12 Weekly Taxol with Herceptin every 3 weeks

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Drained6513
Drained6513 Member Posts: 82
edited April 2019 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Hi, I'm new to this site.  I just finished my 6th Taxol treatement on Wednesday.  Six more to go!  I was told by my Oncologist that I had a 20% chance of cancer coming back and it would not be curable then. Meaning it was low to come back. But, the way he worded it, such as if it did, he has seen it take 30 years off of someone's life.  Of course, that plays big with me. 

The Biopsy said DCIS.  After left mastectomy surgery in November 2016 the pathology report came back with focal invasions... largest being 7mm.  So, the surgeon that did my mastectomy said if I do a mastectomy, I won't have to have radiation... and I thought it being DCIS, as the surgeon did too from the biopsy, probably hormone treatment etc. 

So now, because of what the Oncologist suggested I'm doing the chemo.  I hope I'm making sense, I'm all chemo'd out! lol 

My query is: I'm still struggling to do these chemo treatments, because it is low recurrence and most likely will not recur, so why am I putting myself thru this?   I'm HER+.  It's the long waiting btwn treatments that is hard to live with.  My hair started to shed on the 4th treatment. It's getting worse.  I am not coping well with this now that I can see my hair looks dead and lifeless.  What will I look like when it's all done? My skin looks tanned too, but its not.  I went from a healthy fit woman, I'm 55 years young, to this.  Will I go back to what I once looked like? 

 

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  • Drained6513
    Drained6513 Member Posts: 82
    edited February 2017

    By the way my lymphnodes were negative.  All clear.  Thank goodness. Thank you.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited February 2017

    Drained - you didn't list your specific treatment plan, but if you are HER2+, it is likely you are getting the Taxol with or around Herceptin. It's a great treatment for HER2+.

    Hang in there girl. You can do this.

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  • Kjinlady1059
    Kjinlady1059 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2017

    we are in the same path. I was diagnosed with DCIS stage 0 on February 1st. I had a right breast mastectomy and they took one lymph node which tested positive post surgery so that brings me to Stage 1b HER2+ progesterone and estrogen negative. I just completed my 6th week of taxol and Herceptin and will continue Herceptin every 3 weeks do a year. I did a lot research and im sure you have and I do believe this is the best choice. We will beat this, stay strong and posiive

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  • Poohbear2010
    Poohbear2010 Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2017

    good evening, Drained, I was diagnosed with HER2gene positive stage 2-3 grade 2 in 2006, I was told the same thing about it being low to come back..I don't want to dis allusion you but I had triple negative in the other breast within 4years...so I would take the Chemo. I will pray for you...it's a hard road but you just have to persevere


    ...good luck Judy

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  • justkelly2
    justkelly2 Member Posts: 5
    edited April 2017

    I just finished my 12th and final weekly Taxol infusion last week (got it along with Herceptin) and will now continue with Herceptin every three weeks to make it a total of 12 months Herceptin. Will have 6 weeks of radiation soon and take Tamoxifen for five years. It has been a very easy protocol so far! I didn't start shedding any of my hair until about infusion # 9 and I would say I still have about 85% of it. Eyebrows thinned a little, still have all other body hair and eyelashes. My blood counts dipped a little below normal but I've still been playing tennis and working and haven't caught so much as a cold. Do not fear this treatment!

    (Diagnosed with grade 2, stage 1, triple positive IDC at age 53--had a lumpectomy and 3 sentinel nodes biopsied--negative)

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited April 2017

    justkelly2 and Poohbear2010, thank you for sharing your experience! We are so happy that you have been able to carry on with activities that keep you active and happy!

    Drained, hang in there. We are sending you many hugs


    We are routing for all of you, and so glad you found the community here! What an amazing group of people!

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  • Drained6513
    Drained6513 Member Posts: 82
    edited April 2017

    Thanks for all of the comments and your own experiences!  We are all troupers, that's for sure.  Much luck to everyone on here.   I am done my Taxol treatments.  5 weeks past the last one.  Sorry to say my hair lasted til the 8th treatment and it really hadn't fallen out.. all of it that is.  It was just a knotted matted mess though.  To comb it out, would have pulled it out.. as I did that around the 6th treatment.  So, I had it shaved down.  It was the only way to get rid of the mess.  I'm now waiting patiently for it to grow in.  It has grown in a bit, but still not as much at the front top and sides. I get anxious and impatient and am constantly looking at it and snapping selfies to see it at every angle. I am doing the Nioxin shampoo and conditioner and scalp treatment which I started just before treatment.  I don't know if that helped all that much.  It may have kept the follicles open more.  My hair is long in some areas, but thin.

    I've seen some women's hair photos on here and they all look great.  I just wonder how they kept their skin looking so supple and nice?  I used a lot of cream at night on my skin and drank a lot of water but I still look like a person that has major sun damage, when I had such young looking skin before.  I am having an IV vitamin c and other vitamins drip tmrw at my local Naturopath.  And going to be doing this for a bit.  I have to do it one week after my Herceptin treatment, once a week, for two weeks, then stop a week before the Herceptin, and keep repeating. I heard this will help my body heal and help with the hair regrowth and skin etc.  

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  • airstriptrip
    airstriptrip Member Posts: 13
    edited April 2019

    I am one month out of Taxol and Herceptin and pretty fried. Tired all the time and neuropathy in hands and feet. They want me to do 12 more months of Herceptin alone but I am not so sure this 76 year old can do any more. It's about quality of life. My hair is just starting to grow in. Taking a very long time, I think. You will be O.K. hopefully without any complications or infections.

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  • airstriptrip
    airstriptrip Member Posts: 13
    edited April 2019

    I am done with the chemo part but they now want to do one year, once a week Herceptin alone. I am not so sure because i already have neuropathy in hand and feet and the Herceptin will make it worse. It's about quality of life right now


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  • JanetMara
    JanetMara Member Posts: 179
    edited April 2019

    I feel you AIRSTRIPTRIP

    Make sure they do and ECHOCARDIOGRAM on you every 12 weeks because herceptin weakens the heart,can lead to heart Failure.

    Janet

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  • JanetMara
    JanetMara Member Posts: 179
    edited April 2019

    Hello Airstriptrip

    I combine Coconut oil and Castor oil (1:1) and massage on my scalp after my shower,it helps grow the hair.

    I take HAIR,NAILS and SKIN for my nails,1 capsule a day.

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