ER-, PR-, Her2+ Roll call

The numbing cream is called EMLA. You smear it on the port about an hour before you. Then you have to cover it with Saran wrap or similar product and let it sink In. MY onc nurses said pile a dime size blob directly on the port. I then taped the saran wrap so it wouldn;t shift around with some of the paper tape.

Towards the end I started not to bother. I do wish my place used a spray-I have heard it numbs it immediately. I have to have my port accessed because the place i went for a scan poked it 4 times and never got anything out of it. I told them all 4 times it was in the wrong place because it still hurt after the initial stick. I am really hoping it isn't damaged. I had just had a tx the day before the scan and it was fine.

Hi ya girls, Im in too

Wow, all this time from Diog, Surgery, Chemo, Radio, Target and now on Neratinib trial I have been eagerly looking for us girls in the crowd of comrades, and there you are, Yay a big cyber circle hug to you all, Thank You  Nevo84 for your insight to what we all where thinking ! Just finished one year of 3 wkly Herceptin and did Ok, and now strait onto a year double blind Clinical Drug Trial Neratinib, which I am only 5 days into and no side effects as yet, so looks like I may be on the placebo, time will tell ! never thought I would be wanting and waiting for side effects to happen, but there you have it, bring it on.

Hello all

8 months past by last Herceptin.

Had my second, 4 month follow up with oncologist. So far so good.

He will see me again in 4 months. I had no complaints so no additional tests or scans. Just normal blood work which was all good.

I just started Taxol/Herceptin last Thursday after finishing up DD AC x 4. I was feeling great until yesterday. I started feeling nauseous and tired, had the chills, and achy teeth. What else should I expect? I feel like I don't want to get out of bed.

Kaka - I also did the Neratinib trial and never experienced the 'big D." I think I got the placebo, but about 6 months in, I did start getting weird foot cramps. I remember telling my husband to look at the really freaky way my toes were cramped up. I never even connected it to Neratinib until I read about some others on the Neratinib trial thread experiencing the same thing. So who knows? Either way, you're making a contribution to the war on Her2+!

Being further out now, yes, I would put my pains into two different catagories, so maybe the shooting nerve type pain was/is the Taxol.  I have been doing much better the last few days, really not looking forward to the next time though, but at least I'll be a little better prepared.  Everyone talks about their WBC, I have no idea of mine, I assume they checked them the first visit before any tx, but I've not had blood drawn since so I guess no-one knows what they are!! least of all me.

The thing that is still bothering me is the tingling in my fingers and feet.  That isn't going away, probably just getting worse each day, to think that this will just get more and more with each treatment freaks me out a bit.  

Me too also, the bone pain from Neulasta is indescribable, and I will never forget it along with the nerve pain from Taxol. I am exactly one years on from then, and happy to say they both stopped soon after treatment. I had 2weekly chemo and neulasta 24hr after x 8, then went on to Herceptin. Bone density scans after recovery is a good idea for Neulasta girls as with chemo effects on the Bones also. Im 45 and found out 6mths ago I have Osteoporosis of the lumbar spine, but I also have a slight genetic disposition to it on top I think, but I will never know which played the main roll in the loss. Also had heart palpitation that scared the living crap out of me !, they went also with close monitoring on my electrolytes and potassium levels. 

Yes marjie thats the difficult part isn't it, trying to work out what pain is from what cause, and what that means ! Chemo takes so long to recover from on a cellular level, but I guess thats the point of its operations on the bad guys. Its a matter of managing it to a bearable level to continue living life with some recollection of what it once was !!! Someone said to me once that you have to account for an entire year of wipe off, set aside for grief, surgery, treatment and recovery, and of course not all of us can do this the solo way with dependants or financially. For me I can remember thinking at the time that I was glad I was single when diagnosed, but again everyone is so differant like some could not imagine going through it without a partners support, which is true also, we all are all unique individual women and deserve to live and be old and wise.

Catherine  

Hi Everyone, I too am receiving Taxol and Herceptin every three weeks, have just received my 2nd treamtnet and was blown away by the leg pain on day 3 with first treatment, it last severly till about day 8 then started to subside, sometimes at night would come back, I took tramcet which seemed to take the edge off so it was tolerable. I did experience tingling in fingers and feet, and alot of heel pain and some numbness, hoping this doesnt stay.

I was Rx decadron for several days after treatment but asked about not taking it as i find it very uncomfortable, cant sleep, face flushed, feel irritable, agitated, so am trying without it this time.

Thank you all for your info and iencouraging words and hope this is helpful to some.

Grimbol - my mammo was clear, which was nice!  I was luck to have really minimal nueropathy, if any.  I don't have any lingering effects of it either which I know is not the case for many women.  The 10 days of steroids at each tx seemed to minimize the bone pain for me so it was nothing a tylenol couldn't handle.  My SE's were accummulative but that also could have had something to do with the way I metabolized the drugs (which was not very well!).

Just checking in. I will be 2 years out on Oct. 5th.  Had partial masectomy, another surgery to get clear margins, TCH and radiation.  Had a port and got it out one week after my last Hercepton.  Had surgery at UTMB (by a surgeon I work with and know well).  Had TCH and Radiation at MD Anderson.  Got very fat and have not lost any of the weight!  Worked while getting treatments. 

Deported, wow, I thought they only did that to criminals, not people who used to much Health Care funds!!!!  You can come to LA and stay with me! 

Every day I look at my port and think about how long I will have it in, I guess you do get used to it eventually, please???

As you can tell I am feeling a little better tonight, havent puked for about 11 hours now, woo-hoo!!

I'm just 2 weeks into treatment. Had lumpectomy 9/1, and will have MammoSite RADS starting next week. Then TCH in October.