Skipping one treatment

[Onedayatatime60]

Hello fellow warriors.

I’ve been on Herceptin, Prejeta for four years, and I’ve been stable with undetectable liver mets for years. My main side effects have been GI-related, but they've improved over the past year. However, in the last six weeks, I’ve been experiencing loose bowel movements and severe urgency. It’s manageable at home or while shopping when there is a restroom close by, but it becomes a problem when I’m out walking with no bathroom anywhere.

We're going to Europe for almost three weeks, leaving the day after my scheduled infusion and returning two days before the following one. My oncologist said it’s okay to skip a treatment. Has anyone else done this? I don't want to be walking in Europe and ....you know

My question/ concern:

1. Has anyone skipped an infusion of Herceptin/ Prejeta for a holiday? Did it make any difference anyways? My Onc says its ok to skip a treatment, but he's not the one with MBC 😜 - (I adore him BTW)

2. If I skip one infusion, I will be 6 weeks instead of 3 weeks between treatments. But if I get sick or catch COVID while in Europe it would delay my next treatment even further, meaning I could end up seven or eight weeks without treatment instead of the usual three. Has anyone done this? What are your thoughts.

Thanks so much to anyone that may have done this in your own journey and can share

[Kerryd22]

This is from a New Zealand site - breastcancer.org.nz/content...

Treatment holidays most likely to be safe for HER2-positive and/or hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer.

Treatment holidays, where therapy is temporarily stopped, are something that those living with advanced breast cancer sometimes have to contemplate. Perhaps there is an important occasion coming up – a wedding or other family celebration, or an overseas trip – where the side effects of the treatment would interfere with enjoyment of the occasion. In discussing this with their oncologist, it’s important to take into account the current evidence – for or against – taking treatment holidays.

There’s discussion points that may make you feel more comfortable about your decision.

Whatever you decide I hope your holiday goes well!

All the best

Kerry

[jersey-jazz]

Good for you in scheduling a big time holiday. I would advise you to skip the treatment right before your holidays. My very personal opinion agrees with your doctor and comes from a sad experience in June when I took the doctor's advice and skipped the journey on the Queen Mary 2. I am so far down in health now that the trip is most probably never going to happen. I say that opportunities sometime happen at inopportune moments. Grab the ring and have the time your life! ---XXX OOO

[monkeygirl62]

My thoughts is you only live once. I say skip the treatment because you would have to do Imodium for 3 weeks and I am not sure if you want to do that. You can wear masks in crowded areas on your trip so that you can prevent picking up any air borne germs, wash your hands a lot or use hand sanitizer. I know you know all this, that way you minimize getting Covid or anything else so that you can resume treatment right when you get back. I just came back from an Alaskan cruise of 3,500 people (Sept 22-29) , I wore a mask in crowded areas, washed hands a lot, if not then hand sanitizer. I am going through chemo still and did this trip at the end of radiation. And I did chemo the next day from my trip. I do my last set of chemo this Monday. I didn't get sick from the cruise but I did have some diarrhea when in Juneau while shopping! Ugh but Imodium cured it. So I know your concern about that issue. We laugh about it now but at the time I was embarrassed. Hugs 🤗 Alicia

[jersey-jazz in reply to monkeygirl62]

I see we agree. We are living our gift of life. More power to us!