Herceptin and Benedryl

Ok - so I got a little worried because of previous posts about Benedryl and Herceptin. So for my infusion today I opted out for both Benedyl and Decadron. All went well. Just confused about Benedryl as it is my sleep buddy sometimes. Doesn't seem that any of the drs. have heard of this????? ANy input?

Thanks ,
Olivia

[Sandy H]

What are you getting for chemo? I am surprised they would let you opt out of the decadron. I got mine cut in half but no way would he let me not take it. I am on Taxol and the nurses said that is a bad one not to take pre meds with. Sandy

Actually - I finished chemo in May and am only on Herceptin

I was shocked when they gave me decadron with Herceptin only. I asked to discontinue it after the loading dose. I have now had the benadryl reduced by half and plan to have no benadryl next infusion.
My liver doesn't need this. I find I easily tolerate Herceptin. I understand why decadron is necessary with chemo, but not Herceptin.
Herceptin can be hard on your heart and any steroid can cause heart problems too, so talk to your doc about the decadron.
Also maybe you need an occasional sleeping pill rather than bendaryl.

Already have ambien but not quite enought to get throught the month - so Benedryl picks up the slack

Olivia

[Esther]

I quit taking the Benadryl for just the Herceptin infusions after the first few. For me, it puts me right to sleep, and with that nap, I then couldn't get to sleep at night, and it took me about 2-3 days to get my sleep cycle back to normal.

So I understand using Benadryl for sleep, it puts me out like a light.

[Lisa]

While I was on Taxol/Herceptin, I was able to reduce then completely do without Decadron. Since I had had such a terrible reaction to the Herceptin loading, I was given 50 mm of Benedryl for quite a while. Finally reduced to 25 mg., and now to none.The only pre-meds I get for Gemzar/Herceptin are 2 Tylenol and Kytril.


When I need to sleep, I take either Ambien or Ativan. With either one, I wake up refreshed. I tried weaning myself from Morphine, but after 2 weeks of taking only 7.5 mg. a day, I started feeling yech. And my tumor markers continued to climb. So I'm back on 15 mg. morphine a day. I don't know whether they make me sleepy, but by taking at night, it seems beter.

Love and light,


Lisa

[michele u]

I did not take any pre meds with my year of Herceptin. The benadryl left a bad taste in my mouth. I could taste it instantly. They told me it was ok not to get anything.

[Becky]

I stopped taking the benadryl and tylenol after the third weekly. After 12 of those, I switched to every 3 weeks and did not take premeds even though the dose was so much larger.


Best regards

Becky

[al from Canada]

Linda had benedryl the first time taking herceptin and none after that. She had decadron when getting AC but we discontinued that after I read a study how decadron actually mitagated the effectivness of the AC. (don't ask me to find that study because I can't) She felt better without the steroid.


Herceptin straight-up or on the rocks......

Al

[Gina]

I have seen some limited evidence that taking either the decadron or Vitamin D supplements with Herceptin alone can boost response, but not taking the Benadryl was a wise move on your part. I also recommend declining the tylenol..especially when there is liver involvement and I think getting the fevers with the Herceptin is probably a good thing.

After the first infusion and provided you have no allergic reactions with the Herceptin, never take Benadryl with it or while on it...completely dampens the immune response your body needs to work synergistically with the Herceptin.

For deep restful sleep...walk 6 miles a day, eat right, and have a cup of Echinachea or Green tea with honey before bed and be sure you are getting adequate Magnesium.

Remember, supplemental calcium is NOT recommended for us Her-2 gals...fyi..

Best of luck to you..., Gina

Remember, supplemental calcium is NOT recommended for us Her-2 gals...fyi..


I have never heard of this? Can you tell me why?


Vicki

[lu ann]

I'm on herceptin and gemsar bi-weekly and zometa monthly. I did not get benadryl and decadron for the first tx, but vomited a couple days after tx., so they gave me the pre-meds for the second and third tx., but not the last tx. I've had 4 bi-weekly tx. total since getting back on chemo. The nausea wasn't severe so I'm wondering if I can just skip the decadron and benadryl. I don't like throwing up, but I also don't like taking any meds that could be doing me more harm then good. Lisa, taking the gem/her bi-weekly has kept my counts good enough so I don't have to take anything to build my counts back up. I feel pretty lousy for about 4 days though. Really tired. I also tripped over a curb and skinned both knees which I really didn't need on top of everything else. I'm on the mend though. Take care all and God Bless, Lu Ann.

