Weekly herceptin, 30 min. or longer?

[Chelee]

I know this has been discussed before...but since I am back on a normal schedule again...I am curious as to how fast your weekly herceptin infusion is?

My regular chemo nurse likes to give it to me in about 30 minutes or a touch longer. But this last time...my nurse was gone. This other one filling in that is the HEAD in that dept gave me my weekly herceptin in about 20 minutes. (I told her I don't like it that fast and it concerns me.)

She said it makes no difference. Maybe it doesn't....but it seems I have seen other posts from women on this same topic that rather have theirs slowed down due to the affects herceptin can have on the heart.

To me...there is NO need to rush me in and out in 20 minutes so they have a chair.

Do you all have yours in 30 minutes or less?

Chelee

[Susan]

I get my herceptin every 3 weeks, and it takes about 45-1 hour. They slowed the drip down, because I was getting bad headaches afterward, and I don't know if that what was causing it, but now I don't have the headaches.

Sue

[Yorkiegirl]

I get weekly Herceptin , and the drip is done in 45 minutes to an hour. I like to have it run slower as I have side effects, and I also have fluids run for at least 15 minutes after the Herceptin drip done, and then I'm flushed and Herperin put in and then I leave.



Vicki

[IRENE FROM TAMPA]

Hi Chelee -

I have been on Herceptin weekly for several years now and after the first initial dose (which was done slower) it only takes 30 minutes (which I believe to be the standard time) I do not know why they would do it any slower or longer (unless like some ladies they get a reaction to it) Maybe that nurse did not calculate correctly or she was in a hurry ( in any case I believe that is already calculated in the pharmacy for the time) , which would not be right of her to do.
It may not make a difference but I would certainly question it and make sure it drips for 30 minutes next time.

Good luck to you.

[Becky]

When I first started Herceptin, I took it weekly and they gave it to me over 30 minutes.


The first one was the loading dose and that one was 90 minutes and the second one which was the normal dose was given in 60 minutes. After that, it was 30 minutes.

I get the triple dose (every 3 wk treatment) now and it is 90 minutes.

Hope this helps

Becky

[cherylynnie]

Chelee,
My loading dose was over 90 minutes (that is the one I broke out in a rash from).

Now that I am getting it weekly it is over 60 minutes.

[Chelee]

It looks like we all got our loading dose of herceptin in 90 minutes. After that when you get to weekly...seems to vary a little. But what I am finding is most get it in 30 minutes or a bit longer. That must be the norm then.

Susan, I got a REALLY bad headache after one of my weekly herceptin infusions. That time they gave me NO tylenol. It was one nasty headache! Its frustrating I have to suffer to convince them I know my body and what causes me problems and what doesn't.

Chelee

[Sheila]

Chelee
I get it every 3 weeks and it is 30 minutes for the infusion. It has been this way since the loading dose (90minutes) and I have been on it over 2 1/2 years.

[Maggie]

Hi Chelee, I'm on it every 3 weeks for a year. I started in November! All my infusions are 90 minutes.Maggie

[cherylynnie]

Chelee,
I asked the nurse about the length of time for the infusion when I was there this week. And she said the most recent literature on it says that it absorbs better if given slower. The doctor just changed this order in March. 3 week doses are given in 90 minutes like the loading dose, and weekly doses are given in 60 minutes. But every doctor is different as we know.