Ibrance (Palbociclib)
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Nicole,
Having been on letrozole for 13 years, I can definitively say no for letrozole.
However, having just received my second loading shot of faslodex this past Monday, I can definitively say that my pee smells awful with faslodex. I think that on the first loading dose, it lasted for 5-6 days, and it definitely lessens over the course of that time period. But for sure, this smell stuff is bothering me as well.
Bev
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As part of a family with hereditary breast cancer where my daughter and I have both been diagnosed, my biggest concern is that my 15 year old granddaughter will also get BC.
New technology like that in this article gets me really excited:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimvinoski/2019/07/03...
Lover from PatGMc
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I feel like every few days i am experiencing some new SE...not that it's horrible but more annoying. I have heard people mention sore throat... I have this. I thought it was just my allergies which Claritian D usually takes away, but is not right now. I also know am experiencing acid reflux periodically and I just read on the internet that acid reflux can cause a sore throat. I bought some Tums but they do not seem to make a difference. The most I have taken of them is 3 once a day? Should I be taking more? Is there something else to try? On top of that I also have horse sounding voice as well.
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NicoleRod -
I was on Ibrance for 18 months. Just switched to oral chemo.
I had significant stomach issues with heart and reflux, then cough and throat issues. The term gastric pharyngitis applied in my case. MO put me on omeprazole daily and it greatly improved. I also supplemented with ranitidine (Zantac) and Tums. Also I reduced late night eating so there was not alot there before lying down. All these things helped me to manage it. It never completely went away but was greatly improved.
Suggestion for you - Make the effort to not overdo these or any meds. Tums, for instance, has calcium in it. Overdoing calcium can create other problems. Follow instructions on the label to be on the safe side.
My MO was happy to help me with the omeprazole rx so I could sleep better and see the throat issues decrease. I suspect your MO will be the same.
Gumdoctor
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Gumdoctor thanks for the info. I read the back of the Tums and it says do not take more than 10 tablets in a 24 hour period. I am only taking 3...what did you mean by overdoing it with calcium? I do not take any other calcium supplements but what can happen if someone did take too much and how much is too much?
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Gumdoctor did you have to stop the Ibrance because of the acid reflux??
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NicoleRod,
Nausea and Indigestion/reflux = my most consistent Ibrance side effects. I've found Pepcid AC to be helpful, taken when I eat dinner in the evening.
I do use Tums broken in half and have found the Peppermint flavor to work better. I don't use any calcium supplements as the Tums give me what I need after depletion from XGeva (which pulls calcium from soft tissue into the bones)?
I find that Greek yogurt helps prevent/heal mouth sores and sore throat as well as some of the heartburn.
The beauty of Ibrance is that most side effects come and go. The longer you take it the more confidence you'll have that the current unpleasantness won't hang around. It gives a whole new meaning to "This too shall pass".
I hope today is a good day.
Love from PatGMc
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Nicole,
You can get generic omeprazole (which, I think, is Pepcid or another formerly prescription drug) at places like CVS or even better, at Costco or Sam's Club (it's much cheaper). I have been on omeprazole for about 5 years, independent of cancer. My gastro put me on it because I have a small hiatal hernia and was suffering from reflux. He advised me to take it first thing in the morning prior to eating anything, so I take it with my morning thyroid medication and BP meds. You only take 1 pill once a day. I'm not yet on Ibrance, so I don't know how it will work with that, but it's made a huge difference in my life.
Bev
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BevJen, omeprazole is Prilosec. Do you get a prescription for it from your gastro? It is even cheaper that way. Like WAY cheaper. My gastro writes my script for the 10 mg dose which I take as needed. They can write a script for the 20 mg dose, too, which is equal to the OTC brand name stuff. Some drugs are cheaper by prescription than OTC. I hope you haven't been paying for Prilosec OTC for five years.
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faslodex has castor oil in it. That is what makes your pee smell. I got acid reflux with ibrance. The nights I used tums, I didn't take a calcium supplement. Too much calcium can be bad.
Pat - I just got my first blood draw on Olaparib/Lynparza... my white blood counts and ANC are normal! My red blood cells are lower, so I am slightly anemic. I just thought you'd like to know.
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Holly, that's terrific! Any side effects? If you go a few months without side effects I may choose to switch, especially if you have no nausea.
