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StephN · 07-29-2006, 10:53 AM

Dear Sherry -
You have been posting off and on here for almost as long as I have.
You are a courageous fighter if there ever was one.
Thanks for sharing so much in your post.
So sorry to hear that your oncologist gave you that advice, even when he knows you want to try Tykerb. Sure we get tired and have a hard time carrying on at times, but you were vulnerable at that moment.

Aug 1 is right around the corner and you will have a better idea about this very soon.
As for Becky's idea of Avastin - this has been shown to be a good drug. I have a friend who started on it just last week, and she had to stop Herceptin when she started this. This lady is also on Abaraxane for the past month and wanted to beef up treatment with Avastin. She has no organ involvement.
My friend says that Avastin can also cause some bleeding as a side effect, so you may want to study the information if this therapy is of interest.

Sometimes crying yourself to sleep can be a good thing and give an outlet for these complex feelings and emotions that go along with this cursed disease.

Keep in touch, OK? Maybe try some high protein shakes to curb the weight loss.
Good thoughts coming your way.

07-29-2006, 10:53 AM	#11
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Avastin or other tx Dear Sherry - You have been posting off and on here for almost as long as I have. You are a courageous fighter if there ever was one. Thanks for sharing so much in your post. So sorry to hear that your oncologist gave you that advice, even when he knows you want to try Tykerb. Sure we get tired and have a hard time carrying on at times, but you were vulnerable at that moment. Aug 1 is right around the corner and you will have a better idea about this very soon. As for Becky's idea of Avastin - this has been shown to be a good drug. I have a friend who started on it just last week, and she had to stop Herceptin when she started this. This lady is also on Abaraxane for the past month and wanted to beef up treatment with Avastin. She has no organ involvement. My friend says that Avastin can also cause some bleeding as a side effect, so you may want to study the information if this therapy is of interest. Sometimes crying yourself to sleep can be a good thing and give an outlet for these complex feelings and emotions that go along with this cursed disease. Keep in touch, OK? Maybe try some high protein shakes to curb the weight loss. Good thoughts coming your way. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.