ECHO ordered AFTER herceptin?

Chelee · January 2008

Chelee · January 2008

I've been DONE with herceptin since March of 07. But I just remembered my onc told me while I was doing my herceptin trts that she wanted to do at least ONE more ECHO when I was finished with herceptin to make sure my heart was doing ok. But we never did that...which I will ask her about when I see her in a couple weeks.

Did anyone else here that has FINISHED herceptin have their heart checked AFTER they finished herceptin? Just curious.

Chelee

DebbieB · January 2008

Hi Chelee,

Congrats on completing your herceptin. Both herceptin and adriamycin can cause heart damage. I would request an echocardiogram and I would suggest having echos at least once a year for the next 7-8 years.

I was highly HER+++ but since I was stage 2 did not get herceptin back when I was dx'd in 2001. However, I did have adriamycin and now 6 years later I found out I have left ventricle heart damage from the adriamycin. It can actually show up 6-7 years after the chemo. My onc never requested any echos or mugas and I can't help but feel that had I been having echos or mugas regularly we could have caught this before my ejection fraction got down to 20%.

I had not had any problems and my symptoms (shortness of breath) came on fast and in a very short time - 1 month.

So please have your onc schedule an echo!

Debbie

marejo · January 2008

Hi Chelee,

My new onc. ordered a MUGA 1 year after herceptin had ended to see how my heart was affected by adriamycin and then later on the year of herceptin. I did fine.

I had an ECHO before chemo started and it was 68. I had a MUGA 4 months into herceptin and it was in the 50's. I don't remember the exact number but thinks it was low 50's. Now, 1 year after herceptin my MUGA was a healthy 62.

Hugs and blessings,

Mary Jo

trk_koa · January 2008

I had an echo a few weeks after my last herceptin and I had another one a couple weeks ago (9 months later). I still have residual edema in my hands and feet and my new onc wanted to rule out CHF. All during herceptin my LVEF was around 70. It is now 65, but that's within the margin of error. They also checked the function of the right ventricle. So no heart problems, thank goodness.

Nancy

nitewind · January 2008

Hi Chelee, I've been wondering the same thing, myself. I finished my herceptin last month and my onc hasn't mentioned a muga or echo. It's probably been a year since my last echo but so far the dr. hasn't said anything about checking my heart. I also had the A/C so I know that could do some damage as well. When I got my last treatment on the 7th of Dec, he told me he would see me in two monthes. I feel like I'm left out here just dangling. I'm so used to getting all the blood work and everybody watching me and now I just feel like I've been dumped. I am supposed to go in and have my port flushed in about two weeks but I won't even see the onc on that day. I'd be much more comfortable if I could get my heart checked to make sure everything is ok. I'm planning on asking him about it in February.

Susan

mke · January 2008

We talked about it when I finished herceptin and decided not to do another MUGA for two reasons. I had done well on all the previous ones and I was just tired of being poked. However after learning of Debbie's experience I will probably bring it up at my onc visit this month.

jerseymaria · January 2008

hi...i'm a retired (against my will) echo tech. ejection fraction by echo can vary somewhat each time since the measurements used for calculation are done according to the image the tech gets and the points she/he uses.

anything over 50-55% is normal. and there are so many things than can alter the images, ie air in lungs, congestion, scar tissue, rib configuration, and most important - the competence of the tech.

debbie, i'm a little surprised. i did many many echoes in the early and mid 90's on ac patients and those with damage always showed the damage fairly quickly. there are many things that can cause a cardiomyopathy such as yours. i curious too cause i was led to believe that cardiac damage from ac was reversible and damage from herceptin was not. i could be totally wrong.

i have one more herceptin monday and i don't know yet if i'll have another cardiac spec scan but i do have an echo each year for a minor leaky valve. so far so good.

i personally would want a scan after treatment is completed. my yearly echo is to evaluate the valves (i had rheumatic fever as a child) but we do a spec scan as that is better diagnostically than an echo for ejection fraction. i hope i didn't bore your girls.

Sassa · January 2008

I will finish herceptin in Feb 08. I already have an appointment for a 2D echo in March 08.

I had my first echo before starting chemo (AC), after chemo (lasted three months) and before starting herceptin, and once every three months while on herceptin.

bluewillow · January 2008

Hi again Sassa,

I am scheduled for a 2-D echo on Jan. 22-- what is the difference between a 2-D echo and the other echos? I have had 2 color (doppler, I think) echos before and didn't realize there were many different kinds.

