HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Staying Sane During Wash-Out Periods

Chelee · 05-01-2011, 08:53 PM

Karen,
Lots of ppl that enroll in these trials hate that 21 day wash out period. (Our minds get a chance to run wild.) Everyone that I've talked to that has enrolled in a clinical trial have all stressed about the wash-out period...so your not alone. It's a scary feeling. Believe me I do understand where your coming from on this. I was offered this same trial at UCLA and when the wash out period came up that was the 1st thing that really made me nervous.

The trial coordinator will keep you pretty busy with all the scans, labs and other things. Keeping your mind occupied is the secret. Watch funny movies, read,...do anything that's distracting. (Easier said then done.) Then just as your liver thinks all the drugs are out of your system it will get a sneak attack and be bombed with T-DM1 or T/X! It doesn't stand a chance. Time will fly by...I realize that's easy for me to say. Ask your onc for a different pain med. I don't like those Fentanyl patchs at all. Maybe a low dose of oxycontin. There is no reason for you to be in pain. Hang in there...you will get thru this. Those liver mets don't stand a chance.

Chelee

05-01-2011, 08:53 PM	#5
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: Staying Sane During Wash-Out Periods Karen, Lots of ppl that enroll in these trials hate that 21 day wash out period. (Our minds get a chance to run wild.) Everyone that I've talked to that has enrolled in a clinical trial have all stressed about the wash-out period...so your not alone. It's a scary feeling. Believe me I do understand where your coming from on this. I was offered this same trial at UCLA and when the wash out period came up that was the 1st thing that really made me nervous. The trial coordinator will keep you pretty busy with all the scans, labs and other things. Keeping your mind occupied is the secret. Watch funny movies, read,...do anything that's distracting. (Easier said then done.) Then just as your liver thinks all the drugs are out of your system it will get a sneak attack and be bombed with T-DM1 or T/X! It doesn't stand a chance. Time will fly by...I realize that's easy for me to say. Ask your onc for a different pain med. I don't like those Fentanyl patchs at all. Maybe a low dose of oxycontin. There is no reason for you to be in pain. Hang in there...you will get thru this. Those liver mets don't stand a chance. 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.