Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

Just wondering how folks are typically receiving this.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I received it weekly with chemo, than went to an every three week schedule when chemo (taxotere/taxol/carboplatin) was finished.

I will be starting it again, weekly as I'll be doing weekly Navelbine.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I was doing it weekly, when I was getting taxotere. Now that I am getting Herceptin alone, I get it every 3 weeks.



Laurie

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

It use to be common when I was 1st dx in 2005...but not now. The normal protocol seems to be every 3 wks. My 1st yr was wkly.

Chelee

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I received it every week for 52 weeks-AFTER my chemo was complete-since I received Adryamiacin during chemo we had to wait-

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I take it back - my new protocol is Navelbine weekly, Herceptin every three weeks, and Zometa monthly.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I received it weekly, as my oncologist was indulging me. I wanted to do everything possible to minimize heart damage. But standard of care was every 3 weeks.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I did have it weekly for the full 52 weeks. Seemed to go fine.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I have Herceptin 3 weeks on 1 week off to fit in with my Abraxane. The 3rd dose is a bit higher than the first two to compensate for the week off.Zometa is 6 weekly but I note your Mom has hers weekly so I may ask my oncologist about that schedule.
Trish

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I have herceptin weekly as my ef was low. No problems since changing to weekly.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I have been getting Herceptin along with Taxol weekly since March. My cycle is three weeks of Taxol and Herceptin then one week of Herceptin alone. I will be finishing the Taxol portion next week and will receive Herceptin weekly until my surgery in August, then I will get it every 3 weeks for another year. I have found that I do not have any side effects when on Herceptin alone. Getting my echo cardiogram done at the end of July to see if there has been any effect on my heart. It seems that this type of treatment has been working for me, can hardly feel the tumor at this point!

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I received Herceptin every week for a year!

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I switched to three weekly after taxol too!!!

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I started out with weekly Herceptin but it really tied me down since I travel for my job alot so (due to this board), asked about the every three week schedule. Onc was alittle nervous about this but read up and did it for me. That was great because then on Herceptin week, I didn't go far (I almost couldn't get back for a weekly once due to a plane flight cancellation).

I think every week or every three weeks are normal protocol's now. It may depend on the person what the onc picks or how busy the infusion room is (so they do the 3 weeker).

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I was given weekly Herceptin after chemo during the time when every three weeks was the norm for Herceptin. I think the weekly schedule became popular because it has less cardiac (side) effect.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

So...perhaps weekly is easier on the heart in long term use. Anything about efficacy?

About how long is the weekly H taking? Especially petite folk a little over 100lbs

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I think when I had it weekly it was around thirty minutes or less!

I had no heart problems at all with three weekly though!

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

Rich66, if your mom is a bit frail, I personally would do the once a week. I say this because, by choice I did weekly Herceptin for most of my Herceptin treatment, but then switched over to every 3 weeks due to my participation in a vaccine trial. When I switched over to the every 3 week regiment, I happened to have a muga several days later and my ef dropped significantly. It has since come back to normal while I have continued the 3 week regiment. But I do notice more issues like muscle pain type of symptoms with the 3 week dosing. Even my nails and hair growth seem very stunted since changing to the 3 weeks. The weekly dose, I believe, is much gentler on a person's system. And that would make sense because during the 3 week administration, one is getting 3 times the amount. The only downfall, in my opinion, is the weekly trip to the hospital. And, in my experience, the weekly dosing and the 3 week dosing take the same amount of time. They run both options over 30 minutes. After all is said and done, one can pretty much figure an hour, including the accessing, the fluids beforehand and afterwards. Personally, I liked the once a week dosing as I always felt it kept a very even level in my bloodstream where as with the 3 week dosing, I feel there is more of a spike of the medicine and then a slow diminishing as weeks two and three go by. I don't know, I am not basing this on facts, just a gut feeling. In any event, I am just happy there is such a medicine like Herceptin that can help us fight this ugly stuff. Best wishes to your Mom and you.

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I now have Herceptin infusions every three weeks (but that is a 21-day dose). The inital loading dose is delivered slow and takes 1.5 hours, then 30 minutes every three weeks. (Usually 8 mg per kg.).

Best
Karen

Re: Is weekly Herceptin common?
 

I weigh 100 pounds. When I was on it weekly it was only a 20 minute drip.

Since I just started it again, I just had my another loading dose for every three weeks, and that was about an hour and a half, maybe a little less. I didn't pay much attention - I also got decadron, aloxi and navelbine before the herceptin. I believe when I was on the every three week schedule it was about a 45 minute drip.