Hi, i hope someone could tell me what the side effects of Kadcyla have been like.
I was diagnosed HER2+ in March with early breast cancer.
Ive had 6 chemo sessions firstly with carboplatin and docetaxel but following my 1st chemo session i ended up in critical care with mucusitis and sepsis (at one point they gave me 12hrs to live) but i got through that and they reduced my dose and took out the carboplatin.
At my midpoint MRI i was told i had a complete response and no visible digns of cancer left.
I ended up in hospital again after the next 3 chemo sessions but hot through the 6 sessions before having a lumpectomy 3 weeks ago.
Today i got my pathology results and there was a minimal amout of cancer in the lumpectomy 7mm but nothing in the lymph nodes and clear margins.
I also had Phesgo with my chemo and was expecting to continue with 10 more sessions but now they are taking about Kadcyla instead.
I feel deflated as i thought this was nearly over and i could cope with the Phesgo but I’m not sure how i will cope with more chemo.
I lost my husband to cancer 9 years ago and have 3 children who need me.
Financially i need to go back to work in the new year and i was just wondering how other people have coped with Kadcyla.
I have found Kadcyla is much easier to cope with than phesgo. I am biased because I received a nerve damaging injury from my first phesgo administration.
Kadcyla side effects I have personally had are mostly just tiredness (and I had that with phesgo anyway) and the occasional bloody nose.
Appointments (once you’ve been shown to tolerate it) take less than an hour, not quite as quick as phesgo but you don’t have to deal with a sore thigh. I got a central port put in before my first Kadcyla cycle and can say the whole thing is so much simpler than the brutal first chemo prior to surgery (wish I’d pushed for a port for that).
I don’t have kids and I’m only back to work part time so have to be honest that I can’t relate to how it would affect someone in your position, but I have found Kadcyla much less stressful than anything else going on. I’m going to have my 11/14 cycle next week and the time went by swiftly.
I hope the Kadcyla treats you as well as me (or better). Going through all that with 3 children, it sounds like you’re already a bit of a badass so I’m sure you’ll do great. And if you struggle on it there is a possibility to reduce the dose, they’ll want to match it to your response and needs.
It’s much less scary than the brutal chemo (such as all the taxels that just beat you up).
I’m also on Kadcyla and can sympathise with feeling gutted to find out more chemo to come at a very late stage. I have three kids and a very physical lifestyle but like @sez says my side effects have been minimal, tiredness and a bit of bruising and bloody nose for the first few cycles. Now just tiredness. I have started back to work a while ago, taking it steady as juggling the boys and a yard of horses too. I’m 7/14 done now. I also had a port fitted before I started this lot and would definitely recommend it!
I also had the Docetaxel/carboplatins/phesgo combo and then lumpectomy. I needed a second surgery as margins weren’t clear and the tumour hasn’t responded very much to the chemo - still lots of active cancer cells. The phesgo did nothing so I have sterted Kadcyla. First treatment was a week ago and I haven’t felt too bad. Just really tired and some headaches. I have worked all week. The worst bit was getting a canula in. I really need a picc line