Stopping herceptin early

blondie45
blondie45 Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Has anyone else had to stop herceptin earlier than the 1 year that is recommended? If you had to stop did you have to stop for good or did you get more treatments later on?

Comments

  • tommaseena
    tommaseena Member Posts: 1,769
    #2
    Why
    Is there a reason why you would stop it early? Did your doctor recommend it?
    I know when my ejection fraction of my heart went a little lower than the norm the cardiologist said if it goes a little below the norm then maybe a vacation/break from the Herceptin for a period of time or if it went real low then it would have to be stopped. My ejection fraction is better now then it was before chemo and Herceptin treatments.

    My oncologist said that any amount of time being on Herceptin is better.

    Hope this helps.
    Margo
  • blondie45
    blondie45 Member Posts: 10
    #3
    tommaseena said:

    Why
    Is there a reason why you would stop it early? Did your doctor recommend it?
    I know when my ejection fraction of my heart went a little lower than the norm the cardiologist said if it goes a little below the norm then maybe a vacation/break from the Herceptin for a period of time or if it went real low then it would have to be stopped. My ejection fraction is better now then it was before chemo and Herceptin treatments.

    My oncologist said that any amount of time being on Herceptin is better.

    Hope this helps.
    Margo

    Herceptin
    tommaseena - sorry I should have explained. On my last echo my ejection fraction dropped to 25% to 30% and they were not sure on the echo if there was blockage. I had a heart scan and treadmill test. They still are not sure so I am having a heart cath on Monday. The cardio doc said if we can get fixed during the heart cath what is going on and get on meds to get my ejection fraction back to where it should be, I may be able to go back on herceptin. I do feel good that I got as many herceptin treatments as I did. I believe I actually got 17 and I think I have read that the standard in Canada is 16 and the standard in Europe is 18 so that made me feel better.
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #4
    blondie45 said:

    Herceptin
    tommaseena - sorry I should have explained. On my last echo my ejection fraction dropped to 25% to 30% and they were not sure on the echo if there was blockage. I had a heart scan and treadmill test. They still are not sure so I am having a heart cath on Monday. The cardio doc said if we can get fixed during the heart cath what is going on and get on meds to get my ejection fraction back to where it should be, I may be able to go back on herceptin. I do feel good that I got as many herceptin treatments as I did. I believe I actually got 17 and I think I have read that the standard in Canada is 16 and the standard in Europe is 18 so that made me feel better.

    Blondie45 .. My doctor just ordered another
    ECHO, due to a skip in my heart beat .. I am in the same boat .. Started Herceptin on 9/8/09 .. I've only had 10 herceptin treatments .. thusfar .. SCARY.

    I hope we get additional information ... before I start freakin out.


    VickiSam
  • blondie45
    blondie45 Member Posts: 10
    #5
    VickiSam said:

    Blondie45 .. My doctor just ordered another
    ECHO, due to a skip in my heart beat .. I am in the same boat .. Started Herceptin on 9/8/09 .. I've only had 10 herceptin treatments .. thusfar .. SCARY.

    I hope we get additional information ... before I start freakin out.


    VickiSam

    Herceptin
    VickiSam - I hope that everything turns out on your new echo and that everything is fine. I have to go tomorrow morning for the heart cath to figure out what is going on, I am getting VERY nervous to say the least.
  • blondie45
    blondie45 Member Posts: 10
    #6
    VickiSam said:

    Blondie45 .. My doctor just ordered another
    ECHO, due to a skip in my heart beat .. I am in the same boat .. Started Herceptin on 9/8/09 .. I've only had 10 herceptin treatments .. thusfar .. SCARY.

    I hope we get additional information ... before I start freakin out.


    VickiSam

    Herceptin
    VickiSam - Just wondering how it is going? Have they still stopped the herceptin? I think you wrote they did that about 2 weeks ago.
  • custom
    custom Member Posts: 7
    #7
    VickiSam said:

    Blondie45 .. My doctor just ordered another
    ECHO, due to a skip in my heart beat .. I am in the same boat .. Started Herceptin on 9/8/09 .. I've only had 10 herceptin treatments .. thusfar .. SCARY.

    I hope we get additional information ... before I start freakin out.


