Before using trastuzumab, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
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heart disease;
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congestive heart failure;
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a history of heart attack; or
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any allergies or breathing problems.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to receive trastuzumab, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether trastuzumab passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Trastuzumab is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein. You will receive this injection in a clinic or hospital setting. The medicine must be given slowly through an IV infusion, and can take up to 90 minutes to complete.
Before you receive this medication, you may need to undergo a biopsy to make sure trastuzumab is the right medication to treat your cancer.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your heart function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
Trastuzumab is usually given once every 7 days. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Contact your doctor if you miss an appointment for your trastuzumab injection.
Some people receiving a trastuzumab injection have had a reaction to the infusion (when the medicine is injected into the vein). Tell your caregiver right away if you feel dizzy, nauseated, light-headed, weak, itchy, or short of breath during the injection.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
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chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
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feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;
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swelling, rapid weight gain;
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cough or wheezing;
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white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips; or
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fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms.
Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:
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nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
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headache; or
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tired feeling.
Before receiving this medication, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, congestive heart failure, a history of heart attack, or any allergies or breathing problems. You may not be able to receive trastuzumab, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
Some people receiving a trastuzumab injection have had a reaction to the infusion (when the medicine is injected into the vein). Tell your caregiver right away if you feel dizzy, nauseated, light-headed, weak, itchy, or short of breath during the injection.
There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while you are receiving trastuzumab unless your doctor has told you otherwise.
There may be other drugs that can affect trastuzumab. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have received too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a trastuzumab overdose are unknown.