| Herceptin / Tykerb Share your experiences or ask questions about Herceptin or Tykerb |
 |
04-25-2007, 10:37 PM
|
#1
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,014
|
Good news with my Tykerb
It only took a week for the tykerb pharmacy to call me and tell me that my insurance had approved my tykerb prescription and that I would be getting a 3 month supply for 40.00. I couldn't believe it, I expected I would get stuck with some huge co pay, especially since my oncologist prescribed it for me off label to be taken with the Herceptin I have been on now for over a year. My insurance company has been awesome through this whole cancer thing, never questioning any of the many scans i get or anything. My husband works for Tyco and they are self insured through Blue Cross. I guess that's a benefit for working for a huge company. I was worried they would bark at this request since I am taking it as a preventative but I guess they don't know why I'm taking it anyway. They said they would be mailing it Friday...sherryg683
__________________
Sherry
Diagnosed: December , 2005 at age 44
13+ positive lymph nodes
Stage IV , Her2+, 2 small mets to lungsChemo Started: Jan, 2006
4 months Taxotere, Xeloda, Hercepin
NED since April 2006!!
36 Rads to follow with weekly Herceptin indefinately
8 years NED now
Scans every year
Life is not about avoiding the thunderstorms, it's about learning to dance in the rain!
|
|
|
|
04-26-2007, 11:34 AM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 29
|
Sherry - that is great news about your meds. I am with United and hopefully they will pay for it all. I'll be doing the tykerb and xeloda combo - I was doing herceptin but had last one yesterday. We'll see.
Thanks
Bailey
|
|
|
|
|
04-26-2007, 05:38 PM
|
#3
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
|
Definitely good news. I am self-insured with BCBS. I signed the papers this week, and was told it would be mailed to me, within 2 weeks.
I will start Xeloda tomorrow before the Tykerb arrives...
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
|
|
|
|
|
04-30-2007, 01:18 PM
|
#4
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 327
|
He is giving Tykerb/Herceptin??
I just started Tykerb/Xeloda Saturday.
__________________
Jan04: Bilateral Mastectomy at age 28
Initial DX: Left Breast: IDC 2cm, Grade 3, HER2+3, 0 Nodes +, ER/PR-. Right Breast: Extensive DCIS ER-/PR+; Stage 1-2a
Feb04-Apr04: 4 AC, dose dense
Aug 04: 4 Taxotere
Dec 05: Bone and Liver METS; Stage 4. Carboplatin/Taxol/Herceptin. DX with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
Apr 06: NED, maintenance Herceptin
Apr 07: CA1503=14; masses in liver; Xeloda/Tykerb
Nov 07: NED, Tykerb maintenance
Sept 08: Liver mets again, on Tykerb/Xeloda again, CA=19 and 27
Nov 08: Progression, Tykerb/Gemzar, CA=25
Dec 08: Progression, Herceptin/Navelbine, CA=40, 57, and 130
Jan 09: Progression in bone, recession in liver, Herceptin/Carbo/Abraxane CA=135
June 09: CA27/29=24, chemo break
Sept 09: Progression, CA=24, waiting on clinical trial (4 weeks no treatment)
Nov 09: now have brain mets, trial "on hold", getting 14 WBR treatments starting 11/2/09
Dec 09: possible start on p53 trial
|
|
|
|
|
04-30-2007, 01:25 PM
|
#5
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 29
|
Julierene - I'm sorry to hear of your reoccurrence of the Liver but thankfully there is Tykerb and Xeloda. I will be starting within the next couple of weeks - the pharm. co. just called today to confirm address etc.
How are you feeling so far - any major side effects?
You are in my prayers.
|
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:10 AM.
|
Linear Mode
