How often is your tx?

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GrammyNancy
GrammyNancy Member Posts: 666
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
I am starting Herceptin next week and my onc is suggesting once a week. Looks like many on you do the once every 3 weeks. What's the difference and what is your experience with the once a week protocol?

Thanks for your help,
Nancy
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  • nagem
    nagem Member Posts: 353
    edited July 2007

    Some people find the smaller doses of once-a-week treatment result in fewer and milder side effects. There's also some evidence that once-a-week infusions yield slightly better outcomes (but only slightly). My oncologist and I decided to do weekly treatments for the first nine weeks, then every three weeks thereafter for a year. I had no serious side effects with either dosing schedule (though my Muga did temporarily decline somewhat). And now I'm done! And feeling great.

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  • Jyber
    Jyber Member Posts: 38
    edited July 2007

    I am every three weeks and so far feeling fine (just had 3rd treatment of Herceptin).

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  • Zzap
    Zzap Member Posts: 77
    edited July 2007

    I started Herceptin in January every 2 weeks with dose dense Taxol at first. Once the Taxol was finished, the Herceptin was changed to every 3 weeks. I'll be on it until December or January. Side effects are not bad. I get odd mild headaches after treatment, and more joint aches than I used to have, but some of that could be residual effects from chemo or caused by the Tamoxifen I've been on for the last few months. Overall, I feel pretty good.

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  • mccarroll
    mccarroll Member Posts: 360
    edited July 2007
    I started herceptin in October (12 weekly herceptin with bi-weekly Taxol). then started herceptin every 3 weeks and will finish in October. At first, I had some severe cold symptoms after tx but now I'm just anxious the night after and have to take a sleeping aid. My nose runs a lot and the night after tx, I'm tired and feel full of fluid. After that, it is a piece of cake.

    My onc gave me the choice of weekly or every 3 weeks. Said the differences were minimal and she was okay with either. So I chose to be stuck every 3 weeks, even if I was there for 1 1/2 hours instead of 30 minutes. I still feel the dread building the day before tx but I trudge on and I'm going to finish. I'm also one of the lucky ones who's MUGA went up (from 69 before herceptin to 72 mid-way). Take care and know you will get thru this. Karen
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  • nitewind
    nitewind Member Posts: 64
    edited July 2007

    I started off getting my herceptin every three weeks but found I had a lot of aches and pains, especially headaches. My onc switched me to every week. Been doing that since February and haven't had a problem at all. I'll be finished sometime in December. It's more inconvenient to go every week but for me, it's worth it.

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  • Mich101
    Mich101 Member Posts: 529
    edited July 2007
    Thanks for the info re: herceptin weekly vs 3 weeks. I will have my last (12th) weekly tx of taxol/herceptin on Tues. I am to continue on with herceptin only for 40 weeks. Originally he had mentioned weekly treatments, then I asked him about result diff if I went every 3 weeks. He too mentioned that it was up to me, that it should not impact the results. I will try the every 3 weeks tx for starters.
    Michele
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  • sns
    sns Member Posts: 60
    edited July 2007

    I'm doing Herceptin every three weeks. I've only had minor side effects and went with the three week schedule mainly because it was more convenient.

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  • simeon
    simeon Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2007

    I have been on weekly Herceptin, Taxotere and Carboplatin from June to February and then every three weeks with one week off dropping the Carboplatin. I would like every three weeks so I didn't have to go to the dr. office so often but I have hardly any side effects so I've stuck with it.

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  • Valsul
    Valsul Member Posts: 160
    edited July 2007
    I started Herceptin in January and will finish it next January. I get infused through a PICC line every 3 weeks. My veins weren't very good during chemo and went hideaway so the PICC line is in. Needs looking after and is sometimes a bind, but it's so precious in terms of not having several pucntures as we search in vain for a vein - sorry!

    Had my treatment yesterday and feel a little tired today and my fluid retention has gone ballistic. Love this magic drug though for what it keeps at bay!

    Big hugs
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  • LuAnnH
    LuAnnH Member Posts: 8,847
    edited July 2007
    When I started on my tx it was every week for about 4 or 5 weeks. Then we switched to the every 3 week dose. My onc said there was not much difference either way. This just makes less visits to his office. It gets very old going to get tx every week.

    LuAnn
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  • tropicmom
    tropicmom Member Posts: 88
    edited August 2007
    My onc said that research seems to indicate that hercpetin combined with chemo (and given at the same time as chemo) gave better results as it seems to give chemo drugs a little extra "push" and work better. Since I was having weekly chemo, I had weekly herceptin. NOw that I am off chemo, we have switched to every three weeks. Halelullia.
    And from reading your posts, it seems that is what most of you have done as well. Every three week dose is more volume, but I still have infusions that are only about 30 mins with 15-30 mins of saline pre dose, and that's just to make sure my premed of tylenol kicks in. I did have a bit of a tummy ache yesterday after my second three week dose. But not bad
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  • Mich101
    Mich101 Member Posts: 529
    edited August 2007
    That's interesting. I have the every 3 week dose of herceptin too but mine is 90 mins (I think) plus premeds of Pepcid, Benadryl and 2 tylenol. Longer because of different drip rates?
    I have had a queezy stomach a couple of mornings, I guess I didn't realize that it could be from the herceptin?

    Michele
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  • Denny123
    Denny123 Member Posts: 1,886
    edited August 2007
    I have been getting Herceptin for 3 1/2 years, and have it every 3 weeks. I had been having the treatment for 30 minutes, but have changed it to 45 minutes, since I did have a queasy tummy once.
    My onc. also felt that chemo and Herceptin together produced a synergy-which means that 2 drugs would equal the effect of 3 drugs. It did put my liver in remission, and Herceptin is solely responsible for keeping me in remission for 3 years.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2007
    Hi Nancy, I finished chemo in May 2005. My Onc tried to get me on H before I finished the chemo but ins. said no.(had just been taken out of the trial but did not have approval yet) So, she kept trying and I started in Nov. 2005, finished up in Nov. 2006. Weekly tx. Really had no issues, was glad to be done with going every week and to get my port out. Now doing Arimidex and other then some aches(and chemo brain still!) doing pretty good. Best to you, Jenene
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