Topic: herceptin and fatigue

Hi Kathy-

I dont know if you just finished chemo to or what, but I started my Herceptin with my Taxol.  I was very fatigued, but think that it was from having both Taxol and Herceptin.  I am seven months into my Herceptin and I feel great!  I get triple doses every three weeks.  I sleep the entire day on the day of my treatment.  I believe it is from the Benedryl that they give me, plus, I take an ativan that day too.  So, hopefully, your energy will start picking up some.  Good luck to you.

Hi, Kathy:

I've been on Herceptin since October '07, every 3 weeks with no fatigue nor achiness, even with the initial dose. I think it helps to get out and walk as much as possible. My goal is everyday, but some days I just don't get out there. Now, I am doing 15 days of twice daily radiation. I have been a little tired after my afternoon session but I think it's just the stress. Only problem now is I don't think the Herceptin has helped much....just had a mastectomy for a recurrence. Soooo, on to Herceptin/Gemzar very soon.

Good Luck! Hope it gets better with the Herceptin.

~Barb

I finished by year of herceptin on 2/19/08.  I would have period s where I felt tired during the day.

The day I had the herceptin infused I would sleep like a rock for 10 hours that night.

Over the next two weeks, I would sleep 9 hours a night.

During the third week I would gradually go back to 6 -7 hours a night.

Now that I am off the herceptin, I sleep 6-7 hours a night.

I have been on Herceptin for 4 1/2 years and I do feel tired, but not horribly so.  Thank goodness, as I will be on it for life.....I think it is more old-age.....  :o)

Denise

Another interesting mile marker.

It has now been 2 months and 3 weeks since my last herceptin treatment.  By now, all the herceptin should be out of my body and whatever herceptin damage repairs the body needed to do must be completed.

Starting the beginning of this week, I noticed I have a lot more energy.

I thought the way I felt during the last year of herceptin treatment (mainly the third week before infusion and the 2 months following the end of treatment), was my new normal due to aging.  I guess it was due to the herceptin.

Kathy,

I'm sorry you're having such fatigue with Herceptin.  I haven't noticed any side effects with the drug.  I am pretty tired most days but I just finished radiation 2 wks ago and figured that might be the culprit.  I get Herceptin every week and haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary.  My onc has me get an echo every 3 mon to be sure there's no heart damage.  So far, so good.

Also, I've read on some of the threads that some women get nail damage (blackening and lifting up of the nail) from Herceptin.  I haven't had that either -- have any of you? 

Happy Mother's Day to all moms...

Hi to all

It's so reassuring to read your comments on Herceptin.  I've just restarted it (2nd infusion yesterday) after being on it for a year that ended Jan. 07.  I have to have benedryl and hyrocortisone with it as I do get a reaction initially.  I was extremely sleepy yesterday but couldn't sleep all night last night.  Today, I've already had a bit of diarrhea and a little queasiness in my stomach.  I'm hoping that is all.  Swimangel, it's encouraging that you are a little ahead of me and finding it easy enough to take.  Good luck to all, jm

I finished herceptin in the middle of February 2008.  I also noticed that I seemed to be more tired for a longer period of time (two weeks) after the infusion as I got further into my year of treatment.

It wasn't until my energy started to return at the beginning of May that I realized I was fatigued all the time (hey- herceptin is such a cakewalk after chemo that I thought I felt good).  By the middle of May, I felt like the energizer bunny.

Herceptin has a long half life in the body and when you are on a three week dosing cycle, you still have an effective dose in your body at the time of the next infusion.  I think it takes at least six weeks for the drug in the body to drop to a point where one's body can start to rebound from the effects. 

Another Mary Jo

Whoops!! I didn't realized I had already posted this information in an earlier post.

Does anyone notice that their face seems to get pale about 5 days after the treatment.  My normally ruddy complexion becomes like marble, smooth and white.  My scalp also aches if I just flip my hair out of my eyes.  Then I fall asleep and forget until the next day.  As my treatments continue, although my blood counts are better, I am much more fatigued.  Hope you all have a nice weekend.

I have been on Herceptin since May '07. I finished chemo in December and was anxiously awaitng the great feeling I would get from being on HErceptin only. For a little while I felt okay but for about the last 6 months I feel like I am barely getting by. I am on the 3 week dosage as well and I have noticed after the last 3 or 4 doses that I don't seem to feel any better even after the 2nd week. I guess this is just another new normal to deal with as it seems that I may be on Herceptin for life as well.

I haven't felt tired on Herceptin and I've been getting it every two weeks since last April, along with Navelbine. I'm done with Navelbine now and feel much better. At one point months ago I felt very tired, but at a routine exam with my family doctor, he noticed my thyroid numbers were low - so he put me on thyroid meds and I perked right back up. So perhaps it's not Herceptin that's the culprit - maybe its low thyroid? I really believe the Navelbine caused problems with my thyroid - it was fine before I started treatment. Anyway, it's very hard to figure it all out, especially if we're on more than one drug. Feel better everyone!