HER2 Positive

Hi sorry to hear your news! 

You have the same as me I'm Grade 3 Er and HER2 positive! I have Invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer with lymph node affected,I'm having chemo 1st  then lumpectomy after, Herceptin helps with HER2 positive as my BC nurse told me,I won't the full details yet as I'm not seeing my oncologist till Tuesday to discuss the treatment x

I was the same thinking is it spreading while waiting but apparently a few weeks won't make any difference,I was diagnosed 1st September and found the lump 2 weeks prior that date! Still waiting for treatment to start! 

Please try not to worry to much 

Sam xx

Hi Scaredgirl34

Thank you for your reply, it's lovely to speak to someone who is in the same situation, this is such a lonely journey at times.

I will try not to worry, I was doing quite well until today and then reality hit again.

Does this now mean I will get a body scan? Being HER2 Positive and needing Chemo? 

Maybe I will feel better when all this is under way, it just feels like an eternal waiting game.

Hope your feeling ok xx

I've not had a body scan,but if ur having Herceptin u will need a heart scan,have u had surgery yet? As I'm having chemo 1st then surgery x

Yes, I've had surgery on 16th August, which is why it feels like ages for treatments to start.

Is that what they call a Dextra Scan for the heart? I read about that. So much to take in but I guess we just have to have faith in what is planned for us.

I'm trying to do all I can for myself, change of diet and exercise, a bit late in the day I know.

I have even bought a bicycle! I'll probably come to a sticky end on that! Lol xx

Lol...

I'm dreading the chemo bit but if it makes us better I'm prepared to do anything x

Hi  

Sorry for jumping in on your chat - Just wanted to add this link for Muga Scan info.

Muga is the heart scan prior to Herceptin....

The Dexa Scan is to check bone density prior to starting Anastrozole or Letrozole :)

Steep learning curve isn't it ?  :)

Take care, G n' J

Hi 

I'm Er+ and HER2+ , grade 2 invasive cancer but they also discover d lots of grade 3 DCIS , so a mixture ! If you are ER+ you will have tablets such as anastrozole or tamoxifen, for the HER2+ you will have Herceptin , usually by injection every three weeks for 18 lots , to have Herceptin (to make it work even better) you have to have chemo - depending on other factors will depend on what type of chemo you have and if you have chemo first it is also often given with a new drug called perjeta. I had chemo after my main surgery , 12 lots of chemo every week for 12 weeks, but everyone is slightly different so don't try and compare what everyone else has as it depends on many different things. 

Herceptin can alter a part of your heart so you will have either a Muga or Echo scan of your heart , it is quite painless and easy really although you do need to be  Injected with a radioactive dye, this is repeated every 3/4 months as a comparison. 

I am having Herceptin no 16 next week, and on Tamoxifen too -  I was diagnosed August 15 2016 so it's a long slog but it is al doable , your oncology people will give you the best treatment for you. 

Jo xx

Hi G n' J

Great of you to join in

Thanks for the link.....more bed time reading! Sometimes ignorance is bliss but I know that's not really a good thing.

During the evening I seem to have calmed a bit, I guess each piece of news takes a while to sink in......in my case, quite a while! Lol 

Thank you, this is such a wonderful Site with such amazing people xx

Hi Jo

Thank you, that is really great information! I haven't had my Stage told to me yet, have to wait until Monday now, all they keep telling me is that it's aggressive and probably only been there for six months but that I've caught it early.

Wow....you have been through so much already. I thought you had 2 to 3 weeks break between Chemo sessions and read that gives you time to recover between? 12 sessions once a week sounds awful!

Your right, it's easy to start comparing with other treatments and we are all different.

I'm glad to hear about the heart scans, I have labile blood pressure with a very slow heart rate and take Beta Blockers, so Herceptin has worried me a bit.

xx