Just when I thought I had taken Herceptin every way possible..., I recently was dismayed to discover, that apparently, when Herceptin is pre-mixed in solution for the IV and allowed to sit for many, many hours before being infused...it loses its potency and some of its effectiveness in direct proportion to how many hours it just sits on the shelf..., even if it is refrigerated....
My question to you all, is this REALLY true???
Do any of you have personal experiences about limited shelf life of pre-mixed Herceptin to share? I would be very interested. This could be very important for folks to check into, especially for those where it is claimed the HERCEPTIN has "stopped" working. If this has happened to you, check your recent herceptin infusion schedules and see if you recently switched from MORNING appointments to Afternoon or worse...LATE Afternoon appointments as the preparations are usually mixed in the early am by the pharmacy FYI. The later your appointment, the longer your herceptin mix has been allowed to just sit. Also, be sure your herceptin dosage is matched closely to your CURRENT weight as it is important..even a difference of 5 to 7 pounds can make a difference...especially if you have GAINED weight...if you have lost, you will just be getting a little EXTRA boost..smile.
One friend told me that at Georgetown, what we hope is a pre-eminent oncology establishment in my area, the herceptin is not mixed until the patient is in the infusion chair with IV in and is infused immediatedly to prevent degradation of the monoclonal antibody? Has Genentech written anything about this phenomenon??? Is there any documentation in the literature????
Just sign me..., VERY CURIOUS in ALEXANDRIA...smile,
Gina
Gpopp@comcast.net
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