TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

My Herceptin infusion takes 90 minutes. Do they do scans of any kind after you finish the chemo part of treatment? My Onco hasn't mentioned any, just the echo for the heart because of Herceptin. Should I be asking him if he is going to do any?

Shelly....good luck tomorrow!

Ang7894, Here is a link to what drugs mix well/don't mix well with Tamoxifen:

http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/tamoxifen-index.html?filter=3&generic_only=

Karenrm and Shasha10, glad to read that the first and upcoming fifth sessions of chemo went will/are bringing you near the finish line!! 

LizA17, welcome to the board.

My cancer treatment plan was as follows: lumpectomy; six rounds of chemo, the first three being the FEC combination (no Herceptin as it can't be administered with this chemo combination due to increased risk of heart damage); final three chemo sessions were Taxotere and Herceptin. The first Herceptin session they administered it over a 90-minute period, waited 30 minutes to ensure I had no reaction, then they gave me the Taxotere.  I am having Session #12 re: Herceptin on May 17 and will receive a total of 17; radiation was five weeks after chemo, and lasted for one month, the final week being described as a "boost" week; began taking Tamoxifen on  Valentine's Day 2013. 

Imho a fascinating article on breast cancer and BRCA gene..

http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/05/14/tracing-breast-cancers-history/#.UZOJtCuxh1U.twitter

flaviarose the answer is yes. Rare but it happens.  Again TonLee, a woman in excellent shape and under 50 had/has issues. Most of the time it resolves but they will either stop your treatments for a while or stop them entirely if your ejection fraction thingy goes down. You should be monitored and have some kind of MUGA to see if you are healthy enough to even start it. Most people get MUGAS every 3 months or at least after they are done. I only got the initial one.

Does anyone know which drugs, (herbals, vitamins) don't mix well with herceptin?

Gratitude, thanks for the link.  Interesting that I regularly take one of the drugs that is on the “moderate” problem list … so far, haven’t finished going through hthe list.  Glad to know that no one is paying attention, helloooo!!!  I shouldn’t need to figure this stuff out myself!

Special K, I love your new picture!  You look so pretty and healthy!!

Dana, I did TCH for one round, but it didn't agree with me.  I ended up hospitalized for 5 days due to low white cell count, but don't take me as an example.  I wasn't aggressive enough to get help early on.  And I didn't stay ahead of the nausea.  I felt so good on the day after, and I was so insomniac from the oral steriods, I just sat up and watched TV until 3:30 in the morning.  I never took the anti-emetic and now looking back I know that was stupid.  I thought I'd wait until I felt sick, totally thinking I wouldn't.  After that, I couldn't keep the pills down because I puked them up.  So Special K is so right--stay ahead of it, and also ask how many you can take in one day.  My NP told me later I should have been taking a few at a time that first day I felt sick.

I ended up on weekly Taxol with Herceptin and did ok.  I got pretty anemic and a lot of neuropathy.  But I got through it and they watch you like a hawk during all the treatments.  I even go a unit of pack red blood cells around week 8 which made me feel like Superwoman!

Don't worry about having someone there with you.  The Benadryl makes you sleepy.  I watched Fraiser on streaming Netflix on my iPad and snoozed.  I actually looked forward to the chemo treatment.  The nurses were wonderful.  I can't say enough about them!  And I had a reaction to the Taxol around the 4th treatment, big time.  I was suddenly flushed, short of breath and dizzy.  I pulled th cord and told the nurse I didn't feel right.  Two seconds later they were all in there, and it is a drill they practice.  I was just fine.

I went alone for most of it, but some of my buddies shared their lunch hour with me and brought me junk food )McDonalds tasted great, as always).  I was so touched that they came by, but by the time the Benadryl hit, I was in my own little world.

So chemo is not bad.  It is cumulative, so over time you will feel a little more crappy each week.  But the anti-emetic drugs are so amazing and work so well.  Take them all the time, even if you feel you don't need them.  I also took prilosec all the time even though I didn't think I needed it.  

It will go by fast, so take very good care of yourself, sleep, eat what tastes good.  And I have to say this was the only time I was told not to lose weight.  I got "yelled" at by my NP for a 5 lb weight loss.  She told me to eat more ice cream!  Now seriously, when do you hear that as a grow woman in a Western society?  :-)

Tonlee...I googled what type of reconstruction she had. Here is a link. She mentioned in one article that her small scars don't scare the kids.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2324948/Angelina-Jolies-surgeon-reveals-step-treatment-reconstruction-pills-helped-recover.html



Chicka...my husband went to my first infusion to make sure all went well. It was just fine, so from then on, I went by myself. I liked it. Gave me time to read and research or just watch tv. I didn't want to have to entertain guests, even though everyone would have been so well meaning.



I had decadron and aloxi and I think, emend, given via IV immediately before each weepy infusion of taxol, for twelve weeks. Then, it was just herceptin, which I had to have the infusion time lengthened to 90 minutes as I was feeling worse with 30 minutes than I did with the chemo combo. The first time I had Benadryl, then they cut that in half the next time, then nothing. I didn't notice a difference.



I received his in my inbox today, concerning the pik3ca and herceptin. Not sure exactly what it all entails, but I am going to go back and look at my pathology report. http://www.cancernetwork.com/her2-positive-breast-cancer/content/article/10165/2141059



Pbrain, I think when you feel comfortable, go for it. I would go wigless around the house and in my fenced in back yard, but other than that, I wore my wig until my hair was long enough to have a Little style and it was colored. It was around 2-3 inches for me. I never liked the black, gray and white mixture on me. Made my skin look all washed out.

Waitingforthenextstep The only thing I seem to read about was no grapefruit but I think it's best to ask your onc before relaying on us or some online source. They should have the most updated info. Just bring in the stuff you find online and ask.

Pbrain my hair grows fast. I went topless at 13 weeks 4.192011, had my hair professionally colored the day after I went topless: linky  

Hi Tonlee

Hi AA...yes I have dense breasts and they said they would be watching that too!...kinda feel like a test subject  haha

Anyone receive radiation face down on the table instead of face up?

pbrain - thanks for my picture compliment!  I figured it was about time to put up a post-BC pic!

fluff - here is a link that outlines some more info on Angelina Jolie from the breast center where she had her surgery.  It outlines her procedures and also has med and supplement info.

http://www.pinklotusbreastcenter.com/breast-cancer-101/2013/05/a-patients-journey-angelina-jolie/