2009 Herceptin group

I'm stressing out again. Tomorrow is another echo. Hopefully I will pass and continue Herceptin. I'm 1/2 way there.

Hello To All!!!,  I went though my 1st TCH treatment yesterday. Got there at 8:40am, blood draw right away, met the Dr., by 11am was getting my T. No s/e from the T, fell asleep, woke up and had some lunch, was already onto the C., fell back asleep. slept thouhg the H when my nurse Nancy said it was all done and time to go home!!! Was very nervouse, but the benadryl relaxed me and I slept through the whole thing.  After the treatment, went and picked up my wig w/my mom and she bought me the wig for my b-day present (05/28) and it looks really good!! Got home and slept again until 6:30pm DH woke me up and we ate some pizza for dinner, took my meds and sat up until 7:15, took more meds and went to bed. Fell asleep at about 8:30pm, woke up and 2am to take more anti-nausea meds, went back to bed and so far so good...At work today, little slow and out of it but doing great under the circumstances

Lisa, I'm glad everything went well for you.  I am also getting TCH every 3 weeks.  My first one was awful, I had very unpleasant SE, and they lasted 2 weeks.  Now I'm just weak & achy, and I tire quickly.  My next treatment is Tuesday 5/19.  I am bald now, and going to get a wig next week.  It's kind of ironic, in January I cut 16" off my hair and donated it to Locks of Love.  I was diagnosed 4/17, and now I need a wig.  I hope your treatments continue to go well.  You are AWESOME for working throught all of this!!!  I have had to take medical leave.  Have they told you when you are having surgery??  I have IBC, so I have 6mos of chemo 1st, then a double mast, & total hyst, then 6wks of rad, more chemo & another year of H.

Karen, you are so wonderfully supportive!!! Thanks so much!!  Jessica

Hi Lisa - Just wanted to let you know that I too went through TCH, my first on December 26, 2008, my last on April 9, 2009... 6 cycles.  I will continue Herceptin until December but I wanted you to know that my first was also horrible.  I did not know if it was the chemo or the Nuelsta shot.  I too complained about the sore or what I called "grip" on my throat type of feeling.  I later found out by the time I took my 4th that I should drink a slushie to keep my throat cold while taking "T" (taxotere).  The same way they made me wear the frozen gloves and booties to prevent the chemo from burning my fingers and toes, the slushies would ease the burn on my throat... AND IT WORKED!  I most expecially wanted to share with you that I worked though all of my chemo.  I am currently on medical leave for I just had my mastectomy on May 6th.  So... stay strong... once you get home, get the rest you need for in my experience, although I worked, there were many days I just went home to eat what I could for I did lose my taste for many foods.. but I ate to stay strong and I would go to bed even if it was as early at 7pm.  I wanted to keep working to help me stay strong and it did mentally and phycially.  You can do it... sounds like you work in an office environment which helps.  Stay strong, you can do it.

Hi Lisa, let me mention that although I did work through my chemo, I did not work 8hrs every day due to going in late... for there were many mornings I could not get moving and I needed that extra time.  So, I would go in late and missed every Friday morning for my weekly treatments.  Kidney infections are not fun.  I agree on the crazy dreams. I had plenty of them and they were crazy.  All I could and still do, is take one day at a time.  So I totally understand your hope to making it until 3pm.  You're doing great!  Keep fighting but make sure you listen to your body and give it the rest it needs too. 

Hi LHall - I am on Taxol weekly and Herceptin - I have crazy itching inside my hands and feet - not surface itching.  It is horrible.  I have a rash on my hands as well.  I didn't get my Taxol treatment last week, as onc. was concerned about neuropathy.  It has improved this week not getting taxol.  I'm hoping it's not the herceptin causing some of this stuff - just keep thinking it's the taxol.  How long have you been off taxol?    I take benedryl and the itching gets better - have you tried that?  Wondering if anyone else has this awful itching.

So, will the TCH tx get worse or easier? Also, anyone have any se or problem's when they go in just for the H every week?

Mamakaren...

I want to get on the Herceptin Party Bus...I'm going for a treatment tomorrow.  I have H everyweek through July 30 along with Taxoteer/Cytoxin every three weeks through July 30. Then H every three weeks for a year.  Everyone here seems great and I've read some of the threads...my tummy is already getting huge so by the end of the year of H, I my look like I'm havng Quads...

Jeezy 

lhall - My onc switched me back from every 3 weeks to weekly.  WIth my first 3 week dose, I also started rads, allergy season started, and I was trying to incorporate more fruits/veggies into my diet.  Within a few days, I got a horrific stomach pains, and then diahhrea, and I developed an awful cough.  I thought it was the new foods and allergies, so I switched back to my old diet and started on benadryl.  My cough did not get better and neither did the diarrhea.  So then I suspected it was rads.  Absolutely not, said my rads doctor.  Well, I was sure it was, but was just going to try to get through it.  I added pepcid into the mix and it helped my stomach feel better.  My cough also started to improve.  Then it was time for my next big dose of herceptin.  A few days later, guess what - my stomach pains and cough were back with a vengence.  OK, I didn't think that was coincidence, so I went to my onc.  He wasn't entirely convinced it was herceptin, but agreed there was too much going on to figure it out. It was his idea to go back to the weekly dose until at least a month past rads, and then try again with the big dose of herceptin.  I'd love to be able to get back to the every 3 week dose, just to stay out of the office, but on the other hand, the side effects were hard.  So last week and again today were my weekly dose.  Unfortunately, my cough is back again.  My onc gave me a cough medicine to use, but it also makes me tired.  Really good at night, though.  So bottom line, they may switch you back for awhile just to see if it is the herceptin. It would be good to at least rule it out.  Maybe suggest doing it for a month ar so to see. The bigger dose can cause more side-efffects.

Lisa~ I was told to take pepcid AC in the morning and in the evening and it helped a whole lot.  I hope it stops soon.

Thanks Girls....I really hate putting chemicals into my body...Well, more so than what's already flowing through my veins, thanx to Chemo!! I will ask my nurse about it.  Also, I have noticed that I have no bladder control. I have to wear pads now, and I go through like 3-4 a day!!!! Anyone else having this problem?

Lisa- I too had the heartburn/acid reflux issuse. Omg it was awful, couldn't sleep.  I was given a rx for nexium and that worked but worked better was actually prilosec.  I know it's awful now but tx goes by pretty quick.

Welcome to all the newbies!

Hope everyone has a great memorial day.

pmellon,

On Severe itching...

I finished up my TCH on 4/30/09. After my last infusion during the 30 minute wait period, I got intense itching on the palms and between my fingers, along with the same on my feet...and my female area.... They told me it was the Carboplatin's doing. They gave me Benedryl in my IV and within 20 minutes the itching started subsiding. It made me incredibly sleepy, but worked like a charm. Thank goodness this was my last treatment!

 I've started my Rads and so far no problems.

 Cindy

Karen, glad you brought this up in here.  My period stopped with my first treatment and hasn't been back. The doctor said they can do a test to see if it's close to returning.  I told them if it hasn't come back by aug. or sept we can check then.  The onco said it should return in about 6 months. How is your mom?

Pmellon, Congrats on your last tx.

I haven't been on here so much lately because I've been in radiation, we've been having our house remodeled and my 3 yr olds been sick. But, we have a nice peaceful 3 day weekend planned.Yippee.