q3weekHerceptin+Gemzar...changed my dosing schedule!

[jml]

Hi All~
Just wanted to share w/you another option for a Gemzar/Herceptin treatment/dosing schedule.
Q3week Herceptin w/qweekly Gemzar x 2 weeks, then the third week OFF.
Truly OFF. FreeFreeOFF!

After being on maintenance Herceptin, q3weeks for ~2years,and really enjoying the freedom of this schedule, I've recently had to resume chemo (Gemzar) for a couple of supraclavicular nodes that lit up on my last PET.

I was told that my schedule would be "2 weeks ON, 1 week OFF", but on the OFF week, I'd still have to come in for Herceptin, since my q3week dose had been switched to the qweekly dose.
When I questioned why my herceptin dosing schedule had been changed - was it b/c the dosage amounts of herceptin & gemzar had to be compatible, or some other reason? - No one seemed to have an answer - least of all the pharmacist who came to "educate" me about chemo.(UGH! That's a whole other story!)

After asking around here & among other patients & nurses, pressing for a more conclusive answer to the reason for the change in Herceptin dosing, my doc called me back & said "Oh, okay, I guess we can keep your Herceptin schedule @the q3week dose."
So now, inspite of having to go back on chemo, I still have a little bit of freedom from having to go in for treatment EVERY week.
Yesterday was my 82nd chemo treatment, not counting the years of Herceptin solo treatments. It's very important to me to that I have even 1 free week from "The Chair".
The bottom line is if we Stage IV'ers are going to have to live with this disease- the treatment, side-effects, scans, multiple doc appointments, etc - then this disease & all that goes with it, is going to have to cooperate!

Don't stop advocating for yourselves & insisting that we maintain normalcy in our lives, inspite of this disease!

Prayers, Faith & Courage~