SandraK

Hi SandraK, Thanks so much for awarding me best answer! I don’t know if it is but I do my best!!! It is funny because I felt fine after they slipped it out....it only took seconds and was completely painless....but I did over do it a bit I guess because it was sore for much longer than I expected. So do talk to them about it and take it easy because you probably will feel completely pain free like I did and you might even do too much like I did!!! I can’t control my dance fixation or my gardening obsession!!! Terrible but it is what it is! I wish that I worked in a library as well, I have a couple of friends who are librarians and also professional dancers as well. Isn’t that funny? I have always envied them a bit working with all the literature and books!!! Good luck with your port removal, I know it will go fast and quick and you will be just fine!!! HUGS!!! XOXOXOXO

Hi, SandraK! I felt your frustration with the answers to your chemo recovery question. I am also originally from the Paducah area and I am also one who feels frustrated with the limitations that are inherent in the treatment options offered to us. They seem so crude and imperfect! I read your journey and wondered if you have consulted a naturopath. I recommend it highly to help with symptoms and to help make your treatment more effective. 2 things to consider are sulforaphanes (effective against breast cancer) and Neuro-Betic which is helpful with neuropathy. Anyway, I just wanted to say "hi" and wish you the best! We are, at least, in the same state! I graduated from Reidland HS many years ago and still have a few friends in that area. Best wishes and much happiness to you! Judy

Hi Sandra, I've been thinking of you and wondering how you are. I saw your post from a while back that you had your thyroid checked. Has treating that helped you feel better? Are you gaining some energy back? My oncologist suggested I have mine checked when they do my next labs. I'm about 5 months out now, feeling better, but its still hard to get through an entire day. I'm attending a music teachers conference this weekend, well see how much of it I'll have energy to attend. Hope you've been able to work on your art, and I think you mentioned getting ready for a grand baby too!

Hi, Saw you were dreading the year of Herceptin. Once regular chemo is finished, the remaining months get a lot better! I have 2 more to go to finish my 52 weeks. I take the day off from work on treatment day & try to nap or at least hit the bed to rest. It is so much easier, really. If anything, I would say the radiation made me more fatigued. Good luck, Barb

Hi, Have the same diagnosis & offer any help you may need.
Just finished 18 weeks of TCH Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin.
Will continue that until April 2014. Will you have radiation too or do you know as yet? Please ask away, we all have experience sad to say. Keep a positive outlook, make friends with your infusion nurses, they are absolute angels! Eat & drink, even when you don't want to. Dehydration is serious with chemo. Your kidneys may shut down & that's the last thing you need. Carboplatin is a bitch, excuse my French. Chills, hot flashes, leg/muscle pain. Do not ever be in pain! My onco dr. said never, ever not let them help you!
Sleep as much as you can, store up some energy. I found 1, 2, & 3 treatments were very easy. The 4th one hit my legs! Weak, weak, weak! I worked full time until the last two weeks! Then needed the full month to recover until 7 weeks of radiation. then another month off & now am pretty much back in the swing of things. You can do this thing! Attitude is huge! I wish you healing. take care, Barb

SandraK you will be so thankful you had the port put in. I am the biggest baby when it comes to needles!! They even have to put me to sleep thru my port B4 putting the IV in for surgery...lol I pass out every time! Make sure when they access your port for the chemo to ask for the freezy spray and spray until it turns white. It will be somewhat numb. I too have HER2 positive and ER/PR negative. Mine was Stage 3 and over 90% of the left breast was the tumor. I will have Herceptin for one year as well. (final one in March, 2014) I also had 18 weeks of Taxol infusions & daily Tykerb pills to take. From my understanding the year long Herceptin is for maintenance. I do not have to take any pills (tamoxifen) or anything like that due to the Herceptin treatments. You may feel a little sick feeling the first week of Herceptin but after that you really shouldn't have side effects from Herceptin. Other drugs...yes, but not Herceptin. Once you find out which chemo drugs you will be on let us know and we can all tell you what to expect AND what has helped us through. Once I had the port put in I believe I had about a week of pain, but that was under control with meds . I am a stomach sleeper and I miss that more than I miss my hair! Good luck to you. We are all here for you.

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter