My Sis has her fourth AC Friday.

ammebarb · 08-05-2009, 05:09 PM

I'll be going to her home tomorrow, so we can get an early start on Friday. Hopefully, this is the last AC before she starts weekly Taxol and Herceptin. If anyone has any insights about the next regimen, please be in touch. It was helpful for us to know what to anticipate for the AC treatments. Her doc says that most tolerate the Taxol and Herceptin better than the AC, and we are surely hoping so....she had a tough time with the AC.

We've yet to figure out how I'll participate in the weekly schedule....I can't go back every week, so she may have some church friends accompany her, or her husband could take off a few hours early on Fridays. It will be hard for me not to be with her for treatments, but it's really the few days following treatments that I'm most concerned about. Did those of you who did 12 weekly taxols and herceptin need to have someone with you for the few days following treatment?

Thanks again, so very much, for being here. I'm always keeping you in my prayers.

Barb A.

Colleens_Husband · 08-10-2009, 12:51 PM

Barb:

Colleen had four TAC treatments, had her surgery, then had two THC treatments. Colleen said that the THC was three or four times easier than the TAC. Hopefully, your sister will find the same thing.

The adriomycin (THE 'A' in AC) is pretty old school and extremely harsh on the body, but it really shrinks tumors and is a serious cancer killer.

Best luck and wishes to your sister. She is through the hard part now, and God willing, she will have an easier time in the future.

Lee

Bill · 08-10-2009, 04:21 PM

Hi Barb! Your sister is truly blessed to have you in her life. My wife, Nikki, had Taxol, Herceptin, and Tykerb at the same time. She really didn't have much trouble with the Taxol and Herceptin part. She had treatments on Friday, and just slept and rested a little more and felt a little achier over the weekend. I'm sorry I can't help more.

ammebarb · 08-10-2009, 05:07 PM

Thank you so much for responding. We had the opportunity to ask a zillion questions of her oncologist on Friday, and are really hoping that she tolerates the Taxol and Herceptin a bit better than she did the AC. Apparently, administration of a weekly lower dose than would be given on a three week cycle helps with the side effects. I came back to my own home as day earlier than I expected because she seemed to be doing ok on this last AC. She is really, really tired and had a little break through nausea and plenty of dry mouth, but is very relieved that this part of the regimen is done.

She'll do three weekly doses of Taxol and Herceptin, then have a week off, before repeating this cycle until she has twelve Taxols.

Thanks for being so wonderfully supportive. It has really helped to have you all reading and writing. God bless!

Barb A.

Savta · 08-10-2009, 11:18 PM

Hi, there!

Really, the worst is over. Taxol and herceptin are a walk in the park compared to AC. There are some side effects, but nothing that will really knock you out like the AC.
As far as having a companion along during the next 12--the biggest problem I had was feeling woozy from the anti-allergy medicine they gave me Apparantly, Taxol sometimes gives off an allergic reaction, so they gave me stuff to counteract that. I also got some steriods that kind of kept me like the energizer rabbit for the first two days. And I never felt the common side effects of the taxol until I was almost done.
Go out and celebrate. You're past the first step!
All the best!!

08-10-2009, 11:18 PM

I did the taxol/herceptin regimen every 3 weeks. In a way it was easier than A/C, but I found that I had a lot of bone and joint pain, especially in my lower body, which would start about 48 hours after the taxol infusion and would last about 3 days (so I had it on Weds, by Friday I was in pain, and then in bed with painkillers for the weekend). And it was quite painful. I'm not sure how many people get that side effect or if it would be less likely to occur on a weekly schedule - maybe you know by now, but I needed help for those few days.

Believe51 · 08-12-2009, 11:28 AM

Whew, now that this is over things are going to get better for her. Besides, with a sister like you how can she go wrong? You two are quite the team and I think of you both during the course of the zillion fleeting thoughts during my day. Thank Sis personally for me, I thank her for sharing her journey with us. She has really grown on me, along with you Dearie.>>Believe51

suzan w · 08-20-2009, 09:18 AM

good for your sister...I was so sick after my 4th A/C that my onc said no more...it is rugged stuff, but works!!!