4th Dose of Chemo

5 May 2008, Mon - 4th dose of chemo (herceptin 280 mg, docetaxel 90mg, carboplatin 650mg)

When I was feeling the effects of the 3rd full dose, I was ready to tell Dr Wong that I wanted to switch back to smaller weekly doses. But when the effects wore off after 7 days and I had more than a week's break, I thought, okay, maybe it wasn't so bad. Perhaps go for the full dose and get it over with so that I didn't have to go to SGH every week for blood test. On top of that, my left arm was running out of place for them to insert the iv plug.

After the 3rd dose, I noticed that my right arm was getting bloated from water retention, and I was getting a little breathless too.

Dr Wong prescribed frusemide to get rid of the water and also potassium chloride so that I won't get too low on potassium. I was to take one frusemide and one potassium chloride in the morning when necessary.

6 May2008, Tue - I took a frusemide and one potassium as prescribed. The frusemide was very effective. I was passing a lot of urine. For the past few weeks, I hadn't been passing much urine. I would get the urge but would only manage to pass a little. After the frusemide, I really felt the satisfaction of a full royal flush whenever I went to the toilet. I felt relief.

I didn't take frusemide on Wednesday as I thought the water retention would not be so bad after that.