HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Stage IIIB ER/PR(-) ...what are you guys doing post-treatment?

Val Pfeiffer · 04-29-2008, 05:04 PM

I had a feeling that I'd hear that others aren't doing anything (simply because there isn't really anything out there). I could probably continue indefinitely on quarterly Herceptin (I have a great health insurance company behind me), but I'd really like to wean myself off Herceptin, but I'm a little nervous about doing nothing.

I'm thinking about talking with my health plan about paying for me to see a nutritionist who can get me and keep me on a program to get me off the Hostess donuts and other crap that I eat every day. I need to find a way to replace the calories I take in from the crappy food--I can't afford to lose weight--I burn a lot of hyper energy. Weird problem to have, but needs to be dealt with.

Anyway, if anyone else is doing something different, please let me know. I'd love to know how much we've decreased our chances of experiencing a recurrence because of the post-treatment Herceptin; and there has to be a diminishing return with the quarterly Herceptin I've been doing, but the data isn't out there yet (right?) to tell us that...

thanks!
Val

04-29-2008, 05:04 PM	#6
Val Pfeiffer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 159	I had a feeling that I'd hear that others aren't doing anything (simply because there isn't really anything out there). I could probably continue indefinitely on quarterly Herceptin (I have a great health insurance company behind me), but I'd really like to wean myself off Herceptin, but I'm a little nervous about doing nothing. I'm thinking about talking with my health plan about paying for me to see a nutritionist who can get me and keep me on a program to get me off the Hostess donuts and other crap that I eat every day. I need to find a way to replace the calories I take in from the crappy food--I can't afford to lose weight--I burn a lot of hyper energy. Weird problem to have, but needs to be dealt with. Anyway, if anyone else is doing something different, please let me know. I'd love to know how much we've decreased our chances of experiencing a recurrence because of the post-treatment Herceptin; and there has to be a diminishing return with the quarterly Herceptin I've been doing, but the data isn't out there yet (right?) to tell us that... thanks! Val __________________ BLOG: http://valleygirlvnp.blogspot.com/ Dx 11/04, Age 42, ER-/PR-, HER2+++ 3 months weekly Herceptin, Taxol. Carboplatin Significant tumor shrinkage Mastectomy 3/05; Stage 3b, 9 cm tumor, 5/8+ nodes 3 more months weekly Herceptin, Taxol. Carboplatin 7/05 30 radiation treatments, IMRT planning approach Started 1 year of Herceptin 9/05 9/06 Began quarterly triple doses Herceptin. Brain & breast MRIs semi annually. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 6/08 Right breast, intraductal carcinoma, high nuclear grade associated with comedo necrosis; extensive diffusely involved the entire biopy specimen. ER+, PR-, Her2 unknown at this point, 07/08 mastectomy.