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Hi there,
I've been on Navelbine+Herceptin for 30 months now, first weekly and now every other week. I had liver mets so dense it looked like fish and chips paper on my CT scans. I had immediate tumor shrinkage and have been in total remission for over 2 years, with NED. Amazing results given that I don't get nausious or have hair loss. Looking at me you have no idea I'm a cancer patient. It's my first line treatment for mets.
But it's not completely w/o side effects. I don't have GI issues, except the day of treatment. I don't get any premeds for either drug. Are you getting steriods? wonder if that's doing it? My main problem is that I don't bounce back from body trauma as quickly as I used to ... I really have to be careful when I cut, bruise or otherwise damage myself. And I get more allergies. My immune system is obviously hammered. I can also tell it's messing with my nervous system -- I get muscle cramps in my legs, coughing fits and jaw spasms, I'm numb behind my toes, and I can't taste anything. Also I seem to be burning myself more easily while cooking than I used to, and not feeling it. Either my nerves isn't picking it up, or my skin is thinner. I can't tell. And I do get some body aches sometimes, I think mostly when my bone marrow is really working hard. Sometimes I get Aranesp shots, when my reds go too low. But never anything for the white blood cells.
But all in all, for me, it's been amazing. These side effects sound awful, but the're actually pretty subtle and are really manageable, compared with what Adria, cytoxan or the taxanes are like.
I wonder if you should talk to your MD about any premeds you are taking. And I would also look at the dosing. I'm about 135 lbs, and get 40 mg. I think. (125 mg/m3 ???) Every other week. You may be getting too much.
Good luck!!
marie
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