Ibrance (Palbociclib)
Comments
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Jen, thats tough - if it was a scratch that's one thing, but a bite? I'd head to urgent care just for peace of mind. Just takes one small thing to upend the apple cart, so to speak, you know?
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Lee, I'm sorry you find yourself here, but hope you'll get some helpful info from others who are in the same unfortunate boat. I sometimes have low counts, and did on my first cycle too. My MO said it was no big deal and had me take an extra week off the Ibrance. My counts came up after the extra week so on I went to the next cycle. This happens to me maybe every few cycles and MO has kept me at 125, not that I would mind being decreased. Maybe you could ask if taking an extra week off would help. It helps me a lot.
Lumpie, I love dark chocolate but that study used 90% dark, very dark. I wonder if regular dark chocolate would help, and how much I'm gonna have to eat.
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Philly T Y for your s and dentist dad info.My dentist called my MO last time.SHe said blood counts so good I could have open heart surgery..love her sense of humor!!!
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Piggy,
I just reviewed my white cell counts over the last several months and think you are correct that vigorous exercise may lower ANC. Mine have only been above 1.0 at one point and that was when the pool I use was closed and pickleball was on hiatus. I also remember coming back from a trip a few years ago, feeling great after kayaking for several days and being surprised how low my ANC was. However, I am rarely sick so I don't plan to stop exercising. I have remained at 125 and never skipped weeks b/c my oncologist and I agree that if I am not getting sick, there is no problem. She has mentioned that the low ANC on Ibrance seems different from low ANC on chemo. My cancer center is doing a study now on exercise and Stage 4 breast cancer but I didn't qualify b/c I was already exercising above their baseline. It will be interesting to see what they find.
Philly-Glad you have finally been approved for the petscan. Persistence!
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Well..I guess it is opposite for me. I usually run 2+ ANC the first week back on Ibrance.
Except last cycle..had bad cold during my week off and was inactive, in bed. My ANC was 0.7. Still think virus hit my neutrophils when they were waking up.
Ibrance doesn't kill your cells like chemo, just puts them a "suspended animation" until you cycle off.
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Serenity, I have no problem testing to see if dark chocolate enhances Neutrophil counts. I'll stick with sugar free though. Thanks for posting that study. It's nice to read some good news.
Jen, Going to urgent care sounds like a good suggestion.
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Philly great news.
I like the dark chocolate find and will try it sugarless. Any suggestions for brand/type
Tanya
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Philly...glad you're able to get a PET. Praying for good results.
Jen...how did you make out? I hope you went to the ER/Urgent Care.
I love dark chocolate. I usually get Pascha Organic. It only has 4 grams of sugar per serving.
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Thanks everyone!
And I LOVE this chocolate report!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I usually get sugar free dark chocolate covered almond bark from Sprouts. It's so good. The problem is once I start eating I won't stop.
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Jen, hope you got the bite checked out?
Lee don’t worry...I’m 20 months down the line and was dropped to 75mg Ibrance very quickly. Also I need 2 weeks off to recover. I am however no evidence of active disease on scans currently, after finding a new tumour on my chest wall and pleural effusion with metastatic cells. Give the drugs a bit of time and try to relax a bit about dosage changes. We’re all very different. All of this was advice given to me when I joined too!
Next scan March 13th.... scanxiety here I come...but I’ve been doing yoga with a cancer specialist group (which is actually really hard!) and completed my Reiki level one. I am the very last person to be ‘jangling crystals and shaking beads’, but I’ve found these sessions to really help relax in the present and breathe, be mindful/ grateful and also recognise there is definitely energy beyond our current understanding.
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Hi SandiBeach
Could you clarify your comment for me as I think I’ve lost track of who was where with their lab work?
Do you have your labs done the day that you’re starting back on the Ibrance or after you’ve been on it a few day ?
Secondly, I like your “ animation “ description but does that mean that the neutrophils kill the cancer cells during the week off when the Ibrance isn’t there to keep them suspended?
If it’s not killing them, then why don’t they show up on scans ?
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Hi All
I have had about 4 different times usually about a week apart, since I started on Ibrance beginning of Jan., terrible stomach cramps and then diarrhea with my stomach feeling like I will throw up, the last 3-4 times I did not vomit but this am I could not stop the vomit. No real nausea just cramping in my stomach and diarrhea. Once it is over I can eat and my stomach doesn’t hurt. I was wondering if this sounds like a Ibrance side effect. I also take falsodex injections once a month. I take Turmeric supplements everyday and read somewhere that it can cause Ibrance to be stronger in your body. I still am on the 125mg. Any one out there have this kind of reaction? I go to my MO on Tuesday to have blood levels checked and will mention it also. It seems to happen in the am.
