Comments on Beating Breast Cancer | Symptoms And Breast Cancer Treatment: Herceptin side effects

I have been on Herceptin since April 2010 and it i...

2010-11-21T08:39:24.122Z

I have been on Herceptin since April 2010 and it is now November.I finished the other two drugs in August and have been taking Herceptin alone since early September. I feel relief reading these postings. I though things were my imagination. I also tell people I'm fine and great when I hurt all the time. My biggest concern is joint pain, especially my hips. Its comforting to hear that there are others who hobble around like a little old lady when you first get up. Its really embarrassing and the co-worker in my area thinks I'm just trying to get attention because later I walk OK. I try to laugh off her comments. The fatigue is so much better than with the full chemo that I have trouble judging it. I have trouble remembering what it feels like to feel well rested or get an uninterrupted nights sleep. This has become the new normal. I have also had problem with loose bowels, runny itch nose, nosebleeds, etc and blamed myself for not taking care of myself. My nails are horrible, my eyelashes have grown back some, but in no way resemble my pre-chemo lashes and my eyebrows are really thin and getting thinner. My hair started growing, but seems to have stalled out at about 3/8's of an inch. It is a totally different color and texture, but I could live with that if I just had enough to go wigless without pitying stares from strangers. I haven't said any of these things to anyone, not even my oncologist. He told me there were no side effects so I haven't wanted to complain, but I will tell him next time so maybe he will treat the next woman a little differently. Thanks for sharing so I don't feel isolated and thanks for letting me complain. I really appreciate being able to vent. Blessings to you all, Kay

I too am a nurse, have had chemo and am now on her...

2010-10-21T23:49:44.389Z

I too am a nurse, have had chemo and am now on herceptin. Despite questioning nurses, Gps and the oncologist no one could give me any answers about the things that were happening to me, things that particularly worried me like backache, loose bowels and swollen feet, thought it was cancer related as you do... Having read these comments is such a relief. I will print this off and show them, Best wishes to you all

Lynda: I am on a year of herceptin and had 4 chemo...

2010-10-07T17:20:41.627Z

Lynda: I am on a year of herceptin and had 4 chemo treatments. I have lost my hair and some eyelashes. My hair is growing back fuzzy and sparce. It looks awful and I continue to wear scarfs and hats along with wigs.I have not felt the tiredness some expressed, butdo feel fluttering in my chest from time to time.

So cheesed off, have put on so much weight with he...

2010-10-04T05:20:26.918Z

So cheesed off, have put on so much weight with herceptin as well as so many other stuff, has anyone else had this?

Hello, I have been on herceptin ll months and I, t...

2010-09-01T22:55:16.841Z

Hello, I have been on herceptin ll months and I, too, was told no side
effects ...but it is just not true ... tiredness and for me the big issue is not being able to go to sleep....ambien is the only thing that has allowed me to sleep, but then feel groggy in the morning... have gained weight in the last year...over 20 pounds and don't feel like doing what it takes to lose it... would really like to stop after my treatment tomorrow and not take the last two.... if you don't have cancer currently somewhere in your body, the herceptin does nothing...right?
and if the cancer is there...well, that is another problem in itself .... to so my way of thinking, what is this drug doing if you don't have cancer somewhere in your body??

This comment is for anonymous march17th, I was jus...

2010-08-27T21:37:54.511Z

This comment is for anonymous march17th, I was just wondering if when you said you had to stop treatments after 16; was that your idea or the oncologist's? (the same ones who say there ARE no side effects)Am also wondering if overexertion can increase ones risk for heart damage as a side effect? Igot the word today that pending another heart test, my herceptin treatments are being postponed, because my heart function has decreased by 10% scared

I am glad I came across this site today. I am als...

2010-08-19T03:31:27.533Z

I am glad I came across this site today. I am also having a lot of side effects from herceptin even though I didn't realize this was what was causing them. I lost both my eyebrown and most of my eyelashes after chemo but I thought it was from the radiation. I also have the running nose (this is getting better), can hardly walk when I first get out of bed, trouble concentrating and some fatigue. I am glad to know I am not the only one and hope that everything comes back to normal once my treatment ends in November.

my wife is so scared to start her chemo & herc...

