 |
11-14-2007, 09:56 AM
|
#1
|
|
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: In the woods in RI
Posts: 6
|
Pain around chemo port?
I've been reading this forum for a while now and have a question about sharp pains around my port (installed around 9/13/07 just below my collar bone). My onc says that it feels as though it is fine but every now and again (usually after some type of activity involving reaching overhead for something) I get very sharp pains that come and go for a day or two. Most of the time I don't even know its there now that I'm used to it, but these sharp pains make me crazy. I've been doing so well with all this that I'm not used to having such a problem. Also, I have a choice of getting Herceptin every week or every three weeks. What do you all recommend?
__________________
Marie
dx 7/9/07 at age 50
Right Breast Lumpectomy 7/26/07
Stage T1cN0Mx
IDC & DCIS 1.8 cm Grade 3
Sentinal node biopsy 3 of 3 negative
ER+PR+Her2+(3.8)
4 rounds A/C final 11/15/07
52 weeks herceptin (12/2007)
33 radiation (12/2007)
5 years tamoxifen
"Seven days without prayer makes one weak"
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 10:06 AM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 2,357
|
Hi Marie!
My port area did the same thing for a while. I finally decided it must be something "inside" (I know absolutely nothing about how it works) that was adjusting or something. But it finally stopped. I had forgotten about it until I read your message!
I do herceptin every 3 weeks, but I'm 3 1/4 hours away; so maybe that's why. I works well for me and lets me be a "regular" gal for a while before going back again! I'm working hard to stay on it "forever" so this is a good schedule for me. ma
__________________
MA in TX.
Grateful for each and every day....
Diag. 12/05 at age 60
Stage II, Grade 3, 4.5 cm primary tumor
ER/PR- Her2 +3 strongly positive
Her2 by FISH 7.7 amplified
vascular invasion
Ki67 20% borderline
Jan - March '06 Taxotere/Adriamycin X 3 to try to shrink tumor - it grew
April '06 Rt Modified Radical Mas, 7 of 9 nodes positive
April - Aug. '06 Herceptin/Taxol/Carboplatin X 8 (dose dense)
Sept - Dec. '06 Navelbine/Herceptin x 8 (dose dense)
Radiation & Herceptin Jan. 22 - March 1, 2007
Finished Herceptin Dec. 10 '08! One extra year.
Port removed August, 2012.
8 1/2 years since diagnosis! 5 1/2 Years NED!
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 10:11 AM
|
#3
|
|
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: In the woods in RI
Posts: 6
|
Thank you so much Mary Anne,
At least I know that I'm not crazy and that it may stop pretty soon! Thanks also for the input on the Herceptin which I start next month. Tomorrow is my last round of AC so I really have something to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving!
__________________
Marie
dx 7/9/07 at age 50
Right Breast Lumpectomy 7/26/07
Stage T1cN0Mx
IDC & DCIS 1.8 cm Grade 3
Sentinal node biopsy 3 of 3 negative
ER+PR+Her2+(3.8)
4 rounds A/C final 11/15/07
52 weeks herceptin (12/2007)
33 radiation (12/2007)
5 years tamoxifen
"Seven days without prayer makes one weak"
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 10:36 AM
|
#4
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: RHODE ISLAND
(Ed getting me a latte on 2nd Cancerversary Cruise 2008)
'BELIEVE': To accept as true or real, To have faith in, To presume
ALWAYS BELIEVE
Posts: 2,999
|
Hi Marie
I cannot answer your question but I wanted to tell you that my name in Marie and I too live in Rhode Island. What part?? We have several members from RI so feel free to call upon us if you ever need a flesh and blood hug. E-mail me sweetie if you want to talk or make plans for that hug you deserve!! Keeping you in my prayers!!>>Believe51
__________________
9/7/06Husband 50yrs=StageIV IBC/HER2+,BoneMets10/06TaxotereX10,'H'1X wk,Zometa,Tamoxifen4/12/07Last Tax5/18/07Pet=Rapid Cell Activity,No Organ Mets,Lytic Lesions,Degeneration,Some Bone Repair5/07ChemoFail6/01/07Pleural Thoracentisis=Effusions,NoMalignantCells6/19/07+7/2/07DFCI
6/25/07BrainMRI=BrainMets,Many<9mm7/10/07WBR/PelvisRad37.5Gx15&Nutritionist8/19/07T/X9/20/07BrainMRI=2<2mm10/6/07Pet=BoneProgression
10/24/07ChemoFail11/9/07A/Cx10,EndTam12/7/07Faslodex12/10/07Muga7512/13/07BlasticLesions1/7/08BrainMRI=Clear4/1/08Pet=BoneImprovement,
NoProgression,Stable4/7/08BrainPerfect5/16/08Last A/C8/26/08BrainMets=10(<9mm)9/10/08Gamma10/30/08Met=5mm12/19/08Gamma5mets5
12/22/08SpinalMets1/14/09SpinalRads2/17/09BrainMRI=NoNewMets4/20/09BoneScan5/14/09Ixempra6/1/09BrainMRI=NumerousMets6/24/09DFCIw/DrBurstein6/26/09Continue
Ixempra/Faslodex/Zometa~TM now lower7/17/09Stop Ixempra By Choice9/21/09HOSPICE10/16/09Earned His Deserved Wings And Halo=37 Month Fight w/Stage 4 IBC, Her2+++,My Hero!!
