Herceptin / Tykerb Share your experiences or ask questions about Herceptin or Tykerb |
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07-22-2009, 10:58 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 327
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Echos
Hi Karen,
Not that you asked about Canada but we have echocardiograms every 3 months here in Canada...at least in British Columbia.
__________________
Three years and 5 months NED
Dx: Aug 2008 right breast IDC with 50% of tumor DCIS, Stage II or IIA, tumor size: 2.1 cm
Grade 3
8/9 Richardson/Bloom test
ER+ weakly positive
Alred Score: 4 (suggesting I would strongly benefit from hormone therapy)
PR-,
HER2 positive +++
No vascular invasion
No lymph nodes involved
Surgery: Sept. 9, 2008 -Modified radical mastectomy, right breast. I chose to have a simple mastectomy on the left. Began Taxotere/Carboplatin/Herceptin November, 2008. Finished T/C March 2009. Finished #16 Herceptin Sept. 09. AI's and Tamoxifen made me sick. Began natural Tamoxifen which is Quercetin, I3C and a combo of other supplements. I am also a DES Daughter. There is now a link between DES exposure in utero and breast cancer!
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07-25-2009, 02:55 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: La Quinta, Ca
Posts: 253
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Watery eyes (and nose) are definitely side effects of Herceptin. I was on Herceptin alone for over three years and the watery eyes eventually subsided. But I now take an allergy pill everyday to help the situation.
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07-25-2009, 06:49 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Posts: 145
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The Eyes Have IT!
Dianne: Maybe your onc should actually read the full prescribing information that comes packaged with the Herceptin. As you will note, rhinitis is an adverse reaction and it is contributing to the watery eyes. I have a suggestion:
If you are not being premedicated with Benadryl prior to infusion, try that since it is an antihistamine. Then maybe take the Benadryl for a day or so after.
Here's the supporting info for you and your onc and I hope this helps solve your mystery and you find some relief.
HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESCRIBING INFORMATION
These highlights do not include all the information needed to use Herceptin safely and effectively. See full prescribing information for Herceptin.
HERCEPTIN® (trastuzumab) Intravenous Infusion
Table 3 Adverse Reactions for Study 3, All Gradesa:
MedDRA (v. 7.1) Adverse Event Preferred Term
1 Year Herceptin (n= 1678)
Observation (n=1708)
Cardiac
Hypertension
64 (4%)
35 (2%)
Dizziness
60 (4%)
29 (2%)
Ejection Fraction Decreased
58 (3.5%)
11 (0.6%)
Palpitations
48 (3%)
12 (0.7%)
Cardiac Arrhythmiasb
40 (3%)
17 (1%)
Cardiac Failure Congestive
30 (2%)
5 (0.3%)
Cardiac Failure
9 (0.5%)
4 (0.2%)
Cardiac Disorder
5 (0.3%)
0 (0%)
Ventricular Dysfunction
4 (0.2%)
0 (0%)
Respiratory Thoracic Mediastinal Disorders
Nasopharyngitis
135 (8%)
43 (3%)
Cough
81 (5%)
34 (2%)
Influenza
70 (4%)
9 (0.5%)
Dyspnea
57 (3%)
26 (2%)
URI
46 (3%)
20 (1%)
Rhinitis
36 (2%)
6 (0.4%)
Pharyngolaryngeal Pain
32 (2%)
8 (0.5%)
Sinusitis
26 (2%)
5 (0.3%)
Allergic rhinitis involves inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, eustachian tubes, middle ear, sinuses, and pharynx. The mediators that are immediately released include histamine, tryptase, chymase, kinins, and heparin.7,8 The mast cells quickly synthesize other mediators, including leukotrienes and prostaglandin D2.9,10,11 These mediators, via various interactions, ultimately lead to the symptoms of rhinorrhea (ie, nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, redness, tearing, swelling, ear pressure, postnasal drip). Mucous glands are stimulated, leading to increased secretions
__________________
12/14/07 IDC ER- PR- HER2+++ LIVER METS AT DX CONFIRMED BY LIVER BIOPSY
01/14/08 2 AC TREATMENTS-NOT WORKING
02/04/08 13 TAXOL, CARBO, HERCEPTIN TREATMENT-EXCELLENT RESULTS!
