I went for the 2nd dose today all went well done over 2 hours including the saline. I don’t have any noticeable symptoms. I am lucky that I am treated in the private part of the hospital so get recliner telly brews and cheese and biscuits. On my loading dose first time I had a foot and hand massage. I will be having the next ones at home Mithered that my heart functon will go down now I always have to find something to worry about… Hope you all ok and enjoying the couple of rain free days we have had love Eileen
Hi Eileen
From your previous posts I seem to remember you saying you went to Christies. From what you describe yesterday it sounds exactly like where I go (Christies). If so’ those little rooms are quite nice and comfy considering what goes on in them. The hand and foot massages are great and with me they manage to bring down my blood pressure too. I was there yesterday morning having my fifth Herceptin. I know what you mean about mithering about things. I had a MUGA a few days ago and my score has gone down from 68% to 60%. I know chemo can be hard on the heart so I’m hoping, now I’ve finished chemo, that the result wont go down too much more. I’m also having rads at the moment so between scans, rads and Herceptin the hospital’s like a second home. Well… not quite that cosy…!!!
Hope everything goes well for you.
Love Jibby X
Hi Jibby I am at Christies but will have hercaptin at home in future. I wonder why I didn’t have herceptin at the same time as rads, I am mithering about that now. I did ask if I could start it but my oncologist ( Dr.Misra) said I had to have the rads and then the herceptin. I had to keep asking the bc nurse to set a date.!! Anthi and one or two others who had their treatment at the same time as me started weeks before me and I felt really left behind. When is the next muga scan after three or four. I am starting to panic about it. I tend to push it to the back of my mind most of the time but scared of being too complacent, so that if anything goes wrong I will have a big shock.Tend to be like Scarlett O’ Hara most of the time “I’ll think about it tomorrow” Are you having all yours at Christies? Love Eileen
Hi Eileen
I am also having my treatment at Christies I finished chemo in jan had op then 15 rads end of April and started herceptin 2 wks after.
I had a Muga scan and loading dose of herceptin 29th May.I had number five last Tuesday and Muga scan Thursday,
I am having all my treatments at Christies, as I come from Bolton and they do not do home visits.
Jibby I know what you mean about second home how many rads are you having? Take care Linda
Hi Eileen and Linda
Eileen - my chemo was 4 EC and 4 Taxotere. I started Herceptin when I began Tax. My onc did this because I’m ER+ and HER2+++ and he said results show that Tax and Herceptin work better when given together for my aggresive cancer type (I think this was the jist of it). I’ve had 5 Herceptins out of 18. I was offered the choice of having them at home but preferred to have them at Christies. If I have any worries then I can speak with someone face to face. Also, I feel that bringing medical proceedures into my home is a bit intrusive. When I leave the hospital I’m like a bat out of hell and just want to leave behind all the sights, sounds and smells. Also, I’m fortunate that my husband is willing to take me and is able to start work a bit later… Muga scans are every three months - was your score ok? You had Tax didn’t you? Did it leave you with terrible weakness in your legs and if so, how long did it last?
Linda - I’ve had my fourth rad this morning and am due to have 15. I’m slightly concerned because my left (BC) side ribs feel sore and bruised but have no visible bruising. The radiographer insisted the treatment hadn’t caused this and suggested it was a pulled muscle. I can hardly move a muscle let alone pull one at the moment I feel so weak! The imagination is now working overtime worrying about zapped ribs, lung etc!!! Regarding Muga scans, did your score remain the same or drop after your second one?
Take care both of you.
Love Jibby X
Hi Jibby i know what you mean i had the same problem with my rib and also pain in the area of mastectomy I mentioned this to the oncologist last week and she said the radiotherapy can cause pain and your muscle to tighten and to make sure i still do exersises Herceptin can cause muscle and joint pain
I had bilatral surgery with implants 2001 cmf chemo and 5yrs Arimadex. Had a local recurrance September 2006 I had 3 EC and 3 Ec with herceptin. My Muga scan first one 68% second 73% will find out my results of my third one next treatment.
I have been put back on Arimadex and calcium last week they said i was 93% E R positive now waiting for a bone density scan
we can’t say Christies are not looking after us can we.
Take care Linda x
Hi Linda
Thanks for the reassurance. It does feel like what you describe. I’ve just returned from my fifth zapping and when I got home and changed I was very surprised to see how much my left breast has increased this morning. It’s nearly twice the size it was when I woke up!!!. You never know what to expect day to day - it’s weird.
You sound like you’ve had a rough time. I’ve not had a mastectomy - how do you cope with rads if you’ve had implants?
My first Muga was 68% and my second one last week was 60%. It’s great that your score has risen. Did you do/eat anything special because I was told that the score usually falls the further into Herceptin you get.
My onc is putting me on Femara when rads end and like you he has made arrangements for a bone density scan - have got an appointment next Thursday. For the past couple of years I’ve been having these scans yearly because I have osteopenia which I was told is the forerunner to osteoperosis. It will be interesting to discover the state of my bones after all the stuff I’ve had this year!
I agree with you about Christies. I can’t fault the treatment I’ve had so far. Everyone has been very informative, efficient and friendly.
Love Jibby X
HI Jibby
I am glad you feel better it is like you said you never know what to expect everyday there is something keep putting the Aqueous on before you have your radio and i took a small tube with me to apply afterwards my skin held up great and never broke I have used it on my breast and arms twice a day for 6 yrs
I have had a rough time but you dont get choices do you Jibby you just have to get on with it.I had a Heart By-Pass in 1992 so the Muga results are good up to now dont know if it has gone down this time have to wait and see. I eat a low fat diet and everthing in moderation a little bit of what you fancy does you good what do you say.?
I had the implant removed to have radiotherapy as i did not have it first time round, I did not know i was HER2 +++ they only told me when I got recurrence that is why I had chemo so i could have herceptin as it was not available in 2001
Take care Linda xx