HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Help! Anyone on TCHP for early stage neoadjunct

LaDonna28 · 05-05-2015, 03:30 PM

Teal55,

My Dx was very similar to yours. Your questions have been answered, but let me throw a few more tidbits your way.
Buy a plastic ketchup/mustard bottle - keep water in it for when you go to the bathroom. Use the bottles to ' rinse' and then pat dry. The toxins from the chemo come out in your urine and poop and can make you 'raw' if not careful.

The nuelasta shot can cause great pain in some people. At the first inkling of joint pain take the pain meds. Going forward, take it proactively if you are one of the people that get the bad pain - it can get really bad.

I ended up getting a lumpectomy because I was so worn out from the chemo. I didn't think my body could handle a major surgery. I am still giving a bilateral some thought, but I am still stuck on oxygen and having stomach issues now (probably because I wasn't taking the Zantac like I should have).

Buy a soft toothbrush for during the period of when your mouth is tender. The sprays and mouth rinses are great and do help a lot.

Make sure you take the Claritin as well as take Zantac or Pepcid as you will have GERD type side effects as well.

My memory is crappy. I am on the tamoxifen and not sure if it is that or the herceptin or both. I forgot my SS# the other day. I have forgotten my wallet 4x in the past month. I write notes for myself, but forget where I put the list. If I am talking to someone and get interrupted, most of the time my train of thought gets lost. My IQ was 129 - it now feels like 89. I hate it. But I am alive and was told all cancer cells died with the treatment.

The main thing is to keep AHEAD of the side effects. I know it is like overkill, but in the long run you will have less issues. Oh, and drink lots, and lots, and lots of water. I bought the water that was the expensive stuff at Whole Foods ( Sprouts or whatever organic health food store you have available). I can't remember the name of the water, but the ph level was 8-9 and the water tasted really good while I was going through chemo. It allowed me to stay hydrated. Regular water tasted yucky, but had someone on this site tell me about the higher ph water tasting better.

Good luck with your treatments! My prayers are always with the 'her2support' ladies.

Keep us posted and ask anything anytime!

LaDonna

05-05-2015, 03:30 PM	#4
LaDonna28 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 78	Re: Help! Anyone on TCHP for early stage neoadjunct Teal55, My Dx was very similar to yours. Your questions have been answered, but let me throw a few more tidbits your way. Buy a plastic ketchup/mustard bottle - keep water in it for when you go to the bathroom. Use the bottles to ' rinse' and then pat dry. The toxins from the chemo come out in your urine and poop and can make you 'raw' if not careful. The nuelasta shot can cause great pain in some people. At the first inkling of joint pain take the pain meds. Going forward, take it proactively if you are one of the people that get the bad pain - it can get really bad. I ended up getting a lumpectomy because I was so worn out from the chemo. I didn't think my body could handle a major surgery. I am still giving a bilateral some thought, but I am still stuck on oxygen and having stomach issues now (probably because I wasn't taking the Zantac like I should have). Buy a soft toothbrush for during the period of when your mouth is tender. The sprays and mouth rinses are great and do help a lot. Make sure you take the Claritin as well as take Zantac or Pepcid as you will have GERD type side effects as well. My memory is crappy. I am on the tamoxifen and not sure if it is that or the herceptin or both. I forgot my SS# the other day. I have forgotten my wallet 4x in the past month. I write notes for myself, but forget where I put the list. If I am talking to someone and get interrupted, most of the time my train of thought gets lost. My IQ was 129 - it now feels like 89. I hate it. But I am alive and was told all cancer cells died with the treatment. The main thing is to keep AHEAD of the side effects. I know it is like overkill, but in the long run you will have less issues. Oh, and drink lots, and lots, and lots of water. I bought the water that was the expensive stuff at Whole Foods ( Sprouts or whatever organic health food store you have available). I can't remember the name of the water, but the ph level was 8-9 and the water tasted really good while I was going through chemo. It allowed me to stay hydrated. Regular water tasted yucky, but had someone on this site tell me about the higher ph water tasting better. Good luck with your treatments! My prayers are always with the 'her2support' ladies. Keep us posted and ask anything anytime! LaDonna __________________ Steriactic biopsy July 2011 for microcalicificarions - negative Mammogram 2012, 2013 no change Mammogram July 8, 2014, more microcalcifications and mass (10mm per radiologist) Diagnostic Mammogram July 10, 2014 Steriactic Biopsy July 15, 2014 July 21 given diagnosis DCIS and IDC upper, Outer quadrant of right breast ER Pos >95%. PR Pos 90%, HER-2-neu positive (score +3) Grade 3 Breast surgeon on July 29, 2014 says 2 cm MRI states only mild to moderate bilateral physiologic background parenchymal enhancement with uptake on intermammary nodes BRCA tests all negative :) August 8 port placement. Lung partially collapsed. On oxygen until further notice August 9, '14 started TCPH therapy with nuelasta shots. 6 cycles @ 3 weeks 5th treatment T and C dosages lowered due to bad neuropathy 6th and last TCPH changed to PH only for Dec 1st Lumpectomy and node biopsy Dec 2 100% complete response from TCPH neoadjuvent therapy: tumor completely gone-dead cells only. Node completely free of ANY cells. Staged at 0! Margins clear from 4mm-10mm from dead cells. 2 week period following surgery went in for draining of Hematoma that filled surgery void area in breast 3 times Continued with Herceptin only December 22, 2014 @ 3 weeks until ??? Started radiation Jan. 7, 2015 plan is for 16-20 rads january 25th 2015 last radiation completed. Stopped at 16 due to Seroma (void in breast is filled with fluid) January 30 Tamoxifan started Still on oxygen, tamoxifen side effects kicking my butt. Seeing a gastro dr. due to a lot of stomach issues. July 2015 - 3D mammogram nervous as all hell - but came back clean!!!! YEAAH March 2016 - only using oxygen at night! Stomach issues better and trying to wean off the heartburn meds. Am hoping to get reconstructive done Jan 2017.