Going through chemo for breast cancer--want advice please

Forums: Health, Breast Cancer, Medical, Chemo
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Hi all, I have a question regarding a drug called Herceptin. Of course, I am bald, and looking forward to being not bald...My oncologist told me (today) that my next round of chemo will involve Herceptin, and that it does NOT cause hair loss... I've already visited the Herceptin site, and it does not mention hair loss as a side effect...Is there anyone out there who has taken this drug that can assure me my hair will grow back while taking it? Thank you! PamO---36 year old, Mom of 3

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Pam--

I had chemotherapy for breast cancer seven years ago. I don't think Herceptin was available then, but the drugs my oncologist used caused hair thinning, but not hair loss.

Hold your dominion.

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I have no idea about the drug of which you speak, Pam, but I would like to take the time to wish you the best during this traumatic ordeal.

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Presumeably your oncologist knows one way or another. I'm sure it'll be nice to get all this over with and get your hair back...

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This is a good overview of the drug.

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/cmi/h/herceptin.htm

I looked at 6 different websites and this is the only one that mentions hair loss at all. I encourage you to take a look at the Mayo clinic site. It has lots of other additional information to aid in the effort to educate yourself about it.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/Herceptin/BR00012

Excerpt:

Quote:

How does Herceptin compare with other forms of adjuvant therapy, such as chemotherapy, tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors, in terms of side effects?
Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody, zeroes in on cancer cells much more closely than chemotherapy drugs do, thereby sparing surrounding tissue. Because it's a monoclonal antibody and not a chemotherapy drug, Herceptin doesn't bring about the same side effects as chemotherapy drugs do, such as nausea and vomiting, hair loss, and increased risk of infection. And Herceptin is not an anti-estrogen treatment, so it doesn't cause side effects related to the lowering of estrogen levels, such as bone thinning or hot flashes. However, Herceptin does increase your risk of congestive heart failure. Although this risk is low, the trial doesn't provide long-term outcomes, so it's possible this risk could increase over time. Your doctor would need to follow you for any signs of congestive heart failure.

Good health and strong spirits to you in your battle.

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Thank you so much for responding. Tomorrow will be my fifth time to infuse, and my first time using Tamoxifen and Herceptin. Tamoxifen will keep my head bald, but I stop that drug in Jan. Then I radiate from Jan.-March...and then comes 8 infusions of only Herceptin until late June. Then I'm DONE!

I was thinking I was going to be like this ("like this" meaning bald, drippy nose, runny eyes, mouth sores, exhausted...all of it! Sometimes you wonder if I can go on...) until June, but I was pleasantly surprised this morning at the Dr. office.

I am strong and I'll make it! Again, thanks. I appreciate this community very much. PamO Smile

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Good to hear. Hang in there...

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I recently had my own tiny little scare. Had a 59 pound ovarian cyst removed and a total hysterectomy. Thank goodness there were no complications and no evidence of cancer. Recovery is zipping along at a rapid pace.

I only had a momentary scare and small inkling of an insight as to what you're going through. Trying to gather enough strength to search for the info you need is time consuming and tough at times. It takes a heck of a lot more energy to do that than people realize. When ever you need some help pinpointing information resources on the web, don't be bashful about asking us for help. In this case, as in mine, it isn't that you're too lazy to do the Googling yourself, sometimes we just need someone to help sift through all the junk so we can save our energy for reading once the gems of info are found.

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So glad you are recovering well. I cannot begin to imagine what you have been through...must have been a nightmare. And you are so right about the research! I will make sure to pass along the generosity in the future.

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Wishing you well, PamO.

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Best wishes to PamO and to Butrflynet.

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Thank you for all well wishes! I want to say that when I mentioned Tamoxifen, I meant to say "Taxotere." That was the 5th infusion today, Taxotere and Herceptin...again, thanks!

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Going through chemo for breast cancer--want advice please

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