Post-BMX - Stage 1a IDC HER2+ - Facing Herceptin/Chemotherapy

bluedasher

Blair, I haven't read that book but someone gave me an autobiographical book by the woman doctor who found she had breast cancer while on station in Antarctica during the winter. I wish they hadn't. I found it really unpleasant and not helpful to read while in the midst of treatment. At the end of the book she was still alive, but she died from it in the long run. I found a personal account of someone's worse experience with more advanced BC was very depressing at the time.

This might not be a good read for your wife at the moment.

AmyIsStrong

I still haven't seen the movie "Living Proof" (about the testing/approval process for Herceptin).  I know it will be too difficult for me, even three years out.

I think it is very important to be able to self-censor.  

Best to your wife. 

Omaz

I read Cancer Schmancer by Fran Drescher during treatment and liked that because she is so frank about things.  She had uterine cancer.

BlairK

It is February 10th Friday in the evening.  This is the longest I have gone without posting.  My wife had her third treatment on Tuesday January 31st.  After this treatment her side effects have been not so much which is good.  Her main complaint now is of joint pain in her hands and maybe some other joints.  I am not sure what is causing that - the chemo, herceptin or Neulasta.  She has been active maybe too active.  She still takes rests every day.  Last Tuesday February 7th she had a check up and everything was fine.  Monday I have to go to China and Hong Kong again for two weeks.  My wife's fourth and last chemo treatment will be on Tuesday February 21st.  Then it will be just Herceptin every three weeks and also she will start Arimidex.  I gave Promise Me to my wife.  I am not sure if she started reading it.  She has never been big on reading books.  It is amazing how far down one's thread drops if one does not post for a while.  Hope everybody is well.

Anonymous

Blair, glad to hear she is doing well. Joint pain can be any of those. To be honest, mine wasnt all that bad on chemo and herceptin weekly. It has been much worse in the last month. I dont know if it is due to herceptin alone every three weeks, tamoxifen, a combo, or the cold weather combined with everything. Guess I will find out in April or May afer I am done with herceptin and the weather warms back up.

suzieq60

Blair - I'm so glad she's doing better. Give her lots of hugs before you go away.

Sue

Omaz

Good to hear from you BlairK - Glad your wife is doing well.  Can you believe that it is one more chemo to go?  Have a safe trip.

Alicethecat

Hi Blair

I just want to say a big thank you for telling us about the challenge facing you and your wife. 

It has really helped me - and I imagine many other ladies on this board - to prepare, reflect and actively participate in treatment.

Thank you so much

Alice the Cat

AmyIsStrong

Only one tx to go. So glad! Seemes like yesterday you were posting and trying to decide what to do and now it is almost done.  I have said many times, "The days go slow but the months go fast."  I wonder if she feels that way.

Have a safe trip. We will celebrate with you/her when the last treatment is done. 

dancetrancer

Nice to hear from you Blair...I was starting to wonder about you and your wife!  Glad to hear she seems to be managing much better and only has one more chemo to go! 

momofthree2011

Blair,

Glad your wife is doing much better! One more treatment! Way to go!  Have a safe trip!  

Debbie 

BlairK

Happy Valentine's day to everybody.  It looks like they also celebrate it in China as I have already arrived in Beijing.  Based on Alicethecat's post, I am glad this thread has been helpful and I in turn have found many of the other threads helpful.  More later.

ttscpa

To BlairK: Thank you for starting this thread as it has been very helpful to me. And, BTW, your wife is a luckly lady to have such a supportive husband. Mine has been great also, although not as into the research as you were/are!

I was recently diagnosed with Stage 1 IDC. I had two tumors in the same breast: #1 was 1.9cm, ER+, HER2- and #2 was 0.8cm, ER-, HER2+. I had BMX 1/27/12. Because one tumor was HER2+, I will begin chemo on 2/28/12 to include Herceptin. My husband and I met with my MO today. His original plan was taxotere-carboplatin-herceptin (TCH). However, today, he is recommending taxotere-cytoxan + herceptin.  Can anyone give me pros/cons for getting cytoxan vs. carboplatin? With the carboplatin, I would have received 6 cycles. Cytoxan is only 4 cycles.

Because one tumor was ER+, I will also begin tamoxifen for 5 years after the chemo/herceptin is complete. Thanks in advance for your input.

ttscpa

To BlairK: Thank you for starting this thread as it has been very helpful to me. And, BTW, your wife is a luckly lady to have such a supportive husband. Mine has been great also, although not as into the research as you were/are!

I was recently diagnosed with Stage 1 IDC. I had two tumors in the same breast: #1 was 1.9cm, ER+, HER2- and #2 was 0.8cm, ER-, HER2+. I had BMX 1/27/12. Because one tumor was HER2+, I will begin chemo on 2/28/12 to include Herceptin. My husband and I met with my MO today. His original plan was taxotere-carboplatin-herceptin (TCH). However, today, he is recommending taxotere-cytoxan + herceptin.  Can anyone give me pros/cons for getting cytoxan vs. carboplatin? With the carboplatin, I would have received 6 cycles. Cytoxan is only 4 cycles.

Because one tumor was ER+, I will also begin tamoxifen for 5 years after the chemo/herceptin is complete. Thanks in advance for your input.

