Just diagnosed after 4 years NED

Check out the Triple Positive thread. You can ignore the Tamoxifen/AI stuff but everyone there has done chemo (often Taxol) and Herceptin. There’s also a Weekly Taxol thread if that’s what’s recommended.

If I recall correctly, etnasgrl's tumor is on the small side. I did neoadjuvant (before surgery) chemo because my lump was big and shrinking it would give me more surgical options. (It did disappear, though surgery did remove a tiny pocket of DCIS.) It sounds like etnasgrl is ready for a BMX at this point. Still, one benefit of neoadjuvant chemo is that it allows you to make sure that your tumor is responding to the chemo regimen in question. So, that might be a reason to do chemo first.

I had a small tumor and surgery was recommended first. If it had been closer to the 2cm then they would have recommended chemo first. But my BS was going with lumpectomy

etnasgrl:

I'm really sorry you have to deal this again. I had TCHP, which is taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin, and perjeta. The taxotere and carboplatin are the chemotherapies and herceptin and perjeta are the targeted therapies. Everyone responds a little differently. Some people are laid up while others can get on with their day with some modifications. Herceptin and/or perjeta did not cause me much more than a runny nose but I was pretty laid up from the chemotherapy itself.

I detailed all of my side effects here.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topics...

Some things to know...

You can cold cap try to keep your hair but it's not guaranteed to work. Some people also ice their hands and feet during infusions in an attempt to prevent neuropathy. I did not ice my hands or feet but only developed mild neuropathy which has largely resolved.

Water will probably taste bad. I could only drink carbonated water that was lime flavored, or Pellegrino, and soda on occasion.

Regular toothpaste might be problematic. I used Biotene toothpaste instead. A note, it is often kept in a slightly different location from the regular toothpaste.

MinusTwo:

I haven't done any in depth research on it, but sometimes I wonder if icing is actually contributing to the neuropathy because most people I have heard from who developed bad neuropathy iced.

I have Raynaud's so I just held a luke cold water bottle and took my shoes off and let the Raynaud's do it's thing.

I developed some numbness in my toes and pins and needles in my fingers but that was pretty much the extent of my neuropathy. Maybe I just got lucky though.