Herception

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Muschi
Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
I just talked today to my onco and he told me that I can take herception for years if I want to. Is anybody taking herception more than one year and how is she/he doing? I am confused now because I thought that a year having the herception would be for a protection. How do I decide how long I will stay on it? According to him it is up to me.
Please somebody give me some advice and help.....I am sooooooo confused!

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  • Melaniedoingwell
    Melaniedoingwell Member Posts: 80
    #2
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    Herceptin
    My understanding about Herceptin was you take it for a full year of treatment (I was Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin) and that was the full amount of it. You might want to go to herceptin.com and there you can find out more about it. They will even send you a kit that has information about Herceptin treatment - free.

    I wouldn't think you would take Herceptin indefinitely as it does cause damage to the heart. This is recoverable, but for a lifetime??

    Now I WAS told at Moffitt Cancer Hospital that I would take Arimidex (or one of several other drugs) for at least 5 years and that new studies indicate that it would be wise to take them for the rest of your life. Arimidex, by the way costs $200 a month and above except at Costco where it is $20.79 a month. You do NOT have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy.

    Good research, girl, and good luck. I finish my Herceptin at the end of March. WOO-HOO!
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #3
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    Melaniedoingwell said:

    Herceptin
    My understanding about Herceptin was you take it for a full year of treatment (I was Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin) and that was the full amount of it. You might want to go to herceptin.com and there you can find out more about it. They will even send you a kit that has information about Herceptin treatment - free.

    I wouldn't think you would take Herceptin indefinitely as it does cause damage to the heart. This is recoverable, but for a lifetime??

    Now I WAS told at Moffitt Cancer Hospital that I would take Arimidex (or one of several other drugs) for at least 5 years and that new studies indicate that it would be wise to take them for the rest of your life. Arimidex, by the way costs $200 a month and above except at Costco where it is $20.79 a month. You do NOT have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy.

    Good research, girl, and good luck. I finish my Herceptin at the end of March. WOO-HOO!

    Herceptin
    Thanks for your reply, I also thought that only herception was for breast cancer HER2. It is amazing what I have learned in that short time since I am reading all the good advices on this CSN site.
    I will check out herception.com
    Thanks again!
  • Phoenix chick
    Phoenix chick Member Posts: 13
    #4
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    Hi Muschi,
    I'm from Oz. I'm eligable for free Herceptin treatment. This is indeed the lucky country. My doc advised me to take herceptin for a whole year, every 3 weeks. After 5 doses, I developed heart failure( detected via regular gated heart pool scans). This really worried me... both heart failure and exposure to the risk that my cancer could return. I was advised to wait a few months, take heart meds, then return to Herceptin again. She also comforted me with advice that there was a study in Finland which indicated that Herceptin could be effective, if taken with Taxol at the same time after 5 rounds. Apparently there is still debate about exactly how many rounds are necessary. Anyway, I'm now taking heart tablets ( ace inhibitor and a beta blocker) and I'm coping much better with treatmens. I've got energy. I'm not breathless. I'm back to swimming laps at the poolwithout worrying. I've only got a few more to go... due to finish in time for Easter.
    Hercptin can be a really nasty drug.... so be careful! Having said all that I fel so fortunate that we are lucky to have targetted therapies to help with HER2 + cancers.
    Cheers adn best wishes.
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #5
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    Melaniedoingwell said:

    Herceptin
    My understanding about Herceptin was you take it for a full year of treatment (I was Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin) and that was the full amount of it. You might want to go to herceptin.com and there you can find out more about it. They will even send you a kit that has information about Herceptin treatment - free.

    I wouldn't think you would take Herceptin indefinitely as it does cause damage to the heart. This is recoverable, but for a lifetime??

    Now I WAS told at Moffitt Cancer Hospital that I would take Arimidex (or one of several other drugs) for at least 5 years and that new studies indicate that it would be wise to take them for the rest of your life. Arimidex, by the way costs $200 a month and above except at Costco where it is $20.79 a month. You do NOT have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy.

    Good research, girl, and good luck. I finish my Herceptin at the end of March. WOO-HOO!