2010-07-31T23:39:17.851Z

my wife is so scared to start her chemo & herceptin treatment so reading what all of you are going through is scary but encouraging. I admire you all for your courage, you all deserve bravery medals! Thanks for sharing your experiences, and I wish you all the best!

G - Northants Hi all, Reading these posts is so ...

2010-07-07T20:41:15.865Z

G - Northants
Hi all,
Reading these posts is so helpful as I was feeling very alone with symptoms of swollen feet and ankles, severe tiredness and bad concentration - I have had 6 herceptin treatments and starting to worry now about losing my eyelashes and brows again after them just coming back after chemo! - people ask how im feeling and I say fine when truth is I struggle to get out of bed and last through the day! - I wish everyone on this site well

When I had herceptin and Taxol for 11 week in 2009...

2010-06-23T17:16:40.139Z

When I had herceptin and Taxol for 11 week in 2009, it seemed toloerable to me. I only had neouraphy problem on my hands and was getting worst with A/C. Now I am only on Herceptin to complete one year unitl Sept. However, I started to experience joint pain on both hands and stiff shoulders and the tangling feeling is worst when I try to stretch my arm out. My feet hurt when I get down every morning and barely can walk. However, it is getting better during the day. My oncologist has no clue what is going on with me...

Hi this is the first time I have ever posted here,...

2010-05-27T16:16:04.542Z

Hi this is the first time I have ever posted here, but was so relieved to see that it is not just me that is having minor problems with Herceptin. I have been on it since July 2005 and remain to this day completely free of the disease (long may it last)

In no way is this an issue, as I just want to stay well, but my nails are an absolute mess, and I get terrible splitting of the skin by the nail, especially on my thumbs.
I have noticed some thinning of hair, and a constantly runny nose but not too bad and thankfully my eyelashes are still there. Only lost them during Taxotere.
Despite all that, I believe it is a fabulous drug that has truly saved my life.
Keep well ladies, and power to each one of you.

Lisa

hello marjorie hope all is going well,i have just ...

2010-05-11T16:03:06.122Z

hello marjorie hope all is going well,i have just had my 63rd herceptin and on it until its not working,fingers crossed.I havent lost my eyebrows but they are thning the same as my hair,i am now always feeling drained and tired also have a itchy rash but im just glad im still here watching my boys grow up,wish u and everyone on this drug all the best,,i wouldnt be here with out it xx

I had chemo followed by Herceptin which I complete...

2010-03-17T21:53:10.502Z

I had chemo followed by Herceptin which I completed in July 2009. I still feel tired and achy and get more migraines than I did before treatment. My memory problems are gradually improving. I had to stop the treatment after 16 doses as it was affecting my breathing even though nothing showed up in lungs or lung function tests.
March2010

Oh my..........I am so glad to have found this sit...

2010-01-22T13:24:51.868Z

Oh my..........I am so glad to have found this site as I thought I was loosing my mind. I have three more Herceptin treatments to go and my eyelashes have begun to fall out. I just hope that they come back but I was glad to see I was not alone, especially after I had a nurse recently tell me that there are NO side effects from Herceptin and that any I heard about was simply a lie! My feet and ankles in the morning are so stiff and sore I have to double step the stairs but that does get better through out the day. I also pray everyday to die of old age, so yes I am very thankful for Herceptin. Good luck to all you fellow warriors...........

I will finish my Herceptin treatment in April, it ...

2010-01-15T01:30:43.986Z

I will finish my Herceptin treatment in April, it is now Jan. I've had few if any side effects with it. My hair is coming back nicely after the chemo stopped and I never lost my eyebrows or lashes. My neuropathy is completely gone since Oct. and I haven't taken neurontin since Oct. Thank goodness I've dropped off another drug. Overall I'm very pleased with how I feel.
Now, the problem, my oncologist suggested today that I join a clinical trial where you cont. to take Herceptin another year for a total of 2 years. I was really looking forward to getting this port out!! It bothers me more now than when I had it put in. I guess as the tissue closes around it you feel more tugging and such. Has anyone else been on Herceptin over a year? Did you have any problems with keeping the port in that long? The literature says that prolonged use of Herceptin doesn't necessarily cause worsening of your heart ejection fraction. Mine is good now but I worry about the future. Anyone with any thoughts or experience please email me @ stac1014@aol.com. Thank you.

