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Gail · 05-08-2014, 05:40 AM

Hi Loren

I'm triple positive and I'm waiting on my BRCA testing to come back. I've completed 4 rounds of AC and I'm due for round 5 of my 12 taxol rounds tomorrow. Herceptin is occurring every 3 weeks now til April next year.

I'm Aussie so things may be different here. It's expensive to be tested for BRCA so it's taken a few months for me to qualify. Regardless of the BRCA results it won't effect my current chemo program but it will change my treatment plan in that I will have a double mastectomy and ovaries removed if I am positive which means I won't do the radio that is currently scheduled for July.

I've decided to treat my chemo brain the same as when I was pregnant. I'm just going to be dumb for a while but it will all pass. For me it helps to remember just how terrified I was in the first few weeks after diagnosis. For me nothing has been worse than the whole "not knowing". Now I have a program of treatment that I have to follow. It has a start, a midpoint and a finishing point and I just have to get through it. Can you tell I project manage ha ha.

I'm actually finding the taxol a lot worse than everyone said. It's supposed to be a breeze compared to AC but I'm not finding that. I have it on a Friday, get my dex rash Saturday then start feeling terrible Sunday night. This starts to clear on Tuesday and I feel OK for Wednesday and Thursday and then start again.

I try to arrange lunches with friends on Wednesday and Thursday to give me something to look forward to and then just hide on my bad days. Just have to get through.

Good luck. Don't stress too much about the chemo brain. Everyone in my family just takes me mickey out of me cause I'm so dumb. Best to laugh it off. It won't last forever and you will be able to laugh about it when you look back.

Cheers

Gail

05-08-2014, 05:40 AM	#5
Gail Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 21	Re: Anybody else ER+/PR+/HER2+++ BRCA 2 +? Hi Loren I'm triple positive and I'm waiting on my BRCA testing to come back. I've completed 4 rounds of AC and I'm due for round 5 of my 12 taxol rounds tomorrow. Herceptin is occurring every 3 weeks now til April next year. I'm Aussie so things may be different here. It's expensive to be tested for BRCA so it's taken a few months for me to qualify. Regardless of the BRCA results it won't effect my current chemo program but it will change my treatment plan in that I will have a double mastectomy and ovaries removed if I am positive which means I won't do the radio that is currently scheduled for July. I've decided to treat my chemo brain the same as when I was pregnant. I'm just going to be dumb for a while but it will all pass. For me it helps to remember just how terrified I was in the first few weeks after diagnosis. For me nothing has been worse than the whole "not knowing". Now I have a program of treatment that I have to follow. It has a start, a midpoint and a finishing point and I just have to get through it. Can you tell I project manage ha ha. I'm actually finding the taxol a lot worse than everyone said. It's supposed to be a breeze compared to AC but I'm not finding that. I have it on a Friday, get my dex rash Saturday then start feeling terrible Sunday night. This starts to clear on Tuesday and I feel OK for Wednesday and Thursday and then start again. I try to arrange lunches with friends on Wednesday and Thursday to give me something to look forward to and then just hide on my bad days. Just have to get through. Good luck. Don't stress too much about the chemo brain. Everyone in my family just takes me mickey out of me cause I'm so dumb. Best to laugh it off. It won't last forever and you will be able to laugh about it when you look back. Cheers Gail __________________ DX 5th November 2013 Age 49 premenopausal Lumpectomy (left) 19th November 2013 8mm, Grade 3 IDC, Stage 1, node negative ER++ PR+++ Her2+++, Ki67 70 - 80% BRCA tested - negative AC chemo began 3rd January 2014 (4 rounds) completed Paclitaxel weekly for 12 rounds cancelled after round 6 due to neuropathy Docetaxel began 30th May 2014 - 2 rounds completed 20th June Herceptin (3 weekly for 1 year) began 11th April 2014 Radio completed 2nd September 2014 Long dates cause I'm an Aussie and will mess up if I try to do it your way :)