Love from PatGMc
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Pat - I had a little bit of nausea on days 3-5. I took zofran. Then because I had constipation with it, I weaned myself off of it. I made sure I had a little something in my tummy when I took the pills. And now I eat smaller meals/snacks. Helps immensely with nausea. One day I did have diarrhea and took immodium for that. But it was one day and I think it was because of all the crappy food I had camping this past weekend. Other than that, SE have been nearly non-existent.
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PatgMc - I have to agree with you on Ibrance, the SE's are random, they come and go AND today I was told I am still stable!! I had contrast CT and nuclear bone scans on Wednesday.. and incredible diarrhea today - go figure, (but totally tolerable)
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Nicole, My MO put me on omeprazole (Prilosec) at the very beginning and I have no problems while on it. My GP tried to take me off (because it says to not stay on it too long) and tried to put me on Pepcid, but nothing, including Pepcid plus Tums, etc., helped at all. I had terrible chest pains and GERD when I went off, so I went back on Prilosec with almost immediate relief. My MO monitors my liver and kidney and I have no trouble. She writes me a script for it because it is cheaper when insurance pays for it! The two drugs (Prilosec and Pepcid) act in different ways and are not interchangeable. If one works better, it is because of the source of your GERD problems.
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Jaycee,
Wow, I didn't know that I could still get it as a prescription (and yes, I've been paying for it for five years.). When it was first prescribed, my gastro just told me to go and get it over the counter. However, now that I'm less than a year from retirement, I'm going to push either him or my internist for a prescription. Gotta make use of those prescription benefits! Thanks.
Bev
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such great advice about the prescription!
My MO just gave me an Rx for prescription Alleve. Saving me some $$!
Very thoughtful
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Well Im sick
I guess my Neutrophil number being at 800 and now at 1000 > (which I thought the 1000 was good I was cheering about that Wednesday) is still low and I am sick. I have what I believe is an upper respiratory infection. I have had them more than a few times over my 50 years so I am not usually wrong..they called in Levaquin strong dose too 750mg 1 x day. I am praying this just clears up and I get better ...I am cross posting in the Ibrance thread because I think some others have said they had a cough with Ibrance?? I am having a little flem sounding cough and a tiny heaviness in chest nothing major.I have to admit though...when the on call doctor called me back he mentioned how now when my WBC is low like it is that a little thing can turn into a big thing so now I'm scared.
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Nicole, I really don't think you should be scared. Your symptoms sound fairly mild. I actually think the knee-jerk high dose Levaquin is slightly overkill. Can you get a throat culture on Monday? I really don't like taking antibiotics without a positive culture. What you have could be a virus and the antibiotic will not work on that. Viruses, like a common cold, are just "wait to get better" kind of things. Doctors keep talking about how they are going to stop doing what yours just did to prevent antibiotic resistance and yours just did it anyway. That is what is concerning. I was worried when you were so intent on getting your ANC up to 1 that you thought that was normal. When I go off of Ibrance for a cycle, mine goes up to 7. Not 1.7. Seven. That is normal. We never get there staying on Ibrance. But still, infections are rare for people taking it. I'd hate for you to take a whole course of Levaquin when you don't have an infection at all.
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Nicole, i second everything Janet just said. Good luck.
And as usual I wish i could say as well everything that everyone else says.
GAILMARY
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Nicole I have had several upper respiratory infections while on Ibrance with a low grade fever and sometimes aches and chills, sore throat, sometimes a cough...fortunately I haven’t had to go on any antibiotics since I have been on Ibrance 2.4 years!
I am in agreement with the two posters above about the antibiotics being overkill. But if it causes you calm in your mind, then perhaps it’s the best thing for you to take.
I was able to manage the cold symptoms with simple cold remedies. I didn’t feel great, but who does when they have a cold?
One thing that may be helpful for you and the anxiety you are experiencing would be to give an antidepressant a try? I held off for way too long from starting up on one and now I am soooo grateful that I am on it. I wish I’d started as soon as I’d gotten my diagnosis. The turmoil I was experiencing would’ve been much less intense.
Hugs and love and hope you feel better soon! The URIs usually take me 1-2 weeks to heal from
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Nicole, during my 3+ years on Ibrance I have had several colds, and one bout of pneumonia. I wouldn't be afraid of a cold unless you get a fever over 100.4 which then my onc recommended I go to ER. I only have had to go once with the pneumonia. I understand the meds since you are new on this, but you may find that you fight off colds fairly well. I took antibiotics quick when I first started, but now I see if I can fight it off before I call in. I totally understand the fear so do what is comfortable for you.
