Ibrance (Palbociclib)
Comments
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Monika - your news is so very exciting. I am very happy for you.
How would I find out if Oregon is one of the states with a "parity" law?
Also, I just wanted to share an interaction I had with a woman earlier today which I'm not sure if anyone will find funny because of how ludicrous it is, but here goes.
This lady very sincerely explained to me that I am going about my cancer treatment all wrong, because all I need to do is take a teaspoon of baking soda twice a day for two weeks and
my cancer would be cured. I wonder if my oncologist is aware of this? OH GEEZ!
A nurse friend asked me if I'd told the woman to step away from the bong. I wish I could think of replies like that.
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Monika, yay!!
Jazzy, that lady is cray-cray!
My TMs dropped for the first time since I started Ibrance 8/9 months ago. Finally! I'm sure the fact that I had a CyberKnife treatment to my C7 lesion also helped reduce the tumor load. Either way, I'm pretty happy it's finally moving in the right direction.
Stefanie
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Monika, so happy to hear your great news!
Deanna, Thank you for the link and info on iron and breast cancer. But now I am really confused. My mo suggested I take an iron supplement 2 months ago. This month I was happy to see that my RBC, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were all back in the normal range. All had been dropping since I started Ibrance. So maybe it is better they stay low? Or better to try and raise them with something other than iron? I would be very interested to know what your onc at UCLA has to say about this. Perhaps the lower red indicators are part of what makes Ibrance effective?
Stefajoy, congrats on your (finally) falling markers!
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stefjoy. Congrats on lowered tm's ?
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Monika that is a GREAT NEWS, I'm so very happy for you.
Theziz
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Congrats to all on the great news!!!
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Stef - So glad to hear your positive news. Rock on!
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Lindatwo - I would definitely send them the Paloma 3 study with the pertinent information highlighted. CVS Caremark is almost pushy when it scheduling my next shipment. They start calling wanting me to set a delivery date for the next shipment during the first week of treatment cycle. So, I'm thinking there must be a fair amount of profit in it for them and they would do what they can to get you approved. Just speculation though. My MO told me to send the Pfizer patient assistance application in when all of this started even though I still have a decent income with my IRA. He said they are very generous on their cutoff levels so I would say go for it.
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Good news Monika and Stephjoy!
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Stefanie
Great news on your falling markers!!!!!
Babs
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stefanie and Monica great news!!
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Hello, I've just joined this forum and am looking forward to connecting and learning more about my disease and treatments. I was stable on Femara for over 3 years, and then some activity was found in some of my bone mets (I have mets along my spine, in ribs, pelvis, and hips) in October. I began taking Ibrance with Faslodex injections, and am on my third course. I also get Lupron shots and Zometa infusion every 3 months (for just over 3 years). I've been experiencing some bodily weirdness and having some weird side-effects, like eye sensitivities, more frequent moments of anxiety/panic (I have been taking anxiety meds all along the cancer journey), and strange headaches: it moves around, top of the head, the sides, the back, and comes and goes, is not progressive or terribly painful, but super annoying. I believe the headaches are a side-effect, but my nurse navigator seems to think it shouldn't be a continuing side-effect (but she does admit she doesn't have a lot experience with Ibrance and is trying to learn from my experience). I haven't had a chance to read through the board yet, but glanced and saw that some others have experienced headaches. I find it alarming, as I'm concerned about brain mets, but it doesn't seem to quite fit the symptoms of that. It also looks like others are having eye issues as well. Anyone else have the anxiety and/or weird and frequent bursts of adrenaline? Perhaps I am just really anxious with this change in treatment after being stable for awhile. I do see a therapist, meditate, and am trying to work through anxiety, but I think it would be really helpful to hear some you lovely people. I feel like I need some assurance. My last bloodwork 2 weeks ago showed a spike in tumor markers, from the forum, it looks like others have experienced this as well. I am really hoping that the Ibrance/Faslodex combo will work and I will adjust and feel better. Thank you for any advice or words of encouragment.
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Hey, Ibrancers. I have strep throat! I am wondering if there is a point when one's Fever should bring them to the ER. I am on amoxicillin and Advil doesn't drop my fever lower than 100°. It gets as high as 103.7°! I know to watch out for neutropenic fever that is higher than 100.4°, but what about this?
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oh Dancing Veggie, I'm so sorry to hear you have strep! Can you call your onc's emergency on call number for more guidance? I would definitely call my onc asap to be sure.Hope you feel better soon
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Dancing, I would definately call my onc! Are you still taking Ibrance? They may want you to stop for a bit until this infection is under control. I have strict instructions to notify my onc any time my temp goes above 100, no matter the reason why. As we all know, Ibrance lowers our white blood cells which makes it harder to fight off infections. Hope you feel better soon!!
