hot flashes---triple positive

bevaschia
bevaschia Member Posts: 53
in Breast Cancer #1

HI.  Two questions.  I am triple positive and had neoadjuvant chemotherapy cocktail of perjeta, herceptin and taxotere.  Tumor shrunk to 1.7 x 7mm.  Initially it was 3.1 x 3.2 cm.   I decided on bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction.  Sentinel lymph node was clean.  The last menstrual cycle was in July.  I get many hot flashes throughout the day, every day.  Is this normal?  Second question:  I see oncologist tomorrow to find out when I start adjuvant chemo.  Can anyone who is also triple positive tell me what adjuvant chemo you took and its effect on you?  Upon diagnosis, I was grade 3.  I was staged after surgery at stage 1.  Thank you, and love to you all.  

Comments

  • Gm2873
    Gm2873 Member Posts: 65
    #2
    Hot flashes

    My first time with cancer, I had adjuvant chemo, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. I lost my hair on the 18th day after my first treatment. I was on zofran for nausea and that helped a lot, but I did basically loose my appetite. Eat what sounds good. Some mornings I had soup for breakfast. You need to drink as much as possible because the Cytoxan is hard on your kidneys. I found water with a little cranberry/grape juice added tasted good. Get a cap/turban to sleep in. Your head will get cold at night. Try to stay away from crowds. During this time of year, there are lots of colds, flu, sore throats, etc. and your immune system will be compramised from the chemo. Get a friend or relative to do your Christmas shopping or order everything on line. I continued to work during my treatment, but some days it was hard. Thankfully, I had some great employees who carried my load during the days I was having a hard time. Mainly I would just be exhausted and have brain fog. 

     

    Once I finished chemo, I was put on tamoxifen for five years. My only side effect from that was hot flashes. My onco prescribed a low dose of Effexor, and that stopped the hot flashes.

    hope this helps.

     

     

  • LouisaP
    LouisaP Member Posts: 62
    #3
    Gm2873 said:

    Hot flashes

    My first time with cancer, I had adjuvant chemo, Adriamycin and Cytoxan. I lost my hair on the 18th day after my first treatment. I was on zofran for nausea and that helped a lot, but I did basically loose my appetite. Eat what sounds good. Some mornings I had soup for breakfast. You need to drink as much as possible because the Cytoxan is hard on your kidneys. I found water with a little cranberry/grape juice added tasted good. Get a cap/turban to sleep in. Your head will get cold at night. Try to stay away from crowds. During this time of year, there are lots of colds, flu, sore throats, etc. and your immune system will be compramised from the chemo. Get a friend or relative to do your Christmas shopping or order everything on line. I continued to work during my treatment, but some days it was hard. Thankfully, I had some great employees who carried my load during the days I was having a hard time. Mainly I would just be exhausted and have brain fog. 

     

    Once I finished chemo, I was put on tamoxifen for five years. My only side effect from that was hot flashes. My onco prescribed a low dose of Effexor, and that stopped the hot flashes.

    hope this helps.

     

     

    Hot flashes are a very normal

    Hot flashes are a very normal side effect. I get them bad especially if I get a little warm I just keep getting hotter. I carry a small fan in my purse. I use it anywhere, I don't care lol. Especially my head & back of neck At home I'll put a cold, wet washcloth on my head. It helps me. I already am on Effexor & it doesn't have any effect for me.

  • bevaschia
    bevaschia Member Posts: 53
    #4
    LouisaP said:

    Hot flashes are a very normal

    Hot flashes are a very normal side effect. I get them bad especially if I get a little warm I just keep getting hotter. I carry a small fan in my purse. I use it anywhere, I don't care lol. Especially my head & back of neck At home I'll put a cold, wet washcloth on my head. It helps me. I already am on Effexor & it doesn't have any effect for me.

    Thank you, Louisa.  So, even

    Thank you, Louisa.  So, even though my last chemo was September 11, it is still normal?  I start chemo again tomorrow.  

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