Getting Herceptin!

My new onc said he would give me Herceptin despite my node negative status. My insurance company (BC/BS of Florida) has also approved the drug. Since the conclusion of my chemo 4 months ago; I have been trying to get Herceptin. Eventhough I will not have the advantage of chemo for better results, at least its a start.

I want to thank all the admirable women who joined the Herceptin trials- If not for you, I would not have this option. I wish our circumstances were different and this website was dedicated to women with the inability to draw straight lines (or something more mundane). But I do sincerely appreciate all of you!

warmly,

mts

I also have node negative, Her2+++. Will start chemo soon, when is the best time to do herceptin? You mentioned that you will not hve the benefit of chemo... Are you ER+/PR+? I am that too!!!

suzan-w:
The Herceptin is more effective when provided in tandem with your chemotherapy (a "synergistic effect").
Rate of recurrance is much lower when Herceptin is taken with chemo and if taken after chemo- it still helps, but not as intensely. good for you that you are getting it with your chemo.
This website provides boundless info on Herceptin... epsecially the info from current women on the drug- This has really helped me know more about how to treat this hideous disease.

I am ER+5% and PR - 42 yrs old
That little 5% may or may not make a huge difference but the onc still put me on Tamoxifen...

Good luck with your treatments-

mts

what kind of chemo did you have? My onc is recommending adriamycin..AC...and literature says that the combo of AC and Herceptin may be too damaging for heart.

Suzan, You are correct. In fact Dr. Edith Perez and the other experts from the clinical trials specifically state not to combine Herceptin with Adryiamycin and have printed that in statements and articles. I am surprised your onc. would consider it. It should be combined with Taxol once per week for 12 weeks, and then the Herceptin alone continued for 40 more weeks. I began this protocol exactly in sync with my chemo, I was very fortunate. I was 3 doses through my AC when the news about Herceptin hit. I too am node negative, 1.7 cm tumor, ER positive, HER2+++ and my wonderful onc. was willing to start me on Herceptin right on time with the Taxol. The only change was instead of Taxol every two weeks x 4 I am receiving the weekly. (5 to go!) I also have such gratitude to the brave ladies on this site who went before us in the clinical trials, and continue to do so with the vaccines etc...I pray for their benefit from these drugs as much as my own.

Good luck to you.
Cheryl

Cheryl...do you mean that you had already had 3 doses of AC and then were switched to the Taxol/herceptin? My onc. actually only recommended AC-4 doses, I am the one pushing for Herceptin. What is Taxol like-do you have and side effects from that, or the herceptin? Are you doing tamoxifen or any thing else when you finish the herceptin? I think all the new info is very exciting and I too am so grateful to all the women who made all of this possible by being cancer pioneers-THEY deserve the Nobel prize!!!

Suzan - No, I wasn't switched, I finished four AC as scheduled, and then two weeks after the last one began the weeekly Taxol with Herceptin x 12. The Taxol has been much more tolerable for me than the AC was. No queasy, everything smells so bad feeling. I have had seven Taxol. For the last four, since I got brave enough, I have only taken 1/2 of a Zofran two times, 8 hours apart the day of chemo. No more. I probably don't even need that. The worst part of the Taxol is the other meds given with it. The steroids, which I know I had with the AC too, but I guess it just wiped me out so bad, make me feel like I've taken a bottle of diet pills daily. That feeling doesn't go away until about the 4th day. Also, the benedryl makes me feel kind of weird the day of chemo. On the second and third day, from the steroids, I am bright red, and where I live it has been in the mid 90's and humid for two weeks. Otherwise, I get some back, neck and shoulder tenderness for about two days on days 3-4, but it's not too bad. I have my chemo on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are my worst days, and by Friday, for sure Saturday I am feeling quite good. Then they hit me again. Weekly seems to go by faster, if that is any consolation to you. The Herceptin doesn't have any side effects. The first dose is a double, and I think there can be a slight reaction to that one, but after that no problem. Best wishes to you. Cheryl