Preventing cardiomyopathy with Herceptin

Thank you for the great timing of your post.  I got a call from my onc last week that my MUGA had decreased significantly enough - from 63 to 48 - to postpone my Herceptin for a month. I have had five Herceptin treatments - 4 as part of TCH and one on its own.  

I was disappointed and frustrated but now hope that there is something I can do to help my heart function better.  I have my next MUGA on 11/3 and will give these a try.

I looked up Carnitine online and it is interesting that it is found naturally in red meat and dairy - both of which I either eat very little of (red meat) or cannot eat (dairy - due to lactose intolerance).  Could this be part of the reason my MUGA had significant decrease?  I'd be interested to know if those that never have a problem with MUGA are meat/dairy eaters.  Here is info I found:

Carnitine is a chemical produced in the body, which is required for the passage of fatty acids across membranes of the mitochondria. There are two types - carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine, the only difference between them is that acetyl-l-carnitine is absorbed more efficiently in the blood and is in overall more effective. It improves stress tolerance in damaged heart muscle in humans and it has anti-fatigue effects. Studies have shown that it has antioxidant properties also. The major sources of it are red meat and diary products

I am certainly learning alot about the impact of nutrients on specific functions within my body that I may never have understood pre-BC.

Thanks again smhowell!!

 Michelle

Bridget,

I picked up Carnitine at our local health/organic food store.  It was $16 for 30 tablets.  Here is more info I found online about this supplement:

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/carnitine-l-000291.htm

Hoping it makes a difference for us with low MUGAs so we can continue on with our Herceptin...

Let us know how things go next week

Michelle

Wow!!!! I am definatley gooing to try this! I live in Maine but we have a few health food stores in my area. I also have neuropthy so like you said it could help with that also. I am currently on Lyrica. Which helps but I am still in the pain med brackett which I hate cause they make me sleepy or I can't drive and the one thing with this neuropthy that kills me is driving. I am so excited and will stop in my healthfood store this week.

     Thanks agin for imfo and I will let you know on that muga keep your fingers and toes crossed for me at 10:00am on Thursday the 30th. I will let you know. I wonder should I start that befor this muga scan or not? Because if its still low I have a case to get into a cardiologist which I do want to. they say between Herceptin and A/C chances of having heart conditions down the road is greatly increased and it runs in my family on both sides. My Onc. said if we did not see a big improvement then I would see a cardiologist for meds. So here I am hoping its up and then on the other hand I really want to be monitered by a cardio. Cause I have had since July twinges and pain in my heart. And I have gone to the ER twice for it and they just kind of dimissed it as anxiety and pain from neuropthy. So I don't know what to think. I still get it but its like pulling teeth to get anyone to listen to you. I told them this last time I had a low muga and they did a ekg on me which is not going to show the problem. Well I have been doing some rambling on! Sorry!

                                                       Best wishes- Bridget