Adding Carboplatin to Perjeta and Herceptin

[Lani]

not saying it will help, but doubt it could hurt:

have you ever tried TENS--transcutaneous electronic nerve stimulation

Non invasive, it uses gel pad electrodes attached by wires to a machine smaller than a transistor radio
(really dating mysel!!!)

It works on the prinicipal that if you place the ekectrodes between the pain and the brain that it will interfere with the gating mechanism of incoming pain messages to the spinal cord and brain.

It sort of mildly tickles the nerve above where the pain is and works similarly to biting your finger when you stub your toe. The brain doesn't seem to be able to process two pain messages coming at the same time, so by biting your finger your toe pain seems less.

I knew a breast cancer patient who tried this 20 years ago, long before bisphosphonates were used, for pain from multiple mets in her thighs and pelvis and it seemed to help her.

Was it the placebo effect? Maybe. Was it coincidence? Perhaps. The devices are usually free to try from physical therapists, may be available to rent rather than buy and have come way down in price over the years as I understand it.

Perhaps asking your doctor for a referral to a pain doctor early on before things get out of hand would be useful---or at least ask if your doctor thinks this might be worth a try on the theory that there is no reason it should hurt.(you don't put it over the site of the pain but proximal to it so no strong electric fields near the tumor (it only uses pocket batteries anyway)and nothing is invasive, just skin pads with gel.) and it might possibly help.

As you know I ALMOST never make suggestions(I am not qualified to do so), just post info. Don't know if my suggestion is pertinent or advisable, but from what I have read and heard, it is unlikely it could hurt.

Best of luck

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

In '01 I fell in a pothole and broke my ankle in 3 places, tore tendons and muscle and required surgery. After the 3 mnths of terrible pain they removed the cast and I was allowed to go for physical therapy. I did so 3 days a wk for mnths.

After phys therapy they put ice on the ankle and then the TENS machine. It vibrated little tiny tickles and after a while it lessened, so I asked them to turn the machine up. They did. And it was great for a while, but I needed to crank it up again. And again and again. They finally moved the machine next to me so I could do it myself.

I swear it's electronic nerve stimulation helped me heal and lessened the severe pain. I love that machine. And would recommend it to everyone! It was miraculous in helping me heal and experience far less pain.