Roseann, hope all these answers help but we all know we're different and we'll just prayer you'll get good resolutes and you'll start feeling so much better. POSITIVE THOUGHTS!!

Jeez. That is a rough discovery. And that is exactly what Herceptin and Perjeta in combination is all about.
I have done much reading. In the very beginning all the trials were for Stage 4 and it is where they got these amazing successes. I bought books and buried myself in the history of H. Then Perjeta came along and it is likely to be the gold standard nest. The thing is these are THE ONLY NEW treatments in more than 50 years. Which is dreadful when you think about it...but could be hopeful that you just happen to be on the receiving end today. That is how I look at it!...

Appalling struggle bringing H to market....Took almost 30 years....of adversity....bringing it to women in the U.S. Another 10 years getting it to Canada. AT the time for Her2+. I remember sitting in my oncologist's office and him suggesting while I was dissolved in tears...that I am lucky. This made me furious toward him for the next week....until I began to research the story of HER2 and Herceptin. He failed to explain his meaning. But then I figured it out. Traditionally HER2 was the killer cancer. Traditional treatments they knew did absolutely nothing. (We didn't know that....probably still chemo and radiation continued everywhere to be applied...and changed nothing. Just routine. There was nothing else to turn to ...until Herceptin. The discoverer out of UCLA just knew from the very beginning...he just knew. But met with many mountains of resistance taking his discovery through the very specific stages to trial. I think now I believe in conspiracy theories!!!!!!

So Cancer research all became thrown at Stage 4 Her2....among the research arena. For there was nothing.
All other breast cancer research suffered. Stalled.

That is why our stuttering oncologists say we are lucky. Because finally they have something to pass across the table to you. Not so long ago...they would have no words, no prospects to offer you. We qualify!!!!!

oh God....I hope for you that this is going to manage to keep the cells in check or destroyed. I am just going to be optimistic. Is the cancer in your bone and lung another type of cancer? Not Her2. The unfortunate thing without surgery is that they can't get a REAL tissue sample to identify what they need to know.
Ii am curious how they know that it is the same breast cancer type that is now showing in your lung and bone. How do they know that?

That sounds terrible that 5 radiation treatments made you so sick. Even tho I am finished...I was always conflicted about radiation. Ironically I absolutely love my radiotherapy oncologist. We have just the best sessions....I just never like the idea of radiation. He told me I could choose not to do it...since I had an interesting argument about the protection of the Herceptin ongoing at the time. But...after more research...more appts.....I decided to go through with it....only because if I didn't choose to do an aspect of my treatment that they were all recommending...I would only worry without it. I decided I did not want to worry. Still don't know if I needed it. ?????? but it is in the past now. Yours is a tough situation. onerous.
Did you never have surgery for your breast cancer? And if not...why was that? Never heard of such a thing. What did they do for your breast?

I don't consider Herceptin and Perjeta chemo treatments. I too had Herceptin....(with no trouble I might add)...for a year. Chemo is just so toxic. But Herceptin is made from antibodies...so not full of chemo toxins.

If you are getting 15 radiations...then they are higher dose than when people like me got 30...at lower dosage. In total the same...just degrees spread out over the time frame differently. When your dosage is higher...then by all means try the salt water. I guess I used lukewarm water myself...but by the time I finished repeatedly wetting my facecloth and using all the water in the bowl...the water was on the cool side. The cooler you can bear it...it is the most comforting. Nothing to lose...hydrates your skin....free!....I would lay it across my mastectomy scar as soon as I got home each day. It was just such a good feeling.

Where is your cancer that they are radiating your neck? Is it in your collarbone? I am optimistic for you with your Herceptin and Perjeta...I call them miracle drugs! I was nervous to go off my Herceptin...for I was such a believer. In fact I challenged my hospital for a very long time prior to my radiation...for I was still on Herceptin and i didn't appreciate that I needed both concurrent. I said herceptin is like a powerful hit man...why would I need two? I called all three of my oncologists to task because they could not answer me why? Those drugs are new enough in treatment that they do not have enough data and they admitted that for me...radiation might not do anything! That really bothered me. They said they recommended it because they always recommend it but they do not have any data on Herceptin at the same time! huh!

That was for breast cancer only however. And not stage 4. Triple Positive.

Good luck. Let me know about your skin and how your radiation goes for you.

Wow...chemo and radiation at the same time? What is maintenance chemo?
I didn't have any problems at all on radiation. I would come home and dip a washcloth in salt water...and lay it over the radiated area. (Same thing as buying saline soaked sheets in packages...so i just dedicated a bowl and a washcloth for my own routine. My skin I think liked it. Towards the end...it was getting really sensitive....with just a few days to go...but it never split. i saw some poor women with the worse issues...we would always meet same time in the waiting room. heartbreaking. older women who probably had thin skin to begin with...or maybe my salt water home remedy was the trick for me! Try it yourself. Hydrating. Which calms your radiated skin.