    VickiSam

    stopping herceptin early
    I to am on Herceptin. I had 6 tx early in my tx with carboplatin and taxotere. This was stopped and adriamycin and cytoxan given. Then restarted on Herceptin with taxol for 10 tx. then mastectomy and 33 tx of radiation. Im back on Herceptin. Need a total of 52 tx. I am starting to feel my heart beating hard and fast at time, and skipping beats. Especially at night. I see my Dr. Thursday. Muga scan was good in November. My tumor was 5cm before treatment,and 3cm at surgery. Do they think irregular heart beat is from Herceptin?
  • blondie45
    blondie45 Member Posts: 10
    #8
    custom said:

    stopping herceptin early
    I to am on Herceptin. I had 6 tx early in my tx with carboplatin and taxotere. This was stopped and adriamycin and cytoxan given. Then restarted on Herceptin with taxol for 10 tx. then mastectomy and 33 tx of radiation. Im back on Herceptin. Need a total of 52 tx. I am starting to feel my heart beating hard and fast at time, and skipping beats. Especially at night. I see my Dr. Thursday. Muga scan was good in November. My tumor was 5cm before treatment,and 3cm at surgery. Do they think irregular heart beat is from Herceptin?

    Herceptin
    I am not sure about the herceptin causing the irregular heart beat. I did not notice this at all and my ejection fraction went down to 25% to 30% after being above 50%. I would definitely tell your doctor though.
  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000
    #9
    VickiSam said:

    Blondie45 .. My doctor just ordered another
    ECHO, due to a skip in my heart beat .. I am in the same boat .. Started Herceptin on 9/8/09 .. I've only had 10 herceptin treatments .. thusfar .. SCARY.

    I hope we get additional information ... before I start freakin out.


    VickiSam

    Haven't seen you posting
    Haven't seen you posting much VickSam. Praying that you are doing well.

    Hugs, Megan
  • brenda247
    brenda247 Member Posts: 124
    #10
    DONT KNOW?
    I HAVE BEEN ON HERCEPTIN FOR 51 WEEKS GOT ONE TO GO WELL I HOPE THAT IS.. LOL.. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS AND WAS NEVER TAKEN OFF.. ASK YOUR DOCTOR HE OR SHE COULD ANSWER THAT IM SURE..
  • 3838
    3838 Member Posts: 1
    #11
    custom said:

    stopping herceptin early
    I to am on Herceptin. I had 6 tx early in my tx with carboplatin and taxotere. This was stopped and adriamycin and cytoxan given. Then restarted on Herceptin with taxol for 10 tx. then mastectomy and 33 tx of radiation. Im back on Herceptin. Need a total of 52 tx. I am starting to feel my heart beating hard and fast at time, and skipping beats. Especially at night. I see my Dr. Thursday. Muga scan was good in November. My tumor was 5cm before treatment,and 3cm at surgery. Do they think irregular heart beat is from Herceptin?

    herceptin irregular heartbeat
    I'm starting to get nervous about my heart, too. I've finished about half of the year of herceptin treatments. My MUGA only went down from 63 to 59 at my last check, but I'm starting to get fatigued easily and out of breath with just slight exertion (such as walking the kids to school, doing 5-10 minutes of bending/reaching/moving for household chores) and I just noticed today that after doing a short run on the Wii Fit, my pulse was irregular and skipping some beats. I'm thin and pretty fit for my age (39) and never had these problems before. I'm wondering if it is the herceptin as well, even though my ejection fraction seems fine.
  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #12
    Herceptin and heart damage

    Hi, this is an old thread, but I am wondering whether anyone else has had to stop Hercpetin due toheart damage or stroke?  

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #13
    an Aunt

    I had an aunt that had to.  She decided to stop all treatment. 

  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #14
    Apaugh said:

    an Aunt

    I had an aunt that had to.  She decided to stop all treatment. 

    Annie

    Did she have heart damage? How did she do when she stopped? 

  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #15
    Herceptin

    Is there anyone who had to stop Herceptin due to heart damage or hypertension issues? 

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited November 2017 #16
    Yes

    Yes Hap, that was why she stopped.  She could of went back but did not.  That was a year ago.  She is still around.  

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