Echocardiograms with Herceptin

kcq

Echocardiograms with Herceptin

kcq

Forgive my ignorance, but I am having an echocardiogram in January.  This will be my second one.  My first one was done in June before my chemo.  I want to ask the right questions and know what I am looking for.  I hear women talk about % numbers.  Can anyone explain this to me?  Should I ask what the original number was?  Thanks so much for your help.

Maire67

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janet11

You can ask your doctor for a copy of the report from the first one and get a copy of the report from the one in January too.  Keep them for your records.  And look for (and highlight) the LVEF number -- that's the one you're looking for. 

I normally call my onc nurse a week after any tests to ask her to fax the results to me.  Works great, and I know what's happening.

Janet 

DebbieB

The drs are looking at your Left Ventricle Ejection Fraction (LVEF).  Normal is 55%.  Both adriamycin and herceptin can cause heart damage so your dr is being cautious which is GREAT!  I would suggest that you (and anyone else who has had adriamycin or herceptin) continue to get either echocardiograms or muga scans at least yearly for the next 5-7 years. My onc didn't and I found out 5.5 years later that I have heart damage from the adriamycin.

Good luck.

Debbie