Navelbine/Herceptine

betlen5 · 02-20-2007, 10:12 AM

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has had or is currently on Navelbine and could give me some insight. This is my 4th reaccurance with BC and the docs are going to put me on Navelbine/Herceptine. I was on Herceptin with weekly doses of Taxol last year.

Thanks,
Betty

TriciaK · 02-20-2007, 11:00 AM

For me, the navelbine-herceptin combination was great. Hardly any side effects, no nausea or hair loss. I was on the combination for 6 months with femara, then femara and herceptin for 10 more months until my ef showed heart damage. That was expected, though, as I started out with a heart attack, which is how we found the cancer for the third time. I would take the combination again. I am on just femara now. You should do well with navelbine and herceptin. Let us know how you are doing. Hugs, Tricia

Joy · 02-20-2007, 11:01 AM

I have been on Navelbine since September (with herceptin) and I have been on a number of drug combinations. I was on taxol/carbo almost all of last year. I have to say that Navelbine has been my favorite. I have very few side effects. Most of the time I hardly know I am on it. I had initial good response and am heading into more scans in the next 2 weeks to see how it is or isn't working.

I hope you find it as easy and definitely hope that it works the dumb cancer over for you!!! Keep us posted.

betlen5 · 02-20-2007, 11:11 AM

Hi Joy,
Thanks so much for responding to my post. I am so greatfull to have joined this group. I have never been with any support groupin the past. I will post my signature this week so everyone can learn my history and maybe give advise to me or I can help others. I have take taxol/herceptine in the past and taxol really wipped me out for a while and was just wondering if this drug will do the same. I know that all drugs effect everyone in a different way.

Thanks and I will keep you posted. Glad to hear you are doing so well and my prayers and thoughts will be with you.

Betty

betlen5 · 02-20-2007, 11:13 AM

Thanks for the feed back and glad to hear you are doing so well. Hope I can say the same thing in a few weeks after I start treatment.

You guys are wonderful.

Talk to you soon.

God Bless
Betty

Andi · 02-20-2007, 01:15 PM

I started Navelbine/Herceptin the beginning of January. Like Joy and Tricia said, there are very few side effects. I had a problem keeping my white count up this last time, so they reduced the amount of navelbine. I was told I couldn't use neulasta with this, but I need to ask them why when I go in for my treatment this week. Good luck with this combination, I hope it is very successful for you.

Colleen007 · 02-20-2007, 01:34 PM

Hi there,

I've been on Navelbine and Herceptin since early October and by the time I had my PET/CT scan in early January, I was all clear, so the Navelbine clearly did it's job! The main side effect for me has been the impact on my tastebuds...I live and die for my morning ice coffee (no matter what the season), and it just doesn't taste good for the few days following treatment. The other thing is that they give me decadron as a pre-treatment, so that keeps me up at night for a couple of days following treatment (now you know why I look forward to my ice coffee!).

Compared to the Taxol I was on last winter, Navelbine is a piece of cake! Best of luck to you.

betlen5 · 02-20-2007, 09:29 PM

Thanks so much for your feed back. I stand on my feet all day at work and was concerned about the side effects of this combination of meds.

Hope it works for me as well as you seem to be doing.

Betty

betlen5 · 02-20-2007, 09:33 PM

All of you have been HEAVEN sent on this site. I feel much better. I am no stranger to all of this and have been through a lot with 5 round of bc. I will be posting my signature soon so you can see my history. I have also requested a brain MRI as sugessed by Janet in FL.

You are all just wonderful...

Kavy · 02-21-2007, 03:37 AM

Hi, Betty,

I've been on Nalvabine/Herceptin since May 2006, and Nalvabine has been a very good and easy chemo for me. My liver mets did not show up on the October cat scan, and my lungs mets are reduced to a small one. My hair grew back, no nausea, some neuropathy. Sometimes I have low red blood counts and I have to take arasnep, and sometimes my white blood counts are low and I have to skip chemo. I take Nalvabine 2 weeks on and 1 week off. In the beginning, I used to take decadron and anti-nausea before the Nalvabine infusion, but now I do not take any premedication, and I feel fine.
I believe they do not give you neulasta for low blood counts when taking nalvabine because nalvabine is given weekly, and neulasta has to be given every 3 weeks. I had neulasta when I was taking taxotere and herceptin every 3 weeks, but never with nalvabine. I asked for neulasta too, because I did not want to skip chemo, but the nurse told me that it takes 3 weeks for the neulasta to work.
Yesterday I had a cat scan to check the mets, and I will get the results in a week. Stressful time again. Prayers, please.
I hope this combo wil be easy for you too, and give you great results.
Take care,
Karla.

betlen5 · 02-21-2007, 08:11 AM

Thanks Karla. Hope all goes well with the tests. My prayers and thoughts are with you.

(((((((((GROUP H U G S)))))))))

Betty