Check out this regimen.....

[Terri B]

Beginning June 2nd:

12 weekly doses of Taxol/Herceptin

Then:

4 doses Epirubicin/Carboplaten every 3 weeks x4.

Then:

Herceptin x11 more every 3 weeks.

Doc said that the weekly doses are smaller, therefore better tolerated. She said she likes to give it this way to patients that are able to come once a week.

Muga scan on the 29th, and port placement sometime between here and there.

eeek!! Here i go!!

[Gerri]

Terri,

That is quite a treatment plan! Just remember to listen to your body and rest when you feel tired. Take your meds before you need them - it really helps to stay ahead of everything. I got my port a little late (halfway through chemo) but it still was a great convenience.

You have such a great attitude, you are going to do just fine.


Best of luck to you.

[swimangel72]

Wow Terri - that's a LOT of treatments, but your onc is right, by spacing them out every week, the doses are smaller and your side effects should be less. Will someone be able to drive you to your txs? My third treatment will be this Wednesday - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't be kept waiting for 2 hours in the waiting room again like the first two times.....they said if I get the first appointment at 8am, then I should be "in and out".....so that means I'll be finished by 10:30am. I hope your treatments aren't too lengthy. Good luck with the port install.....hope you get a really small incision that heals well (mine isn't.) :(

[caya]

Good luck Terri - you will do fine. I had a few of the same drugs as you - Taxotere (the same taxane family as Taxol) , Epirubicin (your pee will turn red), and of course Herceptin.

Gerri is right - listen to your body, rest when you need to. Stay ahead of the nausea - take the meds before you think you need them, it's not easy to play "catch up" with the nausea. Drink alot, before, during and after the infusion. Vegetable soups, applesauce, bananas and soda crackers were always on hand.

I could not have done this without my port. I got it inserted before my second chemo. Use emla cream (lidocaine) a couple of hours before your infusion, then you won't feel the stick.

Best of luck to you, let us know how you are doing.

all the best
caya

[Terri B]

Thanks Caya and Swimmee!

I don't know what i'd do without this board. Such a wealth of information and support. Nobody seems to know (except other Her2 folks) what we're going through.

You guys will appreciate this: My Onc was SHOCKED at how much I knew about the chemo treatments, the DNA results of my testing, what her2 was, etc etc. I told her about this site. She was pleasantly surprised!

I have PLENTY of support. My mom has been by my side for everything so far. She says it's the only way she will know what's happening because she is not a "computer person" ;)) Also, my oldest daughter (who is pregnant with my first grandchild) comes to many of my appointments too. My Husband is a truck driver so he misses alot, but goes with me whenever he is home. My sister picks up the slack of my other kids (school etc) and dog issues. Like I said, plenty of support and I am VERY thankful for that!

Let the shedding begin!!

[Terri B]

Port placement this Friday!!

EEk!!

This is furreal ladies and gents!!

[mimiflower07]

you will grow to love your port...not instantly but shortly there after. I had mine put in Nov 27/ 07 no problems. should not be a problem!! Now I'm on herceptin for my year which will end in Feb. Good luck..you sound strong!!
Suzanne

[tricia keegan]

Terri good luck with the treatments and port placement. I had'nt wanted a port but by the time I had my fourth a/c my veins were so damaged it was taking over an hour just to find one. Thats when I decided I was being stupid, the tx's were easier once I had it and a lot less stressful, I just wish I'd had it from the start!

[Terri B]

Yeah, I had decided a long time ago that I was going to have a port. When I went into my mastectomy surgery, I had an I.V. in my left forearm. When I came out of surgery, the i.v. was in the back of my hand, and i had a HUGE bruise where the i.v. had been.
THEN< during my recovery, i ended up with a painful bout of phlebitis in that same vein. UGH.
My right arm used to be the good arm for veins. But since we can't use that arm anymore, the left has not been a good substitute.

This will make life much easier, I'm sure!

[CindyE]

Best wishes on all your treatments and port. I had my arm port put in on May 8 and it's healing nicely now. You'll be happy you have a port and not damage your veins. Take care,

Cindy

[sassy]

I've had my port for over three years, and yet to have a problem. No, mets--and still I'm reluctant to part with it!

[swimangel72]

Good luck with your port Terri - you'll do just fine I'm sure! You are so right though - this IS "furreal"......somehow I didn't feel that way until I got my port installed, weird, right? Oh and you seem waaaay too young to become a grandmother!

[Terri B]

Kathy,

Sometimes i feel too young to be a grammy because i still have a kid in junior high!! But then again, my oldest is 25, and i had her when i was 21 sooo....

[swimangel72]

When is the baby due? My nephew and his wife just had their first baby - so now I'm a grand-aunt (is that a word?) and my mother is a great-grandma for the first time! I tell my daughters - better to have your kids in your 20's - it reduces your risk for BC.....but nowadays, I really have to wonder about that too. :(

[Terri B]

Baby is due in December. I should be done with this chemo by then!

I know what you mean by risk. I was supposed to be "low risk" when i looked at the list:

1. I had my first kid @ 21
2. I breast fed 3 kids
3. I started my menses @ 12
4. I was "active" as a teen (more like a "jock")
5. No b/c in my family

Go figure.

[swimangel72]

I was considered "low risk" too. Maybe I'll start a new thread on this subject - I find it fascinating how all the computer models for risk seem so inadequate!

[Sheila]

Terri
You are going to love having the port...it is a welcome part of my treatments...I went without for over 4 years...got mine in November....I LOVE IT. Makes treatments so much easier, especially if your veins are crappy. You are in a great frame of mind...you are strong, you have prepared well for this fight...you are empowered and we are all with you on this journey.

[Ruth]

Terri & Kathy ~ I too was very low risk....breastfed all kids; competitive swimmer for over 10 years; no b/c history; athletic, no bc pills, no smoking, drinking very little...except college :-)...
crazy. I don't think about why anymore because I don't think I will ever get an answer!

Good luck with treatments! Terri glad you got the port. My veins were ruined after A/C and I finally decided to get one. Never regretted it.

Hugs ~ Ruth

[dhealey]

As the others said you will love your port and before you know it chemo will be behind you and then herceptin will be behind you. Congrats on a grandchild. They are so special. I have 2 grandsons. The love you feel for them is totally different from what you feel for your children.