TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP

so true about the time, it always took me over 2 hrs also. For some reason Perjeta is 60 minutes but I just got the herceptin cut to 30 minutes my last infusion so that helps.

I don’t know about the port, I don’t think I could have done the chemo without it. I really haven’t had any issues with it, uncomfortable yes, but for me was easier than the thought of IV in vein.

We get subcutaneous Herceptin here in Europe, I believe in most countries here. It's an injection of about 10ml. The nurse injects it in my thigh muscle - well, not in the muscle, under the skin on the thigh. I swear I don't feel a thing. She injects it slowly and checks the time to make the injection last for about 8-10 minutes. It's really convenient and I'm glad I don't have to stay for an I.V.

Interesting, JaBoo. I think I read 4-5 minutes, alternating thighs. I do wish it had been available for me but at least I only have three left.

Hi - I've had conversations with 2 MO's about the SQ Herceptin before it was approved, as I usually am in Europe a lot for work and effectively lived there til all this happened and I came home to the US for treatment. I expect when I go back the Dr's there would want me to switch over to SQ, and so I've asked about efficacy, switching back and forth, US views on SQ etc.

Both my MO discussions were constructive on SQ Herceptin. Both MO's are very "cutting edge" types and open to dealing with this stuff - as they have to be given I don't sit still much usually due to work - so we have to think ahead for when I'm a continent away from them again!! There is at least one study on switching which saw no detriment to changing over from IV H (which I am on now weekly with my Taxol, just finished 6/12 - yey!).

So once I'm done with T/H weekly, have a couple of IV Herceptin only treatments here (they want to see if any reaction plus I'm doing my reconstruction here before starting work travel again), I'll likely be a switcher to SQ and can report back. The MO administering the current regime has talked to colleagues in London as well as discussions she said in San Antonio and has no issue w/me switching, though she wants to see any reaction issues first and coordinate with them on that before I'm allowed to change over. So we plan for further discussion in a month or so when the end of T/H is in sight!

It doesn't seem like anyone is in a rush to start using it here but the approval is so recent I expect it will gain acceptance from here - for Insurance co's, I've heard an injection is *much* cheaper than time in an infusion suite, so I would would think if only for that, there will be some interest in having people switch.

On the T/H front I've been so lucky w minimal SE's ex fatigue, and amazing results fm cold capping. Also an oncology dermatologist prescribed Bimatoprost ("Latisse") and I've used that on eyelashes & brows diligently - haven't lost any lashes and almost no brows. To be fair I haven't noticeably lost any body hair anywhere at all either - so it could be I have very stubborn hair! Certainly my husband suggests stubbornness might be innate physically *and* mentally. I can't argue that one. My skin has been terrible, but that seems to have gotten better with some topical prescriptions I was given as well and I'm on all natural skin care, minimizing makeup etc. to try to keep the T/H cystic acne at bay as it's painful stuff and the first few have given me some new war scars to add to the bmx fun.

I know it's often the tough situations you hear about but for those starting on this road sometimes things go well too, fingers crossed they continue to for me after the rocky start on the diagnosis front!

I planned on talking to my MO about it when I see him next Friday. There's a big Breast Cancer Oncology thing in Orlando FL coming up and I know he's going to it. He's very up to date on the newest treatments so that's why I want to discuss it with him.

Boogirl I’m pretty sure I read in one of the studies that it was approved even for people who had been doing IV Herceptin, so I gotta think switching or even going back and forth would be okay. And I’m sure this will become the norm as soon as possible, *but* the nurse I spoke with talked about a relatively long lag between FDA approval and general implementation. They’ll have to manufacture a lot of it, and train the nurses on administering it, and she even said something about other companies getting some time to develop a generic (although I doubt that’s the case here). I don’t know if that means six months or a year but almost certainly not in time for me to benefit.

Mactaz I haven’t heard about anything similar for Perjeta, but who knows—there may be clinical trials going on.

This really gets me to thinking - what will happen after BC diagnosis in, say, fifty years? Will the people just get, like, 4 injections and be cured? And are they going to say with awed faces "hey, I've seen a documentary and people were getting something called chemotherapy that was very awfull and poisonous and they even got radiated, would you believe that?"

I have a feeling that someone on this forum has been getting the shots - in Europe maybe or part of the clinical trial. Hopefully, whatever treatment we've gotten, there is something better around the corner.

benign results whoop whoop! Thank goodness! Not happy Aunt Flo has apparently returned...but so happy it is not cancer or pre-cancer. Stupid tamoxifen....

Great news, Tresjoli! What a relief.

So happy for you Trèsjoli.

Tresjoli!, congrats - so happy for you.

Tresj, Great news...  I'm still starring at unopened bottle of Tamoxifen.  

Tres - what a relief!

nanette - surgery for me was a breeze.

rljes - sometimes the anticipatory dread is the worst part. I vote you jump in ASAP. It won't get any better if you don't.

tres, great news !!

I have another question , when do you triple positive gals start tamoxifen after surgery ? I had neoadjuvant chemo followed by surgery in mid January. My dr forgot about tamoxifen ( I guess) until I saw him last Friday. Then he ordered blood test and the result is supposed to be back Monday. I still haven’t heard anything from him yet. Is this ok to start tamoxifen that late