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Hi Maria, First off, I want you to know Herceptin CAN'T make you nauseated. Do you know how I know that...an oncologist told me so. LOL (I am being a smart a$%) Sorry...can't help it. I get real tired of these doctors that AREN'T on these chemo's drugs, telling me what they can and CAN'T do.
I am always the crazy one. I don't know what I am talking about if you ask a few of them. When I was first on herceptin...I always had pre-meds. One for my stomach. It was my THIRD weekly infusion of herceptin alone. My oncologist told my nurse NOT to give me the tagament for the stomach or my benedraly. (At that time...I didn't know they weren't giving me these things...I just assumed..all was the same.) Well...I got SICK! I felt ill to my stomach right away...only got worse by night fall. In fact it was so bad I called my nurse advice line...they were concerned enough they got me thru to the oncologist on duty. He was SO ANGRY at me for being woke up. (I didn't tell anyone to wake him up...I called with a simple question.) Darn it! So I tell him I had my weekly herceptin...that I am really weak in the knees...kind of shaky...and I feel nauseated. He gets a sturn voice and says "Herceptin WON'T do that". Then he HUNG UP ON ME.
I was in tears. Here I was at home..new to all this...feeling quite sick...and scared. I took some of my regular nausea meds on my own....it helped some...but I still did not feel good.
I just had my weekly infusion of herceptin this last Monday afternoon. (5-8-06) I asked each time they grabbed a bag for infusion, "What's that"? They nicely told me...first bag was my benadryl that I requested. Then the second bag I THOUGHT was my herceptin. When I asked...she told me it was my Pepcid. She said they always give their patients something via iv with their herceptin because it can...and usually does cause some/slight nausea.
So point being...some do know herceptin can cause stomach problems. I had done herceptin both ways. And I can tell you my personal experience has gotten better but I really think its due to my new oncologist I switched too. She gives me all kinds of things for my stomach. My first oncologist could of cared less about me or how i felt. Since I get the per-meds for my stomach in my weekly herceptin...I don't have any nausea to speak of. This last time they gave me a good sized bag of Pepcid. Now at home...i take "Protonix" to protect my stomach...and if that isn't enough....I also have pepcid...which I rarely use. So NOW...since all of this...I am not having the nausea with the herceptin like I use to have.
I feel for you. I know how that is. No one will know how bad I felt when this all started and I was so SICK to my stomach after my herceptin infusion that night. Close to midnight. And when that nurse got that oncologist on the phone for me just so he could YELL at me and tell me herceptin doesn't do that"!!! (Make you sick) I told him can't you at least tell me which of these pills I have that I should take that might help? I named two of them...and he said.. "Take any of them you want". And HUNG UP on me. I swear...I was in shock. I felt so bad...plus I was so new to this stage III cancer...scared out of my mind....I was TOLD to call that number if any problems come up. But I get yelled at and hung up on. (And that from a LONG TIME & well respected ONCOLOGIST!)
Anyway on a different note...I use to get alot of these little red pimple looking deals around where my mastectomy incison is. Well....all over my chest actually. They were really bad at first. I still get some...but the longer I am on herceptin...they have lessened? Not sure why? I do know the herceptin will make me tired for a day or so also.
All I know after having some months of herceptin. The worse by far was always feeling slightly nauseated. I never threw up...but always felt like I might. I hated it. It was always there. I don't know IF this will work for you...but I swear on everything it has helped me out so much I just can't stress it enough. Now that I have these other meds for my stomach..its made a world of difference. Nexium, Priosex, Protonix, any of those SHOULD help.
And keeping small amounts of food in your stomach helps too..even when you rather do anything but eat. I will feel really sick to my stomach...then force myself to eat even a small muffin...then I feel so much better. But as you know...that is easier said then done when you feel nauseated.
I DON'T ask for Pepcid or tagament on my herceptin infusions...the nurse/doctor ALWAYS orders that I get it. So they MUST KNOW it does cause people to feel nauseated. So talk to your doctor about it...you should NOT have to put up with that...not when they have all these meds out there to help. We go through enough crap...you don't need that. Hang in there...
Chelee
Last edited by Chelee; 05-10-2006 at 12:50 AM..
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