PERJETA HERCEPTIN AND TAXOTERE TREATMENTS?

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rosetide
rosetide Member Posts: 29
edited July 2016 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Hi everyone,

Ok so I am 5 treatments every 21 days of perjeta, herceptin, and taxotere. My doctor said we are going to continue with these treatments as long as I can handle the side effects? Is there anyone else doing this and what are the long term effects of this treatment on your body? I am having I guess the normal side effects, nausea, hot flashes, itchy skin due to allergic reactions, my hands burn from not rejuvenating the skin, feel whipped, etc...it takes about 9 to 10 days for me to feel somewhat normal after treatment and then of course it is about time to start all over again! My spirits have taken a dive a bit because I thought, silly me, I would get a break at treatment 6, not the case! These are pretty heavy business these treatments especially when you start stacking them on top of each other getting the fear that what if I can't handle the treatment? am I going to die because I can't handle the treatments? I guess I am feeling a bit overwhelmed would love to hear from those that have had this treatment as well and how did you cope! Thank you for reading and hoping everyone has a wonderful day!

Rosetide:)

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  • Shutterbug73
    Shutterbug73 Member Posts: 791
    edited July 2016

    Hi There Rosetide.

    There are several of us on these boards who are on either Herceptin only or Herceptin and Perjeta or Herceptin and Perjeta and a chemo drug. Most of us had a taxane (either Taxotere or Taxol) for 6 or 8 rounds. Usually it seems that once the cancer is deemed "stable" and is no longer growing or spreading, most oncologist opt to drop the Taxotere/Taxol. The side effects when on just Herceptin and Perjeta are much less severe. Many of us have few, if any, side effects at all. I'm not sure why some oncologists choose to keep their patients on the chemotherapy drug for longer periods of time. In my case, the H & P have continued to work well on their own and have given me a good quality of life. You may want to discuss this with your doctor to understand why he wants you to remain on the Taxotere. It may depend on how strongly HER2+, as the H&P work mainly on the HER2+ cells.

    You may also want to check out the Perjeta/Herceptin/Taxotere thread: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/...


    Good Luck to you and hang in there!

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  • pwilmarth
    pwilmarth Member Posts: 235
    edited July 2016

    So the original protocol for THP from the Cleopatra studies was Taxotere for 6 to 8 rounds, with H&P, then you drop the Taxotere. How many of the doses of Taxotere you receive depends on how you respond to the drugs. Of the three drugs, Taxotere is the harshest and the one most likely to cause side effects which aren't tolerable or impact the quality of your life. For example, neuropathy is a common side effect from Taxotere and is one of the main reasons to stop it before you complete the 6 to 8 rounds. I had to stop Taxotere after 5 doses because of peripheral neuropathy. But I've been on H&P ever since with little to no side effects, with the most noticeable one being a runny nose. Some people seem to have diarrhea, and some fatigue after an infusion.

    What you're experiencing is common during the Taxotere phase of the protocol. Feeling overwhelmed is also normal. Having "chemo brain" is also part of the Taxotere phase.

    So consider this phase one of the program. After you finish the Taxotere phase, you graduate to life on H&P, which is pretty good.

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  • rosetide
    rosetide Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2016

    Thank yall for responding WOW! that makes me feel better knowing this is the standard protocol so to speak. My doctor tells me very simple and basic instructions to not overwhelm me, I guess. He did say that we are going to stay this routine till I scream mercy lol! I am laughing from crying lol! Per your information on the 8 rounds of taxotere I am going to mention that and see what he feels about it. I am 42 years old and he always reminds me how he has 70 year old patients that do this and more that I can handle it. I am sure my body can handle it but I worry that it will damage it and that will be that. I guess I am in preservation mode and to be honest I am afraid to read things on the treatments because it scares me or it confuses me. I prefer to ask on here and just get opinions from people that are experiencing it. I thank you for responding it has helped me and made me feel alot better lol! I am going to mention the 8 rounds then dropping the taxol at my next appointment.

    Have a wonderful day!

    Rosetide:)

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  • NicNak
    NicNak Member Posts: 37
    edited July 2016

    I am right there with you! Just had 5 of 6 treatments today. I am on taxotere, perjeta, herceptine, xgeva. 3 years ago I did AC and Taxol and I feel like those were so much easier than this taxotere, it is really kicking my butt! Maybe because I am older now and just has a baby? Who knows. I feel like I have every side effect and like you, it lasts about 14 days. But I keep pushing through. I find these boards immensely helpful! Feel free to PM me if you need someone to talk to who is in the same boat! Best wishes!

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  • rosetide
    rosetide Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2016

    NicNak,

    WOW! You are doing this with a baby? You are SUPERWOMAN! Cudos just for that, wow! that is inspiring! I had my treatment 6 yesterday and thru lots of prayer and praying the rosary lol! The infusion went well. It is so silly of me, but I get more anxious about fusion day then being knocked down for 18 days lol! I guess because all of the bags give me reactions. It freaks me out lol! We have finally, thankfully I have a nurse that is mine now. She is very efficient, organized, and smart. She knows my quirks I have had her yesterday now 3 fusion days. We have finally worked out the system that works best, we start with the calcium bag, then perjeta, all the while running IV fluids fast, so I flush it out. Then we do the benadryl BEFORE the herceptin and the Taxotere. It went very smooth yesterday and it was the fasted fusion time too. We started at 9:30 and we were out the door at 2:45 not bad, not bad at all. We usually are there till 5! lol! I saw my onco day before treatment and with the information that the ladies on this topic shared with me, THANK YOU, I was able to get some more information concerning treatment lengths with the Taxotere. pwilmarth Shutterbug73 your posts helped me a bundle, thank you! The onco said any more treatments after 6 is gravy! He said we can continue as long as I can handle the side effects and my bloodwork continues to come back good. Before it was we are doing all three period lol! That scared the you know what out of me lol! So he realized that this visit although I know I have to always be in treatment you got to throw a girl a bone every now and then lol! He said he would like me to keep going because it is working. I am not going to say how far I plan on going because as I have learned planning is the way you hear God laugh! lol! So I am thankful and grateful I made the 6 treatments successfully. He was pleased with my physical appearance, I had color I wasn't GREEN and PURPLE lol! So here I am just moving forward with an at ease heart because I have a goal now. Not just FOREVER DEAL WITH IT! lol! How are you doing NicNak? When is #6 for you? and what is xgeva?

    ~Rosetide~

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