HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Please post your two cents on Herceptin "side effects" real or perceived!

Kathy S in Tokyo · 10-14-2007, 10:16 PM

Hi Lani,

You're right, I'm not doing anything about the hormone side of this cancer right now. I had recurrance while on Tamoxifen so I stopped and blasted with CEF then Taxotere last year. The next attempt at hormonally controlling things was Torimifene but my new onc. decided that Zoladex to stop the menstruation that had not been stopped by chemo and daily Tamoxifen should keep the hormone hungry tumors at bay. This was based on both the original cell work and my new onc.'s lab's examination of my tumor cells. We tried this for 3 months during which the tumors in my lungs basically tripled in size and multiplied so I stopped and got ready to start Herceptin.

The Herceptin stopped the growth in its tracks and I was walking around doing well enough in maintenance mode while I had my weekly IVs. When I caught a cold in June though, my onc. decided that the cough was a symptom that could justify blasting away at the tumors to make more room in my lungs for oxygen so Taxol was added. Unlike the previous chemo regime, my periods have stopped with the Taxol.

I will ask my onc. about the Vaseline Intensive care and other Japanese brand lotions and see if he has any brands and products that he can recommend. Thanks for the advice.

Hugs,

10-14-2007, 10:16 PM	#314
Kathy S in Tokyo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: From Syracuse, NY but living in Tokyo, Japan for 26yrs Posts: 132	Hi Lani, You're right, I'm not doing anything about the hormone side of this cancer right now. I had recurrance while on Tamoxifen so I stopped and blasted with CEF then Taxotere last year. The next attempt at hormonally controlling things was Torimifene but my new onc. decided that Zoladex to stop the menstruation that had not been stopped by chemo and daily Tamoxifen should keep the hormone hungry tumors at bay. This was based on both the original cell work and my new onc.'s lab's examination of my tumor cells. We tried this for 3 months during which the tumors in my lungs basically tripled in size and multiplied so I stopped and got ready to start Herceptin. The Herceptin stopped the growth in its tracks and I was walking around doing well enough in maintenance mode while I had my weekly IVs. When I caught a cold in June though, my onc. decided that the cough was a symptom that could justify blasting away at the tumors to make more room in my lungs for oxygen so Taxol was added. Unlike the previous chemo regime, my periods have stopped with the Taxol. I will ask my onc. about the Vaseline Intensive care and other Japanese brand lotions and see if he has any brands and products that he can recommend. Thanks for the advice. Hugs, __________________ Kathy S in Tokyo (44) 11/2004 partial masectomy (clear margins) - ER/PR++ HER+++ 12/2004 Tamoxifen 11/2005 Clavicle & neck lymph nodes mets 30 Days rads, 7 months CEF-T Chemo 6/2006 mid chemo lung mets oral toremifene 10/2006 changed hospitals 12/2006 Tamoxifen and monthly Zoladex 2/2007 Dramatic growth of mets! Stopped Tamoxifen and Zoladex 3/2007 Began weekly Herceptin 6/2007 Added weekly Taxol to regime 4/2008 More lung mets - stopped Taxol 5/2008 Xeloda - 3 weeks on 1 week off 8/2008 Got a port! 9/2008 Stopped Xeloda, started weekly Navelbine 12/2008 Tumor progression, stopped Navelbine 1/2009 Taxotere begins again, once in every three weekly Herceptin IVs 3/2009 Added Zometa pelvic bone met, lung tumors progressing, stopped Taxotere/Herceptin 4/10/2009 Whoa seizure! 6cm&3cm brain mets. craniotomy and gamma knife surgery 5/15/2009 Started Adria/Cyto stopped 9/15 due to progession. Brain mets back 10/28 surgery more gamma soon