Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin

lago

libraylil I too never had sleep issues with steroids. I didn't even get the rush of energy that everyone gets.

As far as the port I do believe that would be more of your oncs call than your BS. I'm sure there are many folks that go without ports…some actually refuse to get a port. I assume you just had nodes taken on one side and therefore only one "at risk" arm for LE. Those of us with even sentinel (or even BMX) have a risk of LE in both arms and therefore a port  would be a must in our cases. I'm sure you will be OK.

nora_az

As much as I cant stand my port (I find it very creepy!) I cant imagine my infusions without it! It is so easy and I dont even feel the needle going into it when they access it.

So, so much better than having to start an IV!

IowaSue45

Good news I got my DIEP moved from Oct. 18th to May 17th. They will take out my port then and I will get my last 3 herceptins through my veins. I am very excited to get rid of this extra fat and real breasts.

AmyIsStrong

I found my port creepy too, but it really saved me during infusions.  However, I had a friend who got chemo and Herceptin without a port - she had two really good veins on the back of one hand, and they just alternated between the two veins every other treatment. And it worked fine. So I think it depends on the individual. Seems like, just with every other part of bc, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

IOWASUE - congratulations on the new date for surgery.  That is a BIG improvement - 5 months sooner! Good for you.

Have a good day, everybody. Spring seems like it is finally coming here - and not a moment too soon!

Amy

mnmom3

3rd round of TCH yesterday first time using my port it was alot easier than the nurse digging for a vein. Neulesta today will take a claritan before didn't have any bone pain last time.

Anniemomofthree

Kriskat - just finished by 4 of 6 TCH with a port.  All is well, no infection yet. I also have a year of herceptin. You can always get a port later if you feel you need it.  It is always hard when you are actually in the line of business. I am in the device business. It was really hard for me to get the port, and the TEs.  I am loaded with devices now. So strange. All my device geek friends want to see them all and talk about how they work, what kind of valves, etc.  Needless to say, can't wait to get these #%$& things out!  For now, they work...

Hoep you are feeling ok and working on the water....

Annie 

michcon

kriskat - A friend of mine did not get a port and her veins ended up a bit fried in the first round. She had a line all the way up her arm. She ended up with a Pic that got infected. Big mess, so I was glad for my port after seeing that. I hope you do well, but keep it in mind as you progress. As for when symptoms hit, it was 3 days after for me. Worst day being the 4th day out. I did not get hyped up from the steroids too much, I was able to sleep a lot which is a good thing.

kriskat

So far, so good with se's. I've eaten like a piggy today and drank almost 100 oz of water and Gatorade. I am expecting tomorrow and Thursday to be worse. I did take decadron and compazine last night and slept so well. Hoping for same results tonight!

libraylil

lago, 3 1/2 months post tch and I had a toenail fall off.  My baby middle nail has been black, no pain no nothing, just not growing. Noticed to day it was hanging by a thread.  Nice new nail appearing underneath though.

Amy thanks for the info , the IPAD is mine!!

libray lil

lago

Thanks for the info lil. Oh goody more things get to fall off. I guess I have something to look forward to

AmyIsStrong

Lil - enjoy the IPAD. PM me if you have any questions.

sewingnut

Yesterday little itchy tiny bumps appeared all over my nearly bald head. Anyone else have that happen?  When my hair started falling out we clippered it to 1/2".  I have had 2 TCH and go for #3 next week. Please tell me I'm not the only one this has happened to.

elaineg

Sewing nut that happened to me too. I went ahead and shaved off the stubble and it was much better. The itching stopped right away and the bumps were gone in a few days. Don't know if shaving helped or if it would have cleared up on it's own. The nurse told me it was just chemo pushing out the hair? It did seem like the hair wanted to get out lol. Hope yours is short term as well. I did take benedryl and used some anti itch cream I got in the pharmacy section if grocery store. Again not sure if that really helped any more than time...

dragonfly1

sewingnut I was very itchy after the initial buzz cut and then I had my DH use his electric face razor to get rid of as much of the stubble as possible and the itching stopped. My scalp was a little bit tender when he used the electric razor but I didn't want to use a regular razor for fear of infection/cuts. It's been much better ever since...good luck, hope it improves!

nora_az

Ohhhhhh I love my iPad!

It came to me in a weird way and one that I wasn't sure if I wanted to accept it or not...or perhaps it was just me being my "bitchy" self and not tolerating people's intentions.

My husband has 5 siblings in his family. When they all found out I had cancer they personally called me and wished me well. His is a very close family. I felt the love. There was one sibling that never called....ever. One that I personally took the time to hold her hand through finding out how to navigate the care of her newly special needs child (way back when) I took loads of time with her and offered up a lot of encouragement at that time. So, it really hurt when she never called, never acknowledged anything I was going through.

2 months later in the mail comes an iPad telling me she is sorry for being a bad sister in law and she hope it makes up for it. (Still never called) Later on I found out what it meant. She had told another family member she doesn't do well with "sickness" and the iPad makes it so she doesn't have to ask me how I'm doing. She just threw something at me.

