Herceptin side effects

I've been on Herceptin every 3 weeks since January. Until now I haven't had any side effects to speak of. I've been extremely tired that night and the next day since the first treatment. Last time however I experienced severe cramping in both of my feet, it happened on my way home from the infusion and again the next day. Has anyone else experienced this? I had another infusion two days ago and so far no cramping!

I am on weekly Taxol and Herceptinfor 3 weeks, with a double dose of herceptin on the 3rd week, and then a week off. I constantly have a runny nose, and I get achy and flu like for 2 days after chemo. I also get the diarreah (sp?) and abdominal cramps really bad with the double dose. I am so glad to see that other have the same symptoms and it is not all in my head!

Ok all, I need some advice.  Have been on Herceptin since January4th.  My first Muga was fine a 66, the second Muga came back four points lower a 62, my last one is another 4 points lower a 58.  Is this bad?  I still have 5 more treatments to go an I'm SCARED.  They are doing another Muga in  1 Month (instead of the usual 3 months), my Onc. says don't worry - but never really told me what the score means.  At what number are you in trouble?  I'm trying not to panic....but the mind sometimes takes you where you don't want to go.  Can anyone help me out here?

Will keep fighting as long as I'm breathing!

Sorry about the double post!

I think the standard cutoff is 50%. I too had a declining LVEF, though it remained high enough, barely, to finish treatment. A few things to remember: 1. Drink a lot of water. That seems to help your "score." 2. There is a degree of interpretation error, so some of the fall-off can be due to that, as well as to individual dayy-to-day fluctuation. 3. There is some research suggesting that a very short regimen of Herceptin, as few as nine infusions, is as effective is the current year-long regimen. So if you have to stop, you might well have had plenty to be effective. 4. Your heart function typically bounces back without a problem. Good luck!

I have had 12 treatments so far and only the last twice have I had the flu-like symptoms.  They are fairly mild and once I realise what it is I just go to bed and rest.

Not a bad deal considering what it's doing for me.  I read that originally patients were given two years of Herceptin and research showed that a year's tx was just as effective.  Perhaps research continues and shows that 9 months is as effective as a year.  Hurray for continuous improvement!

But as everyone agrees, after chemo Herceptin is a walk in the park.

Valerie S

Hi everyone, I am getting ready to start chemo and Herceptin every 3 weeks too.  Reading what everyone has said really is helping me to know what I am getting ready to go through.  I just had a mastectomy on 8/30/07 and it was in my lymph nodes and so my onc said they have to be very aggressive because the cancer I have is very aggressive.  I felt like I was alone in this, but reading what everyone has said I don't feel so alone now. Thank you!!!

Thank you, I am glad to meet you.  I will check out the chemo side and will keep in touch with you and everyone.  Thanks again for everyones help it also saved my sanity.

Triggs

I just had my first Herceptin alone infusion 2 weeks ago; last (and final) chemo cocktail was 5 weeks ago and I can actually see a few hairs trying to grow!  The drippy bloody nose is not necessarily the Herceptin, but the Taxatere/Cytoxin/Herceptin loss of nose hair!  So thats what the nose hair is for!  I contracted a flu virus a few days ago and for the first time in 8 weeks my nose is stuffed up not drippy with blood....my taste buds still aren't back totally, does anyone out there have this with the Herceptin alone?  I felt tired and spacey the first Herceptin alone infusion......I was so looking forward to a turkey dinner I could actually taste......but perhaps its the cumulative effects of the four chemos.  I hope to taste real food next week...if I have to wait until I am done with Herceptin (7/08) then I am going to be one skinny hungry lady!

I talked to the chemo nurse about the flu like sysptoms and she told me the night of chemo talk two tylenol and 2 benadryl.  I tried it this time and it worked great. I had been having a harder time with the herceptin alone then with DD A/C.

Debi

I have been on Herceptin since Feb 8, 2007.  Just the last 2 tx I have had fevers of 103 and chills and body aches.  Getting tx on Thursday pm so I am not able to work on Friday - sleep  all day.

Why is this starting now, I take a benedryl and  2 tylenols before each treatment. 

I have 3 more and I am dreading them.

Hi....I think I've posted here before...all I ever got from Herceptin was a somewhat drippy nose, but I sure did get the crummy nails.  You can actually peel them!

Tracey...OK...I admit it...I watch QVC!  I bought some stuff that you put on your nails everyday so I thought for $30. I would try it.  I think it might be making a difference as I have little nail ends now after 10 days.  It's made by ProStrong...if you want I will PM you the exact kit I got as there are tons of them on the site.  I did try Sally Hansen nail hardener but when I smacked them, the coating peeled right off, taking my top nail layer with it so I just use a good quality polish (OPI) and put the ProStrong right over it.

Sorry some of you are having a hard time with the Herceptin and side effects but I think it's worth it to stick it out if you can.  If you are on the 3-week schedule maybe going back to once a week/lower dosing might make a difference.

i forgot to add on my last post the headaches, they are not after every infusion, but some of the time and i seem to get thenm about three days after and last for about five days on and off then just go.

does anyone else experience this,

wendy thanks for the tip on the pro strong for the nails and yes if you could send me what you ordered, and i also love QVC and ordered quite a few times infact im just watching the Molton Brown as i write.

love Tracey 

Hi everyone, I am one of the "few" who has side effects with Herceptin. I am on weekly infusions and thankfully, only have 15 more to go.  My problems started about week 22.  I got severe chills, nausea, vomiting & diarrhea, it was the worst thing I have been through with any of my cancer treatment.  I lost 8 pounds in 3 days.  My oncologist stopped the Herceptin for 3 weeks.  Along with that, I started experiencing a severe rash, over all  my body except my face and feet, and severe hives.  After the 3 week break, I have not had the terrible chills,and severe flu symptoms.  But, weekly I get the rash and or hives.  My oncologist has me on an infusion of 10 mg of Decadron before the Herceptin infusion, and 4 mg of Decadron by mouth as needed, to control the hives and rash.  Decadron has its own side effects, but those are better than the hives and the terrible itchy rash.  I hope no one else has to go through this, but if anyone does, you are not alone!  I breezed right through the Taxol and only had minor joint pain, which my oncologist also said was rare.  I guess I am just strange!!  My MUGA scans have always been great, so I am blessed in that area!