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Visit With Oncologist / More Aggressive Treatment Plan

With the original treatment plan I was supposed to receive infusions of Taxol and Herceptin once per week for 12 weeks after the lumpectomy. Because there were two tumors that measured larger than 2 centimeters, my oncologist suggested a more aggressive treatment plan when I saw her on September 11.


My heart sunk. Although I suspected this was going to happen because of the results from the MRI, it was not what I wanted to hear. It was difficult to focus on what the doctor said after that. This is why it is so important to bring someone with you to your appointments. Maybe one of you will remember what was said. 


I don’t know that Craig was able to pay more attention than I was, but my wonderful oncologist has a practice of writing down all the important information so I can look at it when I am ready. That is one of the many things I like about my doctor.


Now, rather than removing the tumors first and then have chemotherapy, I would begin with the treatments in order to shrink them. The plan was now to get treated every three weeks with a total of six cycles of Taxotere (more aggressive and more serious side effects than Taxol), Carboplatin, and Herceptin (TCH). Herceptin was mentioned in the original treatment plan post. 


Taxotere and Carboplatin are both chemotherapy drugs and the side effects from both are quite similar. They kill not only the cancer cells, but other things that your body needs as well. It will kill your white blood cells that keep your immune system healthy. Because of this I would need to go back to the hospital about 24 hours after the chemo infusions and be given an injection of Neulasta.


The Neulasta is given to push your bone marrow to produce white blood cells quickly. It hurts quite a bit while the nurse administers it, and it takes several minutes to get all of the drug into your arm. I found that when the nurse is not rushed, it does not hurt quite as much. 


Because the bone marrow now works overtime to produce extra white blood cells, your bones will complain and most likely hurt. How much it hurts depends on the individual. I have a fairly high threshold for pain, so the discomfort was minimal. Some women have severe bone pain.


My doctor strongly suggested I take the allergy drug Claritin to help with the bone pain. It is supposed to help. I don’t know if it helped me or not, but I took it as she prescribed, and did not have a lot of pain.


The side effects of Taxotere and Carboplatin are also lessened by taking oral steroids, Dexamethasone, for three days - the day before, day of, and day after the chemo infusions. I realized taking the steroid was very important when I accidentally halved the dosage for one of my treatments. Will talk about this later. 



My oncologist’s note about the drugs and some of the potential side effects.




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