Perjeta/Herceptin/Taxotere

Hey, lilylady. Glad to hear you skated through this week! Great news. I hope that trend continues. I'm feeling physically good--just the fatigue. The leg cramps seem to be past, for now. I haven't had my potassium checked, but in general I do eat plenty of foods with potassium. I suppose I could try a supplement or ask about a prescription. It sure messed up my sleep several nights. We have three cats, two of whom like to sleep on either side of me. So when the cramps attack, OMG, it's quite the kerfuffle, with rrrayyyyrrrring cats and me hobbling around hyperventilating and my husband pretending he hears nothing.

Have a great week, everyone! 

Jodi, funny you should say that about your nostrils, because I've had the same thing. However I attribute it to the fact that the insides of my nostrils are not happy. Nose runneth like a faucet. Sometimes bleeds. TMI, I know, but the result is crusty airholes I really have to just let be. Steamy showers kind of loosens up stuff and clears the way. But I think I have low-grade infection, thus the slightly painful outsides. I dabbed neosporin-coated q-tips up thar and that seemed to help. Need to do it again. I've had a few skin blemishes on my arms but no acne-like stuff on the face. Sorry to hear it! Hope it makes you feel like a teen again. But what a great remedy to have sisters like that. And the sun and recliners. That would make up for a lot.

Good morning all,

I am new to all this, so please have patience with me.  I am also really interested in discussions with others undergoing treatment with Perjeta, Herceptin, and Taxotere.  I was originally diagnosed with Stage 1 lobular, invasive breast cancer in April 2011. Had lumpectomy, radiation, and arimidex.  I love my medical team and have complete faith in them.  We all felt that my chance for recurrence was astronomically small (less than 1%).  I guess that's where statistics come in.  Someone has to be that 1%!  I started having back pain last December and thought I strained my back, but it really didn't improve.  Had my annual in April and all labs (including the CA markers) were normal.  In July, I discovered that I have mets to all bones, including a tumor touching my spinal cord and several compression fractures in neck and back.  Did a 2 week course of radiation and started on the new 3 drug combo on Aug 16th.  Thank you all for sharing your experiences with the drugs.  It has been really helpful for me to hear how others are doing with this. So far, I am doing well!  I have felt extreme fatigue and haven't been able to sleep well (that is until I got 8 hours of blissful sleep last night!). I feel like a new person.  I have to laugh at the saguaro cactus constipation comment--I couldn't have described it better.  I know it isn't funny, but I feel strongly that we have to find as many positives as we can in whatever situation we find ourselves in. I am now at day 4 after my 1st treatment.  The fatigue fog seems to have lifted.  I am doinge everytihng I can to stay hydrated.  From what the nurses and doctors have told me, this is one of the most important steps in treatment!  Keep drinks with you at all times!  I'm in a neck and back brace due to the instability of my back and I'm really nervous about nausea and vomiting, but so far it hasn't been an issue.  I did some reading about how to decrease chances of nausea.  I started making green tea and adding a cube of frozed grated ginger to the mixture.  You steep the tea for 10 minutes and drink 3 cups every morning.  It takes very refreshing and is doing the trick.  I wish all of you the best and hope that we will all "fight like girls" to rid ourselves of thes nasty bugs!

good morning everyone.  well, today i woke up and i feel like a new person.  i am still tired and i guess that is just going to be something we will all have to deal with and that is fine (naps are good stuff).  a lot of my tiredness is just recoping from this damn pneumonia too.  i didn't know it but i had it before i even took my first dose of this cocktail.  now that the fluid is gone, boy do i feel so much better.  i am so glad i have found you ladies and we can talk about all of this.  no one but us knows how this feels.  then to top it all off we have to deal with our insur. co.  but really the money for them is on the bottom of the barrell for us - they will get it when they get it.  

i read on here that one of you had it met on your ovaries (i have never heard of that) but then i read someone say about the abdomen and just so you know, my abdomen had been effected becasue it is in the lymphnodes around my adbdomen. i get my next dose thurs this week, i am pretty nervous but from the sounds of things from you guys the 2nd tx is much better than the first.  keeping my fingers crossed.

michele

Thank you Surly, I'll have to see just what I can find on that.

Thank you again Surly, I did find the thread on here and I just checked the article. At least I don't feel like such an outcast, there are a few others out there. Nothing sounds good about this type of mets but, at least I know more about what I am dealing with. I'll just keep hoping they add the Perjeta into my treatment. I also told the onc that I would be open to what ever treatment or chemo he wanted to go with...........'cause i'm not ready to go anywhere without a fight!!!  Hope all are well tomorrow and  everyday.

~LORI~

Formygirls. I hope you are all tucked in and resting well and ready for good scan news tomorrow. I will be sending my strongest positive thoughts your way.  

Formygirls, I will be praying for good results on your scan.

Warriorprincess, I'm not having much pain, but the oxycontin works like a miracle for me. I do feel like Humpty Dumpty though.  Good luck on your surgery!

Formygirls--Still sending you positive vibes and waves of support, no matter what you learn from your scan.

formygirls, while you are having your long day, remember that there are a bunch of us out here sending good karma and prayers your way.  We are with you all the way - SUE 

I have good news. My scans showed improvement!! My last scans were 10 weeks ago so it has been some time. I have had two txs of this combo(6 weeks) and today I am getting tx 3. My onc was very happy with the response. I have a lot of cancer in my liver, bones, lungs and lymph nodes and my Pet did not show any uptake. The CT's did show cancer but improved from before. For me CT tends to be more sensitive than PET. I am very thankful. I just need a wonder drug for my all the tumors in my brain. So hang in there everyone. So far for me, the drug has lived to it's promise.