Feeling very overwhelmed

Don’t worry it’ll be working. Everyone is different and I had some similarities with my first chemo regards eating definitely, still eating loads! I didn’t have ulcers at first but rather a spongy feel to my gums and they cut easily, I had a couple of days diahorrea and I was very windy then I got constipated. I have to warn you my hair fall out started slow and then suddenly escalated the next two days but again! We are all different even though I’m on the same chemo initially as you. I had tiredness, some shaking, some headaches but found it manageable too. The steroids and anti sickness drugs are doing their job. Please try not to worry too much, you really can’t compare how your body reacts to how someone else reacts. Some are like you, some react violently, our bodies are weird and wonderful!! I still have most of my lashes and brows, I hope you feel reassured x 

Hi N_M

I am a wee bit further on than you, but similar type of cancer i.e. strongly HER+ and slightly ER+. My chemo regimen was the same as yours. However, I had trastuzumab and pertuzumab [targeted therapies against HER+] along with the docetaxel, I think because I had one positive node before surgery, confirmed by aspiration biopsy]. Thinking about the treatments was much worse than having them.

These chemos etc worked like magic for me. From the end of the fist cycle of EC, I could feel my large lump start to soften and then in subsequent cycles I could feel it shrink. At first I thought the response to treatment was my imagination. However, on review appt my surgeon confirmed that it was getting smaller. I had two MRIs during the chemo, one about halfway through and one just before the last dose. This confirmed that there had been a remarkable reduction in the lesion size. So much so, that my surgeon recommended a lumpectomy and a sample of nodes be removed, rather than the full mastectomy and axillary clearance she had originally thought would be needed.

After the tissues removed at lumpectomy etc had been examined in the lab they confirmed that I had had a complete pathological clearance. This meant that there was no cancer found in any of the tissues removed. They could see that two of the six nodes that they removed had previously been cancerous, but by that stage had turned into fibrous tissue. I could hardly believe my good fortune and share this so that you know how effective the chemo etc can be.

I then had radiotherapy which I finished a month or so ago and now continue with the trastuzumab and pertuzumab which I get every three weeks to prevent recurrence [ these will continue till March 2022].

Wishing you all the best

Wallydug

Omg im delighted for you that was an ideal response to treatment i pray that you successfully complete the treatment and regain some kind of normal in life x thanks for replying as i find such positive stories reassuring.

I will also be on pertuzamab and trastuzumab well into next year. 
I have been told that i wont be getting anymore MRIs and this concerns me it may be because i am to have a mastectomy i have no lymph node involvement at the moment but 1-3 nodes will be removed at surgery time. It makes me feel very upset that the oncologist has already said they will not consider me for instant recon as my bmi when last checked was at 34 and they have very strict rules about bmi being 30.

I hope my cancer responds to treatment as yours did x wish you the very best x

Thank you so much for your reply x

It is reassuring to read of others in similar situations i have experienced some trembling and headaches myself my anxiety levels are very high and have been referred to a clinical psychologist xx

wish you all the best on this journey xxx

I’m pleased you’ve been referred, hopefully it’ll help thank you for you good wishes and all the best to you too xx