SEVEN Year Cancerversary - only 3 months of Herceptin

Anonymous

SEVEN Year Cancerversary - only 3 months of Herceptin

Denise-G

Yesterday marked 7 years since my diagnosis with Breast Cancer. I want to post to bring hope to other Her 2 Positive patients!

My tumor was over 6 cm, I had 9 positive nodes, and was ER+, PR+ and highly Her2+ one node shy of Stage 3C.

After 3 months of Herceptin, my EF on Heart Echo dropped from 65 to 29 and as my MO put it, "scary bad". Come to find it out with more testing, I had a not-so-silent heart attack during AC Chemo and had permanent heart damage from Herceptin. I was one of the few.

I was never able to resume Herceptin and, of course, was terrified. One of the most meaningful things ever said to me were the worrds of my MO after he told me I could not resume Herceptin and the 3 months I had would be it. He took my hand in a doctorly fashion, looked me in the eye and said this: "I do not want you to worry for one minute that you did not have enough Herceptin. Only God knows how much Herceptin you needed. I believe you have had enough and will live a long life." His words were so meaningful, when I got to my car that day I wrote them down. I repeated those words to myself every day since then.

I just completed an extensive 7 year checkup with MRIs etc., and no cancer. I am on year 6 of Arimidex and look forward to taking it every day. The side effects I had from the AI have dramatically improved over the years. My bone density is good. My heart never got better, but I am asymptomatic with medication and see my cardiologist regularly.

Keep the hope, the faith, and endure! Life gets better!

hapa

Congrats Denise. I think your doctor was right that nobody really knows how much herceptin an individual patient needs. Apparently 3 months was enough for you. I hope you have many, many more uneventful checkups in your future!

JaBoo

Denise, thank you so much dor sharing your story! You know very well how much it means for us in treatment. I'm obcessed about my one node and close margins... your story puts my worries in another perspective. Thank you. Wish you many more healthful decades!

PS: your blog isn't working anymore? I've read a lot of it, but now it's unavailable...

asianmom

Congratulation! Thanks for sharing.

Tess111

Congratulations, Denise! I am so happy for you. It is always good to hear the positive stories.