HonCode

Go Back   HER2 Support Group Forums > Clinical Trials
Register Gallery FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-05-2005, 05:22 AM   #21
Diane H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Hi Sandy, no, it's just that the use of herceptin is relatively new. Some oncologists are moving very cautiously on the three week dosing. However there is stats and research showing the three week is as effacious as the one week. I have switched as re posts above and many others. Think most people will be headed that way too.
Diane H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-05-2005, 11:53 PM   #22
Roz
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 105
Hi, i have been on weekly dose since Jan 05 and had a three weekly dose recently to allow me to travel o/s for 3 weeks. When I came back I received a weekly dose, and will continue to do so for the present. I have high blood pressure and I worry that a regular 3 weekly dose may eventually do some damage. But I am open to the 3 weekly regime (the convenience!!) if it seems just as reliable.
Roz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2005, 06:27 AM   #23
Unregistered
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
My onc rec'd Herceptin every 3 weeks right off the bat. I'll do 6 rounds of CMF with Herceptin every week then go to the every 3 weeks Herceptin. She said she had never personally seen any major cardio events with either the 1 week or the 3 week regimen.

Deborah
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2005, 12:25 PM   #24
Becky
Senior Member
 
Becky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
When I went to secure my Herceptin, I went to 3 Cancer centers because my onc would not give it to me. (When the ASCO presentations came out, their recommendation was to give Herceptin to every HER 2 woman who was 6 months or less out of chemotherapy and I was 3.5 months out but my onc insisted it was 6 months from diagnosis). So, I went to another local cancer center and they were giving it every week and I went to Sloan Kettering who was giving it every 3 weeks. Sloan was second so I asked about the difference in 1 wk versus 3 wks and they said no difference at all.


I ended up getting it every week but after 12 weeks switched to every 3 weeks (yesterday was my second one). My new onc (yes I did switch at the end of July even though the onc who would not give me herceptin did give it to me since I said I would switch - went to him so I could start asap but then did go) picked up the ball at every week and said I could switch to every 3 weeks whenever I wanted. I counted out on the calendar so I would be "off" during the holidays and vacation then started.

It's great to have that freedom and herceptin has a half life of 20.8 days so the concentration of herceptin in your body is just as high as every week.

Best regards

Becky
Becky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2005, 11:27 AM   #25
Barbara H.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Newton, MA
Posts: 951
Every three weeks

I'm at the Dana Farber and my ocoolgist said that there would be no difference in its effectiveness to take it every three weeks. It is more convenient for me. I would hate to go there every week. I've been on herceptin for over a year and have not had any problems. My infusion also lasts on a half hour with no meds and that suits me fine. Considering the fact that the cancer was in the liver, lungs, brain and seemingly in various other places on the pet scan (bones excluded), I now feel better than I have in 10 years and consider this drug a miracle for me. I just hope it continunues to do its job, and hope that a cure will be found at some point so that I don't have to go every three weeks for the rest of my life. Nevertheless, I've resigned myself to the fact that I will probably need it for a long time, or as long as it works. At the moment I feel fortunate that it is working for me.
Best wishes and good luck to those of you who are trying to make a decision.
Barbara H.
Barbara H. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2005, 05:57 AM   #26
Diane H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Hi Barbara, am very happy for you that herceptin is doing the trick, lovely to hear a sucess story such as yours. And glad that you can do the three week dosing, I love it. Made such a difference in my outlook not having to go to my slightly disfunctional infusion unit every week. Best wishes to you too-Diane H.
Diane H is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2005, 07:21 AM   #27
uma
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 26
Julie2,
You say your MUGA showed 44% on a 3 week schedule(90min infusion time). My advice is take care of your heart with top priority. Cardiotoxicity due to Herceptin and lowering of MUGA to 44% (LVEF) is not easily reversible or may not be reversible at all. It would be common sense to go for a weekly schedule. To make it even less risky go for a weekly with 90 min infusion. I am surprised that your doctor did not drasticlly reduced your risks of cardiotoxiciy. You would not have got into this dilemma if you had a weekly with 90 min infusion, though no body has advocated it for safety's sake so far. Sorry, I am afraid, I could not respond to you earlier.
Rama
uma is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-18-2005, 10:35 AM   #28
Diane H
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 208
Actually the damage is quite probably reversible, and if you are one of the very few who react badly to herceptin you would have reacted on any of the dosing schedules most likely. So don't get alarmed, get reliable information.
Diane H is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright HER2 Support Group 2007 - 2021
free webpage hit counter