05/12/08 HERCEPTIN EVERY 3 WKS
08/22/08 BRAIN METS! 8 <5MM
09/17/08 CYBERKNIFED BRAIN METS
10/20/08 BRAIN METS SHRINKING
12/29/08 BRAIN SCAN SHOWS 1 LESION GONE, 7 SHRINKING & STABLE, 1MM ? SPOT
01/16/09 LIVER REOCUR-XELODA/HERCEPTIN
03/02/09 BRAIN SCAN 2 LESIONS GONE, 5 STABLE, 1MM ? SPOT STILL A ?
3/27/09 REGRESSION OF 2 LIVER LESIONS XELODA & HERCEPTIN
06/08/09 STUPID BRAIN HAS 3 LESIONS
06/29/09 CYBERKNIFE
07/01/09 LIVER REGRESSION NO NEW METS
07/07/09 TYKERB XELODA HERCEPTIN
11/11/09 GEMZAR/HERCEPTIN FOR LIVER PROGRESSION
03/22/10 BRAIN MRI GOOD-3 SMALL NECROSIS LEFT FROM ORIG 11!!
03/26/10 CHANGE TO NAVELBINE/HERCEPTIN 3 LIVER LESIONS PROGRESSING IN SIZE
05/21/10 NAVELBINE/HERCEPTIN WORKING!
07/19/10 GOOD BRAIN MRI
08/20/10 LIVER PROGRESSION
09/08/10 TDM1 - NASHVILLE TN
01/10/11 LIVER RESPONDING TO TDM1
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07-26-2009, 04:40 AM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,526
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Thanks for that info. I found it really useful
Ellie
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07-28-2009, 12:48 AM
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#25
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Guest
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Claudine
I too have watery eyes, have tried EVERYTHING. It seems to be mid term through the tree week Herceptin cycle when mine starts. It's very miserable, the eyes water, the lids are sore through constant wiping and there are now BAGS under my eyes!!
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07-28-2009, 11:11 AM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Sardegna, Italy
Posts: 362
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I have chimed in on this - but others have said that usually it stops after Herceptin is finished. But I have used good moisturizers .... especially like the Lancome Absolute Eye and also the night cream - helps with the bags (I was getting them too!) and also they have a firming eye cream Renergie Microlift eye that I use for the day that seems to help. I just use it like 3-4 times a day instead of morning and night - and it seems to help the redness and keep the puffiness down. I too feel some times that my eyes are just crying on their own.... but not that bad, if this is all I have for side effects! Looking on the bright side! ;-) Karen
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09-11-2010, 10:05 AM
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#27
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 22
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Re: Watery eyes and red eyelids-Herceptin?
My last chemo was 4 weeks ago. I am on Herceptin only. My eyes won't stop watering - they itch and hurt. They are crusty in the morning. I have not spoken to the onc about it yet as it just developed after the "triple" Herceptin treatment - the first of my every three week infusions. As for my nose - well it has been running and crusty for months. I blamed it on the chemo, but now I know it is probably the Herceptin. But the eyes are bothering me the most. Sometimes taking Benadryl helps with the terrible itching that seems to accompany the watering of the eyes - but that may make some people sleepy (not so much me - I have taken it a lot over the years for allergies).
