I had ACT-H which is pretty much standard treatment for Her2 cancers...but they do have other regimes. The AC part makes you feel a bit unwell for a week ...but if you keep in touch with your team they can give you medications to counteract the side effects. You have bloods done prior each cycle to ensure not too anaemic and check for infection risk...and if your count gets really low after the 1st round then you usually have an injection to boost that. I had mainly bowel and bloating issues and being very tired ...but never needed hospital stay or even got a cold. The second part...taxol and herceptin...was better but you do get tired as the time goes on. I had bloods done weekly. They also closely monitor your heart function...I needed a 10 day break from herceptin but all good now. So the chemo...kills as many cells it can and the herceptin helps stop it making more...and hopefully they die a natural death. I had some fluid retention and gained lots of weight on chemo and mentally was miserable...but a few weeks on was feeling pretty good...and 10 weeks on I feel really well even though still on herceptin.
I too have an autoimmune disease and my specialist has just had really regular reviews and sends info to my oncologist team. They would not offer chemo if they thought your body couldn't cope.
I hope the nausea is nothing more than stress...which we all understand given what had been happening. But know YOU are strong enough to do this if the cancer has returned. Talk through your fears and get the support of the chemo team and breast care nurses to help you.
Please keep in touch and let us know how things go. Take care. Kath x
