What are they thinking??

Karyn asked:
" I asked why go off the Herceptin, and he said as then it would be apparent that its not working. I have a hard time believing and understanding this, and its my first instinct to fight that if things don't improve in 6 weeks, that she go on another chemo WITH Herceptin. Has anyone else had to switch chemos while on Herceptin to fight/clear their mets? From what I have read from other posts and from research it seems that Herceptin seems to work best in conjunction with chemo. Would I be right to fight this (if he wants to take her off Herceptin), or should she just try the chemo alone? "

These are the right questions to the wrong answers! I am not a doctor, but have been through a tough fight with major liver mets - AND WON. If the tumor is high grade and moving more quickly than the Herceptin can work - then of course a chemo is necessary. Taxotere IS an aggressive treatment, BUT did not work for me either. A combo of Taxol, Navelbine and Herceptin did work. The idea that Herceptin is NOT working - well ALONE maybe it is not enough. Why blame the Herceptin?? Herceptin does its work differently than the chemos that interrupt cell division and kill the cells as they divide. If the cells are allowed to multiply when a patient is NOT on a chemo that is effective in stopping cell proliferation, then Herceptin most likely can't keep up.
Al gave you some good leads, and my reaction mirrors his to your post.
Get your Mom to a doctor who really understands how these drugs work. Do NOT wait six weeks, this could be critical. Also, is she doing any of the liver cleansing routines that help clear the blood and liver of the "debris" resulting from the treatments?