Hi, I am not sure if I should go in with a pile of questions or just sit and listen and then go home and do some research? Was there anything in particular people thought was an important question to ask? 3am googling is doing my head in! The surgeon originally said my treatment would be lumpectomy, chemo, radiation and hormone treatment as I have the HER2 positive 'thing'. The sentinel node and one other was removed during surgery and cancer free. At present my prior to surgery 5x core biopsy report was 'infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast, Grad 3, (T3, P3, M2), arising in association with a component of high grade intraduct carcinoma'. There was 'focal positive staining for ER (80%, 1-2+), negative staining for PR, and strong positive staining for HER2 (3+). Hopefully whatever results they have from the lumpectomy will be explained as I only understand from the above that Grad3 is the highest Grade wise (and not good!) and HER2 positive requires hormone treatment - which can cause menopause symptoms. (Thought that was over!)The surgeon also sad the chemo would lat a year, but the full treatment was equivalent to a double mastectomy. I think he said double. Thank you for any advice!xx

@viking 1 looks like your well on the way. In some ways its great being checked for everything and anything. You are now officially good to go. The next stage of course will be what you will be doing next. I remembered after the shock of knowing I was to have chemo well after that it was simply a matter of doing. It is amazing what you can get used to. I regularly met ladies going through chemo same time as I was. Having others doing the same thing made it seem quite normal. I never felt alone just part of a club.

Can't help much with some of your diagnosis but I had a year of Herceptin (HER2 positive) and am in my 5th year of Femara, hormonal therapy preferred for those who are post menopausal. I had no side effects from Herceptin, and the only side effects I have had from Femara is a reduction in bone density. Luckily mine was very good to begin with and I should see 5 years through with no serious damage. No joint pain, flushes etc. Like chemo, side effects can be very variable.

@viking1 basically just sat and listened. It is hard to ask questions until you have the whole program explained to you. I take the viewpoint that the medical peoples have your best interests at heart.. It is a lot to take in. Basically it just comes down to this you have cancer and the doctors are doing everything to cure you. I googled like mad after the facts and went to the library and got as many books I could. I also rang the cancer council for advice at times.In my case I was happy with the treatment plan but not my surgeon. I changed surgeons within three weeks of diagnosis.

Investigate one step at a time. When it was chemo time I focused on that and left the hormone therapy questions until the time I was finished with the chemo. Break it all down in to stages or it gets overwhelming. <3

Your diagnosis is much tbe same as mine. It is the ER + that requires the hormone treatment wjich you start after chemo. The common treatment is gor ACT-H regime. AC first for 4 rounds then taxol for 12 weekly and herceptin. Every 3 weeks for 12 months. The hercepton blocks the her2 part. Just remember grade 3 responds really well to chemo. But they weigh ip you as an individual before determining the exact regime. Just listen, ask why the chemo that is vhosen has been chosen etc. You will have many more appointments to ask further questions later. Kath x

Post lumpectomy two week visit with surgeon to discuss chemo, rad and hormone treatment

25 Replies

LMK74
Member
9 years ago
Hey viking1, netflix is a must lol for the days you can't be arsed getting out of bed.
Unicornkisses, I find the vile taste is always there. It started on taxol and hasn't let up. I can barely tolerate any food. So glad when this Crap is done. To me taxol was worse than this ac.
viking1
Member
9 years ago
Yes, it was toast in the original diet ... someone must have changed it to herbal tea for chemo! If you google it on wikipedia, it says that it can actually make the diarrhoea worse in some types of cancer. But Dr Axe - 'how to stop diarrhoea in it's tracks beyond BRAT' has some good suggestions. I look at a lot of his posts...it's just under the wiki one.
Keep your feet up! I just subscribed to STAN for $10 a month and am watching The Big C. I like the actress in it. I think NETFLIX is better, but it didn't have this show. I can cancel when I feel like it ☺
Unicornkisses
Member
9 years ago
@viking1 the pharmasist at my hospital where I have chemo actually recommended the BRAT diet as I had bad diarrhoea. I thought the T stood for toast though.
Thank you, the 15 minute intervals sound doable, perhaps in a couple of days.
At the moment sitting in the lounge keeping my feet up and watching TV when I can concentrate for a few minutes is the best I can do.
Next week will be better!

LMK74 nearly there!
Yes, the vile taste is hard to put up with.
But my goodness, DIdn't I enjoy the taste of my food when that wore off for the weekend before the next Chemo.

Thinking of you ladies as you struggle through the sideeffects, we are nearly there with this awful chapter.
Jennie
viking1
Member
9 years ago
@LMK74 only two chemos left is great! BTW I googled the BRAT diet I mentioned above from the chemo book and it says it used to be for children with diarrhoea or an illness needing a bland diet and originated in 1926! These days it is thought it is not very good, though some components are good for diarrhoea e.g. bananas. So now I am going to cross check what I read! Funny, I looked for a publication date on the book and there wasn't one, back or front.
LMK74
Member
9 years ago
@Unicornkisses, yay last chemo. Taxol sucks , my tongue constantly felt like it was burning and jaw ache,not to mention the vile taste. I have one more chemo in three weeks and done. Then I have mastectomy to look forward to.
@Viking1, good you got the scans done. All the waiting does your head in.
viking1
Member
9 years ago
@Unicornkisses oh that sound sore all over! I bet you will be glad when the 10 days is up! Someone told me they had turned their life into 15min blocks. If you are up to doing something, just think of it being for 15mins, nothing longer. See how that goes until you are ready to do another 15mins. It you want to rest, do that. I don't know how your appetite is but I read in a book about chemo something called the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, apple sauce and herbal tea. Sounds easy if those foods appeal. With the apple sauce, the baby food aisle has the best, pureed apples and no nasties. I think it was Heinz. We used to put it on pork chops! Thinking of you and wishing your soreness would float away xxx and not come home!
Unicornkisses
Member
9 years ago
Last taxol chemo was Monday, @viking1
right now I am feeling dreadful, swollen feet and legs, on lasix, so forever running to the loo.
Sore swollen tongue and no tastebuds.
But it was the last one!
Just have to get through the next ten days and it will all be better.
Then surgery in August.
viking1
Member
9 years ago
Yes, I think for me the surgery was the the Big Thing. I've sort of assumed I will have chemo as the surgeon said so but what sort I'm yet to find out. I know it can be bad. It's a shame we can go into an induced coma for a month and come out fixed! My main worries I need to tell the surgeon or chemo person are re-gaining the IBS/pancreatic insufficiency I suffered from last year and left me in Depends until I found a solution and haven't had a recurrence. I would prefer to throw up than go through that humiliating horrible time again! Plus I need to check my depression meds are okay with the rest. The psych said some are incompatible with chemo. I'm having no trouble with depression now after we finally sorted my meds last year, so hope I can stay on them. My mood is pretty good ... always makes me suspicious lol! I seem more 'in the moment' mostly, and enjoying small pleasures. ☺
fairydust
Member
9 years ago
@viking 1 looks like your well on the way. In some ways its great being checked for everything and anything. You are now officially good to go. The next stage of course will be what you will be doing next.
I remembered after the shock of knowing I was to have chemo well after that it was simply a matter of doing. It is amazing what you can get used to. I regularly met ladies going through chemo same time as I was. Having others doing the same thing made it seem quite normal. I never felt alone just part of a club.
viking1
Member
9 years ago
@Nadi I do wish there was something there for you! I only found out about it as I got lost! Maybe the Breast Centre was going to tell me later or they had run out of pamphlets. They also sell scarves, turbans etc and patchwork quilts, scarves and necklaces. But mostly I was impressed with the bright airy new space and ultra comfy chairs and lounge...I tend to pick coffee shops by chairs lol. I was thinking if my dad comes in with me to chemo one time he could sit here and read his book - he's 77 and though he thinks he's 20 he could do with a rest. @Unicornkisses I must ask for my scans ... I wonder if I can have copies? I have osteoarthritis in both knees and have only had them x rayed. Are you okay Unicorn? Are you nearing the end of chemo? Xx