TCH. Get to know those letters as I will be using them a lot
in the near future. Those are my chemo drugs. Well, two of them are my chemo
drugs, the “H” is the drug that specifically targets the HER2+++ cells in my
body, it’s not chemo. If there are any left in my body. It’s quite possible
there aren’t any cancer cells in my body right now.No HER2+++, no cancer.
Taxotere. Carboplatin. Herceptin.
So here is how it goes. Starting Tuesday July 10 I will
begin chemo. On that first day I will be there for about 4.5 hrs and I will
receive the TCH. But first I will be pre medicated with some anti-nausea meds,
some Benadryl and some steroids. And every third Tuesday up to and including
Oct 23 I will get all of the above, for a total of 6 chemo infusions. On the Wed
after each of those Tues I will go back and get a shot of…of….uh…some big word
that I forget but that begins with an “N” to help boost my white blood count. I
hear that shot can make my bones ache…so that sound fun…
On all the other Tues I will go in for about 1.5 hrs for an
infusion of Herceptin only. No pre-meds with that. Just an in and out. Maybe a
little IV fluids if I’m feeling dehydrated. Tues are going to be very busy days
for me, huh?
On the TCH days I will need someone to drive me there and to
drive me home. I was told that I won’t be allowed to drive after the chemo
infusion because of the pre meds. On the Herceptin only days I can drive
myself. Either way, I would love a ride…because it will be boring sitting there
by myself. Scrabble anyone??
I can expect, in no particular order, the following side
effects from chemo: nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, infection, fatigue,
cardiotoxicity, neuropathy, dehydration and hair loss. And a whole bunch of
“less common” side effects that I will need to look out for. Like an allergic
reaction. Wouldn’t that be just lovely…allergic to the meds that are suppose to
save my life?
Anywho….Dr. Sh is an agreement with Dr. C that I really
don’t need radiation therapy for the small micromets that was found in my lymph
node. They are both in agreement that I am currently cancer free. That if I
weren’t HER2+++ my cancer treatments would now be over, that the BMX took care
of it. Dam HER2+++. So…if the chemo and its effects are cautionary, why would I
expose myself to radiation and its effects too? I want to be more aggressive
then this cancer, but on the other hand I don’t want to expose myself to
radiation if it’s not necessary.
But here is an interesting little tid bit. There is a “tumor
board” at LVH that is composed of a bunch of oncologists, including Dr. Sh and
Dr. C, and hopefully Dr. M (I will get to her in a minute) that is meeting
today and one of the cases they will be discussing is mine. Case…Case…I am a case?? And in particular,
they will discuss the need for radiation based on the tiny little micromets
they found in my lymph node. Dr. Sh told me to call him next week and he would
tell me the outcome of that meeting.
And I will call him. Because on July 6 I meet with Dr. M who
is a radiation oncologist (told you I would get to her) and I would like to
know the outcome of that meeting before I see her. I think it’s very cool that
my “case” is being discussed/debated…I’m just not happy with the word “case”.
On a good note…the pain following surgery has really
subsided now, 2 weeks and 1 day post op. I think I can manage the pain with
Motrin for the day time and take the Percocet only at night. I no longer have
pain when I am still. A little tightness maybe, a little soreness too…but not
“pain”. I still can’t raise my arms above my head very well, or very often, and
I can’t lift anything more than a couple of pounds. I most certainly can’t
drive as I am sure I couldn’t react properly in an emergent situation, and
sometime I have trouble with doors, and I need help getting my shirts off…not
on, just off, but for the most part I am feeling pretty good. I got thru
yesterday without a nap, I rested, but I didn’t sleep.
So I am getting there…really getting there. Just in time to
start chemo and suffer those side effects. But, the bright side of that is the
chemo is only every third week, so I will have more good days then bad each
month.
And I keep looking for the bright sides.
I saw your comments at the HER2 website, and thought I'd follow your blog. I too am her2+++. I was diagnosed on Halloween 2011, had a lumectomy, and just completed TCH at the end of April. Now I'm in radiation treatments.... 15 done.... 18 to go! I'd be happy to be your friend and answer questions! My tumor was 8 mm, and no nodes were positive, so I'm Stage 1 Grade 3 (due to hers2). You'll be fine.... Luckily, we have herceptin!
ReplyDeleteHelen please contact me privately thru the forums. I'd like to know why you are doing rads if your nodes were negative
ReplyDeleteLeah
Neulasta...the N-shot...it's Neulasta. Did I forget to warn you that taxotere can cause bone pain too. Older women cruise through with no trouble...but,in women like us, who are unlucky enough to get cancer before we hit menopause naturally...it can be quite uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteOh, and make sure someone prescribes Emend..or something just like it. Two friends who are also survivors recommended it to me...and I never even felt nauseous! Never threw up! And, it didn't even make me sleepy.
As soon as the surgeon says you can ...stretch those arms. No one told me that after my first surgery and it took a long, long time to recover my range of motion.
Denise