Why is my chemo seem so different?

[Chelee]

I for the life of me CAN'T understand what is going on? My first chemo was Herceptin, Taxotere, & Carbpotin. Had a rough time of it after chemo..normal side affects. Set-in about day three there after and I was misrable. (But that is not my problem here.)

Included was weekly herceptin in my treatment plan. Some know my story. But to TRY to make this short. Third week of herceptin, had breathing problems and landed in hospital for 10 days. ( I believe due to LOW wbc of 116) My oncologist was leaning towards the herceptin being the problem. Who knows? All I know I had the full LOADING dose of herceptin the first time with NO problems...then two weekly doses...no problems...so he can choose what he wants to blame the hospital stay on? (I think low wbc...but we will see...I am back on same tx plan)

So now I have recovered enough that we have got me back on a schedule of chemo. After I landed in the hospital...my oncologist decided to have me do a "concentrated" dose of the three drugs I am on. (Herceptin, Taxo, Carb.) That way I would just come in every three weeks instead of one full cycle of chemo with added weekly herceptin.

Well...thats where I get confused. The first time around I had chemo as mentioned above with all three drugs. I was TIRED, horrid taste in my mouth, no appetite to speak of. Lots of bone pain in different places. Some rib pain. Some numbness in knuckles and hands that came and went. Feeling nauseated but never did actually get sick. All kinds of other things. Not a easy time...thats for sure. But got through it.

So the SECOND chemo was SUPPOSE to be a "concentrated" dose...that would hold me for three weeks. That was CAKE compared to the first time? I was expecting the worse...and it was NOTHING even close to the first time??? Even that taste in my mouth was hardly there. No aches or pains...just felt a tiny bit tired for about two days if that. And that could be from anything. Nothing was hurting...I COULD eat anything...had a GREAT appetite which sure was NOT LIKE THE FIRST time I had chemo. I played HECK to eat 1st time around. Just everything was totally different. Almost like having nothing in comparsion. I would think the concentrated dose would be worse then the full cycle followed by weekly herceptin?

So now...I told my NEW oncologist I want to go back to my old schedule. The three, followed by weekly herceptin. She is all for it. So now this is my third full chemo. I went Monday and had the Herceptin, taxo, & Carb. I felt so so the first two days...then by Wednesday it was all down hill. Wednesday, Thurs, and Friday was just horrible...just like the FIRST time. All the same side affects as the first time.

Can ANYONE please explain to me WHY having my chemo where you only come in and do it ONCE in three weeks would be SO EASY in comparision to the weekly dose? Makes no sense to me. I asked my infusion nurse if I got the SAME amount of herceptin, and the other two meds when I did it the every three weeks way. She said yes...it adds up to the same.

I would think having the concentrated dose to hold you over the three weeks would have MORE side affects? But it was a piece of cake in comparison to the two I had the other way. Anyone have a clue why this would be?

I go tomorrow for my weekly herceptin and plan to ask my infusion nurse again...now that I have more to compare it with then before. This just makes no sense to me.

Has anyone found having their chemo EVERY three weeks only is easier then the weekly? (Meaning the three drugs, followed by weekly herceptin) I hope this makes sense? I have bad chemo brain this week...I can't think right or type it seems.

Chelee

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu 3+++, Er & Pr positive, Richardson scorce 9 of 9.
5 of 16 positive nodes.