1st round of chemo tomorrow (Perjetta/Herception and friends)

[crb]

Going in for my first round of chemo tomorrow. Didn't expect to be there all day, but they said 9-3:00. Having my mom bring me lunch and I know I have a private room, but don't know what to expect at all!

Any suggestions/comments/advice? Doctor has had me on B-complex vitamins (we are hoping to ward off any peripheral neuropathy - I am a dentist, so that would be bad news), Dexamethasone today, tomorrow, and next day. Anti-nausea meds prn. Does anyone think a little xanax and/or ibuprofen would be beneficial?

Thanks so much!!

[IrvineFriend]

First time IS a very long day. When I was infused, they put benadryl in the IV and so I slept through some of it. The infusion really is the easy part, just long and boring. I made friends with a lot of people and we started taking turns buying pizzas for the infusion room patients. Drink tons and tons of water and don't worry. I had no symptoms with my first round. Good luck!

[KDR]

Hi,
Perjeta and Herceptin are ADCs, antibody drug conjugates, which constitute targeted therapy. These drugs are not considered chemo.
I like the idea that your doctor has given you the B vitamin family for neuropathy, because that is (at least for me) a side effect. However, I think the other pre-meds might be precautionary and that they won't be a mainstay in your treatment. Each of these drugs is normally a 30-minute infusion, for a total of one hour. No break needed in between drugs and neither require premedication.
The loading dose is longer and you might feel very tired afterward. It gets easier. You must be going every three weeks?
Take care, and good luck,
Karen
On P&H

[jaykay]

The first time is a long day - they will take blood and won't start the chemo until your bloodwork comes back. Then, as Julie says, pre-meds - Benadryl makes for a great nap!. And, of course, you have to wait for the pharmacy to prepare the drugs.

Each chemo is an hour, loading dose of Herceptin is an hour and I don't know about Perjeta.

Take an electronic toy - ipad or other device. Most centers have free Wi-Fi. And reading material.

As has been mentioned - drink, drink, drink.

Good luck - the anticipation of the first time is worse than the actual experience.

Best,
Janis

[Jean]

crb,
Wear soft comfy clothing, layers are best. The treatment rooms tend to be cool. Don't drown yourself with drinking water, but do hydrate yourself to flush your system. 8 cups of water is good.
Eat smaller lighter meals that are protein rich.
Now you are a dentist so you will already know to change your tooth brush frequently during treatment. The mouth area changes with treatment and mouth sores can be an issue. So keep bacteria at a low by changing your brush often. I also found that yogurt during treatment not only was a good source of protein but also provided a ph balance for mouth and stomach and gut. As the others have mentioned it is a long day so go prepared for a long visit. Take a good book which can absorb your attention. I find reading relaxing.
Good Luck tomorrow. The unknown is the most draining part of the treatment. Once treatment begins you can begin to unwind a bit.
Kind Regards,
Jean