On 6/9/2009
Jodie wrote:
On 6/5/2009
debbydo wrote:
Well I made it thru chemo and then radiation and two masectomys. My biggest complaint after about after chemo was my breathing was getting bad. I was panting with any exersion. One year later and a new family doctor, it appears that the chemo antibody herceptin can damage the heart. I have pulmary hytpertension now and have to take 4 high blood pressure pills to aid my weakened pulmonary artery. washing my hair in the shower makes me pant. this is just a warning. Now all people will have this but i just felt like telling about it
Debbydo: Thank you for the insight and offering your experience with herceptin here so others of us who are presently on this can be vigilant and guard our heart health. I am stage lV br.can. patient and have been on this herceptin on and off since a year ago. I was taken off of it in Aug. of 08 but my cancer reappeared and had to be put back on it this March. My dr is keeping a guarded watch on my heart with periodic heart echo tests..so far, so good. Were you on this medicine for a year? I have been concerned about this very thing since the beginning of my therapy with taking this herceptin. Right now though it seems its the only thing that will keep my cancer from progressing. But without a healthy heart a person can not continue the herceptin.
Thank you again for putting your message out here for the rest of us, it is very important to guard our health in any way we can.. As I understand it the herceptin can be very damaging to the heart.. what other chemo regimens have you had? Were you on other chemo drugs while taking this herceptin? Just wondering if there is a connection or if this happened from taking the drug by itself.. my dr keeps telling me the only way herceptin can fail is by causing this heart problem..which will cause a discontinuing of the herceptin in most cases.
best of wishes to you..
Jodie
HI Jodie
I was on the Herceptin for almost a year stopped once for 6 weeks after a mugascan showed a reduction of my heart fuction, then they tested again and it had improved so I went back on it. they said that they have experienced some reductions in the history of the drug but once the person was off it, it went back to normal. Not permanent. each case is different. I am over weight and maybe that played into my condiditon. The cardiologist says this can be handled with pills, I hate pills but the risk of the cancer coming back is worth it I guess. The nurse said my pills will take about 2-3 weeks to really start giving me relief, and I am having more good days than bad now. i am glad your doctor is staying on top of things. Did you have a masectomy? Is your cancer HER2?
How did you know it came back? blood tests? Isnt it awful to live with this doubt? I wish you the best Debby