Triple Positivers/Chemo regimens and experiences

redninrah

I had an emotional melt down today and what pissed me off further was that my husband is like why are u crying now, u have one chemo left - nearly done, so why are you crying. He was saying you shouldnt pretend to be the victim and just follow plan of everything, and think positive that your life has been saved and you should be happy. Hmm sometimes i wonder!!!

Omaz

Lago - I was having regular periods before chemo (I am 51).  I had one short period after the first chemo.  Then after the second I started having hot flashes about day 8.  They sort of built up between treatment 2 and 3 and since 3 have been pretty much continuous averaging about 1 per hour during the day and about every 2 hours at night.  For me they are short, a little sweaty and hot.  Not too annoying except at night when I want to sleep.

lago

So what I might be experiencing is it?! well not bad at all. I'll be 50 in February so I'm the right age. My sister is done and she just turned 53.

bbryant04

Omaz & Lago - I kinda envy you guys and your apparent menopausal state.  I am 46, have been pre-menopausal for a couple of years...I might go 3 months w/o a period, then bam, when I don't expect it, it starts and goes for a full 7 days...I was really looking forward to that part of chemo.  So far, TCH is on Monday, and by Wednesday I start.  After both treatments.  #3 is tomorrow (dreading it like the plague).  Maybe that will be a good thing that happens this time?!?  My fatigue was exponentially worse with #2 - I'm really dreading feeling like crap by next weeked.  On a brighter note...I'll be 1/2 way there with this part (YAY!!).  And Thanksgiving and Christmas will both be in good weeks.

I buzzed my hair right before tx 2 - although it's really thing (lots of scalp visible), I do think it's growing.  It would be awesome to have a head start on new hair instead of losing it all!

lago

Betty I'm Tuesday with tx 3 (as well as Carol and someone else, sorry I forgot). I too have taxotere/carboplatin/herceptin. I was peri menopause before but the only thing I noticed was my period was getting shorter, my leg hair grew in slower and my skin was getting dryer. OK and my libido certainly wasn't like it was when I was in my 20's. Just before chemo my period was early 2 times by 1 week then 1 week late (after surgery). Then chemo started and that one after surgery was it.

I really hope this is it.

Fatigue hasn't been bad at all with me but I do exercise. I really think that is what is keeping me from passing out. Not that I don't get tired right after chemo but not as bad as others.

Omaz

Betty and Lago - Good luck this week!  I was supposed to join you for number 5 but I am delayed a week.  I'll be thinking of you both.

Ondagrow

Hi All...

Thanks for the responses...

Trisha-Anne

Hi Gals

I'm tripple posititve too!  Have just done one round of FEC, two more to go, then three rounds of Taxotere and twelve months of Hercepten every three weeks.  I think I'll go on Arimadex for five years - bit foggy on that bit so far.  I'm 53 and menopausal so that makes it a bit easier.

The first round of FEC has been ok so far - on day 2 so a little way to go yet - but no throwing up with I'm really grateful for.  Been feeling a bit queasy on and off and my head is full of cottonwool, and very tired.  So far so good. :-)

I've heard that the taxotere is worse than the FEC - anyone out there on the same treatment as me?

redninrah

for the last month, ive bene getting hot flashes! I havent had my period since October.......how long do these flashes last for

Omaz

red - I started getting them big time after my first chemo which was in Sept (actual chemo date end of aug).  I am still having them all the time.  Last night I had 11.  It is difficult.  I have a fan at the foot of my bed that is remote controlled.  That helps.  I also haven't had a period since Sept.

lago

Red I just finished my last chemo (#6) Tuesday. I started chemo Oct. 5th. Never did get my period on chemo so it looks like I'm done. I do get some hot flashes between 1-5 AM every morning. Not to bad. Sometimes they wake me up but I do go back to sleep. Just need to kick off the covers. I have only been semi drenched once.

I do find they seem to be a little more intense the next few days after chemo. I don't expect them to go away for a while because I will be on generic arimidex next. I just hope they don't get any worse.

If they are really bothering you talk to your doctor. There are some things they can try for relief that aren't hormone driven. I also hear that you should stay away from alcohol and spicy food… which if I remember correctly you don't consume either.

Omaz

red - Lago is correct, I was offered effexor and megace for the hot flashes but don't want to take them at this point.  I don't sweat very much, just get hot. 

redninrah

i get them all the time during the day and at night, and i just get hot - and only a sweaty forehead, wearing a wig doesnt help. But im never drenched, thank GAWD.

im so stiff these days though, im just waiting for rads to finish so i can start on the gym. I have 6 more sessions to go, and my skin is fairly irritated and sore and red

Omaz

red - I am so stiff too.  Getting out of the car - wooo, just a slow mamma.  Shesh, hope the exercise after rads makes that better.  I also had a hard time with my last herceptin for some reason, right after the infusion my neuropathy got all aggravated and still is a few days later.  Maybe coincidence I guess, I don't know.

lago

Let me tell you about stiff. Last night I was lucky enough to go to the theater to see Pilobolus. 3rd row front and center. The theater is mostly build under grown so we had to go down 3 giant flights of stairs. No problem but after sitting for 2+ hours, 3 mega flights of stairs is nearly impossible after chemo. I had to take a break after 2.

