HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Weekly versus 3 week Herceptin dose studies

Chelee · 07-17-2006, 11:44 PM

Whatsup, It is interesting how things are so different depending on where one lives. My onc doc will say that the weekly is better...however they won't elaborate on why? And they always go on to tell me 3 wks is fine too...and its up to me.

Now the infusion nurses...they really PUSH you hard to go to the 3 wk dose! They say most all of their herceptin patients do it every 3 wks. (I started thinking maybe the nurses like it that way because it keeps the infusion room from getting so backed up. That place gets pretty busy.

Since I finished my full cycle chemo....they have all been on me to go to the 3 wks dose. The oncologist here all say its fine. Seems no one cares...and its up to us which way we want to do it.

I have been doing mine weekly since day one since I am a serious stage III person. I was thinking of changing to the 3 wk schedule since I was going to start Rads...as it would be one less thing for me to do. So I had called last week to warn my infusion nurse that I might want to do that this Monday. (7-17-06). Well...after reading the posts over the weekend about weekly rads working better with herceptin...and how the 3 wk does can be harder on the heart while doing Rads...I CHANGED my mine and decided to stay on the WEEKLY. Plus if I am going for Rads I will be there anyway to do my weekly herceptin...so I was going to leave it as is.

That back fired on me. I went in today for my WEEKLY herceptin & my infusion nurse had already got the OK to mix my herceptin for the 3 wk dose! ARGH. I told her I am sorry...but I want to STAY with the weekly. I said did the pharmacy already make up my IV bag for the 3 wks? She said "Yes." But she did say it was ok...she could change it..for me not to worry. I felt bad since I WAS the one that called her last week to go to the every 3 weeks...so I said to just give it to me that way.

So today against what I had planned on...I DID get the 3 wk dose this time & now I read that Radiation works BETTER WITH WEEKLY herceptin. (Darn...I can't win!) I am a stage III person...so thats why I was sticking to the weekly. I can't blame them since I did call to inquire about it last week. But I am due to start rads...I am stuck now. Whats done is done.

Whatsup...that is funny how your infusion nurses aren't comfortable with the every 3 wks...yet mine PUSHES you to do it that way. (I can't help but think WEEKLY is better.) But who knows?

Chelee

07-17-2006, 11:44 PM	#18
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Whatsup, It is interesting how things are so different depending on where one lives. My onc doc will say that the weekly is better...however they won't elaborate on why? And they always go on to tell me 3 wks is fine too...and its up to me. Now the infusion nurses...they really PUSH you hard to go to the 3 wk dose! They say most all of their herceptin patients do it every 3 wks. (I started thinking maybe the nurses like it that way because it keeps the infusion room from getting so backed up. That place gets pretty busy. Since I finished my full cycle chemo....they have all been on me to go to the 3 wks dose. The oncologist here all say its fine. Seems no one cares...and its up to us which way we want to do it. I have been doing mine weekly since day one since I am a serious stage III person. I was thinking of changing to the 3 wk schedule since I was going to start Rads...as it would be one less thing for me to do. So I had called last week to warn my infusion nurse that I might want to do that this Monday. (7-17-06). Well...after reading the posts over the weekend about weekly rads working better with herceptin...and how the 3 wk does can be harder on the heart while doing Rads...I CHANGED my mine and decided to stay on the WEEKLY. Plus if I am going for Rads I will be there anyway to do my weekly herceptin...so I was going to leave it as is. That back fired on me. I went in today for my WEEKLY herceptin & my infusion nurse had already got the OK to mix my herceptin for the 3 wk dose! ARGH. I told her I am sorry...but I want to STAY with the weekly. I said did the pharmacy already make up my IV bag for the 3 wks? She said "Yes." But she did say it was ok...she could change it..for me not to worry. I felt bad since I WAS the one that called her last week to go to the every 3 weeks...so I said to just give it to me that way. So today against what I had planned on...I DID get the 3 wk dose this time & now I read that Radiation works BETTER WITH WEEKLY herceptin. (Darn...I can't win!) I am a stage III person...so thats why I was sticking to the weekly. I can't blame them since I did call to inquire about it last week. But I am due to start rads...I am stuck now. Whats done is done. Whatsup...that is funny how your infusion nurses aren't comfortable with the every 3 wks...yet mine PUSHES you to do it that way. (I can't help but think WEEKLY is better.) But who knows? Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.