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 11:31 AM
|
#5
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Poland Ohio just a little south of Youngstown.
Posts: 473
|
Hi Marie, I had some pain off and on with my port for about the first three monthes then it just went away.
I get my herceptin infusion every Friday, I find that's easier for me. I'm lucky that I live practically across the street from the infusion center.
Hugs
__________________
Susan
Age: 61
dx: 5/25/06
2 cm/ 0 nodes
Lumpectomy rt breast on 7/26/06
ER/PR- / Her2+++
A/C x 4
finished taxotere 2/07
finished 33 rads
Herceptin finished 12/07/07 Yippee!
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 03:23 PM
|
#6
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 368
|
I'm not sure but I read that some ports are stitched in place. If your's is, maybe reaching, etc, is pulling at the muscle, where it's stitched in place?
I had a lot of soreness around my port all during chemo. Seems it just started to heal and it was time for chemo again. It also hurt when I laid on that side at night, and pushed against it.
It's much better now, and most times I forget it's there.
I get Herceptin every 3 weeks, and I'm glad because I don't think I'd have time to heal enough from the stick, between infusions, if it was every week.
I'd recommend the 3 week regime as long as you don't have any problems with the strength of the 3 week dosage.
__________________
12/12/06- IDC Stage III, 4x A/C, 35 rads, Herceptin 1 year
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 03:45 PM
|
#7
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 236
|
Maybe the pains you are experiencing are just part of the healing process. Hopefully in time the pains you are experiencing will fade away. Good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 04:08 PM
|
#8
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Southern, CA
Posts: 2,511
|
Marie, I know of one women that said her port bothered her for over a month but it eventually went away. I see you've had yours in for two months now. It might just be the placement of it is irratating some nerves under there or something? I would mention it to my oncologist if this continues. Maybe its some sort of dissovlable surtures that were used around the port that are pulling and causing this? But you don't need to be dealing with all the sharp pains...I would mention this to your oncologist at your next visit and see what he/she says. I hope it gets better for you soon.
As to herceptin I did mine weekly but I am only 10 minutes from my cancer center. Plus when I first started herceptin I was told weekly was better. But every three weeks seems to work just fine because that is what most women do. Its sure easier that way. Its better then going down to the cancer center every week. Towards the end of my herceptin treatment I switched to every 3 weeks and it was a NICE change.  Either way is fine...do what's easiest for you. Good luck to you.
Chelee
__________________
DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes.
Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs.
Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06
Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07
3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07
9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV.
9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa
9-29-09 Power Port Placement
10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head.
11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed
12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa.
3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed.
4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone.
5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy.
Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time.
7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.
|
|
|
|
|
11-14-2007, 06:28 PM
|
#9
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 108
|
I had a lot of discomfort from my port for about a month after it was "installed" :-) It finally resolved on its own.
I started with herceptin on the 3 week cycle, but I got so much joint pain that I decided to go on it weekly. The smaller dose is supposed to help with the joint achiness - it certainly has for me. It is much better now.
__________________
Age 50, premenopausal
Dx 1/2/07 DCIS/IDC
Lumpectomy 1/4/07 1.1cm tumor
SNB 3 nodes clear
Stage 1, Grade 2, HER2+++ (FISH 6.8)
ER + / PR +
TCH, 6 rounds, finished 6/1/07!!!
Herceptin to continue for 1 year
36 rads finished 8/22/07
Port out 8/27/07
Switched to Herceptin weekly for joint pain
Ooph 11/13/07
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:23 PM.
|
Linear Mode
