Forum Discussion
Heart Failure due to Herceptin
Hi All!
After some advice please. I have just had my Herceptin treatment stop for a second time due to Heart Failure. When I began my function was 55%, then dropped to 37% after 5 rounds. I had approx. 5 months off treatment and spent a lot of time with my heart specialist and then we started Herceptin again. I have now completed round 9 of 17 but unfortunately my function has dropped again, not quite as low but as not above 50% neither the oncologist or heart specialist are confident to continue with treatment. I have accepted that this will probably be the end of treatment for me. :( Not happy about it but in the end I guess no use having a heart that isn't up to scratch.
As I am now on the highest dose of both Bicor and Ramipril the only option left to increase the heart function to add another drug Aldactone. I have been advised to have a strict low potassium diet while on this pill to avoid renal failure. I have done some research but still not really sure how to go about it. Any one else have the same issue? Any meal ideas/plans would be most welcome. I am hoping to see a dietician but thought in the meantime someone may be able to help.
Hugs to all
Raelene
After some advice please. I have just had my Herceptin treatment stop for a second time due to Heart Failure. When I began my function was 55%, then dropped to 37% after 5 rounds. I had approx. 5 months off treatment and spent a lot of time with my heart specialist and then we started Herceptin again. I have now completed round 9 of 17 but unfortunately my function has dropped again, not quite as low but as not above 50% neither the oncologist or heart specialist are confident to continue with treatment. I have accepted that this will probably be the end of treatment for me. :( Not happy about it but in the end I guess no use having a heart that isn't up to scratch.
As I am now on the highest dose of both Bicor and Ramipril the only option left to increase the heart function to add another drug Aldactone. I have been advised to have a strict low potassium diet while on this pill to avoid renal failure. I have done some research but still not really sure how to go about it. Any one else have the same issue? Any meal ideas/plans would be most welcome. I am hoping to see a dietician but thought in the meantime someone may be able to help.
Hugs to all
Raelene
2 Replies
- Hi. My LVEF dropped as well on Herceptin but I was able to restart after delays. I think the dietician should be able to help a lot. In the mean time a lot of organisations that deal with kidney failure have advice on low potassium foods. Another good one that I found was http//www.uptodate.com/contents/low-potassium-diet-beyond-the-basics. There is a side bar on this page where you can click for a table of low potassium foods as well as an example diet plan.
Hope this helps, and good luck with everything.
Nadine - Sorry to hear of your struggles. Mine dropped from 69% to 44%. After captopril was started and I dropped some weight quickly it came up to 58% with only a 13 day delay needed. I am hoping it has stayed there. ..will know next week.
The link below is for a low potassium diet as recommended for people with renal disease. It might help you while waiting for an appointment.
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/potassium