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Nicole - my MO said that when your ANC got below 500, that is more of a concern. I agree with the above posters. Hope you feel better soon.
I was just toodling around on the internet and found this article about metformin. I believe someone on this board is taking it for cancer (hubby does the posting). I may ask new MO about it since my glucose levels are borderline pre-diabetic.
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Well I think because its the weekend and the cough sounds pretty bad they don't want to risk me getting worse. I have been hearing now that that dose of leviquin is actually not high at all and that most get prescribed 500 mg twice a day for 10 days... Cant remember if I mentioned it above but I only have it for 5 days.
I don't like taking antibiotics either. Especially since my first breast cancer in 2015 I got a recurrent UTI and it took a year and half to get rid of. I went to a nurse practitioner that specializes in Lyme and Recurrent UTI and Interstitial Cystitis and she eventually had me (well my husband) catherize the antibiotics into my bladder so I wouldn't have to take them orally anymore and have them going all through my system. It worked and I was UTI free for 2 years. So I am not big on antibiotics. Since it's only 5 days I may just finish them.
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Jaycee thanks for your post. So when you say 7 you mean like 700?>> like how I said I was at 800 then 1000?
The on call doctor (not my MO) said that normal level is actually 1500 so anything under that is technically low...but that on these meds yes going from 800 to 1000 is good but that, that is still not normal range.?
I don't know its all so confusing and with all the different SE's that come and go gee-wiz...*wipes forehead* it does get a little overwhelming at times.
Intothelight... yes I kind of feel like you mentioned...above I want to try and fight it off but this is my first sickness and I was feeling scared....also because once or twice years ago when I had URI and I left it, it got worse and turned into bronchitis.
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In March when I took a cycle off, my ANC was 4.37. The normal range from my hospital lab is 1.56 to 6.31. When I said 7, that means 7000 like 1 equal 1000. My lab reports the 1 type number, not the 1000 type number. Yeah, it's confusing. You get used to it. It depends how your lab reports the numbers. I did at one point have a 7 (7000) when I took several cycles off in a small period (several months). That was out of the normal range but on the high side. MO didn't comment. 1500 is the low end of the normal range. (1.5)
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Re: metformin -- interesting article. I've read some others out there that say similar things. Last week ,when I had my annual physical with my internist, we discussed my pre diabetes (I've been pre diabetic for at least 8 years) and I asked her if it would be logical to start metformin to try and regularize my blood sugar. She jumped all over it and prescribed metformin 500 mg once a day for me. We'll see if it helps, although I'm not triple negative. So -- good thought!
Bev
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Hi ladies!
My pulmonologist actually put me on pantoprozole (protonix) in the morning which controls stomach acid and ranitidine (Zantac) at night when I had a cough that wouldn’t go away. Also told me to take Zyrtec and Flonase for allergies. I don’t miss a day of any of them and have been doing great.
My GP put me on Metformin and I will only say stick to the low dose. There are uncontrollable gastro issues that arise on anything more than 500 a day for me. But hey, lowering sugar aka “the enemy” is worth it
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I’m diabetic. Diarrhea is a very well known se of metformin. Try driving a school bus on that medLOL
Take it with food, and use the extended release version of it.
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I have a question about severe sore throats.
My wife just finished up her first cycle of Ibrance (last dose on Friday - two days ago). The first cycle went well with relatively few side effects. She's now got an extremely sore throat. She's tried ibuprofen with no success. I know some of you have experienced sore throats at the end of your cycle. Is this likely evidence of an infection (scared of that, of course) or is it likely just a "normal" side effect? Her side effect warnings did state to notify her MO if she gets a sore throat, but we don't want to be overly dramatic if it's simply a "normal" side effect. As always, thanks in advance.
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Mike I got the sore throat last week..and now I am in a full blown Upper Respiratory Infection with only signs of getting worse. However, I know a lot of people on here just get a simple sore throat and that is it. I would say if it lasts more than 5 days let the doctor know try something like Claritan D though because sore throats from allergies can hurt so bad and it can be just that..allergies. Usually if it is though Claritan D will take that away because it's the post nasal drip (that you may or may not even realize you have) that causes the sore throat.
Hope she feels better soon.
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