[kstrahm]

I was glad to have stumbled upon this thread and to read all of your experiences. I have been stage IV with liver mets since April 2006. I started with Taxol, Carboplatinum, Herceptin, Femara and the Lupron shot. After about 7 months I went to only Herceptin, Femara, and Lupron. Last year I had a hysterectomy due to Lupron failure and have been on just Herceptin and Femara. The Herceptin over the past few years has been giving me severe side effects - consisting of neuropathy which has progressed to the point of me feeling burning, tingling, numbness in hands, feet, legs, arms, even the tongue and throat as well as constantly dropping things and losing my balance - I have dizzy spells from it and pressure in my head. I have no energy whatsoever and extremely sore upper back and neck.

I have been trying to fight this and stay on the Herceptin but it has came to the point where my onc and I have decided it is time to take the jump off the cliff and see what happens. I have been NED for almost 6 years so we will see. I am extremely nervous but my body needs a break. I hope the break lasts a long time and it has been great reading the stories of the other women on this board who have gone before me. I am hoping for a continued long run on NED but if it comes back at least a break for a time will be nice and maybe I can try to get my body back together before then.

I sort of feel like we are all writing history and that years to come based on all our choices and experiences that those that come after us will have more information to go on.