Thanks!

Mary Jo

jerseymaria · January 2008

hi mary jo,

it's all one echo...there are just different components. the 2-D portion in the ultrasound pictures and the doppler color flow is added to these pictures to visualize blood flow and quanitate any abnormal flow that may be seen as well as certain measurements of valve size and movement. they are both done in every study.

hope this helps a little,

maria

bluewillow · January 2008

Hi Maria,

I read where you are a echo tech and was hoping you would respond, because you sound like you really know your stuff! Thank you for the clarification about the 2-D echo- yes, you helped a lot! And congratulations on your last Herceptin tomorrow!

Take care,

Mary Jo

florencedonna · January 2008

my oncologist wanted to do another MUGA after the herceptin was over. he didn't bring it up again and I didn't remind him because I also am tired of being poked and didn't want another intravenous line. donna

Desi · January 2008

Hi I am Leoniki

Has anyone been on taxotere and carboplatin and herceptin and how do you feel.

Thanks

karenann · January 2008

Chelee,

Yes, I did have an echo one year after I completed Herceptin. I will probably ask for another next year, just to make sure everything is alright.

Karen

janet11 · January 2008

Leoniki: I finished taxotere, carboplatin, and herceptin a year ago. I feel fine. Am DELIGHTED to have my taste buds back. The only side effect I still have is heart damage from the herceptin (and had to stop that early). If you want to discuss, you're welcome to send me a private message, or post in the chemotherapy forum since there are several people there on TCH.

Janet

Myrajuc · January 2008

I get my MUGA EVERY 3 months. I just did an echo last month because they were out of the isotopes that they use for Muga, but my onc wants to do the Muga, he said it's a more effective test.

I'm almost done with Herceptin, until June this year. I go every 3 weeks. When I stopped Herceptin during rads for 2 months, my Muga went from 56 to 67. So it really does affect the heart.

Ask for a Muga, if it's covered by your insurance. For your own peace of mind.

Take care,

Myra

mjucutan@yahoo.com

DebbieB · January 2008

Hi Maria,

My cardiologist said the heart damage in my left ventricle was consistent with the damage he has seen with Adriamycin. My understanding from discussions with the cardiologist is this damage is not reversible but the medicine can control it in 50% of cases. I'm on 6 heart meds and he hopes to eventually get me down to 2. I've been asking lots of questions but am still learning about all this. I know the cardiologist did say the heart will try to compensate for the damage. I have also read it can be progressive. And I have read where a small percentage of people who receive adriamycin develop heart damage that doesn't show up until the 5-7 year range. The cardiologist said there were a number of reasons for cardiomyopathy and did the heart cath hoping he would find something "fixable". But he said I had not had a heart attack, did not have any hint of blockages. I don't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. I don't drink or smoke and am not overweight. I've actually been extremely healthy my entire life with the exception of cancer and heart problems which started 6 years ago when I was 45 years old! None of it makes sense.

I just wish I had insisted on the onc doing either mugas or echos so I would have an idea when all this started.

Debbie

Nancy-SanDiego · February 2008

Debbie, I was diagnosed with Stage III cardiomyopathy 3 months after finishing AC and starting Herceptin. That was in April 2006. Thanks to a beta blocker, ACE inhibitor, diaretics and nitro, I live a very different life than I did before bc diagnosis 10/05. I have learned to respect my limitations, glory in my good days, and not fret too much when I have a bad time. I watch my stress, eat right, exercise, and do biofeedback, etc. Echos are routinely done every 3 months (or more often if there is a need). My doctor is the head of Scripps Heart Failure Clinic, so I feel really confident that I have excellent care of this part of the journey.

I am also a Patient Ambassador for Genentech (makers of Herceptin) and found a sizeable number of the 26 ambassadors had some heart issues. The great news, however, is that these bc sisters are continuing to live good lives despite initial dx of stage III, IV, or inflammatory--for years.

Very best wishes for healthy and happy days.

Nancy Laughing

Eileeng · February 2008

I had Echos before, during, and just after herceptin. Finished in November.

Eileen

ECHO ordered AFTER herceptin?

Comments

Categories