Have many other women been told they are her2 positive? I know herceptin is such a lifesaver now, but it still scares that my type of breast cancer is so aggressive, it would be great to hear from other women with this result. Happy new year everyone!
Hi Emma I had breast cancer that was HER2+ and was diagnosed in 2007 and also had lymph node involvement. I had a year of Herceptin plus 6 lots of chemo.
Happy New Year and hope this helps.
Ruby xx
Hi Emma,
I thought you might like to hear my story. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer it was too early for her2 diagnosis & herceptin . I think if it had been available I would have been spared a lot of treatment. My first diagnosis was in 1990, then again in 1995/6, then 1997 and again 1999. That added up to a lot of chemos, radiotherapy, surgeries etc. It is nothing short of a miracle that I survived it all I think! But I then had a lot of problems with lymph nodes swelling all around my clavicle, and up my neck, jawline up to my ears. I was diagnosed with extensive bone mets in 2002, went through another couple of chemo treatments which reduced the problem with the lymph nodes but it soon kicked off again. At the end of 2003 my onc checked out my her2 status from tissue taken from the last surgery in 1999 to find it was positive and I was put on herceptin 10 years ago. The response was amazing, within 10 days all the lymph node swellings went down and couldnt be felt any more. They never returned and I have stayed on herceptin and zometa these 10 years and am still here to tell the tale.
If you are her2 positive and herceptin is the right drug for you who is to say how long it can continue to keep the cancer at bay. I hope for all you ladies who are her2+ that it will stop you even moving to the secondary stage. I am sure if it had been available for me a few years earlier I would have been spared the problems with my bones and pain control that I have now.
Dawn
xx
I’m not her2 positive but came across this post and wanted to say what an inspiring experience Dawn and Ruby. This should give any lady with her2 hope and piece of mind XXX
Hi, I got diagnosed in Oct, (grade 3 breast cancer ) and had a lumpectomy in Nov along with removal of 3 lymph nodes,one of those showed cancer cells .
I’ve just had my 3rd lot of chemo(TCH) and herceptin on tues but although I’m a bit more tired I don’t feel as bad as after the first time as the oncologist gave me extra meds to combat the side effects 
One of the tips I tried this time due to my veins ‘tissuing’ was to drink lots of water(I prefer fizzy) a few days before treatment to ‘plump’ up the veins, I also switched to decaf Nescafé and I was relieved to find that this time my veins behaved for the cannula…I hate needles !lol
Good luck xx