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Alaska Angel - I can understand why you feel you'd prefer just Herceptin as opposed to chemo and Herceptin.
I went through that when I was first diagnosed and was very upset to learn I had to go through chemo in order to get Herceptin. It was chemo - or no Herceptin and I knew that was the drug I needed.
I was early stage, no node involvement , clean margins after surgery but one of the doctors said something that made it almost tolerable. The what if... what if a small undetectable cell had escaped and was lurking somewhere else.... chemo was added insurance.
So I went through it all and I don't regret it. If I had the choice again today - I'd still choose chemo with Herceptin.
And I learned another thing on my very last appointment when Herceptin was finally finished - that, according to doctors, I was just on the borderline - between no treatment at all after surgery and the full meal deal.
While I was presented with the choice as to whether or not to take chemo, I never realized I was considered such a borderline case.
But even if I knew that, I'd still make the choice for full treatment.
The steroids? I don't regret those either because I think it kept the nausea at bay. Our protocol was to take the pills two days prior to chemo and one day after. No longer. I moved a lot of furniture during that time.
Now - for the weight gain. We shouldn't beat ourselves up too much - remember how awful most foods used to taste? It was a miracle to want to eat anything and for some reason deserts and anything sweet was more tolerable. I don't regret that.
I gained about 10 pounds and some of it has come off. I've just joined a gym and plan to get rid of the rest of it - some motivation though. The plastic surgeon doing my Diep flap would like me to lose a bit more - but not too much.
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