Herceptin anyone ?

[bones-bones]

Hello again everyone.

I have just started weekly Taxol (HER +, ER neg ,Grade 2 ,stage 1/2 lobular )

I was going to have Herceptin at the same time but they have decided I need another heart scan first. I am apparently borderline for having it.

I have been reading a lot of conflicting comments about Herceptin and don't know which way to jump now. We seem to be damned if we do and damned if we don't !

Or is it just that more people post if they've had problems ?

I would be interested in any experiences...good or bad. I've only had one week of Taxol but no problems yet.

I hope you are doing ok. It's wonderful to have people in the same position to calm each other down.....No one else really knows what it's like though they do their best.

[squeezebox]

Hi bones-bones

I am due to have chemo and Herceptin too.

I can't help by giving you my experience of it but I understand what you're saying.

So many things to take into consideration.

Wishing you all the best with your treatment. First Tsxol seems yo have gone well.

Lots of love

Liz x

[SarahL321]

Morning,

I had chemo and then Herceptin.

I found that Herceptin was a lot easier on the body than chemo. Whilst I felt tired I had none of the other side effects, it hair loss, nails etc

The first dose was a large one, to kick start the process, and they monitored me during the day to make sure I had no adverse reactions. It can have a negative impact on the heart so I had to have a MUGA heart scan before I started, then every 3 months and a final one at the end.

Wishing you all the best

S xx

[Jowigs]

Hi. I had weekly taxol and herceptin. Er+ HER2. I found I got more tired as the weeks went on, but that was the chemo. I had no reaction at all to the herceptin, it was fine. I didn’t lose all of my hair but it thinned considerably. Other than than, my nails went black but not until the end, I had no sickness. It wasn’t pleasant but it was doable. All the best with your treatment. God bless.

[aangus75]

Hi there - I was diagnosed in May 2017 with Hr2+ breast cancer and did 11 cycles of Taxol with Herceptin every 3 weeks (which I still have - until May). I've had no problems or side-effects from the drug and all of my heart scans have been normal. Everyone's experience is unique and I would say it's an important drug for preventing reoccurrence. Try not to read too much and take your own experience one day at a time. Wishing you all the best and please feel free to ask me more about my treatment.

[SuePS1958]

Hi there, I had chemo and herceptin 3yrs ago. The herceptin was fine with no side effects for me. One cycle of Herceptin was delayed because the 3 monthly Echocardiogram showed my heart blood pumping was just under the expected level but it was back to normal a month later and not a bother in following scans. For me Herceptin is one of the newer, targeted preventative treatments so well worth the minimal side effects.

[Moirs1964]

Hi I had no side effects from herceptin at all. Taxol is a different story!!! It’s cumulative so as the weeks go on you’ll get more tired. I started with AC which was tough going but taxol is easier for sure but be aware of the tiredness and joint pain. While going through taxol I took a natural supplement Glucosamine which helped me hugely to reduce the pain.

Best of luck with your treatment 😊

[SueandEmber]

Hello bones-bones

I have been on Herceptin and Pertuzumab for two years now. I don't like tempting fate but I've had no problems with the Herceptin. I have an Echocardiogram every three months and so far no problem. Pertuzumab on the other hand has what my oncologist describes as a 'negative effect on the guts'! How right he is! The six cycles of chemo was by far the worst part of my treatment.

All the best.

[bones-bones]

Thank you all for your replies. You seem to have all sailed happily through the Herceptin experience. I won't get to choose whether I have it but I hope I do as not having it makes me nervous. There again heart failure doesn't appeal either. At the end of the day I suppose I have to accept that the Oncologists are the experts........ But that doesn't stop me ruminating in the middle of the night !

[mags4]

Hi i had herceptin it was an injection every 3 weeks i used to drive in and out i had no problems and regular heart echoes.Everyone is different but its nothing compared to chemo.I wish you all the best x