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Vair, welcome to the group! I have not had any headaches, but I believe others here have experienced this. I have had some blurry vision at times, and some tearing up of my eyes at times. I started adding Claritin every day and this has helped. I haver some moments of anxiety, it comes and goes..sometimes hardly any and sometimes more. Usually around scan time. I think anxiety is quite normal given our circumstances. I have been on Ibrance for 10 cycles and it has been very effective for me..tumor markers down to 44 from 203 and scans stable. You will learn more here from these ladies then any doctor could ever tell you.
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Hi Vair -Welcome! I'm glad that you have already read through some of the past pages-there is a ton of helpful information there about what we have experienced, and you will see that we have a wide variety of experiences with side effects. I just started my 6th cycle and it has been effective for me and also very manageable.
Sometimes when we are taking multiple drugs it can be difficult to determine exactly which is causing a particular side effect. I agree with Lynnwood that a certain amount of anxiety goes with the territory here. It's great that you were stable on Femara for so long, and you have every reason to expect a good response on your new treatment. Again, welcome.
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Has anyone switched from Ibrance with Femara to Ibrance with Faslodex?
Dancing veggie- do take care!
Vair, welcome. This is a great place for information. I've had the vision issues off and on. I've actually had fewer headaches than normal. I also believe the anxiety is related to our situations, but I think some pain meds can cause anxiety too
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Can anyone tell me how to add Ibrance to my signature preview? It doesn't seem like mods added Ibrance to the hormonal treatments. I did manage to add Ibrance under 'targeted treatment' but it gave the same date I began Faslodex which is incorrect so I deleted it. I recently started Ibrance(12-30-15)
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Nature gal
Add it as a targeted therapy and you can make any date you want Keep going through all the prompts
Good luck!
Bab
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Thank you Lynwood!
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Thank you Moissy!
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Vair, The first time I started Ibrance/femara combo I was having pressure headaches, almost like a head cold coming on with a little whoozy-ness, but only for about the first 2 1/2 cycles. Also, my nose had very sticky mucus and was constantly a tiny bit runny. My eyes were watery and itchy. Now I just started up the Ibrance with Faslodex and so far don't have any of that. But still have rapid heartbeat and "weirdness" like shortness of breath in my chest upon exertion, (like walking across a big parking lot for instance.) So Kaption, yes, I am on that combo. Will get my second loading shots on Monday.
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thanks, artist. Why were you changed?
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Hoping for some encouragement.
On day 14 of my first cycle of Ibrance/Femara my white count dropped to 1.8 and platelets are 33,000. Plan is to retest in one week and if counts improved, restart the combination but at lower dose. If not, wait another week. Meanwhile Tumor Markers doubled in one month. Complicating things is the Hemolmolytic Anemia I developed after 9 months on Gemzar. Has anyone else dropped their counts in two weeks and were you able to go back on the treatment?0 -
Hi Crone - Welcome to Ibranceland. Yes, most of us have had low counts and been able to continue on. The protocol is to check at the 14-day point to see how low you've fallen. I was dropped in dosage two times because of low counts and have been on the lowest dose for several cycles now with good results. I did have to sit out 2+ weeks after the first cycle waiting for counts to recover after my initial 125 dosage. It seems to be pretty common that extra time off is needed sometimes.
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Kaption, she changed me because my liver enzymes continued to climb on the combo. She pulled me off the Ibrance for about a week and they lowered a bit, but I guess not enough for her comfort. So then she decided to pull me off the Femara too for an additional 3 weeks which made me very nervous, as it was working...My Tm's were cut in half and marked improvement on my scans! Then she switched me to Faslodex with the Ibrance. I now question if she should have held off on the Ibrance until we see what my liver enzymes do with the Faslodex? I have a lot of questions for her on Monday!
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Artist, thank you.
I did well on Ibrance and Femara the first 3 months. All counts were fine on 125 dosage, pain was fine, TMs dropping, and first scan (at 3 months) was stable. Then the middle of November hit. New, extreme pain in my left hip, 2 nights in the hospital, rads, TMs up (from rads??) and scan showed some progression, especially in T10. So, we are doing TM again February 1. She said Faslodex is next. And it sounded like she meant only Faslodex. Wondering which is failing-Ibrance and/or Femara. We have a lot to talk about too.
Thanks. And let me know how your appointment goes.0 -
Btw, Artist- love the Tahoe area. My son's mother-in-law owns a lovely place in Truckee. Gorgeous area!
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Kaption, yes it is truly a gorgeous place to live and the summers are spectacular! Although I have lived here for 30 years and we used to be big skiers, and I love the beauty of the winters, the older I get and with my health issues now, the cold and snow is starting to be less thrilling! I now prefer riding my bike and hiking in pleasantly warm weather!
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