HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - I asked. Doctor agreed. Reduced Decadron, Reduced Treatments from 6 to 5, & Brain MRI

spiritualabundance · 01-18-2016, 08:46 AM

It never hurts to ask. I met with the doctor before my 3rd treatment last week. Told him how awful the Decadron affected me. He said we could cut it completely but let's reduce it first. Reduced from 10mg to 4mg. Fantastic! It still worked, helping with nausea and inflammation, but I was able to sleep, rest, breath, function, better than the 1st 2 treatments. Additionally, I casually/jokingly said, "feel free to drop my treatments too if you want", and he said, "we can drop the 6th one". WHAT?! I never expected but I'm beyond thrilled. He also agreed to a brain MRI asap, but on hold awaiting insurance approval. Oh Insurance, don't you know it could actually SAVE you money in the long run! Bunch of numb skulls.

Just wanted to share my good news. God is working His will in all of our lives. He knows our needs, knows our wants. We need to believe, be thankful for all of what God puts in our life even if we don't understand it, and ask for Him to move our mountain and simply ask for what we want. Sometimes it's in His timing and sometimes He simply wants us to rest in His embrace, and sometimes He wants us home, with Him. It's all His will but the end result is always the same at the end of our time, eternal peace, love, comfort, happiness with Him! Praise God!

Believe!

01-18-2016, 08:46 AM	#1
spiritualabundance Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 52	I asked. Doctor agreed. Reduced Decadron, Reduced Treatments from 6 to 5, & Brain MRI It never hurts to ask. I met with the doctor before my 3rd treatment last week. Told him how awful the Decadron affected me. He said we could cut it completely but let's reduce it first. Reduced from 10mg to 4mg. Fantastic! It still worked, helping with nausea and inflammation, but I was able to sleep, rest, breath, function, better than the 1st 2 treatments. Additionally, I casually/jokingly said, "feel free to drop my treatments too if you want", and he said, "we can drop the 6th one". WHAT?! I never expected but I'm beyond thrilled. He also agreed to a brain MRI asap, but on hold awaiting insurance approval. Oh Insurance, don't you know it could actually SAVE you money in the long run! Bunch of numb skulls. Just wanted to share my good news. God is working His will in all of our lives. He knows our needs, knows our wants. We need to believe, be thankful for all of what God puts in our life even if we don't understand it, and ask for Him to move our mountain and simply ask for what we want. Sometimes it's in His timing and sometimes He simply wants us to rest in His embrace, and sometimes He wants us home, with Him. It's all His will but the end result is always the same at the end of our time, eternal peace, love, comfort, happiness with Him! Praise God! Believe! __________________ 6/6/2015-Found a lump in my L breast at 45 years young. 6/12/2015-First u/s 7/2015-Mammogram and 2nd u/s (same day) 8/7/2015-Needle aspiration u/s biopsy. Doctor indicated looked malignant. (thanks doc!! the wait after that sucked) 8/20/2015-Diagnosed w ER+,PR+,HER2+ BC in L breast (now 46 years young.) 9/24/2015-Saw first surgeon, referred by oncologist. Great guy. Office staff not advocates. 10/12/2015-Met w Plastic Surgeon. Amazing doctor. Recommended not immediate due to chemo and 'just get the cancer out first' attitude. Will do recon with him after chemo is complete. 10/12/2015-Called first surgeon's office who told me that it's been too long since the first consult and will need to schedule another consult on 10/24 and then schedule surgery within 2-3 AFTER that date. (BITE ME) 10/12-Found a new surgeon. 10/15-Consulted with new FEMALE surgeon. She was AMAZING! Asked me if I wanted to do the surgery on Monday (in 5 days). Stunned and thrilled!! 10/26/15-Surgery for bilateral mastectomy, port placed, and 3 nodes removed for SNB. 3 drains installed. 10/28/15-home from the hospital to recover. 10/30/2015-Follow up with surgeon. Drains removed. Was told tumor was removed but had more than doubled in size from 1.3 to 2.9cm. 3 nodes removed, all negative. Healthy breast was clear but several suspicious areas on affected left breast. Looks to be Stage 2A. Oncologist appt next week. 11/5/2015-Follow up with oncologist. Planning to start chemotherapy (Herceptin, Taxotere, and Carboplatin together beginning November 30th). Very nervous about side effects, low white blood count, anemia, steriods, etc, etc, etc. I'm not usually one to medicate myself for anything. Not ready for this. Kinda scared. 11/30/2015 - Isaiah 41:10 today for sure. Today was my first day (round) of TCH chemo treatment. Before receiving the cocktail, I saw the doctor who delivered the news that my CT scans (abdomen, chest, and pelvis were all clear). Praise God!! Feeling okay right now after chemo, just a bit sleepy. We'll see how the Neulasta, along with the other effects, rear their lovely heads over the next few days. Prayers please, as always. 12/17/2015-Decided it was time to shave my head and face the music. 1/11/2016-Went in for 3rd treatment. UGG. Spoke to the doctor first. Asked him to reduce the Decadron. Agreed! From 10mg to 4mg dosage. YAY! It still worked and I was able to rest and live. Praise God. I jokingly told him if he felt like dropping some of my treatment, to feel free. Guess what?! He agreed! Agreed to drop my 6th treatment meaning that I now only have 2 left and in March I'll be able to begin the reconstruction process. Additionally, he agreed to schedule me for a brain MRI to just double check for any spread. Anxiously awaiting.