Starting herceptin this Thursday June 7

[Caroline UK]

Hi Caya, I'm on Herceptin #12 with 6 more to go, and have been fine on it, a complete breeze and doddle compared to chemo (similar to you, I had 4 FEC and 4 Taxotere). I would say I feel slightly as if I'm going to go down with a cold, but even that has gradually decreased, I think. I do have a drippy nose, and a crusty nose in the morning (oh the glamour), but that's it. I learned here that these symptoms arise because the Herceptin affects the formation of the cilia (fine hair-like cells) in the nasal passages.

I can relate to your sense of shock, as my diagnosis was also a surprise to me, although I had more of a lead-up to it than you. I had the tiniest sense of slight firmness on my right breast, and when I went to have a mammogram just to be on the safe side, and the results came back as cancer, my breast surgeon told me that in fact it was in a different area and the firmness was nothing to do with it. But how amazingly lucky was I, and I guess you too - when would we have found it otherwise??

What a good idea, Laurie, to have a night out to celebrate these wonderful treatments available to us and saving our lives. I don't tend to think that way, and it's really good for me to be reminded. Nice one!
Wishing you well on Thursday, Caya, and congratulations on finishing the chemo.
Caroline