2009 Herceptin group

karen, so sorry to here about your mom.  I'll keep you both in my prayers tomorrow.

welcome jennifer!  tina

Hi Karen,

Just wanted to drop by and let cha know that I am still praying for your mother!! I pray that all will be well very soon. Just know that God will hold your hand always!!

Tracey

Diana glad to hear that everything is going well. It sounds like things are going great.  With my Herceptin and Avastin tx I have no side effects, hopefully you wont either. Did your onco tell you if Avastin crosses the blood brain barrier?  I haven't found a clear answer to this. I know Tykerb does. You're still in my prayers.

Angie

Karen

 Just wanted to say my thoughts and prayers are you with you and your mom.   I can't imgine!!  I have prayed to God that during my treatments he would not let anything happen to my kids because I knew I wouldn't be able to take care of both of us.   My mom had her shoulder replaced a week before my diagnosis and we were quite the pair for a few months.  I needed her and she needed me.  It will be the same with you and your mom.  You are a strong woman... you will be there for her because you have to be.  That is sometimes just what gets you through it.   Sending you all the best wishes and strength.

Jennifer

Diana - Your onc sounds like a sweetheart! What a wonderful thought - just friends! Wishing you all the best.

Karen - Prayers still going up for you and your mom. Stay strong for her - she needs you. I didn't run out of the office when I went to my first meeting with the oncologist, but I did sob and drip tears through most of it. Just the thought that I needed to be there with all those. . . sick people!. . . was overwhelming to me.

Nancy - Here in the wild, wild west, we don't turn our clocks ahead. Phoenix stays on Mountain Standard time, which actually is the same as Pacific time in the summer. So we just have to adapt to everybody else's changes and remember that the cable channels are an hour later (or earlier - I can never remember!)  Sue

Hi Ipohgirl

 Oh gosh yes.. those steriods are just hell!!   I was an emotional wreck from those things!!   The best thing I did was get some Adavan from my doc which not only helped the nausea but I could sleep and it sort of evened me out emotionally.

Motrin was the only thing that really helped with the joint/bone aches.   But you know Taxotere is hell on your bones too so it might not be all the Zometa.   Try to up your calcium.  Take calcium citrate with Vit. D and Magnesium.   I take 1800 mg a day and break it up into three times a day.  

The Carboplatin made it hard to eat because everything tasted like metal.    I really drank alot of water and energy drinks.  Seemed like the more I could drink the faster I could get that stuff out of my system.   

Amazingly though with the TCH plus zometa I was really much better about 1 week after treatment.  But those first 4-5 days really sucked.

 Hope you are feeling better soon.

Jennifer

Dear Jenin,

Thanks for your encouragement and sharing. Over here in Hong Kong, they refuse to sell me even the alleve without a prescription, so I'll have to wait till next Wed and ask the onco.

Tried a hot bath yesterday adn it did help. Slept for the first time last night and it was bliss. I didn't wanna wake up from the nice dream. Still have no appetite though, like you am just dumping in liquid amap. Is it really worth all the good soldiers that we are sacrificing to fight the bad guys? Why don't someone find a vaccine or something? Or is it the corporate interests at stake in this multi-billion dollar biz?  

This blog is my lfeline, there is so little info and support from Asia.

About the zometa, I read about teh horrible SE (esp jaw necrosis) and how it stays for over 10 years in your system. In that case, one shot per ten years would suffice, right? Why are my BC sisters pumped every month/three months for it? I will take oral supplements, and if I survive this BC, I will live with the osteoporasis............

BTW, how does one put one's diagnosis at the bottom of the post? Could someone instruct me please.

On the bright side, my nasturtiums are blooming very well along wiht the bougainvillaes in my balcony overlooking the South China Sea. If any of you girls are over in HK for a break, please let me host you/bring you around. Also, a nice friend will take me to see the TCM for acupuncture/massage.

Cheerio, my dear friend. 

Shari are you on the TC part for the whole year ??  I am also on TCH but TC for 6 treatments and then the H for the rest of the year.  I am about to start my 3rd treatment on Monday and #2 was horrible for me.  One suggestion that I heard is to use plastic forks to help with the treatment. 

I had the awful taste when my port was flushed and if they flush very SLOWLY, there is no taste problem.   If you cannot drink water, try sucking on ice chips or popsicles or frozen fruit bars.  The cold numbs the mouth and helps with bad tastes.   Also, drinking LOTS of water helps flush Herceptin thru your system.   I had chills a couple of tx ago and they have slowed the drip from 30 minutes to 50 minutes.  

  If you cut up your food and use toothpicks, it give a new meaning to "picking" at your food...!!!    

Jaimieh.....I finally found a drink I can tolerate.  Its the crystal lite Lemon Aid packets you add to your water bottle.  I remembered reading on another thread that Lemons will spark your taste buds....whatever it is...I can drink it.  I hear you on the eating out in June.....Cant wait!  I dont think its the Herceptin because on the other thread the ladies who are done with chemo and only on herceptin havent complained about that....but I will definately ask

I dont have a port.....but when they start my iv I get that taste in my mouth...I have to ask that they start it slow!  I am soooo sensitive to smells....i could not imagine that...have you tried bringing something you do like to smell and hold it close when they do that???  Maybe that will help...I love the smell of my DH cologne, that has not changed for me

Finally made it into work today...hopefully I can get something done after being out all week.

Hi SusieMTN....I have a question for you....do you still get the metallic taste? 

Hello Smile2006!  No, no problem with metallic taste currently.  Wait, do you mean from just Herceptin or Chemo drugs?   

 I initially got a sort of metallic taste when I first started Chemo and was on a combo of Herceptin and Taxol.  Periodically I would think what I was eating tasted different (not as good as usual) and would be disappointed because I really wanted a particular food.  My family got use to "....this taste weird"  followed by "its the chemo" from husband or son!

Ladies.. how is everyone??? I am hangin' with the Herceptin and do RADS.. which I HATE. Herceptin is causing a little joint pain.. and I hope it is responsible for the weight gain.. I have never gained weight in my life... 5pds here and there... but now I weigh 10pds more than I ever have... ...

I hope you all are doing ok... check in and let us all know!

Love,

Laura

That is good news...I can handle being tired...but to go a whole year with this awful taste in my mouth...THANK YOU...

hbcheryl:  LOL!!!!  That is soooo funny!  I equate it to "is it hot in here"!!!!  "No MOM it is you" and "No Susie I am not hot"  LOL.  No weird tastes so far, but who knows!!! I was a little tired after today but they gave me benedryl IV, and boy it wiped me out! Came home and slept for 1 1/2 Hours!

 Estepp: Herceptin has also increased my joint pain.  So far I haven't gained any weight from the Herceptin which I hope continues as during Chemo I gained a lot.  I was on Chemo for 6 months so after a while I was just like "so I wonder how much I will gain today".  I have lost about 8 - 10 lbs since I stopped Chemo, hoping for more before I get tired.  

leftyAKAnancy : LOL Know how you feel!  Loved the WHOLE bologna sandwich idea!  

Hope all you ladies are having a great night, I apparently am feeling a bit goofy, I will attribute it to the benedryl!