[DianneS]

Hi all,

Thanks for the good wishes for the first treatment. Part of it went well; my body accepted the Herceptin just fine. I got an hour between the Herceptin and the Taxotere.

However, when they began to infuse the Taxotere, within 5-10 minutes I had a reaction, squeezing tightness in the chest and flushed face, along with some minor pain down along my back. They immediately stopped the infusion and gave me 50mg Benadryl IV which stopped all the symptoms. The onc nurse said that if the reaction had happened later on they would have continued but not with such an immediate negative reaction.

I still have swelling, tho slight, in my face and systemically even though the Taxotere was given about 2 PM YESTERDAY. I just called the nurse hotline and they told me to take more Benadryl which the doctor didn't even suggest.....

So, now I have to be admitted to hospital next week and let the honcho doctor, who didn't do the infusion but is advising the doctor/nurses closer to where I live (the ones who gave me my first treatment yesterday) about administering the drugs (TCH). I live a full day away from Vancouver where the honcho doc is so that is why I didn't have the first treatment there. However, due to this complication the honcho doctor wants to try the TCH again.....at a major hospital where she can monitor the reactions. I am not sure about this....I guess she can pump me up with cortisteroids or whatever to lessen the effects of the TCH or switch to something else. Is that possible?

This is a real bummer. Now I am another week behind on treatments, except for the Herceptin. Has anyone else had a reaction to Taxotere and found a way to still continue it? I took all of my Dexamethazones as prescribed, and didn't feel hyper...maybe it didn't work?

Also I have no reaction from the Herceptin at all, unless being tired and having heartburn counts. No flu like feelings or aches/pains. Is that unusual?

Diannes.....