Halaven - Day 1
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Crossing fingers toes eyes and knees in hopes for this drug..
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K-Lo, are you having problems with it? I just lost it. But my onc has not given me a Lupron shot to shut off my ovaries since July. My numbers started increasing right when the Lupron would have worn off. It was odd, because I had great strides on my last scan. My main liver tumor went from 2.1 cm to 1.4 cm, but I had a crop of new tumors. I wonder if they had remembered to give me the Lupron, if I would have lost my Halaven.
I can't believe they forgot to give it to me. They switched computer programs in August, so it would never had flagged to give it to me again. I was the one who had to catch it. Just like I had to catch my next Xgeva shot.0 -
I got a close pixie cut, so if it falls out I could just shave it.
I start Halaven Day 1 tomorrow.
Wish me luck!0 -
Spam, thats a drag that H worked in many areas and then let something else slip thru. I'm sorry.\
I was hoping it is the new big thing and bringing hope with it.
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Lordy I fell deep asleep today. Missed an appt.... its Okay but it cant go on and on!
Still keeping an eye out for lovely Paula.
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Im glad you heavenlies are busy w xmas and not kvetching too much. I will tho.
Past 2 weeks, day 1 day8, toughest halaven recovery yet. Stomach inetstine, sleepy tired grumpy.
BUT! Off for the rest of December! If Jan 8 scans are good, Im asking for a little dose decrease. Otherwise, I'm one of those chicks with great stable disease and nothing to do with the body we have spared.
Anyone have a best toddler toy idea? Taking your ritalin? Palliative Onc says ritalin DOES NOT decrease appetite in adults. In fact, it wakes you up enough to eat.
Pipe up Halavenites!
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Well, Mrs. Five Alive (Monique) officially started Halaven yesterday...and not a minute too soon. The Xeloda/Gemzar routine had to be abandoned two weeks ago because it outlived it's effectiveness. Halaven (eribulin) is still on trials here in Canada but she was extremely lucky and was literally the last one (of 21) approved for the trial at her hospital. Unfortunately things were starting to take a wrong turn in the last week so hopefully this can reverse some of it. The ascites is growing, abdomen/liver pains, pains all throughout the bones, tiredness itching all over, low grade fever last night, bilirubin shot from 10 to 23 in one week. And the Halaven side effects are so similar it will be hard to tell when they kick in. 4mg of hydromorphone every few hours is helping though.
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fiveAlive.... I was in pretty bad shape...not as bad as your Mrs.,....but brain eye and chest mets causing vocal cords to paralyze. Anyway, it started working inside 2 months, maybe within 2 cycles. Hope thats true for your dear one.
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Thanks for the info K-Lo. Well, I am sad to report that Monique is now in the hospital. It certainly does not seem to be related to the Halaven so I won't scare people off by posting much about it here. I will explain it more here: Mrs. Five Alive in Hospital
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Got my first Halaven treatment today. No problems so far. My counts were fairly high going in, so maybe they won't go down.
Jan
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good luck, Jan. I find it unpredictable.... when I think my counts are down, theyre not.
(I did read once that the first time you take any chemo is the most likely time to affect your counts. Which is fine because the Onc just lowers the dose to that which may be the right dose for you.)
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That makes sense, K-Lo. The worst problems I've had with my counts have always been with the first treatment -- esp 10 yrs ago when I had problems with netropenia. The first time I wasn't really prepared. I had been exposed to the flu and just assumed that's what was causing my fever. I took Tylenol to bring it down which was the worse thing I could have done. By the time I realized something else was going on I was in bad shape and was in the hospital for 8 days. The second time (with a different chemo) I knew what to watch for and got on it right away with the first sign of fever, but still had to go to the hospital for several days.
So far I'm not having any problems, but it's only been two days.
Jan
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No real problems with first treatment other than both red and white counts were down. Since I didn't get any chemo the week prior to first Halaven tx, they assumed my counts were still good from previous week, so they didn't wait for new bloodwork results before giving me the tx. My hemoglobin was down from 10.3 to 9.3. No chemo that week, so the RBC drop was most likely caused by the cancer. They called me after they got the results and I had to go in the next day to get a shot of Arenesp. Got 2nd tx Dec 26. Had to go back in the next day for Neulasta shot. RBC's were also down so it's a good thing I got the shot of Arenesp. Bone pain was pretty bad with 2nd tx. I'm guessing it was caused by the Neulasta and XGeva instead of the Halaven. The first night I had pain in left hip which is new. It's just about gone now. Still having lots of rib pain, esp on left (cancer side) and left shoulder. I feel pretty good, though.
