Oh @caz591 sorry to hear the news was not what you had hoped for. But the good news is there is treatment for the residual and they are some lovely ladies on here also on Kadcyla that can support you.
Thinking of you
Oh @caz591 sorry to hear the news was not what you had hoped for. But the good news is there is treatment for the residual and they are some lovely ladies on here also on Kadcyla that can support you.
Thinking of you
@caz591 so sorry that you didnāt get the results you hoped for. I remember when I was told I needed Kadcyla it really knocked me for six. Itās yet another journey we donāt want to do. But the results for Kadcyla (Katherine study) are pretty amazing. And Iām about to have my 10/14 cycles. Hang in there xx
Iām not thrilled at having to start it either. Iām clinging to dear life to the one silver lining with it that itās x14 cycles (not sure about you but I would have had to have x16 more of phesgo).
Ladiesā¦ my chemo is due to start in a few weeks and I suspect, like many, the fear of losing my hair is real. Having done some research I have decided to donate my hair to the Little Princess Trust, before its taken away from me. My question is have any of you had any experience or knowledge of the efficacy of minoxidil? I believe its supposed to encourage regrowth.
Iāve had 10 Herceptin (Trastuzumab) and itās started to affect my heart. Appts and tests in Cardiology are ongoing. Has this happened to anyone else? My next Herceptin is due next week and I wondered whether theyād cancel it.
@magl Iām on Kadcyla which also includes herceptin and my ejection fraction dropped on my echocardiogram on cycle 8. They did an urgent repeat echo and fortunately it had improved slightly. They did say that had it not improved they could not give me the Kadcyla. They did also say there is medication they can put me on to improve heart function if it drops again. Good luck. Gromit xx
@magl I am so sorry you are experiencing this. This hasnāt happened to me but I suspect they will have a conversation with you about whether there is a need to delay.
There is current research looking into reducing the amount of Herceptin being given as standard down to 9. Itās still early days research but there seems to be a school of thought that maybe less is okay so hopefully the fact you have already had 10 is reassuring to you. I also had a friend who didnāt finish the course of 18 canāt remember exactly how many she had but nonetheless she is 7 years post diagnosis now without any issues I also understood from her that she was given medication to support her cardio health whilst she was having Herceptin. I am not a medical expert so this may not apply to you but wanted to let you know of some others experiences
Hope you get some answers soon and a positive outcome to your tests
Iām due to have a 3day ambulatory heart monitor and also a visit to the Arrhythmia Clinic. Just now Iām in that familiar state of limbo wanting to know more but having to wait. Of all the side effects Iāve worried about getting, this wasnāt one of them. Thank you for giving me a glimmer of hope that perhaps it might correct itself.
If I stuck to the same schedule Iād be due to have the last one at the end of August. Iāve been googling of course but Iām non the wiser about whether one of the options is lowering the dose or whether they stop it altogether.
Hi Janske
Iām now on my 6th Iāve had skin drying and blotchiness no dizzy spells or sickness. I still have to have EC at the endā¦. Lovely x
@sez Good luck for next week. Great that your team have got everything booked in so quickly and you can get on with it all.
@caz591 Nobody wants the news that there is some residual cancer and that there will be further chemo in the form of Kadcyla. Iāve learned from this forum that itās not uncommon and many say that itās not as bad as the first lot of chemo. Iām so sorry youāve had that news. If you do a search on Kadcyla within this thread you will find lots of info about it and different experiences from many ladies. I hope that you will be one of the ones for whom it does not affect their day to day life too much. Itās a slightly different treatment path but so good to hear @gromit12 say how amazing the results are.
@maria1970 Donating your hair is a fantastic thing to do, you wonderful woman. I did the Cancer Hair Care course so I bought the Weleda Rosemary hair oil. Iāve also been using Plantur 39 shampoo lately and my hair is growing back thick, dark and very curly. Iāve no experience of Minoxidil. Hopefully someone else will have some info on it. We all have that fear of losing our hair and no matter what anyone says, it is a big deal for many women. My long blonde hair was part of my identity. Looking back now, I can say that it wasnāt as bad as I thought it was going to be and I feel there is a strength and a beauty in a woman who has lost her hair due to fighting breast cancer. I loved my pale blue beanie hat with hair that I bought from https://www.headscarvesbyciara.co.uk - I wore it the whole time until I shaved my head right at the end of chemo. I had many scarves, head coverings and too many wigs!! (It became something of an addiction!) I think you are doing something wonderful in donating your hair and I think you will look gorgeous however you rock the no hair look.
