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Re: Metastatis Breast Cancer - Herceptin required
Hello Manish and Dimple,
So sorry about the diagnosis but you have found a great place for information and caring support.
You can read my breast cancer history below. Please note I was on Herceptin for 10 yrs, with relatively no effects.
I would offer you the advice I received at my first chemo session. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, every day, to flush out the toxins.
Though nausea is present, there are great meds that I availed myself of, at my doctor's insistence that I not suffer. Also, it helps with the weight loss problem. Back in 1995 they offered me Zofran which did the trick. Then there were the days I was just queasy. For that, the doc prescribed Phenergan, which is milder and doesn't dope you up as much.
I would eat a handful of nuts, for sustenance. It was all I could manage. Some oatmeal with cinnamon flavor and some raisins.
Some docs advise against raw fruit and vegetables. Poached pears are excellent for example.
Most important, you must take care of yourself. Be good to yourself. Know that you need loving help and help yourself as much as you possibly can.
I took multiple supplements to boost my energy level and my immune system, help keep my heart strong. I believe they helped me survive, as did the surgery, the chemo treatments and especially the Herceptin!!! (I have been off of Herceptin now for 4 years and remain stable...)
I wish you and Dimple the best. Make sure you hug her often and offer your love constantly. My husband's rock-like support has been a godsend!
Andrea
PS They generally do a MUGA prior to chemo to get a baseline. After that, they followed my heart function by ECHO cardiogram, which is less invasive than the nuclear medicine test. With Herceptin I went every 6 months for ECHO tests. Your Ejection Fraction must be over 50, or they do not continue with the Herceptin. (This is part of the reason I remained on supplements, to boost my heart function. I feared that without Herceptin I would not survive.)
Best of good fortune to you!
__________________
Andi BB
'95 post-meno dx Invasive LOBULAR w/9cm tumor! YIKES + 2/21 nodes. Clear mammo 10 mnths earlier. Mastec/tram flap reconst/PORT/8 mnths chemo (4Adria/8CMF). Borderline ER/PR. Tamoxifen 2 yrs. Felt BLESSED. I could walk and talk, feed and bathe myself! I KNEW I would survive...
'98 -- multiple mets to liver. HER2+ 80%. ER/PR- Raging, highly aggressive tumors spreading fast. New PORT. 9 mnths Taxotere Fought fire w/fire! Pronounced in cautious remission 5/99. Taxotere weekly for 6 wks, 2 wks off -- for 9 mnths. TALK ABOUT GRUELING! (I believe they've altered that protocol since those days -- sure hope so!!)
+ good old Vit H wkly for 1st 3 yrs, then triple dosage ev 3 wks for 7 yrs more... The "easy" chemo, right?! Not a walk in the park, but not a freight train coming at 'ya either...
Added Herceptin Nov '98 (6 wks after FDA fast-tracked it for met bc). Stayed w/Vit H till July '08! Now I AM FREE! Humbly and eternally grateful for this life-saving drug! NED since '99 and planning on keeping it that way. To hell w/poor prognosis and nasty stats! STOPPED VIT H JULY '08...! REMAIN STABLE... Eternally grateful...Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds ... (e e cummings) EVERY DAY I BEAT MY PREVIOUS RECORD FOR # OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS I'VE STAYED ALIVE. Smile KNOWING you too can be a miracle. Up to me and God now...
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