Ton Le- Congats on  no more chemo.  I totally understand about the desire to get a port out.  My sticks out, is very visible, rubs against the seat belt ( inow have a pad around seat belt to prevent this).  I  was even considering having port removed when I had my breast reconstructon  (even though herceptin still might be done ) after the reconstruction.  Good luck with port removal

TonLee.....

I agree with everyone else here. The body is very resilient and with your exercise regime I think you'll get some if not all of what you lost back.

You'll enjoy the port being out!!! 

One thing I am noticing a lot of the last few weeks is dizziness which I'm assuming is due to the reduced heart function.

I will try to remember to ask my cardiologist about it when I see her on the 22nd. I hope that's correct because she tested that and it came back normal for me.

Hi,

 I too never heard Troponin levels mentioned however I saw a cardiologist who had no experience with herceptin.  I will ask the cardiologist in a few days who has been researching about herceptin and cardiotoxicity  about troponin.  .  After doing a very quick literature review it does seem that there is a higher risk of cardiotoxicity if you took anthracyclines and herceptin  vs  TCH .  Here is what one article said about troponin.  It makes sense to me to ask our cardiologists about this test.  But I am guessing that it may not be standard practice for them to order this test.  

The other cardiac marker thought to be sensitive for early heart damage -- high-sensitivity troponin 1 -- also significantly predicted cardiotoxicity at six months (P=0.006), the researchers reported at the American Society of Echocardiography meeting here.

Re getting dizzy.  How is everyone's blood pressure.??  I think that when they put you on beta blockers it might cause BP to  drop and/or lower your pulse  and this might cause dizziness.  I am routinely monitoring my BP because I am not even sure that I needed to take beta blockers and who knows what they are doing to my system.    

Chemo brain is real.  I want to start doing brain exercises There is a software program out there called brain fitness which I ordered /  But I keep forgeting to do it.  LOL.  Just like walking which is important for overall health I need to do the brain fitness.  Will keep you posted on what the research cardiologist says about all this.

Good luck jackboo. Sorry to have you join us, but it is great that we can compare symptoms/treatments/responses. Thanks TonLee for starting this page. I know what you mean about being grateful for the break. My hair has been growing back since taxotere at the beginning of June, yet I have very little to show for it. I should have had herceptin #11 on nov. 30, but got a herceptin holiday as they cll it in my clinic. Since nov 30, my hair really seems to be growing faster. I hope I can get a lot of growing in before getting back to herceptin. And I have a herceptin infusion scheduled for dec. 22 if the next echo has improved, so i can relate to your thoughts of waiting until after Christmas too.

This has been a very interesting thread to read.  My ejection fraction went down to 45 (never had my herceptin cancelled) while on Herceptin.  At my last echo, it was back up to 55, the place where it started.  This is a low normal.  I also have "lower" blood pressure. I finished my Herceptin in September.  I have had a couple of times when my heart has raced. My oncologist told me the ejection fraction would go up on its own.

Arlene and others,

Interesting you brought up what is the appropriate time length to take herceptin.  I just had this discussion with my onc today since my herceptin has now been stopped for almost 2 months.  I have had a total of about 7 months of herceptin (once every 3 weeks).  I asked her what delaying or stopping herceptin altogether means in terms of potential re occurence.  She said it probably meant nothing.  I asked her how they came up with a year to take herceptin and whether 3 or 6 months would yield the same results.  She said they haven not done the studies yet to determine the appropriate length of time to take herceptin.  It could be that the USA drug companies want a year to get more money for drug development.  They are studying this issue of time length now but results are not in.

I have now seen 2 cardiologists and one who has published about herceptin and is very knowledgeable.  Bottom line: the cardiologists are not certain if I have heart disease and it is being aggravated by takeing chemo/herceptin or if all my test results are off due to anemia induced by chemo, chemo drugs/herceptin, .  Only way to know more is to take an angio gram.  One cardiologist suggested doing that and the other said no.  One cardiologist put me on a beta blocker and the other cardiologist added an ace inhibitor.  These apparently are cardio protective against bad effects of herceptin.  Also put on baby aspirin. 

Interestingly the cardiologist who was really knowledgeable on herceptin said not to worry much about the 19% drop I had on the MUGA.  He said that since my EF was still in normal limits, this was not  concerning.  My onc was a bit puzzled since the literature says to stop herceptin if greater than 15% drop.    

 One cardiologist said not necessary to do any more heart tests, just start herceptin again and get checked with MUGA or stress echo after 2 infusions of herceptin.  My onc said she wants to test me with an echo now before I retart the herceptin.   

Weight gain also puts you more at risk of heart disease and cancer.  But here is the irony,  the beta blockers add on weight, I gained weight from the steroids and also thyroid taken out just before chemo,   I think herceptin adds on weight and one cardioloigst told me not to do much exercise.  The other  cardiologist told me the more you exercise the better.  I plan to do exercise in moderation.

 hope this information is helpful to everyone. 

Serenity: I sure don't mean to scare you but check on the Ace inhibitors as I've read the can cause breast cancer.  I believe Susan on the Cold Caps blog mentioned this.  I'll go google it and see what I can find also.  I

TonLee:  Thanks.  I just seemed to remember this from a post by Susan on the cold caps blog and it hit me when I saw Serenity's post.  We have to look out for each other.

What I find odd is that even though my EF is down to 50 (where I understand most start), I don't feel too many symptoms of reduced function.  I'm still speed walking (haven't been able to get back into running though) 5-8 miles almost daily.