TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
-
My MO told me not to bother with Zofran for the first 72 hours because it was effectively the same drug as the long-lasting one in my IV, so it wouldn't do anything until the IV drug had worn off. I wonder if that's why it didn't do anything for you, SpecialK.
0 -
From my tweetdeck search column for Her2. I'm not sure if this has been posted yet or not - but just in case it hasn't:
New Drug Target for Her-2 Related Breast Cancer (January 22, 2013)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130122143101.htm?utm_source=feedburner
0 -
bryona - Zofran didn't work after my BMX either. I am not sure I had a long-acting dose during pre-meds (I had Aloxi in my pre-meds) because the instructions from the onc nurses were to start Zofran at 9:00 p.m. on the day of chemo and to take it at twelve hour intervals for 72 hours whether I was experiencing nausea or not. I did not have the dry heaves until 36 hours after tx, but I only had them the one night. This happened the first two tx, then I wised up and switched to Compazine and it didn't happen again.
0 -
My post-chemo instructions are to take an anti-nausea med at 9:00 pm and to keep taking them every eight hours.
I think the med they put in the IV bag starts with the letter K but Aloxi sounds familiar as well.
0 -
I was given 2 drugs for nausea too. Never had to use them but if there was even a slight sign of nausea I would have started to use them right away. From what I've read it is best to catch it before it gets bad.
LeeA I've actually seen that cartoon before and downloaded it in my stash of fun images/animations.
0 -
LeeA - I am guessing Kytril
0 -
Yay, Cypher!
3angels, remember that little guys statement when you get down during tx. It's one of the special moments.
I had compazine and it worked. I didn't take it my 2tx, and piled. Not fun. Had to take it regularly for the next three days to catch up! Next tx, took it when I felt even a little queasy, and much better.
Bryona, thanks for the laughs! And I think we all feel good when we can answer questions! LOL0 -
THe steroids really wired me and gave me mini panic attacks. At some point I realized that I was due for my 3 pm panic attack and I just started to breathe through them.
LeeA, interesting article. Seems like they keep coming up with new stuff for us her2+ women.
0 -
Amazingly enough - I fell asleep on the sofa at around 9:30. I'm pretty surprised about that. I hope I can fall back to sleep in bed (where I'm at currently). I've taken a sleeping pill so hopefully it will help. And cypher - I agree, breathing is very helpful during those late night panic-type attacks. I had a mini-one of sorts last night while I was lying in bed trying to get to sleep. I suddenly starting thinking about the day we had the vet come to the house this past summer to put our dog to sleep. I've never had that kind of strange panicky feeling about it until last night but I think it was all wrapped up with anxiety over today's second TX. Fortunately, it passed with some mantra/prayer type thinking/breathing and I was able to get to sleep.
Yep, SpecialK - that's the one (I need to copy that so I'll remember it the next time I'm grasping around for the name - thanks for posting it!).
0 -
Good morning friends! Welcome to all the new girls who've hopped on board this train since I was last able to read through this forum. I'm hopelessly behind so I'll just say I hope all the anxieties, traumas and SE's you've faced in the interim were bearable and unwarranted.
Just wanted to make you aware of a very interesting NYTimes blogpost on the subject of an increase in double mastectomies . The title is "Facing Cancer, A Stark Choice " by Tara Parker-Pope. Sorry cannot lik on this friggin " device". The blog is interesting but the comments section has some of the most informed and unique dialogue on the subject.0 -
On the steroid highs and sleeplessness during those steroid days....I wish I knew what it was at the time. I didn't find this forum this I was halfway through chemo but if I had understood what was happening early on I would have cleaned all my closets, cabinets and pantries , washed the windows and hung new drapes while I had that energy because after treatments were over I said to myself ..I'm not spending the rest of my life cleaning house like I obsessed over for years.
0 -
cypher - YAY for being DONE and getting on with your life!
2littleangels - so glad you got some good news and all those tests came back negative! What a relief for you.