__________________
Routine mammo 1/8/10
Ultrasound 1/22/10
Biopsy 2/2/10 - IDC, 2 cm, ER+, PR+, HER2 3+, Grade 3 (8/9)
Liver MRI (for other reason) on 2/12/10 clear - no mets
PET scan 3/5/10 - arm pit lymph nodes "lit up", no other areas of concern other than breast tumor
Lumpectomy 3/10 - tumor and all lymph nodes on left side removed
Pathology report results 3/19 show only 2 of 23 nodes removed were malignant, tumor margins were positive - additional surgery required
Second surgery 3/31/10
Pathology results 4/13/10- all margins clear
Stage 2a bc
Started TCH 4/30/10- finished 8/12/10 (2 more weeks of Herceptin to go)
9/2/10 - started Herceptin every three weeks
PET scan 9/18-10 - all well except shadowy area in lung
Started radiation 9/7/10 - finished 10/21/10
Aromasin started 11/1/10 (hate it!)
PET scan 12/13 area in lung is smaller - probably just inflamation
Aromasin stopped 1/14/11 due to side effects
Currently on AI holiday
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09-11-2010, 10:58 AM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Posts: 145
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Re: Watery eyes and red eyelids-Herceptin?
I'm not so sure it's the Herceptin causing the eye/nose thingy. I think it is a type of allergic reaction to the higher dose. Happens to me too. I take a children's dose of Benedryl or Alevert so it clears up the stuff and doesn't make me wonky in the head. Sometimes I also use Flonase and Visene with the antihistimine in it in between the antihistimine doses. I also ask for 25 mg of Benedryl with my Herceptin and that helps without the fogginess too. Oh, warm moist facecloths help when they hurt.
Good luck....Darlene
__________________
12/14/07 IDC ER- PR- HER2+++ LIVER METS AT DX CONFIRMED BY LIVER BIOPSY
01/14/08 2 AC TREATMENTS-NOT WORKING
02/04/08 13 TAXOL, CARBO, HERCEPTIN TREATMENT-EXCELLENT RESULTS!
05/12/08 HERCEPTIN EVERY 3 WKS
08/22/08 BRAIN METS! 8 <5MM
09/17/08 CYBERKNIFED BRAIN METS
10/20/08 BRAIN METS SHRINKING
12/29/08 BRAIN SCAN SHOWS 1 LESION GONE, 7 SHRINKING & STABLE, 1MM ? SPOT
01/16/09 LIVER REOCUR-XELODA/HERCEPTIN
03/02/09 BRAIN SCAN 2 LESIONS GONE, 5 STABLE, 1MM ? SPOT STILL A ?
3/27/09 REGRESSION OF 2 LIVER LESIONS XELODA & HERCEPTIN
06/08/09 STUPID BRAIN HAS 3 LESIONS
06/29/09 CYBERKNIFE
07/01/09 LIVER REGRESSION NO NEW METS
07/07/09 TYKERB XELODA HERCEPTIN
11/11/09 GEMZAR/HERCEPTIN FOR LIVER PROGRESSION
03/22/10 BRAIN MRI GOOD-3 SMALL NECROSIS LEFT FROM ORIG 11!!
03/26/10 CHANGE TO NAVELBINE/HERCEPTIN 3 LIVER LESIONS PROGRESSING IN SIZE
05/21/10 NAVELBINE/HERCEPTIN WORKING!
07/19/10 GOOD BRAIN MRI
08/20/10 LIVER PROGRESSION
09/08/10 TDM1 - NASHVILLE TN
01/10/11 LIVER RESPONDING TO TDM1
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09-11-2010, 05:36 PM
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#29
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Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Suburb of Baltimore, MD
Posts: 23
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Re: Watery eyes and red eyelids-Herceptin?
Dianne,
I also have the watery and crusty eyes from herceptin - they also burn sometimes too. I also have the watery nose.
