Ixempra-My experience
Comments
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Hi Lori,
I have done AC, taxotere (evil stuff), herceptin, xeloda, tykerb and now ixempra. Oh and I did Tamoxifen for 6 months too.
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to young,
youre right ,the second week has started off much better i decided to go to work over weekened i tired easily but felt better overall,i dread my next infusion also i told my family im going to take pain pills and sleep thru the week,best of luck with youre next treatment.
god bless and hugs
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Here's what I've done so far:
Adriamycin, Taxotere (twice), Cytoxin, Gemzar, Herceptin (twice, but now triple neg again), Xeloda, Tykerb, Navelbine, and now Ixempra. I will find out next week if the Ixempra is working, I have high hopes for it!
Hugs,
Kasey
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I was wondering of any of you are taking pain management meds. I take a low dose of morphine every 12 hours. So perhaps it will help with the leg pains. I never have been so "scared" about chemo before. And I haven't had this much time in between treatments to think about it.
I sound like a basket case!!! Which is not my character!
So if I have chemo on Wednesdays, that first week is a wash out, I take it?
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Lori, I am taking 10mg of Oxycodine every 12 hours and 5mg of Oxycodone for break-thru pain. It isn't really helping much though. I have the bone pain from the Ixempra and also fatigue. Other then that the Ixempra hasn't really been that bad for me, no nausea and that is a plus.
Do you start this week, once every three weeks? After my second cycle on a Wednesday I left for vacation the following Monday and I wouldn't have done that if I was feeling bad!
Good Luck!
Kasey
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Thanks! I need to hear that! I will start on May 28th. I need to hear good things...realistic but good things!
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Awww I want no nausea. Jealous of kasey:)
I just took some vicodin a few times at night that first week after infusion. Am working full time so can't take it during day as it makes me tired. So I was popping aleve which helps for short periods of time.
I get my second dose this friday so will keep you posted. I know with evil taxotere I had a lot of pain too and it got worse as I did more cycles.
Remember Lori... you might get none of this. Few gals online thought it was easy. I just seem to get every SE known to man.
Still losing hair
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Seems like we are all having a bit of different side effects. As I get more treatments the side effects seem to be intensifying. Again it is working so I hate to complain. My side effects seem to start the second week and consist of bone pain and extreme fatigue. I take pain meds consistently the second week but can manage on tyenol the other weeks. The side effects from my xeloda seem to be worsening this time altho we had cut the dose back. The chemo nurses tell me the reports from the clinical trials were that people seemed to tolerate this better....maybe I am just becoming a wimp ???
Susanlea
Orginial dx 2/07 triple neg, 5/14 nodes pos. stage III, grade III
Liver mets dx 11/070 -
Hello again,
Second infusion of ixempra was Friday. Friday and Saturday I felt ok. Just a bit tired. Now on Sunday starting to have some pain, but nothing compared to what I had after the first dose. I have made a point of doing some pilates at home both yesterday and today. And then went for a nice walk with my hubby, friend and dog. Think the exercise and stretching helps with the pain.
My limbs feel heavy though and I am fatigued. Still have a lot of hair, but it is going, going, going....Also slept fine friday and saturday night with just ativan. Tonight is first time I am taking my vicodin.
oh and my feet do hurt. Getting blisters from walking and skin is peeling on bottom of feet...so lovely
and taste buds are hosed!Hope you other ixempra gals are all doing well!
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Hi toyoungtohavebc
This is really great what you have done it is such a great idea to share experiences because when a person tells the nurses or doctors they seem to give you this blank look and that makes me feel like I must be over reacting.
I have read up about this drug, Is it one of the new drugs? And what do they say they hope it does? I did read about a new vaccine they are still testing, that once the tumours have shrunk this vaccine will prevent it from growing. Have you heard of this?
I am on MMM know and don't know anyone on this thread that is on this treatment, so that is very scary I will know in the next 2 months if it has worked or not. So it is very interesting to hear about the other drugs out there.
Hope you are having a better day.
LOL
Minette
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Hiya,
yep i was reading about the vaccine. Ixempra is a new chemo just approved last fall. It is one to try for those who have had AC/TX, xeloda and others and have still had recurrence or growth...like me. So far my first dose did shrink one of my tumors which is great.
Today is 3rd day after infusion and more pain today and more fatigue and weakness. And most of the rest of my hair fell out in shower today.
Then I cried because I am so SICK of being SICK....agghhhh. I barely had a damn cold before cancer. So frustrating. Anyway i know the gals here can relate. And on that note I am going to take a nap.
thanks for the feedback!
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Sorry to hear you're feeling down, Tooyoung, but this thread alone is such a wonderful proof of great strength, character, and faith. I'll keep you in my prayers for positive results - be blessed!
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sorry that you are having thoose nasty s/e big hug coming youre way, i will be getting my 2 treatment friday, hope you feel better soon.
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sorry that you are having thoose nasty s/e big hug coming youre way, i will be getting my 2 treatment friday, hope you feel better soon.
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Hang n there too young - I really sympathize with you. I too am tired of feeling sick and wonder if I can take another round of this. I started feeling bad 5 days after treatment and today 8 days since I started feeling bad am starting to feel a bit better. I am thinking about about talking to my doctor about tolerating treatment -quality of life but someone just posted on another site that they are NED are several treatments with imprexa so I don't want to give up a chance at that !
