ER-, PR-, Her2+ Roll call
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southhamptonmom-
feel free to PM me. I had the same treatment plan plus radiation. I had finished chemo in mid May, had my BMX Jun2 and am no healing. I will start radiation in July I expect. I am sorry you have had to join us.
I hope you find some relief of the cancer being inside of you by your next treatment. The chemo you are on is very good as killing the cancer. By my first check up my tumor was much smaller and so was my lymph node. Before I finished my AC, I couldn't feel my original lump. I hope you have a similar response and that you feel better about everything very soon.
Please ask your doctors about more nausea medicine. I stayed quiet figuring that we were supposed to feel sick until after my second treatment. I said something and they tweaked my meds and I got rid of that feeling. Unfortunately, the fatigue is just part of the deal. Also, I had lots of bone pain after my neullasta injection. It was the worst part of my treatment. You should be ready for that and I would recommend asking your doctor about ways to prevent that. I hear claritin works really well. also, I think that the sinus burning/head ache can be prevented by slowing down the cytoxin infusion rate. I would ask about that as well.
Don't be afraid to ask questions and to mention anything to your doctor no matter how trivial it seems. It all matters.
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I am day 3 and nauseated all day despite zofran, compazine, and ativan. I am drinking lots of water, but still sick. Any more suggestions???
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Southamptonmom -- are you on Emend. I had no nausea but I was prescribed Emend. I also had steroids (which helps the Emend fight the nausea) and neulasta (to boost white blood count).
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Southhampton...i had the same tx,DD A/C x4 then DD T/H.Then Herceptin for a year.I also was given Emend,and decadron,starting the night before chemo.I have to say I was hardly ever nauseous.Neulasta gave me back pain,2 days after shot.I got through it great.
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Yes I had the same exactly as Anna... same treatment and same ancillary drugs (Emend, Decadron -- ty I could not remember the name of this steroid -- as well as neulasta for the white blood counts). I took Emend and Decadron for 2 or 3 days (sorry I don't recall now) starting the day of the chemo and was never nauseated. I did the same chemo treatment as well. My only real side effects -- other than losing hair after first AC was foot pain during Taxol which, thankfully, went away several weeks after finishing chemo (it was a mild case of neuropathy but it really hurt).
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South--if you haven't taken Emend, definitely request it next time you get chemo. It worked wonders for me. For now, try saltime crackers and ginger-ale. Try not to let yourself get hungry. I loved those little oyster crackers. I had my husband bring me applesause in bed in the morning so I could get some food in me before I took my zofran. Also, if you have steroid pills, call your onc and ask if you can take a few extra. Mine told me I could if I had a lot of nausea (this was before I started Emend), but I should only take them in the morning so they wouldn't keep me awake all night.
And, if all else fails, call your onc. If you are vomiting, then you should go in and get some fluids. Hopefully the worst will soon be over.
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I did take emend, and they gave me something IV with decadron during treatment, but still nauseous. I slept the entire day away, and still feel horrible. Going to call today.
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southhamptonmom- sorry to hear that you are still feeling unwell. I found I had 1 really bad cycle and the rest were tolerable. I hope you find the right course of meds to make this process feel tolerable. I found that taking ativan every 4 hours was my savior. It was the thing that kept me from feeling sick. It might be that it also made me sleep but I will take that over nausea any day. I truely hope they find an answer for you.
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I don't know what I would do without you brave ladies!
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Dear all yesterday was my mom's last session of radiation. Yahoooo. She is so happy and releaved. She suffers less from radiation and there is no sign of burning in the place.There was no vertigo. Hope all the newbies experience the same.
By the way after her visit with the doctor there is no pain in her waist and it is surprising. I think all of it came from her fear from recurrence. We are thankful to God.
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today is my 1 year cancerversary!
One year ago today I was having my bmx with immediate reconstruction, and ooph. Path report showed no sign of cancer left (chemo first girl).
Of course 12/15/11 will be an even bigger anniversary as that is 1 year post Herceptin!!
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I am also a part of this lovely group. In January 2009, just before my 52nd birthday, I found my lump. I had a lumpectomy, followed by 5-days high density radiation--I was declined for Mammosite because the surgical site was too close to my chest wall. Then, I followed the normal course of TCH. I finished chemo in June 2009 and Herceptin March 2010.
I am two years post-chemo. I remain NED, but my immune system has never fully rebounded, which is annoying. If anyone knows how to strengthen your immune system and bring up red and white blood counts, please let me know.
Battling a compromised immune system is a real pain, but I carry on by making the most of my good days and my not-so-good days.
Congratulations and prayers of health to us all.
Cheers!
Cloud
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Cloud -- Not sure how to strengthen white blood count (other than something like Neulasta) -- what does your doctor recommend?
I had low red blood count after my last surgery (in May 2010) and what helped me to raise it was to take Iron and to eat a lot of red meat and dark, green leafy veggies (like Spinach).
StL -- wahooo!!!!!!!!
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Southhampton Mom - I also had 4 AC. The only drug that stopped my nausea and vomiting was Kytril (granisetron). It is outrageously expensive ($100/ pill 4 years ago).
CaliforniaCloud- I finished chemo in Feb 2007 and herceptin in Feb 2008. It was almost two years after finishing the herceptin that my WBC became low normal. However, there are still periods that my WBC drops down below normal.
I have done research and talked to my oncologist. What I have learned is that because of the chemo. the WBC will always be at the low normal end and will drop down below normal at times. This will never change.