Lee - thanks for the link to the article. It's good to know they are making new findings to help fight this beast!
ashla - thanks for the info about the blogpost.
0 -
LeeA - hadn't seen that new research - always exciting to me to see new leads being developed on how to beat the beast back - thank you!!!
Now I will share an interesting commentary from an oncologist on the 10 year Tamoxifen study results. I read the article quickly (so read it yourself as I just kind of glossed over it), but the basic gist I got was he thinks those study results were overblown and most patients would be better off switching to an AI after 5 years on Tamoxifen (if they become postmenopausal). I recall vaguely a discussion here previously that switching to an AI after 2 or 3 years on Tamox is better than 5 years on Tamox - so perhaps this is just an extension of that viewpoint. Here's the article - you have to log in to read the whole thing.
ATLAS: Tamoxifen Far Inferior to AIs in Years 6 to 10Tamoxifen has no benefit until year 110 -
Cypher...did you just finish rads?
0 -
LeeA,
Kytril works really well ..that's what I was given after three months of nothing working plus scapolimine patch and decatron I was also loaded up with nausea meds prior to tx..only got quizzy not like before it was bad..sick all the time..good luck keep up with the meds if needed..0 -
Cypher!
Congrats on being DONE!! WOO HOO!!
You will feel better and stronger each day. Rads really put me in a funk, but two weeks out, I was back to my old self!
Ashla, are you enjoying the warmer weather?? We're FREEZING up here in Ohio. FREEZING...lol.
0 -
ashla - re the "Facing Cancer, a Stark Choice" blogpost, I especailly liked the comments and links posted by Beth from NYC. Hers were some of the most thought out and well written of all of them. I bookmarked the links for future reference.
0 -
Hi TonLee...
Did you find out what was causing your pain? That's when I last read thru the posts.
The weather is great. Unseasonally warm which really did take some getting used to especially after herceptin and AI's. Taking my walking a bit slower and joining a gym this week. Come on down! Seriously....
Don't want to complain because most of the ladies are still in the midst of treatment but the everyday annoyances of life.....phone, cable, plumbing have made the first two weeks here vry aggravating. Just to put it into perspective for you newbies ..last year this time I was halfway thru chemo ...bald, chubby, looking like Buddha with surgery, rads and 14 more Herceptins and in numerable worries and fears awaiting me.
This year I'm ready for a second hair cut of my chemo curls, a bit slimmer than I was pre DX , missing my full workouts , enjoying life again albeit in a different way and on the warpath against Comcast!
You will all get through this and you can take out all your anger and frustration against comcast like I have. That would make me very happy!
TonLee...try to read that Times blog...and BRen..Beth was great . The plastic surgeon whose forum on breast reonstruction I attended commented as well. That forum gave me so much to think about.0 -
Well, still have a headache but I did take the compazine last night for the nausea and it helped and put me to sleep til 4 am at least! I am off the decadron till next week again so maybe I can start sleeping again...suppose to go back to work on Monday for my week off from Tx, hoping it will help keep the chemo brain fog away at least a little and help keep my kids into a semi - normal routine....they keep wondering why I am home this week and want to stay home from school with me to make sure I am ok!
Planning on getting my long hair cut a little shorter today so it is not such a shock for my kids and the high schoolers' I teach when it does fall out - the nurses told me most likely after my next treatment which will be #2 - anyone think that is too soon? Just wondering....
Wishing everyone a good day!
0 -
I will look at the link Ashla.
I still have the lower back bone pain, but it is back to the "normal" pain. I had a "Severe" kidney infection.....who knew that could be so painful?
Not me!
Enjoy the weather!!
0 -
3littleangels, I had AC & shaved head between #1 & #2 - as horrific as it was, I know it would have been worse for me to see it fall out. I used both compazine &zofran at the same time, but after #3 needed emend - I wish they had given me that from the start.
Cypher - congrats on being done with chemo. Even tho you still have rads coming up, you can put the whole sucky chemo part of this behind you.
