TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

I have also had pain in the area of my tumor and am glad to learn that it is a sign of the chemo working.  Nothing unbearable, just an awareness of a feeling of discomfort in my armpit where my tumor is located.

Ahh Shasha, I'm hoping this is temporary.  In essence, systolic dysfunction means the ventricle of the heart (usually the left one that pumps the blood out to the body) is not very strong, so the push isn't very powerful.  Diastolic dysfunction means that the ventricle (usually left again, the left side of the heart does a lot of work) isn't able to expand very well to fill with blood before it pumps.

Diastolic dysfunction is definitely more common in women than men, and you usually have to be pretty old to have it, so I'm betting your cardiac function will come back after some time off from Herceptin.  And yeap, any kind of left ventricular problem will cause you to retain fluids.  The kidneys do that to keep the blood pressure up.  They are always chatting with the heart.

Get lots of rest and drink lots of fluid.  How many more chemos to go?

Oh, and I'm still up and kicking it live here on Eastern Daylight Time.  My breast hurts so much from that mammo and I don't think I should take anything because of my GERD.

Yeap, chemo the joys and the fun.  I swear I was A-OK until that crap.

I'm sure some of you are familiar with frankh.  He is Her2 positive and posts on the Catholics forum.  He has good news to share about the clinical trial he's been involved in over in Belfast, Ireland.  

In case anyone is interested, here's a link to his post: 

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/38/topic/738190?page=310#post_3567196

lago, I don't think he's ever given the name of the drug but here are a few links to his posts regarding the trial.  He's the only representative from Ireland. 

This is from one of his posts: 

This will be of interest to those of you who are Her2+. This drug is apparently more potent than Herceptin and suppresses not only Her2+ but also another epidermal growth factor.  http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/38/topic/738190?page=307#post_3483988

Three more links wherein he mentions the trial: 

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/38/topic/738190?page=305#post_3416059

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/38/topic/738190?page=308#post_3487214

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/38/topic/738190?page=305#post_3434957

I know it is Genentech's, but I'm not sure it has a name yet.  The project teams keep that kind of stuff quiet while they research and make sure it isn't someone's surname :-)

So I was attempting to garden today.  I'm still moving pretty slow but I'm at least trying...I always do a lot of thinking when gardening and I was pondering away when something hit me--the left breast, where my cancer was, was an area that I continously was getting called back for re-imaging over the years.  I don't know why I didn't remember that, maybe the diagnosis chased it right out of my mind...  Almost every mammo I've had here in Indy (10 years) were followed with a request for me to return.

I don't know why, but for some reason I find this comforting, like maybe this thing didn't just pop up over a weekend of too much junk food.    It is amazing how we block things out until we are ready to remember them again.  This kind of restores my faith in mammograms, not much, but a bit.

And another issue--I feel ugly and slow.  I have no strength.  My head is huge, still semi-bald.  My face is red and breaking out.  I'm at my highest weight ever!  I just feel old...crusty, fat, bald, red...like I was beaten with the ugly stick.

Hi my friends...quick post....just shoot me now...chemo sucks...day 5 after...cant stop POOPING, have mouth sores and fever bordering at 100 ugh ugh ugh..just got rid of the bone pain and now this crap....literally



.....just wanted to check in so you didnt think I totally disappeared

Miss Lago....2x imodium every 4 hrs per doc now...still not working...I did the ice thing for everything during the T....ugh

Hi Dana, I had the same issue with Taxotere (1 dose) and later with Taxol (12 doses).  I shipped my pants many, many times, and was wearing Depends Silouttes to work.  They are great because they don't crinkle.  But it was very humbling, and I actually ended up missing some fun things at Christmas because I wasn't confident about being too far away from a bathroom.

My MO gave me a prescription for Lomotil (which is the original and stronger version of immodium) but it didn't make a difference.  It might for you though, and it is generic now, so not expensive.  My NP told me I can take up to 8 immodium a day, so I did that a few times, but then you end up with the other problem.

My advice is to keep the anal area very clean--use Preparation H or Tucks wipes.  I ended up with hemorrhoids that I'm still dealing with and I think it is because what we are eliminating is pretty bad, and maybe a bit away from our normal pH?  Also, drink lots of water.  I didn't start back on fiber tablets until I was done with chemo.  I just drank water and never wandered too far from a bathroom.  I actually found myself shopping at smaller stores (square footage-wise) because I just didn't want to be running down aisles.

I never got mouth sores, but I did exactly what Lago said.  When they started the taxol drip, I asked for a big cup of ice.  It worked for me   Keep hanging in there and keep us posted.  Get lots of sleep.

ChickaD - hang in there! I rinsed with baking soda after my first round and it really helped. I've had taste problems but no sores the rest of the rounds (finished last week!) so there's hope!

Thanks for info ladies.....anthing better for diahhrea than the Imodium?



And OMG.......does same thing happen EVERY time?

Chick, call your MO and ask for Lomotil.  It is the prescription form of immodium and it miight work better for you.  And have you tried Pepto Bismol?  It isn't the holy grail like immodium, but it is soothing.  

And I promise you, this will go away.  I donated my unused adult diapers to the Goodwill

ChickaD try theLimotril it might help better than Immodian well I'm still on it so I take it everyday but ir's unusual to stay on it--so don't worry u just have to be near a bathroom for a period of time. I take 2 tabs 4x a day--sometimes more it depends so u can try that. So far that's u'r best bet call u;r Onc right away.

chickaD also be sure not to eat stuff that will make you go. No dried fruit or any high fiber foods. Basically if it's white you can eat it. Here's what my chemo binder recommends (as examples):

skinless chicken or turkey
Cooked refined cereals
Cottage Cheese
Eggs
Fish
Noodles (not wheat/whole grain)
Potatoes (baked or mashes sans skin)
white bread
white rice
asparagus
bananas
canned fruit ( peaches, pears, applesauce)
clear fruit jiuce
Vegetable Juice
Angel food cake
Gelatin
Saltine Crackers
Sherbet or Sorbet
Yogurt (plain or vanilla)

Sounds like good old fashion chicken soup with noodles would do it. I think you can even  have the matza ball because typically they give you the big C. Just be sure to skim off the fat.

Re: drug naming - I just saw this when I was looking for something else: 

Don't confuse Kadcyla with Herceptin, FDA says (May 7, 2013)

http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/dont-confuse-kadcyla-herceptin-fda-says/2013-05-07