[Lolly]

Gina, I'm curious also as I've not heard this before. Please illuminate.

<3,
Lolly

Over here Oz they give you Claratine, not Benadryl....it doesn't cross the blood brain barrier and you dont get sleepy...but you still have the antihistamine effect.

[MCS]

Gina and ohters,


so decadron the steroid - use with ac but try not to take with taxol or herceptin?

benadryl only if allergic reaction develops. so that means first infusion would be without it?

calcium sup bad? i was taking before dx for leg cramps at night? could it have contributed to breast calcifications?

thank you!

MCS

Is there a problem with taking benadryl with herceptin? What exactly is the problem?

Peace and Blessings,
Monique

[Gina]

Hi, Monique,

As I stated above, I do not recommend taking the Benadryl with the Herceptin as the Benadryl is designed to dampen immune response and I find that Herceptin tends to work best when the immune system is fully active. That is all. Also, not to be confused, I find that in some instances, taking either Vitamin D or steroids like the pre-cocktail decadron we are sometimes given seems to boost the immune system response to Herceptin which I think is good. So immune boosting with Herceptin "good"...and immune system dampening "bad", unless of course you are having repeated allergic responses to Herceptin which in practice, though, turn out to be very rare.

Fine to take the Benadryl for the first Herceptin infusion, but next time, try it without and see how you do??? If you have any liver involvement at all, also forego the pre-med Tylenol. I have been taking Herceptin alone with great benefit for many years and take neither Benadryl nor Tylenol with it--ever period dot..smile.

If the above arguments are still not convincing..., for no other reason, when you are ill like this, you already put so much into your body, I think for the LONG haul, to protect liver and kidneys especially, it is important to remember that LESS can truly be MORE..smile. So to the pre-meds for HERCEPTIN only(this does not apply to other types of chemos), just say no to Benadryl and Tylenol...smile.

Godspeed everybody,
Gina

[al from Canada]

Dear Ladies,

I don't think that any supplementation (with anti-histamines like benedryl) or steriods is good. It is usualy given to first time patients to stave-off a potential allergic reaction but after that, say no! They only put a higher load on the internal organs, especially the liver, kidneys and adrenals.

Gina, Sorry but I have to disagree with you that steriods boost the immune system...the reality is that they actual IMPEDE the immue system. That is why when people have severe allergic reatctions such as swelling and hives, prednisone is given to kill the auto-immune response. In fact....there has been research that has showen that pre-treatment with steriods acually dampened the anti-tumoral effect of AC.

Steriods are a killers which will cause your adrenals to shut down and shouldn't be taken casually. ! As well, steriods will cause a rise in serum sugar levels (diabetes) which we know will only feed the cancer. Some cancers are like an auto-immune reaction but not HER2.

Regards,
Al

[Gina]

to opt out of the Benadryl, but if I were you, I would stick with the decadron as there is some evidence that it is synergistic when taken together with Herceptin. Also, Sandy is right. Depending on what else you were taking, the decadron can be really important. I know Al disagrees with me about the decadron, but in practice, I have seen it boost Herceptin, which I agree...goes against my general rule of NOT dampening the immune system, but decadron's action on the same receptors that are sensitive to Vitamin D is very complex especially since there is a lot of research about deficient Vitamin D and elevated levels of cancer. Also, it depends which parts of the immune system the decadron dampens as there is other data that shows her-2 mediated cancers can actually use the grans (neutrophils) of the patient's own immune system to make the cancer worse. If the steroids are dampening these types of cancer fueling responses, it could actually be helpful to shut them down, and thus, boost Herceptin's overall action. This is very complex. When I get time, I will investigate this further and share what I can find.

In the meantime, are you charting all your tumor markers to see if by stopping the decadron your numbers are getting worse or better??? Really, folks, our bio-chemistries are so complex and individualized that sometimes you have to make the call on a case- by-case basis. I personally, however, do not take ANYTHING with Herceptin, well, except sometimes I drink a cranberry juice while I am infusing...smile. Have taken it that way for over 6 years with very good benefit and relatively few side effects. My recent Muga was 68.1.

That is my two cents,
Gina