Herceptin/Cancer/Paranoia/Aches and Pains

[Catherine]

Am I crazy or selfish or paranoid? My last Herceptin is on Dec 19. Then all my treatment is over. I will start seeing my Oncologist every 4 months. He really is wonderful. He will do blood tests and talk with me. He says he finds that patients know their bodies and he wants me to advise him of anything that does not feel right. Mugas are fine.

In general I have done well on Herceptin. But right now, my whole body hurts. I thought maybe I was getting some achey flu. This has been going on for 4 days. I have been stretching twice a day. The aches seem worse in the morning and worse at night. I am 59. Is this age and maybe familia arthritis? Or am I starting to get paranoid about the Herceptin. I almost do not want to get my last treatment.

Thanks for listening, Catherine

[Linda]

Hi Catherine:
I'm also in Oregon and there is a nasty cold/flu going around. Of course, if something lasts more than 2 weeks, check it out, but I bet you are just fighting the same old virus that's hitting the rest of us. Also, although herceptin is an "easy" drug, I still did not really feel like my old self (especially in terms of energy) until after I'd finished it. It was subtle, compared to how I felt on chemo, but in the few months after the year of herceptin, I really started to workout hard again, feel and look robust again.
Congrats on having made it through your treatment. I'm over 2 and a half years out and doing very well.
Linda

[PinkGirl]

Hi Catherine of Oregon

I don't think you are crazy, selfish, or paranoid. You are experiencing what happens to all of us when we get near the end of our treatments. Some people describe it as "getting thrown off a cliff". I thought I would be very happy to finish all of my treatments, but I wasn't. While on treatments, we feel like we are fighting the beast; when they end, we move on to check-ups and sometimes blood tests and scans. It is "normal" to be wondering about every ache and pain. That's what "we" do now....it is the new normal.

Your aches and pains all over could be from the herceptin, arthritis, a virus, the weather, tamoxafin, an A.I. etc. I think there is a general rule about waiting a week or two and if you still have the pain, get it checked out by a doc.

Or you can go back and read the Tiptoe thread and laugh the pain away...or eat some chocolate :)

[Mary Anne in TX]

WOW, Catherine! You sound totally BC normal to me! I can so relate. When I thought I was coming up on my last herceptin, I did exactly the same thing! But I will say that the aches and pains in the morning and evening are still there! I think it's either the herceptin over time or hold over from chemo. I completely refuse to admit it's my age! (will be 63 in Jan.) The more I move around, the better I feel. Talk to him about it all. I'll bet it's the stress with some herceptin aches in there, but he needs to know how you feel. It's hard to let go of the H lifeline, I think! Equally hard to let go of the fantastic nurses and other patients we see every 3 weeks. You're not crazy! But gosh what a milestone you have hit! I'm so very happy for you and wish you an outrageous holiday season! Much love, ma