Another Tuesday...

...Another Herceptin treatment.

I did ask last week about getting it every 3 weeks. It seems like everywhere I read about it, they're giving it on the three week cycle. I know that I would have worse side effects for a longer time than weekly, but hoped it would give me the "normal" days in between like I had while on chemo (isn't it odd that while I did feel much WORSE for a few days, I actually had MORE better days while on the red devil drug??).

It has been a very. very. VERY long time since I have felt anywhere close to normal.

Or - normal being just a setting on the dryer, let's replace that word with "halfway decent".

The nurse told me that they don't do the three week treatment there because of the larger dose and worse side effects. Given that I already had a reaction to one drug, they wouldn't consider me for it anyway if they did. OK. I can accept that.

Today I will ask them to give me an extra bag of saline, and slow down the drip just a tad. I've read that it may help, particularly with the headache. The headache is the worst - well, it's kind of tied with the insomnia, and since it's undoubtedly made worse by the insomnia, maybe that's really worse. Whatever. It isn't a contest.

I absolutely do believe that a shorter course of Herceptin is fine. I have come to realize that the stats given are inflated, anyway. I freely admit that it's fear that keeps me going in every week. As the side effects become heavier and more lingering, they are overcoming the fear. I would like to at least take a break for a few weeks. I will ask to speak to the doctor about that today.

It's time for this weekly angst train to take a vacation.

Edit: The doctor is on vacation, so I didn't talk to him about taking a break. Well, it's not like I need his permission, or like he doesn't already know I am not OK with doing the full year. I'm going to see how I feel this week. I had the nurse slow down the drip and give me an extra bag of fluid. I also drank 2 cups of water during the drip time instead of 1.

So far I don't feel any different, but I had a headache going in today and am more tired than usual so it may be from that.