Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

Looking for input on going from getting herceptin weekly, to every three weeks. My insurance company copays are tripling in Jan so I would save a lot by not going weekly.
I am one of those people if it's not broke don't fix it!! My onc has offered several times for me to go to 3 weeks. So therefore, I am a little leary of going to every 3 weeks after 4 1/2 years of weekly herceptin!!
Other than the beadryl fog and sleeping in the next day, slight leg swelling, I don't have a lot of other problems with herceptin.

Just Looking for some input

Darita

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

i had herceptin yesterday. I get it every 3 weeks. today i slept until 2 pm. I have NEVER slept like that. my leg is swollen too but that seems to be a side effect i ahve to accept. I had not idea herceptin would make you sleep the next day. thanks for the knowledge!

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

Just as an FYI---Dr. Slamon who brought us the wonder drug Herceptin administers it to his patients every three weeks. I have a friend who has been on Herceptin for about 10 years. She was superstitious and did weekly until about a year ago when she finally went to every three weeks.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

she has been on it for 10 yrs? My doctor said only 1 yr. what determines the length of treatment? jsut wondering

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

My friend was Stage IV when she went on Herceptin. That is when Herceptin is for life or when it stops working, whichever comes first. She is one of the lucky 5% that appears to respond to Stage IV treatment and the cancer goes into remission for a long time.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

wow that is awesome!!!!!

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

I was on Herceptin every three weeks as part of the chemo (TCH) and my heart function was declining. When I finished the 6 rounds (18 weeks), my oncologist put me on 'weekly' Herceptin. The purpose was most likely to reduce th toxicity to my heart as the dose was 'lighter' in each injection. However, my heart did not cooperate, and I had to stop after just 4 weekly Herceptin.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

This is my first post. I just started Herceptin and my doctor is only giving it to me every three weeks, no other option. I am taking it with Taxol and I've had two treatments. I was supposed to go every two weeks, but asked for three so I could recover each time. When I was first told about Herceptin my doc said I would receive it weekly, but now that has changed. I was diagnosed in early June, started A/C right away (4x) then had surgery in August, now on Taxol and Herceptin. I will receive Herceptin every three weeks for one year. I asked why I wouldn't be receiving it weekly, but didn't get a direct answer. I was told I would be receiving the same amount. I am having minor issues with the Taxol.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

I asked my doctor about the one week vs the every three weeks. they told me there was no difference. if you get it 3 weeks you get 3 times what they get weekly. Odd i think but that is what i was told. I had taxotere the last 4 treatments with herceptin. taxotere was pretty tough for me, but got better as i knew what to expect and how to deal with it. Make sure to tell your doctor of side effects you may suffer from. they will do all they can to make you comfortable.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

I started Herceptin weekly but really wanted to switch to every 3 weeks because I had alot of business travel and I was always frantic (as I was in a situation once where I almost didn't get back by Friday for my infusion). After that, I begged because the weekly was more the norm in the beginning of adjuvant Herceptin and what my onc was used to). After 2 more weekly treatments, my onc told me we would switch as he did alot of research on the subject and said he would give it to me weekly, every other week or every 3 weeks. I chose every 3 weeks because I could do out of town travel for 2 whole weeks and then stay closer to home the third week. I did not have any trouble with the switch.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

I did Herceptin every 3 weeks. I seemed to do ok on it, just felt tired. Heart function was fine. Sometimes I would feel puffy and feel a little spacey.

I didn't need benadryl with the herceptin but I sure did with the Taxotere. I reacted strongly to the Taxotere and needed a 'cocktail' of cortisones and still would always have scary tightening in my chest - classic allergic reaction. I hated the stuff. Because of my reactions, they infused me slowly. The Taxotere took about 8-10 hours so it was an all day thing for me. I always got a bed in the hosp. just in case. I actually used to envy the people who could walk in, get their chemo and be out in 3-4 hours.

The carboplatin lowered my kidney function to about 47%. Nice. Something to be aware of, those of you who are getting this mixture.

Dianne

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

I was on Herceptin every other week for 5 years. I had to get it over a 2 hour drip as I would get a really red face and start itching. I got benadryl before I got Herceptin. I have alot of side effects but I am glad Herceptin was there for me as it saved my life. Mary L

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

My onco just put me on once every three weeks. That means a triple infusion that will span over a three-week period. Have had no side affects.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

I received Herceptin weekly for 9 weeks. No side effects from the Herceptin but the Taxotere (which I had 3X every 3 weeks) was very hard on my body.

Re: Herceptin weekly VS. Every three weeks
 

hEMA HAD 9 DOSES OF hERCEPTIN IN 3 WEEK INTERVALS