Koolbreeze, I called Genentech a few weeks ago with some questions. After we were done they offered to mail me some information on herceptin which I accepted.
Under "Infusion Reactions" consist of fever, chills, and on occasion included nausea, vomiting, pain (in some cases at tumor site), headache, dizziness, dyspnea, hypotension, rash & asthenia. It said those reactions are usually mild to moderate in severity.
Under "Adverse Reactions" it says the most common adverse reactions associated with HERCEPTIN use are fever, diarrhea, infections, chills, increased cough, headache, rash, & insomnia.
It goes on about their clinical trials and has a subject titled "Diarrhea". Of patients treated with HERCEPTIN as a single agent, 25% experience diarrhea. An increased incidence of diarrhea, primarily mild to moderate in severity, was observed in patients receiving herceptin in combination with chemotherapy.
There is too much information to post, but it does mention vomiting, & diarrhea. I know when I first started on herceptin and was really NEW to it...I kept getting nauseated. I felt really sick one night and called the nurse advice line like I was TOLD too. They decided after talking to me they got a doctor on the phone. I told him I felt really sick to my stomach and weak. He RASIED his voice at me & said, "Herceptin DOESN'T do that", and he HUNG up on me.
Its really nice to be told it won't do that when you KNOW it did!
I started hercepting in Feb. 06 and I am still on it. I ALWAYS feel a "little" nauseated the first day I get herceptin. It never gets real bad...but its annoying. But if they give me tagament as a pre-med, or even in pill form it does help.
Everyone is different...what affects one person one way...might not another. And I have found with herceptin...many of the things that bothered me at first has gotten better. Its like the body adjust to it some.
The worse for me is the first day...due to nausea, and being extremely fatigued when I get home. But its so much better by the 2nd day, then its usually a breeze after that. (Knock wood!)
So anyway...don't believe the doctors if they tell you the nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea is NOT from the herceptin...because it says it happens right on Genentechs own information sheet. I get really fed-up with doctors over the years that tell me such and such medication WON'T and CAN'T cause that when it DOES. Argh! (They might mean well..but they aren't always right.)
Good luck...I hope things get better for you. Sometimes with herceptin it will...so hang in there.
Chelee