Anyone Know............?

Mary Jo · 10-24-2006, 06:29 PM

Hi,

Being completely finished with treatment, I was just curious if anyone knows how long it takes for all drugs to be out of your system? Chemo ended Nov. 30, 2005 (A/C and Taxol) and herceptin ended October 11, 2006. I know herceptin is still in my system as I received it every 3 weeks. Just wondering how long that stuff stays in your system.

Thanks ~

Mary Jo

Jackie · 10-24-2006, 06:45 PM

Mary Jo,

I finished with my chemo 11-05 and Herceptin 9-5-06. I am just now feeling like the Herceptin is out of my system. I do not know how long it is suppose to take.

Lani · 10-24-2006, 08:19 PM

Herceptin is supposed to stay in your system for 6 months after the last dosage. Chemotherapy does not linger in your system, but some of its side effects can go on for months or forever in some.
Hope this helps!

panicked911 · 10-25-2006, 07:33 AM

My onc said that herceptain lasts three months and I should see an abatement in my side effects starting at about 1 month after and gardually subsiding over time IF they are attributable to the herceptain. Sh has her doubts.

Susanne

CPA · 10-25-2006, 09:34 AM

Here is a quote directly from the prescribing info for Herceptin:

"In studies using a loading dose of 4 mg/kg followed by a weekly maintenance dose of 2 mg/kg, a mean half-life of 5.8 days (range = 1 to 32 days) was observed."

I seem to remember reading something else that said herceptin is actually detectible longer than initially thought. In any case, note the range for half-life. Different people appear to respond dramatically different to this drug. I am not sure if other chemo tx will impact the body's ability to eliminate the drug.

Hope this helps...