Herceptin discontinued due to LVEF drop

Jyber
Jyber Member Posts: 38
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer
Herceptin discontinued due to LVEF drop
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Jyber
    Jyber Member Posts: 38
    edited December 2007

    My oncologist discontinued my herceptin treatments because my ejection fraction dropped more than 10%. It is still in the normal range (55%) but she says because of the significant drop (EF was orilginally 65-70%) she will not continue with the herceptin because it is clearly causing heart damage in me.

    I have had another echocardiogram more than a month after my most recent herceptin and the result is the same -- 55%.

    Can I expect the EF to recover? I need it to go to 60% in order to try the herceptin again.

    Advice from anyone who has been through this would be deeply appreciated. I feel that herceptin is a weapon I don't want to lose.

    Thanks!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • KimRI
    KimRI Member Posts: 35
    edited December 2007

    Hi,

    I was on Herceptin for 20mths straight, 1x every week.  My % has slowly been going down and we finally are taking a break.  My # was down to 51%.  I feel completely fine and still go to the gym every day.

    My Dr. felt it was time for a break about 2 weeks ago.  We are going to retest in beginning of Feb. and hopefully I will be able to get back on it.  I too feel like it's my security blanket.

    Kim 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PNWKaren
    PNWKaren Member Posts: 88
    edited December 2007

    My ejection fraction dropped from 66% to 53% after 7 mos of Herceptin, given every three weeks.  With that drop, even though technically still in normal range, I did not feel well--short of breath, no energy, resting heart rate up and absolutely pounding with any exertion, edema in my legs that required daily diuretics to control.  We put the Herceptin on hold. Six months later my EF seems to have stabilized at 54-55%, no higher although I feel much better physically than I did and no longer need the diuretics.  My onc was willing to restart the Herceptin to finish out my year but I was not willing to take the risk of further heart damage. I do worry about not finishing the full year but really feel certain that I would be looking at congestive heart failure to continue.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 262
    edited December 2007

    Everyone is different.  Mine started out at 63%, went to 55%, 49% (that was at about the 7 month mark for my Herceptin).  They stopped the Herceptin then.  3 months later it was 44% (*sigh*).

    But, I've had NO symptoms of problems.  I started on Coreg  meds and after 3 months I'm now up to 50-55% and we're hoping it'll go higher.  

    I don't like thinking I can't take herceptin.  BUT, I was stage 1.  The odds are with me that I won't have to face this again.  And if I do, well, then I'll deal with it then.  There may be better tools or I may tolerate the Herceptin better with medication.   I'm not going to worry about making that decision until I know I have to (at least, that's what I keep telling myself (*smile*).

    Janet 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2007

    After my Adriamycin/Cytoxan my EF was 66.  After 3 months on the Taxotere/Herceptin and on the 12th dosage (which is where they give you a triple shot), my EF went down to 49.

    Quite a huge drop but still functional. After 3 months of being off treatment, I was at 50, so she put me back on. Then she checked me every month. I held out at 50, steadily.  I did go up to 51 and last time I was at 54.  No more MUGAs for me.  Finished my treatment.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TheShopMama
    TheShopMama Member Posts: 577
    edited December 2007

    I had a hard time getting a good reading on the muga and had to have an echo before treatment.

    However, during Herceptin (which I had AFTER chemo). It dropped to 35% and then back up to 65%

    after taking a break and starting on Coreg. I completed my Herceptin and my EF is remaining pretty

    steady at about 45%. If I were a regular exerciser and ate healthier I am sure i would be even better.

    You will do fine. Pam

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2007

    My ejection fraction went from 67% to 33% in three months. Well, actually it was 67% before I started chemo (4DD A/C T). I had three months total of Herceptin, with the first eight doses being weekly, then moving to the 3X doses every 3 weeks.

    So far (4 months later) my LVEF is holding steady at 33%. I'm getting another echo in January to see if it has improved. I am taking a fistful of meds every morning and I hope it improves. However, the doc went ahead and removed my port and said I can't have anymore Herceptin no matter what.

    Right now a PET scan shows me to be cancer free, so I am trying to focus on my heart. I would love to live a while longer and I am trying to get healthy.

    I worry a little bit about not being able to take Herceptin, but my heart problems have managed to attract my focus for now.

    Best of luck to you all as we try to get through this and on with our lives!

    Miss S

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jyber
    Jyber Member Posts: 38
    edited December 2007

    Thanks for the responses. My cardiologist has since started me on a light dose of carvedilol in hopes that will bring up my LVEF enough to resume the herceptin. But meanwhile I had made my peace with stopping the herceptin, and figure at least I got it for a while.

    My oncologist is more conservative than the cardiologist. She says, "You MAY no longer have any cancer but we KNOW you are getting heart damage." So she does not want to contribute to a condition I did not have originally.

    If the LVEF does not go up enough within a month, I will be getting the port removed and herceptin will be out of the picture.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2007

    After 12 rounds of herceptin I my Muga dropped to 47%  They stopped my Herceptin.  After one month my Muga went back up to 67%.  There are studies saying that 9 rounds of Herceptin are as good as longer - so Im counting on those Finnish studies to be accurate.

    Nicki

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • p1505
    p1505 Member Posts: 2
    edited December 2007

    I had to quit herceptin after 8 months because of low LVEF too.  It's been 2 years since I've quit, and I'm back to normal LVEF.  I was concerned too about quitting early, but my oncologist assured me I had enough.  I was put on coreg and lisinopril for my heart.  I'm off the coreg now.  I feel great.  Good luck

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories