I just wanted to introduce myself, I was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer at the end of last month and have just started my chemotherapy. I am having weekly paclitexal and every 3rd week trastuzumab & pertuzumab injection for 18 weeks, then looking at surgery. I have just had my 2nd session.
My first session I had a strange reaction about 5 minutes into the paclitexal starting, my chest tightened and my ears felt like they were on fire, they immediately stopped the drip, gave me a load of steroids and restarted at a slower place. My 2nd session seemed a lot easier, they gave me additional steroids beforehand and started off slow then gradually increased the speed of the drip.
Up to now Iāve had 3 lots of biopsies taken and several markers inserted as after my 18 weeks of chemo Iāll be having surgery.
I feel like Iām on a rollercoaster, everytime I attend an appointment I cross it off my āone step closer to beating this listā, and then another 3 appointment letters drop through the letterbox. I also live 1.5 hours drive away from the hospital and lately have been relying heavily on my partner to take me, I can drive but just lately been feeling so wobbly.
I donāt normally post on forums but just wanted to introduce myself, it seems like thereās so many of us that are in the same situation and know exactly what weāre going through.
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Hi @juxined welcome to the forum. I know you will find support here. You are going through an extremely challenging time and Iād like to suggest that you join a thread called āHER2+ and need some buddiesā to link up with women who have the same diagnosis as you and no doubt who are going through much the same treatment plan. The thread was started in December of last year and has over 400 posts, many as conversations, from women who can answer questions, share experiences and give support. You can find the thread in the same category as you posted in - āwelcome and how to use the forumā and then āIntroduce yourselfā - and scroll down until you find it or use the 
search facility in the top right of the screen. I wish you every success on the road to health.
Thank you Tigress, Iāll take a look
Hi @juxined - Please do come and join us. I will tag you and then I think it will take you there.
Salbert
x
Welcome to the club noone wants to join.
Sorry to hear of your diagnosis.
On round 3 of chemo is fab. It seems like a really long journey in the beginning but youll get there.
Sending positive thoughts x
Hi
Just wondering if hospital transport is available for you? Why donāt you get the telephone number for your local service. Angie
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Hi Saddington,
Thursday will be my 3rd chemo session so Iāve asked for patient transfer, fortunately because I live in a rural area (Scotland) the transfer service will just be for myself and wonāt be a bus that goes around town picking others up.
On Friday when I had my 3rd lot of biopsies taken I should have had a mammogram but the radiographer was on holiday that day so Iāve got to go back yet again for the mammogram and it has to be before I have my chemo on Thursday, I just pray that I donāt have to have any more biopsies, the one on Friday was probably the worst one of the 3, apparently I have very dense breasts which Iām told is unusual.
Fingers crossed that Itāll just be a once weekly trip for chemo once everything settles down and I can get into a routine.
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Welcome, you have done right there is so much help and support on here, excellent tips from people who have gone through it and experts who are very knowledgableā¦ so ask away! X
Good to hear you have patient transport. With chemo itās not advisable to drive yourself home, especially when they give you a dose of steroids (and piriton?).
Hope the chemo is ok for you and doing its job.
Warmest wishes