Omaz

lago - I can imagine!  After sitting for a long time, that is the hardest!  Hope you enjoyed the performance.

lago

The show was amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgvmlqqkofM&feature=channel
and several featured here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg95ZLqR2_c&feature=related

redninrah

im going to start yoga- might help with the stiffness

Tammy65

HI Everyone

I'm triple positive too

just post-surgery and meeting with my oncologist this week or beginning of next to discuss my treatments and get started.  I'm scared, scared of all the SE's.....

but it seems like you ladies have all been doing well with things, getting through it, that makes me feel better and is an inspiration for me. THank you all for posting about your treatments!

Tammy  

Omaz

tammy65 - There is another very active new thread called 'TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP' that you can join too.  Congrats on getting through surgery, one thing down and crossed off the list!!

lago

Tammy here is the linke to the

TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP thread:
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/764183?page=1

Tammy65

Thank you Omaz and Lago........Thank you for the info and the link! best to you both!

Ondagrow

I AM SO TIRED OF CANCER...UUUGGGHHH...

RADS FINISHED MARCH 1, 2011...TAMOXIFEN APRIL 1, 2011

DIEP FLAP... WHEN DO IT END...UUUGGGHHH...

Omaz

Sohard - Yes ugh.  I am starting the tam on Friday 4/1 too.  Sincerely hope it goes easily for us both.

lago

I too have days when I just say "I don't want to do this today." but we get over it. It's OK to feel that way sometimes.

I am especially feeling that way about my nails. Its over 10 weeks already. My fingernail beds are still a little sore and my toe nails are still lifting. ENOUGH ALREADY!

bbryant04

Irony...my nails were great through chemo.  Now I see the ridges - I'm assuming one for each treatment...Nails on both of my index fingers are lifting. I think that where the ridges are, the nail is unattached.  Hopefully there's enough space between the ridges to keep my nails hanging on till all the ridges grow out!

Lago, how's your hair?  Mine's about an inch & a half - two inches on top - still thin in the front and temple area, but definitely growing!  I wear a wig only to church on Sundays - the rest of the time I'm sporting a ball cap.  Can't wait till I can just sport the hair!

lago

I'm still a little thin on top and in front but it is filling in. My eyebrows are filling in too… even the ones I over plucked back in HS. Eyelashes are also growing… actually every hair I ever had is growing back.

If you want to see hair photos I posted 10 weeks (this past Monday) and 6.5 weeks here at the bottom of the page. I look a little goofy though. My hair is several lengths since it didn't all start at the same time but I would say the longest is about 1/2" shortest is still just a dark dot on my scalp.

AlaskaAngel

Trisha-Anne,

My regimen was the same as yours, really -- you got epirubicin and I got doxorubicin (US tends to prefer doxorubicin, also called Adriamycin; other countries tend to use epirubicin). It was tough going -- CAF caused projectile vomiting for me all 6 times. Just want to let you see one "success" with a regimen that didn't include a taxane.

AlaskaAngel

Chan_go_foill

I too am triple positive. My first chemo they tried me on Adriamycin, but I was sick for six days, and the nausea meds weren't working. So they switched me to Taxotere and that went a bit better, as long as I was able to to take Emend orally to supplement the IV Emend. I had my last chemo on April 15th and I had one year of Herceptin infusions along with daily Tamoxifen. I will be on Tamoxifen tablets, once daily for at least five years. We may opt to go longer and extend that to ten. We will reasses it at that time. Also once I'm declared officially menopausal, I should get switched from Tamoxifen to Evista. At this point my hormone levels are still fluxuating.

The biggest issue with Tamoxifen for me has been the hot flashes. I have about 15 - 25 in a 24 hour period. We jokingly refer to hot flashes in my house as "personal summer"!

lisaelder1972

I was also triple positive when I was diagnosed June 6,2006.I was 33 years old then with 2 children and decided to do everything I could to stay with them.I had bilateral mastectomies with tissue expanders replaced by silicone implants in Dec 2006.I had 4 dose dense Adryamiacin/Cytoxin treatments followed by 4 dose dense Taxotere treatments.I had 7 months of Herceptin but had to stop early due to congestive heart failure.I am on Tamoxifen and my oncologist says that I will be for the rest of my life just as the cardiologist says the same for Coreg.I was told from the get go that that I had a very poor prognosis but June 6th will be 5 years NED!!!