herceptin wkly vs q 3wks?

[mimiflower07]

can someone please explain the difference between having her weekly vs every third week? Is there something i'm missing is one schedule more effective, easier on the heart? When they say herceptin for a year do they mean weekly then change to every 3 weeks or is there a standard amount that is given regardless of the schedule in the one year period.
Hope i'm expressing my self accurately. thanks
suzanne

[Believe51]

Ed was taking his Herceptin weekly vs. every 3 weeks and doctors are still debating whether it DOES make a difference. Research is still being gathered right now looking for those answers. He had few side effects this way but there is no way for us to know for certain that was the reason. Do not know if this helps you out, but if nothing else it will pull up the post so we may get the answer if they have come up with one yet.>>Believe51

[MJo]

We receive a standard amount of Herceptin for one year. You would either receive a triple dose every three weeks or a single dose once a week. I went every three weeks for convenience, primarily. Didn't want to visit the cancer center every week. I don't think there is evidence that one way is easier on the heart than the other.

[mts]

I went every two weeks...

Maria

[mimiflower07]

i was just wondering if i recieved herceptin weekly at a slower infusion rate would this aid in protecting the heart slightly.
thanks for the quick replies
suzanne

[caya]

suzanne-

I believe there was a post last week that slowing down the infusion time from 30 minutes to 45 minutes has been recommended to have less heart damage potential.

I have been doing my every 3 week Herceptin in 60 minutes, as I was having severe nausea the first couple of times at 30 minutes. I have been fine, and now it seems the slower infusion time will be beneficial for the ticker as well.

all the best
caya

[PinkGirl]

Hi,
I had weekly herceptin while I was on Taxol - so that would
have been once/week for 12 weeks. My onc said it was to
see how I tolerated it. Then I had a muga that was OK and
he switched me to once every three weeks (for convenience
I assumed). I know I received increased amounts toward
the end of the treatments because my weight had increased
significantly :(
Hope this helps somewhat.

[Believe51]

I should have added but forgot that Ed had these treatments weekly with slow infusions. Convience was not a factor because he had chemo and Zometa infusions that fell on different weeks anyway so we were in infusion lab weekly with a port-a-cath poke to begin with>>Believe51

[Brenda_D]

Mine are every 3 weeks, given over 90 minutes.

[PinkGirl]

Does anyone know this for sure? Is getting the treatment
weekly easier on the heart? I honestly thought that my
treatments were changed to every 3 weeks because I was
finished with the Taxol and it was more convenient for me.

[Cannon]

As far as I know, there are not any studies on Herceptin weekly vs. every three weeks, either for effectiveness or side effects.

[tousled1]

I don't think that there is any difference in weekly vs 3 every three weeks. The three week schedule is just more convenient for some.

[pffida]

While taking herceptin every three weeks, I developed cardiomyopathy. Symptoms were an unproductive cough that kept me up at night, plus my pulse was generally in the 100-120 range. After many tests (CT scan which showed a small nodule in lung lining, echocardiogram, PET to research the lung nodule, stress test), the oncologist pointed the problem to herceptin. My ejection fraction was 45-50%.

So, I was off herceptin for a month, visiting the cardiologist. My BP medicine was changed from Lisinopril (may cause coughing) to Toprol (which does a better job at reducing pulse). After a month off, I'm back on Herceptin weekly, as the oncologist felt I would tolerate the lower dose. After two months of weekly Herceptin treatments, I'm having no side effects. Pulse is down to normal -- I saw the cardiologist yesterday and he's pleased with my progress.

Weeklly treatments are a pain, but the sacrifice is worth it for the hope that Herceptin gives.

If you don't have any side effects of the Herceptin, I'd sure go for the treatments every three weeks. If heart problems start, discuss weekly treatments with your oncologist. I also had AC, so that probably contributed to the heart problems.

[suzan w]

mine was every 3 weeks, infusion time 90 min. My oncologist said that the dosage over the year was the same...triple strength every 3 weeks vs weekly at a lesser strength. I think that as more and more of us finish our Herceptin courses that the statistics will become clearer. As an early stager who got herceptin I feel like I am on the cutting edge of the "new wave" of treatments for breast cancer. The statistics are catching up with us!!!

[Erin]

I started Herceptin every three weeks with my Taxotere and Carbo. But after they were done, and I still was having a lot of joint pain, I switched to Herceptin every week, infused at 45 minutes. The joint pain improved significantly doing the weekly treatment.

Last week I switched infusion centers and the new center ran my first Herceptin at that location for 30 minutes. I absolutely felt the difference - much more achy and out of sorts on the infusion day. I am asking them to go back to the 45 minute infusion from now on.

Hope that helps.

[mimiflower07]

yes..i think i will start at weekly with a slower infusion rate and see how it goes. I will look at this wkly schedule like a p/t job...i just have to do it.
just home from chemo tx 2...so far so good.
suzanne

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Hi Mimi,

I began Herceptin in Nov '98 -- wkly, as it was hot out of clinical trials and fast-tracked by the FDA for us *needy* ones. 4th stage metastatic -- Vit H has saved my life. I stayed w/the wkly dosage given over 30 min.

In 2000 my onc told me studies had been done in France and I could switch to the ev 3 wk plan. I was leary. Tempting though it was not to go ev single wk! Why fix what isn't broken?, and will those who do this survive?? I told my marvelous onc MJ, Let's have this discussion in a yr. A yr later, I was assured that follow up studies no change in efficacy of H given the *new* way.

I began w/a loading dosage of 4X single dosage over 2 hrs. Gradually, infusion time was reduced. 1 1/2 hrs. 1 hr. Then, 30 min. I am fine w/this, as is my body. It is a party, ev 3 wks and in and out in an hr overall, when I don't have an onc visit.

I think it is important to mention -- I have my Herceptin in a 500 cc saline solution, vs the standard protocol of 250 cc (sometimes in alcohol or whatever). This pure form and double saline helps lessen side effects. I felt woozy the one time a new pharmacist gave me 250 cc bag. I questioned it, was assured it was according to standard protocol, but my body said, Whoa...

Hope this is helpful.
Andi http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/smi/0201e05fca/06

[Sherryg683]

I have always done mine every week now for 2 years because I have had problems with reactions with Herceptins, terrible head and body aches. A couple of months ago, I figured I would try to switch to the 3 week schedule and boy did I have a reaction. I felt like I had the flu for 4 days. I live very close to my facility and it's a pain to go in every week but it seems to be the only way my body can tolerate it well. I might try again to do the 3 week schedule because it was nice not going in there for that long..sherryg