One more Herceptin

[Liz J.]

Hi all,

I saw my onc today for my tri-weekly Herceptin. I keep a calendar and am so sure that I started last February but they say it was January. Either way the onc nurse let me know the next treatment would be my last one. I always see my onc before treatment, but today due to a large group of patients (I guess everyone was off schedule due to the Holiday), I had treatment first. I was kind of surprised that the nurse let me know this. Then when I saw my onc I mentioned it and he looked at my chart and said that was correct. I am probably getting paranoid already, but I felt like it was sort of weird for the nurse to annouce this to me in the chemo lounge. I am not a problem patient, but I felt like I was getting thrown out. Is this normal, maybe I am just over reacting. Anyone else with the same experience.

Sincerely,

Liz J.

[Bev]

Hi Liz,

My feeling is if I hadn't asked, I'd be doing H indefinitely. Onc nurses and Onc weren't certain. They told me to put a message to the head nurse on triage line. I started 11/23/05 and ended 11/28/06. The first 12 were combined with taxol. If somebody is paying for it, I don't think anyone is trying to kick you out. I was surprised at the confusion with the onc nurses. They thought it was 1 year straight Herceptin, not counting time done with taxol.

If you truly didn't start until February, I would ask again. Maybe in writing, citing that most studies reccomend use for 1 year. Good Luck. BB

[saleboat]

Hi Liz,

I think it is really normal to feel a range of emotions when ending treatment. You've had a long apron string to your Doctors and the reassurance of a herceptin treatment every three weeks for a while now. It sounds like you were caught a little off guard, and I'm 100% sure that no one wants to kick you out of the treatment room! I think it is normal for you to feel extra sensitive when approaching the end of treatment, especially if the date caught you by surprise.

I started Herceptin last August, and ended this July. So it would make sense that if you started in February, that you would have your last treatment in January.

I hope you're feeling better about things.

Jen

[Hopeful]

Liz J.,

Do you know the total number of treatments you received? I am going to ask my doctor today how many three-weekly treatments constitute a year - 17 or 18. I know that the drug is supposed to stay active in your body for 28 days after one of the three-weeklies, so maybe they count those last 28 days after the final treatment as part of the one year? I am confused and will try to get an answer.

Congratulations on finishing treatment! I am hopeful that my MUGA results next week will be good enough to allow me to continue without interruption, so I can join the "post Herceptin" club with you on schedule.

Hopeful

[Jean]

to feel seperation emotions from treatment, after all we battle each day
to stay healthy and our treatments offer us a feeling that we are doing
something to control the situation. Take a deep breath and think positive
thoughts that the treatments have done their job. I felt worried when I
completed radiation treatments (can you imagine) I had become attached
to my radiation group, they were wonderful. I must say that chemo when
completed was a big happy good-by! I am still on H until next May and I am
sure I will feel some sense of loss when complete! Good Luck to you
and Congratulations!

All Good wishes,
Jean

[Liz J.]

Hi all,

Thank you for responding. I guess I am reacting to the coming of the end of this treatment. Everything that everyone said made sense. I feel much better.

Once again, my HER 2 family came to the rescue.

Sincerely,

Liz J.

[Becky]

My little Pigeon


It is very normal to feel lost after treatment. I started my Herceptin about 4 months after my last chemo (due to the 2005 ASCO meeting recommendations). Then, in mid stream, my onc said that if I just received 5 extra every 3 week treatments I would cover my first 2 years from surgery. So, all in all, I was going to my cancer center for 2 straight years. My last Herceptin (at the end of September this year) was an emotional diaster! Yet, it felt weird to go there today for my every 6 month surgeon visit (and a 3 month onc visit next week to boot).

Herceptin (or any treatment for that matter) is like a lifeline and it is very difficult to comprehend not going to the treatment center. It takes some getting used to (but it doesn't take long). And you have us everyday you want to pop in

Love and hugs to you.

[Carol Carlson]

Becky,
If you were er/pr/ neg why are you on Arimidex?? Am I missing something? Highly likely !
Carol

[Becky]

I am ER+ but PR neg so I am taking Arimidex for the ER+ part.