Forum Discussion

StarGirl's avatar
StarGirl
Member
6 years ago

Herceptin and neuropathy

Hi, so I’ve been on Herceptin and Pertuzamab since July 2015 and the neuropathy in my feet is getting steadily worse. I originally blamed it on the taxol but I finished chemo in November 2015 so it can’t be that. Can herceptin cause nerve damage? Does it just keep getting worse? I was told by my oncologist just to put up with it but I had an eye test today and was told there looks like some change to one of my optic nerves, which doesn’t fill me with joy. Can herceptin cause eye damage? Can you get neuropathy of the optic nerve???? I would be seriously annoyed to survive metastatic bc only to go blind from the stupid drugs!!!
herceptin
peripheral-neuropathy
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    6 years ago
    I had my eyes tested yesterday. The health check results were good. My short sight is stable but the closer focusing has deteriorated. However within the normal parameters of someone my age. So yay, no cancer related effects!
  • Sister's avatar
    Sister
    Member
    6 years ago
    Chemo affected my eyesight a little (onc advised not to get new glasses for awhile after finishing) but I think that Letrozole has worsened it.  Possibly the ageing type deterioration it causes with the rest of the body.  It's as if my eyesight issues have sped up a bit.
  • poodlejules's avatar
    poodlejules
    Member
    6 years ago
    Hi @StarGirl, sorry to hear about your troubles! I had a few blurry eye days on Herceptin and then went on to take tamoxifen and letrozole for 3 months each. When I had my next optometrist appointment, they asked if I was on any new medications they should know about, I told them and they said both of these drugs can cause eye problems.........not sure if you're taking one of these?? All the best, Julie
  • Blossom1961's avatar
    Blossom1961
    Member
    6 years ago
    I got PN from herceptin and my onco refused to acknowledge it. My GP looked it up in the Australian medical journal, the herceptin manufacturers website and two other trustworthy sources, all of which confirmed that herceptin can cause PN. Other than that???? Who knows?
  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    6 years ago
    With the best will in the world, just being told to put up with it is not helpful. I got PN on Taxol, and still have it, but it steadily improved after I completed chemo, through another 9 months of herceptin. It would be reasonable to get further, more detailed advice from your optometrist and ask your oncologist to take that into account. Effects can vary immensely, and one person’s experience does not prove too much, but anything getting steadily worse needs a bit more investigation. When all else fails, a second opinion is your prerogative. Best wishes.