Her2 breast cancer

Hi, I had my chemo about a year ago and had a variety of side effects, some worse than others.  Here's a blog post I wrote at the time that you might find interesting.  Hope you are not struggling too much. Best wishes

Chemo blog

Hi Pink Betty,

I have just read Irish Girl16 's response to you,  So thorough, I too have HER 2 receptive positive and am now post 6 chemos, 15 radiotherapy sessions and on 3 weekly Herceptin injections.

All sounds daunting put like that.  But take a day at a time became my motto and certainly food tasted rubbish for a while but your taste will come back.  I found ice water with lemon helped and sucking lemon sherberts!  I found I could taste marmite and ginger so used to make some interesting stir fries!  

My last chemo was 1st July and hair is very slow to grow back, also loosing my finger nails as the chemo affects nailbed.

But all in all, am achieving something every day and really practicing a day at a time.  

I agree about finding a good wig, mine is so good, everyone thinks it is my real hair as it is so like my old style.  I did think of going rastofarian but maybe a step too far!!!   

So, try to concentrate on the now and I wish you the very best,

SusieP

Hi Jambi, I’ve had 2 chemo treatments up to now of Paclitaxel and my 3rd one is on Thursday. Up to now I feel fine maybe a couple of aches in my legs but that’s it. After 12 weekly treatments I will go on on a chemo called EC which I believe is a bit more harsh so not not looking forward to that. What chemo are you on? X

I’m so sorry I think I’ve flagged this by mistake. :(

Good evening,  hope you are doing OK?

I just wondered  what factors decide peoples treatment.

My mum had 13mm stage 1a, grade 2 HER2 positive lymph  nodes negative tumor removed with lumpectomy and successful  clear margins. She is now having 12 weeks of paclitaxel, every week for 3 weeks with a week rest for number of 12 weeks. She will also have the trastuzamab  egery 3 week for a year this will be followed by 5 days of radiotherapy.

Just wondering why her plan is diff from other HER2 positives.

Thank you

Hi Jodie, firstly I am having terrible trouble with site and only just found this from you. I have just put a very similar post on as yours because I feel like I am having my treatment backwards to everyone and I am asking the same question. In answer to you I am sorry but I don’t know. Good luck with your Mum xxxxxxxx

Hi Jodie, Your mums tumour sounds very small and it hasn't spread to the lymphs which is great. I am similar to your mum but Grade 2 ( HER pos, lymph neg) simply because my tumour started at 3.8cm. If your tumour is under 2.5cm they tend to do surgery first and then see what kind of chemo they need from if they get clear margins/ preventative future measures because of the aggressive nature of HER. If your tumour is larger they want to shrink it to do a lesser surgery if they can. In my case, I started on chemo - I have done 3 EC, and am now onto 3 Docetaxel. The Doc is very similar to the Pax your mum is on, but it's once every 3 weeks and it's super rough. Pax is apparently a lot better tolerated because it's a lower dose of taxol every week. Like your mum I am havin the herceptin every 3 weeks, mine is mixed with pertuzumab (PHESGO).

Thank you for your  response. I have heard HER positive  is quite aggressive  and can have higher reoccurrence  possibility. I guess what I didn't ask the BC was  how successful treatments for HER2 postive  her. To find out it was early stage we were positive and hen we heard of it been HER2. I hope you are doing as well as can be on this rollercoaster that is life x