BlairK

Dear ttscpa - In our case, the oncologist only recommended taxotere - cytoxan - herceptin x 4 and did not propose taxotere - carboplatin - herceptin x 6.  Both cytoxan and carboplatin are supposed to be similar.  Cytoxan is "an alkylating agent" and carboplatin is "a platinum alkylating agent".  I think more research and studies have been done on the Taxotere - Carboplatin - Herceptin x 6 than on Taxotere - Cytoxan - Herceptin x 4.  Cytoxan is an older chemo agent and carboplatin is also often used for the treatment of lung cancer.  There was one other thread on taxotere - cytoxan - herceptin and I will try to find it for you.  Please write back as I would be interested in whatever your oncologist tells you about the pros and cons.

BlairK

Dear ttscpa - There appear to be many threads on the taxotere-cytoxan combination on the Chemotherapy section of the bulletin board.

 http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69

BlairK

It is Tuesday morning February 21st and I am in Beijing.  Tuesday US time my wife will have her fourth and last chemo treatment (Taxotere - Cytoxan - Herceptin) so that will be a major milestone.  Then she will continue with the Herceptin and start Arimidex.  My wife's sister-in-law will help her get to and from chemo.  I arrive home this Saturday.  I hope everybody is doing well. 

SpecialK

blair - so glad the chemo portion is over for both of you!  The Herceptin should be a breeze and your wife should begin feeling more energetic in 4-6 weeks, and then continue on the upswing from there.

suzieq60

Blair - yahoo - she's nearly there!!! Give her big hugs when you get home.

Sue

BlairK

My wife just completed her fourth treatment of Taxotere - Cytoxan - Herceptin and this is the last treatment for the chemo part.  I spoke to my wife via Skype after she got home from the treatment.  It is too soon to see what the side effects are from this treatment but the trend from treatment to treatment has been positive.  From this point on it will be Herceptin every three weeks until the end of the year and also beginning Arimidex.  The second half of March my wife will be due for another MUGA heart scan.  I am scheduled to go home from Beijing Saturday.

dancetrancer

Fingers crossed that the positive trend continues! Have a safe flight. 

Omaz

Congratulations to you and your wife !!!

bucky317

blair k-- congratulations on your wife finishing the chemotherapy!!!  It will be sooo much easier for her now!!!  Safe travels back home!!

BlairK

I am still in Beijing and it is late Tuesday February 28th.  My wife had her oncologist checkup and she is OK.  The total white blood cell count is OK.  She is now going to take Femara instead of Arimidex.  I am not sure what the difference between the two are but they are in the same class - aromatase inhibitor.  Has anyone taken Femara.  More later.

BlairK

It is Monday March 5th and I am home now.  My wife had a bone density scan today because of the Femara.  Again, I would be interested if anyone is taking Femara instead of Arimidex.  What is the main difference between the two.  Tomorrow afternoon we will go together to the oncologist.  Wednesday my wife will have a MUGA scan.  More later.  Hope everybody is well.

Anonymous

I cant help there as I am on Tamoxifen, but good luck with the scan and the muga. I am sure it will be fine. I have one herceptin to go and as of December, I was holding steady at 55 on the echo after dropping from 65. Ill have another echo after the 20th.

SpecialK

blair - I take Femara instead of Arimidex.  My onc indicated it had very slightly better stats associated with it, so wanted to start me on it first to see how I did with it.  I started it in August, no issues other than minor joint soreness, but that is common with all aromatase inhibitors.  It is available in generic form so my pharmacist's advice was to start with one manufacturer and stick with that one - don't go back and forth between generic brands.  There are fillers that are different with each brand and can cause SE's if you are not consistent.  I did take a brief "vacation" from Femara because I just had surgery and I stopped taking drugs and supplements.  The minor joint pain dissipates quickly.  I have now been back on Femara for a few days but have not noticed the return of the joint pain yet.

weety

Hi, Blair, I'm also on femara (started on the real femara but now on generic).  There is a thread all about femara on this site that will answer all of your questions--do a search for it.  I'm not enjoying femara (joint pain, hot flashes) but I try to accept it all without complaining.  It is just something I have to do, and I don't really have a choice--I tell myself that all the time.  It is way better than the alternative. I would much rather put up with all of these side effects than have the cancer come back and then kick myself for not doing the femara.  At least this way, I know I am doing and have done all that I possibly can to help. 

BlairK

It is now Thursday evening March 15th and it is time for a detailed update on my wife.  First of all I have been under the weather with bronchitis but I am on antibiotics and prednisone and getting better.  Last week my wife and I went to her checkup.  The oncologist is pleased with her progress and now has told us that her recurrence risk is under 5 percent.  The oncologist gave my wife a certificate which says "Purple Heart" and congratulations on completing chemo.  My wife had her second MUGA scan and a bone density scan.  The MUGA scan was good and the ejection fraction stayed the same - in the low 70s.  The bone density scan was problematical as it shows beginning signs of osteoporosis.  My wife now has to take Vitamin D and Calcium pills.  She has to start to exercises with dumbells.  She is taking Femara once a day.  She got hot flashes and joint pain which seems consistent with what others are reporting.  Her energy level is generally good especially since I have been working from home last week and this week and can observe first hand.  Last Tuesday (two days) ago, she had her 4th herceptin treatment which went by without any problems.  A two-hour herceptin infusion seems like a breeze compared with 4 all day chemo treatments.  Her next herceptin treatment (#5) will be on Tuesday April 3rd.  So all in all everything is going well.  I leave on Sunday for Beijing, Singapore and Hong Kong.  Lucky I am going business class this time.  I look forward to hearing from everybody about how you are doing.

suzieq60

Hi Blair - glad to hear she's doing really well!!!