I’m a Her2+, ER+ Breast Cancer Patient and have been on treatment since the past 15 months now.
I’m currently on Anti Hormonal Treatment(Kadcyla) which I get every 3 weeks and am supposed to get 14 doses(10 down). Along with this I get an injection(Zoladex) every four weeks.
I’m feeling extremely nauseous post treatment which I got yesterday and also having stomach issues. Although I have taken the prescribed anti nausea meds is this normal or is it due to the combination of both Kadcyla and Zoladex?
Hi dimpled,
I’m sorry you’ve been feeling so rotten. I just wanted to explain that Kadcyla isn’t anti-hormonal. It’s a HER2 treatment (Herceptin) mixed with a chemo - that’s why you’re feeling nauseous. And yes, it is to be expected. The Herceptin acts like a key that seeks out and locks on to a protein on the the surface of the cancer cells, then the chemo molecules enter the cancer cells and kill them. It’s a targeted treatment, so there’s not as much chemo flowing freely around in your bloodstream to attack all dividing cells in your body, like with regular chemo. So it’s usually a bit better tolerated than the usual types of chemo. I hope the anti-nausea meds have helped. They’re usually better taken ahead of feeling nauseous, rather than once you start feeling unwell, so now you know what to expect you could start taking them in advance next time.
I was on Kadcyla for 7 years and it kept me stable all that time, and I was able to keep working. Everyone’s different, but to give you an idea, I used to take off the day after treatment, then had a non-work day (I was part-time) and was back at work on the day after that. I did have nausea too, and fatigue and peripheral neuropathy.
I’m afraid I know nothing about Zoladex.
All there best with your treatment. Take good care of yourself - it’s always hard adjusting to a new treatment regime
Jx
Hi,
Yes you are correct about the Herceptin. Zoladex is the anti hormonal treatment. Didn’t mean to mix it up with Kadcyla. Thankyou for sharing the information n the tips.
For me even during chemo side affects have been more severe as I went for chemo exactly 7th day post birth. Hence it was post child birth+chemo side affects. Even now I struggle with my day to day activities as I never got time off for rehab. But that’s life I suppose. I didn’t end up here by choice but by force.
4 more Doses of Kadcyla left and unlimited quarterly doses of Zoladex.
Thankyou for the warm wishes. Hoping beyond hope for better days ahead fingers crossed
Hugs