Dance - thanks for the article.
Ashla - thanks for link. Glad you've been enjoying g some warmer weather.
I apologize if asked & answered somewhere, but is there an "optimal" vitamin D level after BC? Mine just came back 81. My pcp said its good & I can probably cut back in supplements, and I don't see my MO for awhile. She's very non committal on that type of thing anyway - unless there's some large study proving something to the degree that it changes the standard if care, her reply to me on this kind of question is always eat healthy, exercise, don't drink, and take a multi, calcium & D3. Would love to hear if anyone has been told a specific level of D to shoot for and maintain. Thanks!0 -
ashla - the comments on the article were truly eye opening! Some impressively sexist, mysogynistic, judgemental, uninformed responders were on that article (esp dr bob solomon - what an arrogant person!), and some very measured and intelligent responses from women who had "walked in the shoes".
I especially loved the comment pointing out that telling a woman who has already got breast cancer on one side that she "only" has a 5% chance of getting contralateral breast cancer is a pretty scary statistic when there was only 1-3% chance she would get it in the first instance...
Jenn0 -
Ashla, yes, I DID just finish rads! I am so happy today to just NOT have to deal with that!
TonLee, interesting – rads put me in a horrible funk the whole time. It lifted quite soon after I was done with the full-breast rads and onto the boosts. My medical team had this look like they didn’t quite believe me but were pretending to anyway. Rarely have I had such an obvious SE though.
Shore, I finished chemo in November. I just finished rads. So I’m DONE done. It is a happier done than the chemo done because then I just had a break before radiation, which was honestly quite awful for me. (See comment to TonLee re moods.) I still have herceptin and tamox, but that’s no big deal. Presumably. I don’t start tamox for another week but hopefully I won’t have any major problems with it.
LeeA, actually, the steroid-induced panic attacks were at 3 in the afternoon! I managed to sleep through steroids at night, with appropriate pharmaceutical interventions. I DID tend to get quite a lot done the day before chemo though.
0 -
Cypher...yippee! I hated every minute of rads. It was by far the most difficult stretch for me. I too was in an exhausted " funk" as you call it.
Tonlee... the " normal" pain. Think only one of us Her 2 alumni can understand that kindof statement without further explanation.
Debated whether to share this but wth....Met a British recent BC friend. After her ordeal...lumpectomy, 20 rads and tamoxifen plus the enormous psychological trauma.. She left her husband, 4 mostly grown kids and grandchildren and reunited with her first love here in he USA. She said her husband was a wonderful man but was incapable of helping her deal with cancer. Made her reassess her whole life.
Before anyone gets any ideas, she is very torn and uncertain right now.0 -
Her2 is mentioned in this article - also a new oncotype-like test that's much less expensive (although I know that those of us who are Her2 positive rarely get oncotype tests):
In 2013, what breakthroughs can we expect in breast cancer treatments?
0 -
Cypher YYYaaaaYYYY for u. u'r done.
Bryona a Gold Star for u--Good explanation--I had no idea
3little angels--that was the cutest thing u'r little one said. How sweet.I certainly hope u get thru this as simply as possible.
I'm still seeing my Onc every 3 months and a couple of other Drs. too and I'm really getting tired of this Dr. thing LOL
I never took any pills at all during my chemo--I think everything was in the IV and it was fine for me.
0 -
Ok, just gotta vent. 7 months PFC, 5 Post Herceptin, and I am in the infusion room, getting magnesium iv. WTF? Of course my MO tried weaning me from my supplements..... Was down to none. Got a bit low. So went back to 2 a day. Came in two weeks later, and am still low. So getting magnesium today. Hoo boy. weird feeling........
0 -
Aww Moon! Do they hAve any idea why yr mg levels are so low?
0 -
No, and I even ate my four bean casserole, garaunteed to bring up any magnesium level. Now I will be back on four tablets a day. Whee!!!! Are we having fun yet?
0 -
Yeah --- Cypher Congratulations
Sorry to here that moon.
0