Because of this, my primary care MD considers me immunocompromised and has told me if I ever to develop a fever about 100 F, I am to call him immediately. He will call in an antibiotic prescription for me and see me asap.
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Southhampton Mom
I, too, like Sassa had Kytril as well. It was the only thing that really did the trick for me. I had FAC and had terrible nausea through most of those treatments. I first did the kytril pills, and yes they cost a mint, my insurance company gave me major grief but finally got more than 4 pills approved. On my last treatment, the hospital had a kytril patch that I wore for about 7 days, and this too seemed to really help the most. The patch is quite expensive too and my insurance company would not pay for it but luckily the onc's office had a sample and they gave that to me. So should you run into some problems with insurance, ask your doctor if he has any sample patches. Best of Luck, you will get through it day by day.
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My WBC's pretty much zeroed out with every tx. I asked my onc if there was anything to be done and she said not really. Try to eat healthy and balanced, avoid raw foods though because you are definitely at risk for infection. I had to have Neupogen shots for 10 days following tx - the Neulasta did not work for me.
Stlcardsfan - YAY for you...congrats
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South-- I just remembered my onc also suggested I try one of those patches that go behind the ear for nausea. I never did try it because that was when he started me on Emend, and that did the trick for me. It might be worth a try...hope you find relief soon from the nausea!
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bump
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CaliforniaCloud,
I'm halfway thru my Herceptin and my onc said there is nothing you can do to promote wbc. My research found the same as Sassa eat protein & iron rich foods to raise your rbc.
South_ I took Emend for each of my A/C treatments and never had any nausea. I also ate a little evry 2 hours to keep something in my stomach.
Sassa- two years and your wbc is low??? Oh no, I was hoping that mine would get in the normal range asap after chemo. Guess I was too optimistic. 6 weeks ago I was a a tenth of a point below normal. Then it dropped to 3.8. Guess I have to be patient and hope for the best.
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ScrabbleLady - My WBC's hover between 1 and 3, my last chemo was Feb 2 but my onc felt that it would be a year at least before they really started to stabilize.0
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For those with low wbc some time after finishing chemo... did you have neulasta when you were going through chemo? I did and my wbc came back to normal soon after finishing chemo (as far as I know/remember).
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I had only 2 Neulasta shots, after my third & fourth A/C treatments. I had noting during the 12 weekly taxol /herceptin as my wbc hovered in the 3-3.5 range. I guess I just have to be patient ( not my best characteristic!).
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I had Neupogen shots all through chemo up until the last one - went into emerg with a high fever and believe it or not....my WBC's were way too high, which is what gave me the fever....my body thought I was fighting off an infection. At that point my onc told me to stop the injections right away - think I had 3 or 4 left out of the 10.
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Emend did not help me, I tried that after Compazine.... my magic combo for nausea was Zyprexa and Ativan....end of nausea.
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During my 8 cycles of epirubicin + cytoxan I had disabling nausea- finally by about the fifth or 6 th treatment after trying everything else ( and I do mean everything) with no success I tried compazine suppositories and it really helped-
after that Herceptin every 3 weeks was a piece of cake!0 -
Ok so this is me after my nurse & MO asked me about my joint pain, then proceeded (yet again) to tell me that they were sure I didn't have it.....or, perhaps it's my age (!!!), yeah, the ripe old 48 that I am.
I admit I may have exaggerated the hair a bit....
I am not impressed.
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Marjie -- my onc said joint pain can develop from chemo but that it also can go away. I had joint pain the whole year I had Herceptin but within a few months of completion it all was gone but for an arthritic knee (which started when I took a fall last summer)... the pain there is not too bad, though, and with glucosamine-chondroitin is almost completely gone. Cute picture!
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Hi,
Add me to the list, finished treatment Apr/08.
My Oncologist says that since I am almost 5 years from diagnosis, no chance it will return. Odd that she would say that, but of course, I hope she is right.
Sending all of you hugs and prayers.
Shelley
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Oh Shelley - that is truly fantastic!! I'm so happy for you and a little jealous too, gotta admit it!
I have decided I'm just not going to discuss my SE's anymore with my doctors. Definitely a sore spot with me!! When they say "How are you" I am going to smile with aaaall my teeth and say "Why, just find thank you!!"
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On the topic of low wbc, I had Neupogen throughout my chemo; five shots each treatment. I was off and on during Herceptin only, but it never postponed my Herceptin treatment. I had to take a round of injections months after I finished my Herceptin. Thankfully that only happened once. I waited a full year--just in case--and then donated the left over Neupogen to the cancer center one-year post-Herceptin.
Last week my oncologist and I discussed my immune system; he decided to take a blood test that would indicate whether the low wbc is a risk for infection or my "new normal." I should have the test results tomorrow. As long as the test results provide a definitive answer, I will be okay either way.
Heceptin Aches and Pains- I guess I gradually developed achy back, hips and knee joints because it really didn't occur to me that it was due to the Herceptin. Needless to say, I was amazed when one day I squatted down to tidy up my dog's kennel and realized I was pain free. I am sorry that I don't remember how time had passed, but the pain was gone and has never returned.
Marjie - I know how you feel about being blown-off when you mention side effects; however, I keep at it because I remain optimistic that one day they will piece it all together. I asked my oncologist about various vaccinations and he recommended all of them. I pushed again about my low wbc and my current lung infection (rare only because it isn't a bacteria that generally results in an infection). I think I make him crazy, but in the end he suggested the tests that would show just what my low counts mean.
Here's hoping are all feeling great for the 4th of July holiday.
Cheers,
Cloud
edited fror spelling
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