New to BC, waiting to get started after final tests

Hugs, Sweetp6217!

I was also diagnosed as HER2+ (age 46) and had chemo before surgery. However, I had a different chemo regimen (Adriamycin + Cytoxan X 4 and then Taxol X 12 + Herceptin + Perjeta). I was able to keep working full-time, but I met with my boss after diagnosis to reduce a few of my responsibilities.

I had chemo on Wednesdays, and the side-effects would hit Friday/Saturday. Then, I'd be feeling pretty good by Monday, when I'd focus on work again. I was also able to work at home for some of the time, which was helpful.

I ended up with a lumpectomy because chemo wiped out the cancer in my breast and compromised node. The lumpectomy wasn't too bad; I was able to go back to work (part-time) the day after surgery. Working through radiation was OK because it didn't really take too long. Working through Herceptin (alone -- didn't have adjuvant Perjeta) was fine because Herceptin never really gave my serious side-effects.

My case is just my case, though. Everyone reacts to chemo and surgery differently! However, I do think it's doable to work through chemo as long as you listen to your body and you take it easy when necessary. Best wishes!!!

I think that it really depends on what your job is like. Are you in an office? Have to be in meetings? On the road much? Have a physically demanding position?

I did the same regimen (TCHP). I quit working during treatment because I was a home care nurse and couldn't tolerate the time on the road, the physical aspects, and the risks of infection. Towards the end, the Perjeta was causing worse and worse diarrhea as well.

I think that if my job had been a desk job with more flexibility - like working from home sometimes or easy access to a bathroom - it would have been doable. And maybe a good distraction from BC!

I also seemed to have just about every SE. Some people do much better. I remain on Herceptin with minimal SE's.

Hmmm.... On your feet a lot.... It's doable but you might want to arrange work for the days you feel the best. Many women feel the side effects hit on Day 3 -- which would be Friday if you do treatment on Wednesday. Days 4 and 5 aren't much of a picnic, either. NotVeryBrave is also correct to point out that TCHP is well-known for causing gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea. I was on Taxol, Taxotere's gentler cousin, and it gave me moderate diarrhea. I took Imodium, but many women end up having to take prescription drugs to control their diarrhea and some even end up getting extra fluids at the infusion center.

One thing I had to compensate for was the mental impact of chemo. Chemo brain left me searching for the right words and thoughts sometimes, and that was a problem because I teach college students. I made sure that I had very detailed notes when I taught. So, if I lost my train of thought or couldn't think of a name, all I had to do was to look down at my notes.

Good luck! You might want to talk to your bosses ahead of time to work out a schedule that will allow you to function at your best.

sweetp - I had infusions on Thurs, felt ok that day and most of the next, but by Sat was feeling meh. I too had the Big D, but it was not all day, every day - some days just a few times. This lasted for the first 10 days after each infusion. I did not take any anti-D drugs to control it, just tried to stay hydrated and ride it out. I did not feel I had any issues cognitively. My hemoglobin did drop with each tx and by the last infusion (#6 of TCH - I was treated prior to the approval of Perjeta) it was 8.5. My only symptom from that was tiredness, no confusion or dizziness. I did find that the 10 days before the next infusion I felt pretty normal, except that I was tired and no amount of sleep could fix that. For total transparency, I did not work during chemo as I had 5 surgeries in the 14 weeks before beginning, and my work environment was bio-hazardous, in the hospital, so my oncologist preferred that I take FMLA and resume working when treatment was done, which I did. Good luck!

sweetp - happy to help! You will have to see how you do, it is hard to predict how both the chemo regimen and mitigating medications will make you feel. If you can make a plan with some flexibility with regard to work, that would a bonus. Wishing you the best!

I had a pretty easy chemo of Abraxane weekly and Herceptin and Perjeta every 3 weeks. I took chemo day off (Monday) and quickly learned my side effects schedule. Days 2&3 were some flushing on my face, day 4 was minor bone pain (tramadol) and day 6 "big d" (Imodium), I stayed active and never had fatigue. It's doable

Elaine Therese. Im 43, I'm a recent diagnosed with stage 2 , still waiting on more test to get done but I had a decision to make on whether or not I want to have the mastectomy or the lumpectomy. I'm leaning more towards the lumpectomy. I saw an earlier post about being able to work and I guess I'm concern about that. I'm active duty military and I'm not sure how these treatments with affect my productivity and being able to carry on a full days work. Can someone share some light on what to kind of expect.