@A MyBCTeam Member I take Herceptin and have no side effects. I have had Herceptin and Perjecta since July 2014. I had BMX and recon with TE's 11/6/14 so no more Perjecta. Perjeta is approved before surgery, not post. NOW I have begun Tamoxifen daily as well. Prior to surgery I had ACT Chemo (HER2 in one node, DCIS, IDC stage1) for a total of 20 weeks/16 infusions. It was a bitch but I slapped that bitch in the face!!

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A MyBCTea...

I was ER/PR negative and Her2 positive and they put me on Abraxane and Herceptin for 6 months, administered on the same day. I had 100% tumor reduction, with the Herceptin making my nails paper-thin, and slightly affecting my left ventricle. My heart bounced back twice. I am still NED after 5 years. I am grateful for the Herceptin, personally, and have read that when given with chemo it can be very effective. I also radically changed my diet, which my doctor allowed and tracked. The Herceptin hunts down the fast-producing cells and leaves the normal cells alone.

Today I just completed one year of Herceptin. For six months my only side effect from herceptin was a running nose. After about six months I starting having severe debilitating joint pain that lasted for about 4 months.Around month 10 of herceptin joint pain started subsiding. Now at the 1 year mark joint pain 90% gone. Oncologist can't say if it was the herceptin that caused the pain or just a cumulative effect from all my surgeries,radiation and previous chemo prior to herceptin. All in all though herceptin much easier and more tolerated then the rest of the chemo regimen.

I also just completed a year of Herceptin (along with 3 months of AC and 3 months of Taxol). I had no problems at all with the Herceptin. The only bummer was getting an iv. I had a port put in but it had to removed due to an infection. I just made sure to drink a lot of water and use a stress ball to pump up my veins!

Thanks for your responses.