Thought I would post to let you all know that, at the beginning of the month I had my 100th lot of Herceptin - and still going strong!
As many of you know I was diagnosed in 2003 with secondary spread to liver and bone, first lot of chemo (FEC) only kept things at bay for a few months and life was a bit grim and then Taxotere and Herceptin knocked this disease into touch, starting Dec 2003.
I am not alone, I am pretty sure that DawnHC is not far behind me and will be reaching her 100th Herceptin very soon. Not sure how many others there are who have reached their HC (Herceptin Century) but I would be interested to find out.
When I started Herceptin way back in 2003 life chances for those of us that were HER2 were pretty bleak and Herceptin was the new hope but even then no one really thought I had much of a chance of more than a couple of years at best, especially as my spread was to the liver. My Onc (bless him) told me that he had heard of a woman in America who had been on Herceptin for 4 years and was still going strong and I should aim for four year too. I often wonder how ‘that woman’ is doing today.
We may knock the NHS but I have cost it a fortune and all anyone ever says to me is ‘you are worth it’ - well I have to agree!! - but it certainly puts it into perspective when you read of US insurance companies refusing a woman with BC treatment because she hadn’t declared a previous illness - she had had acne!!
I know I have been lucky (if anyone who has had BC can ever say that, but you know what I mean) and I know that not everyone has reacted as well to the Herceptin as I have and I realise that BC could be back any day but, even with all the above provisos, there are tales of people stretching (not beating) the odds, there are some positive BC stories and I would love someone to take heart from my Herceptin century.
I must have known something when I used the letters HC after dawn (dawnhc). You are indeed right - it will be my 100th next Tuesday - it should have been this week but I asked for special dispensation to delay it a week. I don’t think I would even realised it was my 100th if you hadn’t posted so I will raise a glass for us both. We have indeed been fortunate that it has turned out to be the wonder drug for us - let’s hope it goes on for a lot longer.
Hi Blondie and Dawn. It’s great that yiu are still doing so well on herceptin. In my cancer unit, the chemo sister bakes a cake when you get to a hundred, so perhaps you should ask !
love Nicky
Well that is spooky blondie…I was wondering how you were just yesterday…I often think of fellow long time forum users…how they are.
Congratulations on your 100th Herceptin…natch you are worth it!
Love Belinda…x
I too must be close to the HC, having started Herceptin in March 2003. I’ve lost track of exactly how many doses I’ve had but will ask when I go to the hospital next week. When I reached my half century my husband took me out for a nice meal and a bottle of champagne to celebrate - better remind him of that!
When I was diagnosed with mets my onc gave me a 2-3 year prognosis. To say I’m very pleased to have proved him wrong is an understatement and put this mainly down to Herceptin. I certainly can’t knock the NHS for the treatment I have received over the years.
Think I’ll go and bake a cake in celebration of Herceptin Centuries!!
Love Judith
Congratulations and thank you to you ladies who have blazed the Herceptin trail.
I hope you don’t mind me jumping in. I have only just started on my Herceptin journey and I don’t have any secondaries but I know that without those of you who have gone before I would have had no hope of beating this disease. It’s only because of the good results you have had, and a long hard fight, that we now get Herceptin on NHS for those of us with aggresive HER2+++ primaries.
Keep on stretching those odds and here’s to the next 100.
Congratulations to both Blondie and Dawnhc. Blondie I met you last year at one of Dawns get togethers and cannot believe another year has now past.
Fantastic news that things are going well still for you and your story is such a great read for all of us and gives us hope for our futures.
I had Herceptin now 32 last week, so a long way behind you. Although bit of worry at the mo that it might not be working so well for me now, as my lump in boob seems to have grown a little after shrinking to a tiny blob. So makes me worried bout my liver, but have just had mammo, ultrasound and ct scan last thursday, so results on wednesday and am now stressing big time.
Hopefully I will get good news, although not holding out too much hope, but if it is, I hope that I will be around to have 100 hercepins!!!
100 lordie xxxx
do u have any family? x like a daughter? xxx
sorry to ask its just i lost my mum and its amazing that you’ve done so well xxx i wish she had x
Congratulations to you both I too think of Blondie often, it is so good to hear you are doing well. Long may it continue for all on herceptin.
Love Debsxxx
Just to let all you ladies on Herceptin know, I met a friend this week who has been on Herceptin for 7 years, I think that must be well over 100, so it sounds like it’s doing it’s job very well. She’s off on holiday next week, somewhere exotic, sounds good to me
Nicky x
As I am about to go in for 101st Herceptin I thought I had better reply to some of the responses posted.
Thanks for all the good wishes and hope for the future and to Nicky for letting me know that there is someone in front of me - I must say that I have been surprised that there had only been three of us identified as reaching 3 figures, up until your post. Is that because there are so few of us out there or is it just that they don’t look here I wonder?
Yes Rosemary x I am a mum of a daughter and a grandmother of two very sweet grandaughters (and a very sweet grandson) too. Without Herceptin I know that I would not have seen even one of those grandchildren born as my liver was in bad shape and I had been given less than 6 weeks to live without further treatment.
There must be more of us out there - I do find it a comfort to know that there are other long term survivors and I am sure that, for those of you just starting out on the Herceptin road, it is a positive message and one to hold on to.
Blondie
ps I wondered if I should copy Dawn and be BlondieHC too
Wow - I have to say congrats to you ladies who have done a century. When I first read this post, I must say it freaked me out a little as I had my first herceptin today, following dx of early breast cancer in May. The thought of 100 does is very daunting, but then a read on a little and understood the reasons why. I had got 18 herceptins in my head and that was it! As JanB says, they are now using Herceptin more widely to treat early BC dx which is great for me and many others and I will take everything they throw at me. If it wasn’t for you ladies, the option of herceptin may not have been available to us.
congrats to Blondie and Dawnhc and everyone else hitiing the big 100 with joy.
Being trip neg, out of treatment options and in dreadful constant pain from lymphoedema mine is a less lucky storry, but still better than it might have been a while ago.
to delay it a week. I don’t think I would even realised it was my 100th if you hadn’t posted 
xxxx