I’m having my 4th of 12 weekly Paclitaxol tomorrow (Tuesday) and just found out today that my onc plans to start my Herceptin tomorrow too and I’m feeling very nervous. I know they monitor you well while they administer it and then for some hours afterwards and obviously they are experienced if something does go wrong but I’m still very scared that something bad will happen and my heart will stop or something. I feel like crying now and also feel like an idiot for feeling this way especially when only a small people have reactions.
Moan over, I would like to say I’m off to sleep now but I know I won’t coz of the Dexamethasone.
I just wanted to say please call our helpline to talk your concerns through with someone as it may help alleviate some of your worry about having Herceptin. The line is open from 9am on 0808 800 6000.
We all worry when faced with the unknown so please don’t beat yourself up about it. I have my 4th Herceptin tomorrow, the first three where given with Tax and I’ve had no problems with Herceptin at all(hated Tax!). You will be VERY closely monitored through out the treatment.
Good luck and let us know how you got on?
S
I know that it is possible to have a reaction to herceptin, which is why they monitor you carefully during your first one, but I have never heard of anyone having one. I think it must be very rare.
from someone who has now had more than 100 herceptins with no reactions :). I have also seen many others on it whilst in the day unit over the years. The main reaction is allergic and a lot of hospitals now give piriton routinely. Mine doesn’t. Your heart will be checked by MUGA scan or a type of ultra sound every 3 months. If your heart rate (LVEF) falls too low you would have a break from the herceptin. I think anything more serious than that is quite rare. I know when we go onto new treatments and read all the possible side effects we can really scare ourselves but few of us would refuse aspirin because of that! Hope you get on o.k. with it.
Hi mumof3
I am now on my 8th herceptin. My first cycle gave me the shakes after 1 hour (the loading dose is 1.5 hrs)so my oncolgist administered piriton which stopped the reaction. I am now given piriton before each herceptin but I also take 2 paracetamol beforehand just in case I react with flu like systems. Had a muga scan and everything is fine. I now tolerate the herceptin over 30 mins.
Barbara x
Well my chemo is done and my Herceptin has been running for half an hour now and so far so good. They didn’t give me any piriton or anything first and haven’t checked my blood pressure or anything yet either which has surprised me but as I say so far so good.
I was surprised when one of the nurses said I’d be here for SIX hours afterwards!! I knew it was a number of hours but didn’t expect that many. A different nurse has sine said 4 or 5 so I guessit depends on how I go so fingers crossed. Hope it’s not 6 hours coz my little ones will be in bed by time I get home as we have an hours journey home after all this.
Well that’s my first. Herceptin gone through now and do far without a problem which is just as well as I’ve had no monitoring and the nurse didn’t even ask if I felt ok, he just took it off and wandered away. Now I just get to lay on my bed and relax for a few hours, maybe I’ll manage a snooze, lol.
I know there is still time for a reaction but I feel much more confident now and a bit of a prat for having such a wobble last night.