Not quire sure how to take it or if I'm just being overly sensitive, I dont think I am but who knows

Anniemomofthree

Nora - accept it for what it is...a gift.  My husbands' family claims to be close.  I saw them at Christmas. Received a one call from each SIL after. Not one more word.  They all live within 45 minutes.  I think they are really bad with illness. Oh well.  My family had been all over me.  

It will be hard for me to see them all again...especially when their dear baby brother (my DH) has been struggling keeping up all together with me and the three kids, ages 7,11,13.   

I want to yell at them all...but that would do no good! 

lago

nora_az I think she's trying to let you know she is thinking of you. We can't expect people to behave the way we would. Yes it's disappointing but at the same time she isn't blowing you off. This is just the best she can do. You have to decide if you can accept that.

nora_az

Thank you for your words of wisdom 

FYI: Round 6 is going ok. Slower than normal but I'll make it through. My mom found out that her salavary glad tumor (which was removed last month) will need rads. That starts in about 3 weeks. They took the tumor to a tumor board and they are also going to have to do a full body PET scan to see if there is cancer elsewhere. As stated before my mom is a 9 year breast and colon cancer survivor.

Upon hearing this news my onc is insisting on getting a copy of my Mom's tumor report and initiating genetic testing to find out what's going on in my family.

Also, for those who know how to read this stuff, I finally got a hold of my path report from before I had my surgery.

Histological type      Infiltrating ductal carcinoma

Histological grade    High Grade (3 of 3)

Nottingham grade  at least 8 of 9

tubular formation    poor tubular formation 3 of 3

Nuclear grade      high (3 of 3)

Mitotic rate             at least intermediate miotic rate  (2 of 3)

Lymph vasucarl space invastion   Foci of lymphatic space invasion identified

DCIS                     no defiinite DCIS identified

Additional findings   Per outside pathology/image analysis report, the infiltrating carcinoma is positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptor expression (98% tumor cells positive for ER and 96% tumor cells positive for PR and equivocal for HER-2 protein overexpression by immunohistochemistry (per outside pathology report only and no immunohistorchemical stained slides available for review

Omaz

Hi nora - Did they do a FISH for HER2 as well?

nora_az

Not that I am aware of.....unless Mayo did it after this report and i am unaware of it.

Omaz

nora - I only asked because it says equivocal HER2+ by IHC - but just take it as positive and you are getting herceptin so that's fine!

nora_az

Omaz,

Just curious, does that mean there could be a question as to whether or not I am truly HER2+?  I'm still trying to learn all this stuff....thx!

Omaz

nora - Doubt it!  You would have to ask your onc. Sometimes they do the immunohistochemistry for HER2 first and if that is equivocal they will send the sample for FISH analysis which is more 'precise' I think.  That's ust why I asked.  That FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) test may have been done for you but they just didn't give you the paperwork. 

nora_az

What does the ER and PR % mean when it comes down to it? Does it have any relevance on it being treatable or it coming back after being treated?

Omaz

nora - From what I understand yes, it is very important.  Your results tell you that your tumor cells had estrogen and progesterone receptors on their surface. Usually they measure both the proportion of total cells that have receptors and the density of the receptors on the surface of each cell.  So when tumor cells that have estrogen receptors come into contact with estrogen the estrogen binds to the receptor and causes many metabolic changes in the tumor cells that can result in cell growth. That's obviously a bad thing.  My tumor cells were also highly estrogen positive and I thought of them as estrogen junkies.  Part of the good effect of chemo for premenopausal women who have estrogen positive breast cancer is that they stop having periods.  This means their estrogen levels go down because the ovaries aren't producing it anymore.  Sometimes periods come back for young women.  I am 52 but was having regular periods so my onc said that if my period came back they would treat me to make it go away again.  Anti-estrogen therapy is also designed to deprive tumor cells of estrogen.  Tamoxifen blocks the estrogen receptor on breast tissue cells so that they can't get their estrogen fix.  Aromatase inhibitors decrease the production of estrogen from precursors in post-menopausal women.  So tam blocks any available estrogen from getting to breast cells, AI's block the production of estrogen. The anti-estrogen therapy is supposed to keep any possible cancer cells out in the body from getting their estrogen hit and it *can* also protect against new breast cancer development as well.  Women who are estrogen receptor negative usually dont benefit from  hormone therapy.

nora_az

Thanks....I feel I am too far into this to be just be asking these questions now

Omaz

nora - I always have questions! 

dragonfly1

TCH #2 has not been so easy...I'm on day 9 now and I ended up with the awful diarrhea/cramping again. I've had 3 days of it so far (it lasted 4 days during TCH #1) and all I can eat is cream of wheat, Ensure, mashed potatoes, etc just to minimize the cramping. I'm so sick of this! Today, I have noticed a small amount of blood in my urine as well. What's that about? I don't have any pain or fever. Is that a sign of a UTI?

Omaz

Hi dragonfly - I am sorry to hear about the diarrhea!  Please call your onc about the blood.  I don't know what it means but they should know.  Are you able to drink?

TonLee

Dragon,

Blood in the urine can def. be a sign of UTI.  With diarrhea it's not that hard to get a UTI.  Are you on Neulasta?