Carolyn
__________________
1/10 Diagnosed with IDC; 3.7 cm tumor
3/10 Left Radical Masectomy; 2 /16 nodes positive - Grade 3 ER+/PR-/HER2+++
4/10 BRCA1 and BRCA2 both negative
4/10 Pet Scan showed another node .07mm positive on the internal mammary area
4/10 ALLTO Trial - randomized for Arm 4 - Taxotere/Carboplatin and Herceptin only (no Tykerb) Began 6 cycles Taxotere/Carboplatin (every three weeks) and Herceptin weekly for eighteen weeks and then every three weeks until the end of April 2011
Radiation to begin 9/2010
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09-11-2010, 07:28 PM
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#30
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
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Re: Watery eyes and red eyelids-Herceptin?
My already dry eyes became a nightmare of a problem on Taxol/Herceptin. My vision got worse and worse and I ended up seeing a cornea specialist, who said that chemo was making my existing condition much worse (I actually developed scars on my corneas). My specialist was wonderful- put me on Restasis, Evoxac, and put plugs in all of my tear ducts. For awhile (05-06) I saw him every few weeks. He worked miracles on me- scarring disappeared and vision returned to normal. I still use Restasis as needed.
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09-12-2010, 02:15 PM
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#31
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 76
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Re: Watery eyes and red eyelids-Herceptin?
I also have red and watery eyes - no itching though. I developed dry eyes when on Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide and I was sent to an Opthalmologist by my Oncologist. The Opthalmologist said that my eyes were over-producing tears due to the drying effect of chemotherapy and said that it would take several months to clear up post-treatment. She prescribed Systane eyedrops 4 times a day and it has certainly helped a lot. Chemo ended for me in June and the Herceptin which I have been on since March continues to cause the same eye symptoms but to a far lesser extent. The drops have been a wonderful help to me and my eyes aren`t streaming anymore.
Also, the Opthalmologist advised me to use J&J baby shampoo on a warm, wet cloth and wash my eyelids, particularly the lash line, 4 times per day. She said it would help prevent ingrown eyelashes when mine were starting to grow back in and she also said it would be important to "scrub" the lashline to remove all debris caused by constantly watering eyes. It worked! I didn't have even one ingrown eyelash and my eyelashes are back! Woo hoo!!!!
My Oncologist said I could take an anti-histamine to help with the other Herceptin side-effects, such as drippy nose and sinus problems, but I haven`t taken any as of yet as I am tired of swallowing pills. Blech.
I used an old silk scarf to wipe my eyes rather than tissues and it was far less irritating to my eyes.
Hope this helps.
DiDi
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09-16-2010, 04:52 AM
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#32
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 432
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Re: Watery eyes and red eyelids-Herceptin?
My wife has red eyes irritation and uneasiness. She was using eye drops to reduce the redness.During her last herceptin the redness became very prominent. The chemo nurse stopped the infusion and called my wife's Onc and the duty optholmogist. They prescriped an eye drop to reduce the irritation and also some antibiotic eye drops.But as soon as the infusion was stopped the redness got reduced by the time the duty optho reached my wife and the duty optho was not very pleased with the chemo nurse
__________________
PBK
huband of Hema
Metstatic Breast Cancer Stage 4
Left breast cauliflower 25x20cm
ossousmetstatis in vertbrae secondaries L4=L5secondary
nodules in both liver lobes secondary
Diagnosed 10th March 2010
ER/PR-ve
Her 2 neu +++
Taxotrne Zylotec started 16th March
Herceptin added 5th April.9th Herceptin over on 20th Sep '10.Started on Tykerb and Xeloda on 22nd Oct2010TYKERB 4 TAB A DAY XELODA 4 TAB A DAY ONE WEEK ON ONE WEEK OFFZoletrust infusion every 4 months.Lesion in Brain 3D CRT Radiation started on 1st Feb'12 for 20 days ,5 days a week for 4 weeks.Devloped a small lump in breast.Xeloda stopped from 11th April '12.On Taxol.After 3 cycles of Taxol Taxol stopped.Back to Xeloda regime from 3rd July
Herceptin started again on 27th Dec 2012.Xeloda stopped Navelbin added on 7th February 2013.Now on Tykerb Herceptin and Navelbin
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