What To Expect When You're Expecting Chemo

(written by Sunny)

Okay, now that we've gotten Lindsie home from the hospital and tucked safely, yet somewhat painfully, into her own bed, let's go back to the day Lindsie found out she wouldn't be doing a hormone blockade, but would be doing chemo, but wouldn't be doing radiation. You know, before she found out she really would be doing radiation and chemo would have to wait. Except it didn't. Follow? Yeah, it's good times.

So, on Friday, March 6th when Dr. Bridges told Lindsie her cancer is HER2 positive and she would need to undergo chemotherapy he really didn't give her a lot of details. Knowing that Lindsie is a planner and she'd like to know what to expect following her treatments so she could plan in advance for her family, I put a call in to Dr. Bridges nurse, Andrea, and here's what she told me:

Chemo Drugs
• The drugs for chemo will be Taxotere, Herceptin, and Perjeta.
• Taxotere is a chemo agent designed to target fast-dividing cells.
• Herceptin is an antibody designed to interfere with the HER2 protein and stop cell division.
• Perjeta is another HER2 antibody
• Neulasta is a shot given the day after chemo. It promotes white cell growth.

The Process
• An echocardiagram is needed before Herceptin can be given as the heart can be affected in rare instances.
• Taxotere can cause an infusion reaction within the first 5-10 minutes. It's not a reaction to the Taxotere itself, but from the solution it is delivered in. The chemo nurses are trained for this and will get it under control immediately.
• A blood draw will take place before the infusion.
• Infusion will last a few hours

Side Effects
• You should feel great the first 24-48 hours because the anti-nausea drug you will be given is a steroid.
• The steroid may make you look flush the day after chemo
• You may feel bad 3-5 days after chemo
• Taxotere can cause joint/bone aches and mouth sores
• nausea, vomiting, constipation, or diarrhea are all possible
• headache and constipation from anti-nausea drug
• fatigue over time
• hair loss 2-3 weeks after first dose
• blood count lowered- this will be monitored
• nadir (lowest drop in blood count) will happen about 7-10 days out

Side Effects From Neulasta
• The pressure inside the bones can increase as the marrow produces more cells and it can be very painful
• Pain usually occurs 3-4 days after the shot

At the time of this phone call Lindsie was scheduled for her echocardiogram Monday the 9th and chemo was going to start Wednesday the 11th. With this info we were able to piece together a little bit of what we could expect life to look like once chemo started and plan for good days and bad days accordingly.

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Mardie

3/19/2015

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