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Chelee · 12-18-2010, 01:02 AM

I did 5 months of Navelbine/Herceptin. It is tolerable although like Tricia I had a few problems with it. The first 3 days after infusion I would wake up almost exactly at 4:00 AM with a rapid heart beat and could hear this loud pounding of my heart in my ears. My counts would tank quickly so I was on neupogen injections the first 3 days after each infusion of Navelbine. (So I didn't know if it was the Neupogen or Navelbine causing the problem?) Then when Tricia mentioned the same SE's I now think it was the Navelbine. I also had bad jaw pain which I see can be one of the rare side affects. (Lucky me.)

But I stuck it out for the five months and it did do a good job on my axilla nodes and bone mets remained stable on it. My hair thinned out quite a bit but I still had hair on my head. Major constipation problem...worse I have every experienced. But there are ways to manage that. Had I not had the rapid heart beat and loud pounding in my ears early in the morning...I'd say it's a really easy chemo regimen to be on. Most don't have the problems Tricia and I had. I felt pretty good all things considered on it. You asked about a port. I think you have to have a port for Navelbine or they won't give it to you. It's one chemo that is really hard on the veins. All and all its a good combo to be on and does a good job for most ppl.

Chelee

12-18-2010, 01:02 AM	#6
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: anyone on navelbine / herceptin? I did 5 months of Navelbine/Herceptin. It is tolerable although like Tricia I had a few problems with it. The first 3 days after infusion I would wake up almost exactly at 4:00 AM with a rapid heart beat and could hear this loud pounding of my heart in my ears. My counts would tank quickly so I was on neupogen injections the first 3 days after each infusion of Navelbine. (So I didn't know if it was the Neupogen or Navelbine causing the problem?) Then when Tricia mentioned the same SE's I now think it was the Navelbine. I also had bad jaw pain which I see can be one of the rare side affects. (Lucky me.) But I stuck it out for the five months and it did do a good job on my axilla nodes and bone mets remained stable on it. My hair thinned out quite a bit but I still had hair on my head. Major constipation problem...worse I have every experienced. But there are ways to manage that. Had I not had the rapid heart beat and loud pounding in my ears early in the morning...I'd say it's a really easy chemo regimen to be on. Most don't have the problems Tricia and I had. I felt pretty good all things considered on it. You asked about a port. I think you have to have a port for Navelbine or they won't give it to you. It's one chemo that is really hard on the veins. All and all its a good combo to be on and does a good job for most ppl. Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.