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Re: Please post your two cents on Herceptin "side effects" real or perceived!
Andi,
You might want to give calendula a whirl. IMO, it's a miracle.
Hyland's makes an ointment that's pretty disgusting (petroleum, lanolin and calendula) as well as a spray (glycerin, water and calendula). California Baby makes a cream that smells lovely, but is probably not so effective as the first two. I have not used Weleda, but it gets high marks from many.
During radiation, I used California Baby in the day time (so people wouldn't run from me holding their noses). At night, I slathered on the ointment (because my husband is mightily tolerant--well, either that or he's lost his sense of smell entirely). End result? No radiation dermatitis for me. Now, when I burn myself or come in contact with something itch-inducing or have any skin irritation at all, I apply the spray immediately. Bye-bye burn, so long itch, fare-thee-well red spots.
Oh, and it also works for sunburn.
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2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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