Has anyone experienced swollen, stiff hands at nig...

2009-12-31T05:13:32.302Z

Has anyone experienced swollen, stiff hands at night that feel better and loosen up in the morning upon usage? I have this symptom and neither my oncologist or my family doctor can tell me why.

Thanks.

Hi Everyone, I have been on herceptin since July ...

2009-12-31T05:00:24.024Z

Hi Everyone,

I have been on herceptin since July 09. I have 9 more treatments to go (I am halfway done). I have severe pain in the joint/bone of my left elbow that I did not have before herceptin. Has anyone else experienced this side effect? My doctor says herceptin has no side effects, but I too have experienced the fatigue, concentration issues and thin nails/hair (maybe the doc's need to read these blogs). Blessings to you all!

Hi there. As there appears to be no dates on any ...

2009-10-22T03:03:35.305Z

Hi there.

As there appears to be no dates on any of these posts - I'm curious to know - how's Marjorie doing ?

regards, Liitle Black Duck

oooh I'm glad I'm reading this, I thought ...

2009-08-14T22:44:56.070Z

oooh I'm glad I'm reading this, I thought it was only me with those symptoms, since the medical staff told me Herceptin does not have any side effects (???).
I've been feeling so tired and weak and in pain, specially from the waist down, sleepy and short tempered. Thanks God I have only two more to go. What I'm glad obout is that I have not lost any little eyelashes, last time I checked those little hairs are still there.
Take good care everybody!

Hello--I just had my 3rd Herceptin treatment and I...

2009-05-06T01:18:00.000Z

Hello--I just had my 3rd Herceptin treatment and I had chills and a fever of 101. I have also had the runny nose and thought I had allergies for the first time. I am glad to read what you all are experiencing so that I get perspective on what is happening with my body. I had limited chemotherapy in conjunction with whole body hypertension (treated in Germany) and had significant hair loss. But 2 1/2 months later I am still losing hair. So perhaps the loss may continue though this year of Herceptin. Anyways thanks for the input.
bethel-7

I hope this doesn't get posted twice. I received H...

2009-03-27T01:00:00.000Z

I hope this doesn't get posted twice. I received Herceptin along with chemo for 18 sessions. Chemo ended in Jul 08, Herceptin continued to Feb 09. I still have severe neuropathy in my hands and feet, horrible nails, etc. What really depresses me is my hair. It's been 8 months since chemo ended, so I truly believe the Herceptin retards regrowth since I was getting Herceptin for another months. It's growing but slowly, very thin with bald spots. I still wear hats and wigs because it looks so terrible. Have a class reunion in 4 months, guess I'll have to wear a wig.

i have been in remition for two years 52 treatment...

2009-03-07T05:06:00.000Z

i have been in remition for two years 52 treatments of herceptin one of my side affects is heart failer,my back started hurting shorty into treatment.i was told by dr's herceptin leaves the body within 6 months . but my back hurts everyday.is anyone out there suffering lone term side effects such as back aches?

Hi all, I was browsing the net and found this site...

2009-02-05T09:34:00.000Z

Hi all, I was browsing the net and found this site. My best friend is on herceptin and she's been doing great for almost a year. She does feel the tiredness but not much else. However, she is now experiencing a very long period, which was almost over the day of therapy but then resumed and has been now continuing for almost 15 days. Has any of you experienced this? Could this be caused by herceptin. Her tumor markers are negative, but she is very worried.
caterina

I had my second to the last herceptin treatment No...

2008-11-30T23:29:00.000Z

I had my second to the last herceptin treatment Nov. 24th. Thanksgiving morning I woke up to find my breast and all around it all red and kind of purple. It kind of scares me. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

Hi Marjorie,
I am at exactly the same point as ...

2008-07-02T13:35:00.000Z

Hi Marjorie,
I am at exactly the same point as you, with exactly the same things happening to me! It is a relief that it is not me "being funny" and asking for attention as some people said, "Herceptin does not give you side effects" one nurse told me. Oh well only seven more and then this will be done too, from then on only Femara ( that has its own little tricks too!)
Annemarie