    Herceptin for how long?
    I asked my onco and he told me since I have breastcancer stage 4 I have to have more than just one year the herceptin. He had a patient who took it for 7 years and she is fine. I am scared to quit too early and the cancer is coming back. Anybody have an answere?
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #6
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    I have Herceptin
    every week along with Navalbene. I wonder why if it causes heart damage. I have already had one echo to check it, but it sounds like everyone is getting in every 3 weeks. I am going to have to ask why?

    I don't know about longer than a year, so far I have only been on each of the chemo's for 3-4 months weekly now, and the rest were 3x a month and the bone shot on the 4th week.

    I will have to ask some questions on Wednesday.

    Carol
  • stayingstrongfortoday
    stayingstrongfortoday Member Posts: 116
    #7
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    herceptin
    I have been on and off of it for 3 years. There is a new drug which is a super herceptin. It can be found in St. Louis but I am still doing Herceptin and it works for me. I also take taxol and this pill Tykerkp...spelling.
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #8
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    stayingstrongfortoday said:

    herceptin
    I have been on and off of it for 3 years. There is a new drug which is a super herceptin. It can be found in St. Louis but I am still doing Herceptin and it works for me. I also take taxol and this pill Tykerkp...spelling.

    Herceptin
    My Dr said something about a pill to take after I am finished with this treatment or if I the cancer is comimg back. If the pill is better than Herceptin why not take them right away. Sometimes I am puzzled also. How long are you on Herceptin if I may ask?
  • Fitzpatrick
    Fitzpatrick Member Posts: 13
    #9
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    Herceptin
    Several months ago, I had a question regarding Herceptin that my oncologist could not answer. I wrote to the Dr. Dennis Slamon,the inventor of Herceptin, at UCLA. He wrote me back with a response. Go into UCLA's website, look for his e-mail address & write to him.
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #10
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    Fitzpatrick said:

    Herceptin
    Several months ago, I had a question regarding Herceptin that my oncologist could not answer. I wrote to the Dr. Dennis Slamon,the inventor of Herceptin, at UCLA. He wrote me back with a response. Go into UCLA's website, look for his e-mail address & write to him.

    Herceptin
    Please let me know what he answered, you can write me in my e-mail
    Muschi9@comcast.net
    I am not good in calling, because I have a hard time to express myself oraly. Please, please understand!!!!!!
    Thanks
  • Fitzpatrick
    Fitzpatrick Member Posts: 13
    #11
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    Muschi said:

    Herceptin
    Please let me know what he answered, you can write me in my e-mail
    Muschi9@comcast.net
    I am not good in calling, because I have a hard time to express myself oraly. Please, please understand!!!!!!
    Thanks

    Herceptin
    I just wrote to you through your regular e-mail address.
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #12
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    Fitzpatrick said:

    Herceptin
    I just wrote to you through your regular e-mail address.

    Herceptin
    thank you and I did reply to your e-mail. I did write also an e-mail to the Dr. hope I get an answere to my question.
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #13
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    Melaniedoingwell said:

    Herceptin
    My understanding about Herceptin was you take it for a full year of treatment (I was Taxotere, Carboplatin & Herceptin) and that was the full amount of it. You might want to go to herceptin.com and there you can find out more about it. They will even send you a kit that has information about Herceptin treatment - free.

    I wouldn't think you would take Herceptin indefinitely as it does cause damage to the heart. This is recoverable, but for a lifetime??

    Now I WAS told at Moffitt Cancer Hospital that I would take Arimidex (or one of several other drugs) for at least 5 years and that new studies indicate that it would be wise to take them for the rest of your life. Arimidex, by the way costs $200 a month and above except at Costco where it is $20.79 a month. You do NOT have to be a Costco member to use their pharmacy.

    Good research, girl, and good luck. I finish my Herceptin at the end of March. WOO-HOO!

    I thought you only took
    I thought you only took herceptin for one year. I didn't know you took it longer than that.


    Hugs, Leeza
  • Muschi
    Muschi Member Posts: 85 Member
    #14
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    jnl said:

    I thought you only took
    I thought you only took herceptin for one year. I didn't know you took it longer than that.


    Hugs, Leeza

    only 6 month now
    I am having herceptin now for 6 month for every 3 weeks but I have to have herceptin more than a year I was told. I guess for protection so the cancer won't come back.
    Ilona

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