Herceptin Heart Attack

Alice & Barbie:  I also have mitral valve prolapse (MVP) which I've had for years and was told that Herceptin was not an issue with MVP.  I apparently had it for years before I ever had any symptoms and rarely know it is there.  They only hear it occasionally but always shows up in the Echo.

Ok. But in doing cardio, could we push it to the limit or just stay up to, say 75% of our max heart rate? Im still on herceptin, btw. But i so want to get my old fitness level back! I try to stay within that self-imposed limit, tho i can still push farther. What do you ladies think/do?

TonLee, that's what the MD's told me, too. So maybe now, i wouldnt be so OC about checking on my HR monitor. I might scare the peeps at the gym, still being semi-bald and all.

Thanks, tonlee, ill look for the bodymedia armband. Does it need a cheststrap? I want to stop wearing that thing, too.

Hi Tonlee - I was thinking about getting one of those for myself for Christmas.  Which one do you recommend? I am especially interested in the sleep part.  Thanks

Hi, I'm new to this forum being diagnosed just 6 wks ago. I am getting Herceptin, taxotere and carboplatin every 3 weeks. I have been having palpitations and frequent PVCs which sent me to ER on Thanksgiving. Bloodwork ok and pre-chemotherapy echo were normal. Saw cardiologist who didn't think chemotherapy to blame but MO does feel it could be chemotherapy related. Cardiology started on atenolol heart med to help which stopped the symptoms until my second chemotherapy 3days ago and since palpitations and fast heart rate are back though not as bad as before heart meds. Anyone else had similar problems? I really feel Herceptin could be a miracle drug for my cancer just wondering if the palpitations are harmful or if they will subside with further treatments. Also getting dexamethsone iv and by mouth after treatments I guess could cause some palpitations.

Hi Shorsley:  I'm so with you!  After Chemo 1 (THC) I too, ended out in the ER with major PVCs.  They said chemo zapped my minerals...loaded me with minerals (potassium, etc.)  PVCs gone and home I went.  By morning, they were back and back to the ER....this time they ran major tests and got them stablized but didn't take long for the PVCs to return.  They put me on mega doses of Beta Blockers which settled it all down.  These cardiologists (note that VERY FEW cardios are familiar with Herceptin and its reaction on the heart, they should be but they aren't) said it wasn't chemo related.  RIGHT!  So back to Herceptin I went after skipping it for chemo #2 and #3 and I only had 4 chemos. My EF (with MUGA) began at 73.6 and dropped to 50 at which point they stopped my Herceptin (after #10).  Just recently, I insisted on them taking me off the Betas because I love to work out (Like TonLee) and didn't realize the BB's were affecting my ability to work out successfully.  So, they took me off the Betas (cold turkey which I didn't realize was a bad thing) and put me on something else.  Very bad situation, it was what I would think a drug addict was going through coming off drugs and I had no clue what was wrong.  My heart was going crazy and I was hyper, dizzy, etc.  Finally I called the cardio PA and he said my heart had to settle down.  Ok, so I called my SIL who is an MD and she is the one who gave me the tapering instructions....too late, it is now 3 weeks into all of this.  So I had BP pills from a year ago and she told me to take them (another BB but easier on the pulse rate) and presto next morning, I'm back to normal and doing fine.  My BP during all of this was 144/128 and pulse of 99 which was scary stuff.  The 128 # scared my SIl...I could tell by the questions she was asking.

Anyhow, sorry to ramble on but just want you to be aware that most of these cardios really don't understand chemo and especially Herceptin effects on the heart.

Push for a MUGA which is the gold standard....we all like the Echos best because they are less toxic.  Most of us have had Mugas (or Echos) every 3 months.  I'm on an every 6 month Echo schedule now.

Herceptin issues with the heart are rare.  Your EF will be your guide in all of this!

Arlene

So Arlene what are you taking now for bp?

http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/blog.showIndex/debutripathy/2012/12/11/One-year-of-Herceptin-optimal-for-HER2positive-breast-cancer

This article reports that when herceptin is given at the same time as chemo, 6 months of treatment appears to be about the same as 1 year.  

Im with you, vballmom. My EF was 72, then 58, then 62. I die of dread each time my onc orders for an echo. Im going for my third every-three-week herceptin next week, and i think he might be ordering a new echo before the fourth one. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Good luck, bcbarbie. It's interesting how differently our doctors handle things.