I'm off next week and then start cycle 2 on Jan 9. Onc says he'll check tumor markers after cycle 2 is completed.
Jan
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Has anyone had problems with taste from Halaven? Some things are beginning to taste funny. I hope I don't have as many problems with taste on this as I did on Navelbine. It makes it so hard to eat when food tastes awful and I can't afford to lose any more weight (currently 86 lbs).
Jan
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Dear Jan, <Not crazy about this:
, they assumed my counts were still good from previous week, so they didn't wait for new bloodwork results before giving me the tx.
I dont know if my wight loss is realted to Halaven but I enjoy the food I eat. did you say you ARE on Remeron? Apparently it works for most people. I had to say "No" because I want to enjoy food but stay at my ideal weight and Remeron made me feel like I could gain 50 pounds really fast.
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Jan, I have been on Halavan for 8 rounds now and I lost about 40 pounds, which was great for mem but it would definately be a big concern for you. I just lost my appetite, I didn't think it changes the taste of food.
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It didn't do anything for my weight.
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Stefanie, I can force myself to eat if food doesn't taste bad. When I was on Navelbine, food didn't just lose its taste. It tasted HORRIBLE and meat tasted the worst. Any kind of beef tasted worse with each bite I took and after about 5 bites it tasted like it was rotten. If I had taken one more bite I would have gotten sick to my stomach.
Today only sweet things taste funny.
Jan
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Im sorry, Jen, Did you say you tried remeron?
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bump
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No, I haven't tried remeron. This past week food has tasted better, so maybe the Halaven is not goint to affect my taste like Navelbine did.
Jan
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Well, Heavenlies, As you know H turned my significant progression way back "last year".
I've been on it since March 2012 and Dec 31 chest, abdomen, pelvic scans were stable. They check brain and eyes next week, but I am confident that they will also remain stable.
Its kind of unbelievable since every other drug worked for about 6 months and then progression forced a change.
Good luck to us all.
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Congrats K-Lo!!!!!
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Mon and Tues I was pretty tired and still had some bone pain. Feel better today, but a little shaky on my feet. My weight is down to 82.5 lbs, so maybe that's why. I'm eating, but apparently not enough. Can't eat anymore at one meal than I already do, so I'm going to have to eat more frequently.
Since yesterday I have been passing a lot more urine than usual, so I'm wondering if my latest weight loss is due to fluid loss.
This is my rest week, so I have no chemo tx until 12/9. Hope I'm strong enough to get it.
Jan
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That's great, K-Lo! I hope H works that well for me!
Jan
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Jan, Do you have palliative/supportive care? They had me talk to a nutritionist who advised adding protein and they gave me the remeron. Im worried about you!
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No, I don't, K-Lo. I don't think I can get any more chemo treatments if I go into palliative care. I'm going to talk to my onc about it when I see him on the 9th.
I've made a point of eating as much as I could today. My last weight really scared me. I had a sliced turkey sandwich for lunch with two slices of turkey (each one has 9 gr of protein). I had liver and onions, baked potato and corn for supper. It about wiped me out to cook it and I had to have my husband finish part of it, but I ate pretty well. If I'm on my feet for very long, my heart starts to race and I feel light-headed.
I feel sure the problems I'm having are being caused by low RBC count.
Jan
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Jan, what we have here is a service really is more of Supportive Care. They take care of anyone who has or ever has had cancer. Imagine a man whose body was damaged by radiation tx, even tho cancer free, has problems they would understand.
I'm glad I see this dr because she addresses issues my onc never thinks of. She gives me Ritalin and instructs me to take senna because of the constipating meds.
Ok so great you are getting protein in. Apple was taking Megace for appetite. They say Remeron puts weight on people. That SCARED me! But if I kept getting thinner, I'd be glad to take it.
Best of luck.0 -
Kathy,
We have hospice/palliative care, but I don't know exactly what it involves. I'm still feeling pretty tired. If I'm not feeling better tomorrow, I will call my onc and get in to get bloodwork down. I feel sure my RBC count is down. I will also talk to my onc about nutrition and the drugs you mentioned.
Jan
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I did fairly well on Halaven. There was one day I always slept foe 18 hours. The Ritilan help with the rest of the days.
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