done that way. Just one of the many things I've learned on this journey.
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Greetings from the Drake Hotel in Chicago where I am on a girls weekend power shopping trip. We are having a ball!
Regarding the dentist....the gas does not work on me. I am so tense when I get there, I just sit and grip the chair all white-knuckled. The one ti e he tried gas, he had it cranked to max and I felt nothing. After I left I had a massive headache. Hence the valium.
I dont know what it is about stitches that makes me paranoid, but they always hurt.
Nora-i hope you start feeling better.
The port thing creeps me out. I try not to think about it.0 -
Question for any. I am almost one year from last Herceptin. I still have in my port.onx precautions. Ugh. To schedule it to come out my onc wants a clear pet first. My question is. Will a pet scan take care of all areas or is a bone .mri needed as well. It seems now all little pains are somehow strewn to be recurrence does a pet scan take care of the bones. With this lower right back and leg pain every night i just want to make sure nothin is in the bones and i just overdid it for the day or as one told me it was my syattica nerve (spelling). Any thoughts anyone.
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Fluffqueen you are in Chicago at the Drake! You do know I live 2 miles away just north! I was actually up the street eating dinner at Bandera with 2 other survivors (also on this forum) Friday night.
Next time you're in town you must tell me even if its just to say hi and do a quick boobie flash.
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mommy4: Lots of knowledgeable ladies here who will probably respond to your question. My understanding is that the PET scans the entire body including the bones. My insurance wouldn't cover one but they covered CT scans of the body.
I think the pains in our body are so many times that our minds are working overtime.
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Arlene, I think you are so right in your response to Mommy4. Just today I noticed my lower lip and left side of my face is a bit numb. I remember getting this feeling before surgery because I was so stressed out. I have been stressed lately and I think it tends to make our minds work overtime. It's not like before diagnosis where we'd shrug things off.
Hang in there Mommy4! I hope it's as Arlene says, I'm sure it is xxx
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Lago, I was thinking you were there. I should have pm'd you. It was a shopping weekend for my friend and I so we didnt do anything major. Thought about second city on friday but the Christmas show wasnt playing that night. I will for sure next time.
Here is my question.....after dinner at Ditkas last night watching the first half of the big ten championships, we stopped to listen to the group playing in the Palm court. Lots of couples dancing....ballroomy stuff. We were makinf up stories about the various couples and laughing ourselves silly when it suddenly became evident that very few couplesmwerewearing wedding rings, and in many cases there was a big disparity in ages. Hmmmmm......suspicious. That only fueled the fire for our stories.0 -
Was Cain there??? LOL Sorry I couldnt resist!
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Thanks for asking Omaz. I'm feeling better....if I had to guess I'd bet my ejection fraction is up a point or two...though my thighs still keep an thumb indent..lol.
I find out next week (thought it was this week but its next) if I finish Herceptin...MUGA and bone density scan tomorrow.
Tuesday I am going for a very small fill. I'm a little concerned about doing it and stretching radiated skin, but guess I'll see how it goes...
Cardiologist said there is nothing they can do for me. Herceptin damage either heals itself, or it doesn't. But I won't have a heart attack from it.
So he says.....lol
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I'm glad you're feeling better, TonLee. I didnt read ahead to see, but did you have anything pre-existing to make them think Herceptin may do harm? I know whenever I did my scans I was always on pins and needles worried about what they would say.
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TonLee - Glad you are feeling better and the heart function feels better. It's probably a slow recovery thing.0
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I can walk to Second City in 15 minutes. I actually used to work there are a graphic designer.
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My port is on the left side of my chest and goes into the subclavian vein and into the superior vena cava from there. I had no cancer on that side, so maybe that makes a difference in placement. No reconstruction in the way? Question--how long does it take after chemo ends for intestinal discomfort to end and digestion to return to normal? Any idea?
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NancyJill
Tough answer. I have a feeling it's not just the chemo that affects the intestinal discomfort. My guts really make a lot of noise and I have a lot of diarrhea still 9 months after TC. Herceptin was finished just a couple of weeks ago. I think herceptin caused me a lot of the diarrhea as well. As far as the major discomfort. That took a good 4 weeks for me.
Good Luck!
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NancyJill to be honest I dont' remember. My constipation resolved after every chemo by day 6. I've always had IBS. The heart burn took a while but I was also weaned off the protonix/Nexium. You must be weaned of these or you could end up with even worst heartburn.0
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TonLee: Didn't realize you were having problems with the Herceptin. My body isn't liking it too much either and still lots of palps. I have my MUGA tomorrow and hoping no additional reduction in EF. I was told that the side effects are totally reversible....I've been reading that 6 months is now as effective as a year but I don't think that protocol is accepted yet but I'm happy to know that I've passed the half way point with the Herceptin.
Take care!
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nora - I have the Big D with Herceptin also, but found it to be lessening the farther I get from chemo.
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Arlene - Is the 6 month herceptin data out ? I haven't seen it yet but have read that there are trials underway.0
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Omaz: I don't think it is out yet...I just read it in an article somewhere and can't find it now. I need to address this directly with my onc this week.
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I had big issues after mastectomy with constipation from anesthetic. It was serious. I finally got it resolved,but then started chemo/herceptin and i was either way one way or another. Never normal no matter what we tried. I thought I was having issues withhemorhoids so was treating with a prescription and otc stuff. Finally went to colo/rectal specialist about 6 weeks ago wo told me my problem is fissures. Now i am on a big ritual of fiber, water and specially compounded steroid and another steriod cream. I thought i was all better and then the last herceptin sent it off again.
She said she can botox there to help relax muscles and allow all to heal. I have had botox in my forehead a couple of times. Hurts like hell! I cant imagine how bad it would be on the other end.0 -
I always had some issue with constipation from anesthetic but I was ready for it. I found constipation from chemo much worse. Never had the problem with Herceptin.
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Arlene: TonLee started a thread called "Herceptin Heart Attack" where several of us have discussed our heart issues on Herceptin. Don't think I've seen you on that thread so come join us.
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Nora,
No I didn't have any pre-existing heart conditions. The Onc (and the literature I've read) said that is a common misunderstanding. Women with pre-existing heart conditions aren't any more likely to have cardiotoxicity than women without. Anecdotally, I am proof of that...as well as my chemo buddie who has had two heart attacks and open heart surgeries and no issues on Herceptin. ~sigh~
It's a crap shoot. My Cardiologist said keeping my heart trained really worked out well for me. He said an unfit heart that suffers cardiotoxicity has much more severe symptoms and takes longer to reverse (and no, not all Herceptin damage is always reversed....he said about 25% of women never get it back, thus the studies to determine if 6 months is as good as 12).
On the other hand....I've been reading studies from Wright State University and OSU here in Ohio which suggest exercise (or any psychological stress) up to 48 hours before chemo or radiation can damage its efficacy. IF that's true....I'm dead meat. lol
Lots more data disputing this finding, but I find it very interesting and will be watching it closely. Here is a quick link to read up..
http://smokinchoices.wordpress.com/category/osu-researchers/
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TonLee: I hope that study is not correct or a lot of us are toast.
Had my MUGA this morning and they wouldn't use my port...said they typically don't get a good reading using the port....my last 3 were done through the port but I didn't argue and let them use my arm.
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Arlene I had to fight to get my liver scan IV in my foot. My port isn't a powerport so that wasn't an option. I think the tech knew I was going to walk out if they refused. I have LE in one arm and the other has had cording in the past as well as some heaviness. I don't want to take chances on my right arm.
Most of the time they do what's easiest and fastest for them.
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Last Herceptin today! Done, done done!!!!
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