AC chemo done! Next....
Just coming out of the $#@% week after the last AC treatment! So half way through chemo! Two weeks of hopefully feeling relatively 'normal' then from three-weekly to WEEKLY treatments.
This is a different chemo drug - Taxol. 12 lots of this takes me almost up to the Federal Election! Julia and I will be counting down the days! Different side effects with this drug - maybe some joint pain (welcome to Holly's world); maybe some issues with finger and toe nails (have started painting them with hardener); maybe some tingling and numbness of finger tips and toes. Possibilities that there won't be nausea (yay!!) and my hair may start to grow back during this treatment (yeeesssss please!).
I will also start Herceptin one day apart from the Taxol - to check on reactions. AND I have a heart scan to start the day just to make sure my ticker is holding up - strong heart - it'll be fine!
The Herceptin is IV as well and this I will have every 3 weeks for 12 months. This is not a chemo drug but classified as a targeted therapy for those whose cancer is classified HER2+. It thankfully does not have the same level of side effects.
HER2+ cancer cells have more HER2 receptors (a particular protein found on the surface of cells) than normal cells. HER2+ cancer is considered aggressive because it grows and spreads quickly. It a very expensive treatment that has only been in use since about 2008. It is only in more recent years that the costs have been covered by the government. Thank you!!
