HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Side effects from Herceptin only (after 6 TCH)?

SusanN · 04-16-2013, 08:08 AM

Hi Janis...
I'm feeling fine today...actually, I just had a slight nose bleed, at least caught it in time!! I had another one last week...probably because it's so (furnace) dry...however, I haven't had one in years and I'm NOT taking anything lightly anymore!!
At times I feel I "annoy" her...
Yes, thank God my mom was with me...she is a nurse...retired many years ago...however, we had to ask her if she could take my BP,etc as it wasn't on my arm, then she took my pulse...not sure what protocol is elsewhere??
Anyhow, I was in the Army for 13 years...thankfully...oh how thankful...I am able to recieve my treatments at the Lincoln VA...however, there are down sides to that...she called my oncologist after the second one I had...(he is at the Omaha VA)...thank goodness he was able to be reached & ordered dexamethasone. However, when I asked her what she gave me, she didn't tell me...she just offered that it was something to help...
I then had my mom ask her & she told her...she had said the "thought" she had given it before...
I KNOW she gives me a steroid with Taxol/Carbo...
I heard her call & talk in her room to this gal call on the phone as to if heart palpitations was a side effect with Herceptin...

Anyhow, first thing this morning, I called Omaha & talked with the head oncology nurse...I really like her. I was discussing what had happened, she knew that my infusion nurse had made a call to one of her infusion nurses & yes that what happened can be one of the serious side effects. The nurse in Lincoln is not familiar with many breast cancer patients...so, I'm really getting edgy as to what is going on...my husband is as well...we may make our trips to Omaha for my infusions now.
The downside to that is my oncologist has me with a Herception once a week throughout my 6 cycles of TCH...then once every 3 weeks for a year...who knows...the nurse from Omaha is supposed to call me back...
Thanks for your concern Janis!!
Truly, this support group is great...don't know what I'd do without being able to get honest answers, insight, hope & encouragement!!

04-16-2013, 08:08 AM	#18
SusanN Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 265	Re: Side effects from Herceptin only (after 6 TCH)? Hi Janis... I'm feeling fine today...actually, I just had a slight nose bleed, at least caught it in time!! I had another one last week...probably because it's so (furnace) dry...however, I haven't had one in years and I'm NOT taking anything lightly anymore!! At times I feel I "annoy" her... Yes, thank God my mom was with me...she is a nurse...retired many years ago...however, we had to ask her if she could take my BP,etc as it wasn't on my arm, then she took my pulse...not sure what protocol is elsewhere?? Anyhow, I was in the Army for 13 years...thankfully...oh how thankful...I am able to recieve my treatments at the Lincoln VA...however, there are down sides to that...she called my oncologist after the second one I had...(he is at the Omaha VA)...thank goodness he was able to be reached & ordered dexamethasone. However, when I asked her what she gave me, she didn't tell me...she just offered that it was something to help... I then had my mom ask her & she told her...she had said the "thought" she had given it before... I KNOW she gives me a steroid with Taxol/Carbo... I heard her call & talk in her room to this gal call on the phone as to if heart palpitations was a side effect with Herceptin... Anyhow, first thing this morning, I called Omaha & talked with the head oncology nurse...I really like her. I was discussing what had happened, she knew that my infusion nurse had made a call to one of her infusion nurses & yes that what happened can be one of the serious side effects. The nurse in Lincoln is not familiar with many breast cancer patients...so, I'm really getting edgy as to what is going on...my husband is as well...we may make our trips to Omaha for my infusions now. The downside to that is my oncologist has me with a Herception once a week throughout my 6 cycles of TCH...then once every 3 weeks for a year...who knows...the nurse from Omaha is supposed to call me back... Thanks for your concern Janis!! Truly, this support group is great...don't know what I'd do without being able to get honest answers, insight, hope & encouragement!! __________________ 10/18/12 Found pea size lump right breast 11/7/12 Biopsy 12/14/12 Lumpectomy 1/4/13 Rexcision, NO CLEAR MARGINS!! :( 2/11/13 Mastectomy with Expander Placed 2/15/13 INFECTION at Mastectomy site...emergency Surgery!!! Expander removed :( DX: DCIS, IDC, Stage 2a, 2.7cm, 1/5 nodes positive ER/PR-, HER2+++ 3/28/13 Port placed 4/1/13 Begin 6 Cycles TCH Therapy 4/1/14 Finished Herceptin!!