Hi all
After discussions with my oncologist I have made the decision to stop herceptin after five sessions. This is numerous reasons: firstly, they wanted to give me a hickman line as my veins are shot and it was agony trying repeatedly to get a vein and failing. Secondly, my latest two heart scans have been 52 adn 53 - heart was 69 when I started and I’m just not feeling that great on it. I get palpitations, slight breathlessness.
It was my oncologist that gave me the option of quitting. He said it wasn’t yes decided just how long herceptin shoujld be given for to make it most efficient. He said the UK followed a study done by drug companies who recommend women like me have it for 12 months. But… they have a vested interest in pushing for 12 months. He then said there was a recent study done in finland I think where patients had herceptin for only 9 weeks, 1 session per week. He said having had 5 lots I’ve had the equivalent of 15 weeks. These patients did just as well as those who had had herceptin for 12 months. Has anyone else made the decision to quit, anyone else having palpitations?! Just wondering if I’m alone on this journey. I have to say I am relieved to have finished, I don’t want to go on tablets or be left wiht a heart complaint at the end of it all. I have had chemo and rads and ovaries removed and on arimidex. Without herceptin he said my stats were around 90% chance of no recurrence.
Would be interested to hear from anyone else who’s stopped. THanks, Carrie xx