HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Took a chance and it's working!! Good News...

VaMoonRise · 08-15-2007, 10:56 PM

Brenda,

That is awesome news!!!! I am so very happy for you. Seems like you made a very excellent choice in your decision to hold off on rads.

I wish they would add Tykerb or Temador to my Xeloda but because I was on Tykerb, Taxol and Herceptin as my first treatment in a clinical trial and progressed after 15 months they wont do it. My Onc. is reluctant to let me try the Temador which also crosses over the BBB because there has been no study done of Xeloda and Temador together.

I then failed on Navelbine/Herceptin and then failed on Gemzar/Herceptin. I am not quite sure how they figure out which drug stopped working for me out of the three in the clincal trial, perhaps they all did. They have taken me off of the Herceptin recently too, it was part of the stipulation of my insurance company authorizing the use of Xeloda. My Onc. had already said that I could come off of the Herceptin before I started the Xeloda because she thought that it had stopped working for me also, which it probably did because my liver mets had grown in size but I had decided to stay on it because I wasn't totally convinced that it wasn't doing something for me, I just felt that it needed something else added to it such as the Xeloda. I didn't like the idea of not being on something until I could get the Xeloda either. Thank goodness though that the insurance company finally did authorize the Xeloda because they denied me twice before approving it. They probably would stop paying for it if I was able to add Tykerb back in which I can't afford without the Ins. It can all be so frustrating.

I will keep you in my prayers that the T/X keeps shrinking those mets down and puts you in NED in no time.

Oh, yeah, I can't wait to try the Tea, thanks so much for sharing the recipe with us.

Sending you lots of love, hugs. well wishes and prayers.

Nicola

08-15-2007, 10:56 PM	#6
VaMoonRise Deceased Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 113	Great News!!! Brenda, That is awesome news!!!! I am so very happy for you. Seems like you made a very excellent choice in your decision to hold off on rads. I wish they would add Tykerb or Temador to my Xeloda but because I was on Tykerb, Taxol and Herceptin as my first treatment in a clinical trial and progressed after 15 months they wont do it. My Onc. is reluctant to let me try the Temador which also crosses over the BBB because there has been no study done of Xeloda and Temador together. I then failed on Navelbine/Herceptin and then failed on Gemzar/Herceptin. I am not quite sure how they figure out which drug stopped working for me out of the three in the clincal trial, perhaps they all did. They have taken me off of the Herceptin recently too, it was part of the stipulation of my insurance company authorizing the use of Xeloda. My Onc. had already said that I could come off of the Herceptin before I started the Xeloda because she thought that it had stopped working for me also, which it probably did because my liver mets had grown in size but I had decided to stay on it because I wasn't totally convinced that it wasn't doing something for me, I just felt that it needed something else added to it such as the Xeloda. I didn't like the idea of not being on something until I could get the Xeloda either. Thank goodness though that the insurance company finally did authorize the Xeloda because they denied me twice before approving it. They probably would stop paying for it if I was able to add Tykerb back in which I can't afford without the Ins. It can all be so frustrating. I will keep you in my prayers that the T/X keeps shrinking those mets down and puts you in NED in no time. Oh, yeah, I can't wait to try the Tea, thanks so much for sharing the recipe with us. Sending you lots of love, hugs. well wishes and prayers. Nicola __________________ March 18, 2004, Age 36 Diagnosed: High Grade DCIS, Microcalcifications, Solid and Comedo type, Nuclear grade 3 with 1mm margins, ER+, PR+, Stage "0" 3-8-04 Left breast lumpectomy. 4-1-04 thru 6-24-04 Adjuvant XRT. 11-29-05 Gallbladder attack. 12-01-05 Surgery to have gallbladder removed, discovered cancer spread throughout liver in both lobes, HER2+ amplified by FISH and interestingly enough negative for ER and PR. 12-9-05 Clinical trial consisting of Tykerb, Taxol and Herceptin along with Zometa once a month. On clinical trial for 15 months before liver mets started progressing. Started on Navelbine 3-9-07. Navelbine failed, switched to Gemzar July 07. MRI of the brain on July 7, 07. Results revealed multiple brain tumors. Taken off of Gemzar immediately and began 15 rounds of WBR which I completed on July 26, 07. CT scan on 7-26-07 significant progression in the liver mets. I am now getting ready to start on Xeloda along with Herceptin and Zometa once a month.