@magl - This happened to me. My LVEF (left ventricle ejection fraction) dropped from 63% to 52% about two thirds of the way through Phesgo. I have been on Candesartan for a few months now to protect my heart and restore my LVEF, which has been successful. I am due to have my final Phesgo on 10th April and have been instructed to stop the Candesartan on 17th April. I hope something similar happens for you as it was straightforward and temporary with no side effects. Iāve been told my heart should make a full recovery. I canāt say I even noticed it and it hasnāt affected my fitness levels. Still jumping around a studio with a bunch of kids two or three times a week and doing dance class. Fingers crossed for you.
I hope you have a lovely daffodil and sun-filled weekend, everyone.
Salbert
xx
Thanks for your support i was not in a good place yesterday but im going to be more positive now. The cancer is out of me so i will take all the treatment that is available to keep it from coming back, as my sister said suck it up and get on with the rest of your life x
I saw my surgeon yesterday for my results. I had residual cancer in my tumour but thankfully only in one lymph node. I will be joining the extra treatment club but interestingly not sure which treatment itās going to be. As you know I changed hospitals prior to surgery as I didnāt want to have my surgery where I was first diagnosed (had several bad experiences there and had my chemo at my local hospital who donāt offer surgery). Since changing hospitals I was sent for a repeat mri as they were concerned about something in a scan from November in my other breast, then had an mri guided biopsy which thankfully came back benign but they will monitor. Yesterday I was told the pathologist wants to retest my tumour that was removed as they are not happy with the way the initial profiling was done at the previous hospital and they think I may not be her2+! Blimey Iām pleased I was able to jump ship. My surgeon did look slightly alarmed when I hugged him!!
Just catching up on thread, worth holding on to the idea that this is a roller coaster and we all have ups and downs.
Iāve just spent a stressed two days chasing my missing echocardiogram appointment that got my chemo cancelled last week and might well get it cancelled again on 2nd. They are not doing well on keeping me informed. I half wonder whether, if they donāt actually remember to cancel me (they didnāt last week, I had to ask if I should go) do I just turn up so they have to turn me away in person? Donāt like wasting a space someone else could have had. Also donāt like the idea of complaining but at some point I may have to.
I was told Kadcyla gives a 2% benefit by 1 oncologist and an 11% benefit by a 2nd (Katherine trial). I donāt think Iāll be having it which Iām trying to get my head around due to having cancer before, having Sepsis and having itchy arms.
I like the sound of Candesartin @salbert. It seems to be a magic cure-all for a whole heap of heart conditions. I donāt know anything about ejection fractions so donāt know if they apply to me. I was feeling seriously weird, light headed and dizzy about a week ago. I rang the magic emergency number and they said go straight to A&E. My heart rate was 165 which is not good. I was there all day being tested and Xrayed. Thatās when I was diverted off into the world of Cardiology. Hereās hoping it might be temporary like yours - although you have the advantage of being fighting fit with all that singing, dancing and jumping up and down. Me? Not so much.
Hi all, has anyone had bits of pain with pic line had a bit yesterday when relaxing, been ok today but just been laying down on the sofa and got a bit achy again, no temp, no redness just feels a bit sore. Thanks lovelyās xx
Hi @marymop,
Did you have the picc put in recently? Mine was a bit tender for a while after if was first put in, especially in certain positions. Now after I get the dressing changed itās usually a bit tender for a day or 2 again then settles.
If it doesnāt get better / gets red or anything like youāve checked for then just call your treatment team to have it looked at just incase!
Hi Sooz Noahās it put in about 6 weeks ago I think walking my sisters dog may have pulled my arm xxx Iāll keep my eye on it xx
No i did not really find a forumn for younger women as such. I just stuck to this one as i found it really helpful. I wrote this out other week and thought id posted it duhhh. so sorry for the late reply.
Had a good 2 week of feeling run down with hormones etc and im in bed by 8 with little one lol so tired.
Just been catching up on the posts! I really need to start clicking on it every day or 2 days at least. I went away at weekend for a real long weekend with little one at seaside.
Woohoo @erica bet you feel such relief nowā¦ onwards and upwards even though you have chemoā¦ it makes it so much easier to go through knowing the good results. You dont sound vain at allā¦ its a big thing losing our hair. Check out JB extensions uk they have some amazing wigs, im obsessed!
Hope everyone is well as can be. Jemma