3 wk Herceptin and Steroids

tomatojuice
tomatojuice Member Posts: 382
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Finished 6cycles of TCH. Now starting every 3 wks. of herceptin this wed. Before each TCH treatment I would take a steroid(4mg. dexamethasone.) Was wondering if I will need to take this before and after each herceptin treatment?I guess I willl need to call my onc, but in the meantime does anyone know the answer. Thank you

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  • jerseymaria
    jerseymaria Member Posts: 770
    edited August 2008

    i was told it would only be given the first few times because they don't know if there will be a reaction.  i had to continue throughout because of my breathing problems.  i would get sob after the infusion.  at first they said it wasn't from that cause that would happen during infusion but it happened every time. so i just insisted that i get it and it did.  of course the side effects were there but breathing is a good thing so i had to deal with the se's.

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  • GrammyNancy
    GrammyNancy Member Posts: 666
    edited August 2008

    Hi,

    I just completed a year of Herceptin and I wasn't given anything.  My infusions were weekly and I never had any se's.

    Good Luck to you,

    Nancy

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  • mrs_X_Sunneedazee
    mrs_X_Sunneedazee Member Posts: 541
    edited August 2008

    They gradually reduced the steroids once I switched from Taxol Herceptin to Herceptin only, and then I didn't have to have the dexameta anymore.  I still had to have tylonel and xantax because I had had an allergic reaction before.  No biggie.  Made it easy to take a nap during my infusion!

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  • lisa39
    lisa39 Member Posts: 255
    edited August 2008

    Nope, they're not giving me dexamethasone with my Herceptin.  And boy, am I glad!  I hated having to take it with Taxol.  Blowing up like a balloon, not sleeping, that restless, unsettled feeling.  Glad it's done!

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  • coonie
    coonie Member Posts: 7,618
    edited August 2008

    I only get a little Benadryl with my Herceptin every 3 weeks. good luck!

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  • wendyk13
    wendyk13 Member Posts: 1,600
    edited August 2008

    I only got a little bit of Benadryl as well and eventually I stopped that too as my H was done in less than 30 minutes, but I was so sleepy due to the Benadryl that I had to walk around the mall next door to wake up so I could drive home!  It got too expensive...all that shopping every 3 weeks!  I had no se's from the H.  Good luck!

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  • Zzap
    Zzap Member Posts: 77
    edited August 2008

    They gave me Benadryl and Tylenol when I had the Taxol/Herceptin infusions, but when I went on Herceptin alone they only gave me Tylenol and no Benadryl.  I didn't have any side effects from the Herceptin alone, except a slight headache (very mild) and sometimes a runny nose right after the infusion.  They were always gone by the next morning.

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  • florencedonna
    florencedonna Member Posts: 131
    edited August 2008

    I was losing a whole afternoon to sedation from Benedryl with the herceptin so I asked if I could take zyrtec instead which doesn't make me sleepy.  donna

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  • Caya
    Caya Member Posts: 971
    edited September 2008

    I was given nothing before my Herceptin infusions.  I did ask them to slow down the infusion time from 30 to 60 minutes, which worked well for me. 

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