Chemo FINALLY started...

tlromero · 12-17-2005, 02:07 AM

I know that sounds weird to WANT to start chemo. But I think since we have to do it, get it over with. My mom was supposed to start Chemo on the 22 of Nov, but the onc felt more fluid than he liked. Mom went into the surgeon to have it removed and he pulled 60CC out. We went back on Dec 9 and onc said mom could start chemo. Everything went well. Mom took phenergan and ativan that night after treatment and phenergan the next day. It made her sleep for 24 solid hours so she stopped taking it and hasn't felt nauseous since. That is a good thing right? This past Tuesday after treatment she went to the ER because the site where they tried to put the IV in (and it didn't work so they had to move it) became red and swollen pretty bad (most of the whole area between her wrist and elbow was affected). The ER Dr told her she has cellulitis and gave her an antibiotic for it. She went back Friday and the Dr said that it is responding nicely. Mom goes back on the 23 for her next treatment.

I was reading the her2 and tomaxifen vs. arimidex thread and was wondering about it. What would be the deciding factor about which med to use? Tamoxifen or Arimidex? And these are the meds used after chemo is finished, correct? Mom will be on herceptin for a while. Either every week or every 3 weeks. What is the deciding factor for that?

Thanks for your help!
Terena
Utah
PS in an earlier post I said she was having an echo and bone density test. The echo came back 54. The onc said we will watch her heart while taking herceptin. The bone density came back low and so onc said to use fosomax(sp?).