I find hot baths work - of course have to be careful with the hands and feet cause of xeloda. Take care - I hope you feel better soon.0 -
thanks for the hugs and thoughts...must have helped because today is a bit better. Still have pains in my joints (wrists, ankles, neck, thigh joints,) and hair still coming out strong so finally went Kojak and shaved my head. Am pretty tired too.
are the rest of you gals doing ixempra working at all? I worked through most of my other chemos but just have no desire to do so now...
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holey moley...today i am worse! criminy...my tumor under arm hurts...lots of twinges (feels smaller again so cells must be dying). Slept horrible last night even though I took my drugs. kind of feel woosy (almost like drunk) today. Just not sure how i can continue working....depressing as i only have 6 weeks left of FMLA and i live in one of the most expensive areas in the country and am the breadwinner of the house. Someone needs to cut me some slack!
i wanna go back to bed...
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... sorry to hear about your pain, too young. How much longer on Ixempra? Thanks God it does work and it shrinks the tumor. Praying for good news from your scans!
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Please call the onc. and explain about your SE. Maybe they have some suggestions. I started Ixempra today with Tomoxifen. I haven't read that combo here. I was on Xeloda for over a year so they wouldn't give it to me as part of an Ixempra combo. But if Xeloda is making you uncomfortable, ask to cut the dosage. Xeloda also can cause bone pain as well as H/F syndrome.
For H/F I used Jergens Lotion w/Shea butter and Bath and Body works Spa line with Shea Butter. It worked very well!
I keep yawning but can't go to sleep. Can it be the pre meds? Decadron?
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tooyoung,
Are you getting SDI (State Disability Insurance) at all? If you haven't, you should look into it. If it means helping you staying off work longer, why not. You definitely need the time off right now.
Hope for shorter side effect duration for you.
I agree with Lori, maybe your oncologist want to reduce your dosage next time.
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thanks gals. I took your suggestion and emailed my onc to see what he says.
Pine: I took 6 weeks off in jan/feb and was on state disability. Have only 6 more weeks of FMLA to take and i don't want to lose my job if I cannot return after 6 weeks. Since infusions are every 3 weeks, 6 weeks only really helps me with one full cycle. Kind of torn on what to do because I don't know how long I have to do ixempra.
Lori: decadron def keeps me up!
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i do work ,but not the week of chemo i take that week off, thankfully i have a understanding boss who alows me to keep my position and work part time , i worked the same schedule with TAC as i do now.god bless
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I did work through my previous chemo treatments - A/C and taxotere and Avastin, Carboplatin and taxol but have been off since started imprexa and xeloda. I can't imagine working on this stuff - you ladies are amazing.
TooYoung - have you checked on SSDI ? People with metatastic breast cancer are automatically qualified or do you have disability through work??? I am amazed at your strength working through this!
Did I mention that someone on the triple negative site said she had just reached NED with the imprexa
it will definitely be worth the S/E to get there !!!!0 -
I do not work therefore I am able to get SSDI. And this year I started with Medicare.
Stage 4 mets does qualify you for SSDI. You should look into it.
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I do not work therefore I am able to get SSDI. And this year I started with Medicare.
Stage 4 mets does qualify you for SSDI. You should look into it.
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yeah i told my boss I need to talk to her on Monday about taking time off. I think I am going to take July/Aug/Sept off. I had so much pain this last week that I am having such a hard time working. I can get state disability and my short term disability for now and then SSDI later if I need more time at the end of this year. Gonna have to get some more hobbies though cuz i get bored easily!
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yeah i told my boss I need to talk to her on Monday about taking time off. I think I am going to take July/Aug/Sept off. I had so much pain this last week that I am having such a hard time working. I can get state disability and my short term disability for now and then SSDI later if I need more time at the end of this year. Gonna have to get some more hobbies though cuz i get bored easily!
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yeah i told my boss I need to talk to her on Monday about taking time off. I think I am going to take July/Aug/Sept off. I had so much pain this last week that I am having such a hard time working. I can get state disability and my short term disability for now and then SSDI later if I need more time at the end of this year. Gonna have to get some more hobbies though cuz i get bored easily!
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I had my scans and had mixed results with the Ixempra. The lung mets have shrunk and some are completely gone! But, there are new spots on the liver and one on the sternum now too. This is the first chemo that has shrunk any of my mets since being dx in February of 2007 so I was happy about that.
So now I will be starting Abraxane/Avastin along with Zometa. Good luck to all of you on Ixempra!
Hugs,
Kasey
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Kasey,
Cancer is scarily tricky. So your lung tumors respond well to Ixempra but your liver just spit on it?
I've always thought that they give you systemic therapy so that where ever cancer cell exists, they'll be killed by the drug(s). But is it my imagination or lately there have been increased cases of multi-organs that respond the opposite directions to the same therapy.
Well, if anything, maybe the sternum occurence will be a blessing in disguise for you. On the paper over the weekend there was an article that suggested that Zometa might be able to prevent metastatis in general, not just bone metastasis. Sort of like having a chemoprevention effect.
I'm really hoping that the 3-drug combo treatment certainly would kick butt (the cancer's, that is).
Wish you well.
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