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Imagine, I had stomach cramps and diarrhea my second cycle on 125 mg. No nausea or vomiting. I asked my MO if I could switch to 75 mg. He said yes (like he had a choice). I did. I've been ok for almost four years. Maybe drop down to 100 mg?
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Hi Ginny02, I will try my best to explain based on what my MO said and my literature reading.
1. I have my lab work every 4 weeks, trying to aim for the end of the week of no Ibrance. Sometimes schedules don't mesh and I end up with labs drawn the first few days of 1st week back on Ibrance. Typically, my neutrophils are the highest during those days.
Last month, they were not..I blame a viral infection that affected normal bone marrow neutrophil production. Who knows..
2. I am not sure about your question regarding "neutrophils killing cancer cells during week off". But I will answer it like this:
During your week off Ibrance, your wbcs, rbcs, platelets resume cell division. They are not killed off, like in systemic chemo. While on Ibrance, the division cycle is paused with normal cell die off cycle continuing.
As the Ibrance leaves your body those 7 days off, your antiestrogen is doing its job.
Plus during that week off Ibrance, the overactive, fast growing cancer cells do not resume growth, their growth is stopped or slowed down. They just don't behave like normal cells.
CK 4,6 kinase are proteins that are needed in all cells to help divide and grow. Unfortunately, these kinases become overactive in ER+ cancers. Ibrance steps in and stops or inhibits the cell division of these bad guys.
If anyone else can help answer Ginny02, please jump in and respond.
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Jen - Hope the bite is healing well.
Dark chocolate - I've read Green and Black's is good, but my husband usually stops at the Lindt outlet for a variety of hard-to-resist chocolate. Since reading that study, I've added a teaspoon of cocoa powder to my black coffee. Today I added a dash of cinnamon as well. I'll need to play around with it.
Karenfizedbo - I've tried Reiki a few times, but unfortunately I didn't feel it helped. I find Qigong helps me.
SandiBeach57 - Your explanation sounds similar to what my MO told me. I'm in my 3rd cycle. My counts have been low, but he hasn't reduced or delayed my treatment. I haven't been sick.
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Sandi- Good explaination.
I have my MO appointment tomorrow. I have seen my recent scan results--CT and bone scan--on the patient portal. But tomorrow is the official report of the results. I have a couple of questions for my MO. I read EVERY word of the reports and then ask my MO anything I do not understand or have questions about. Probably drives my doc crazy as her patients usually just agree with what the doctor says with no question. Oh well. I read things are still "stable". Can breathe for 3 more months.
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Imagine,
I'm not sure if you should be taking Tumeric with Ibrance. That could be part of your problem. Check on the Memorial Sloan Kettering website -- they have an herb section where you can see if things will interact (or you can probably simply google it -- but annoyingly, every time I have an Ibrance question, the Ibrance part of the question seems to overwhelm google and I have to sift through all kinds of info to find what I want!)
I agree with Jaycee, though -- I'd talk with my doctor about a dose reduction (says the person who is still on 125 mg in her 7th cycle).
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Imagine, I have an occasional bout of stomach cramps then diarrhea--maybe once a week? I cannot predict it, but it has been going on since I first started 3 1/2 years ago, and I am still on 125 mg. Lately it has actually happened less often. I have found one Imodium stops it quickly if needed.
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Hi Imagine,
Sorry to hear about your stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea. I would definitely reach out to your MO and let them know. A simple dose reduction could help. Ibrance DOES cause GI issues. I had to go on an acid reducer called Protonix because I ended up in the ER with gastritis a couple weeks ago. My MO had actually recommended that I take something like that a long time ago, but I turned it down for fear of being on more meds. But an interesting thought - sometimes we need to take another medication so that we are able to stay on our cancer meds. So I will do whatever it takes.
As far as turmeric, it can cause gastric upset too. My understanding from pharmacology courses in nutraceuticals is that turmeric actually SPEEDS UP the metabolism of Ibrance in the liver, making it LESS effective, not more. But yes the MSK website with drug interactions is a good resource to check, as someone else posted.
Hope you feel better ASAP!
OXOXO
Philly
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I will definitely stop the Turmeric as I do not want anything interfering with Ibrance, My MO appt is Tuesday so I will talk about a dose reduction for sure. Thanks for the imput
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Imagine- My Onc told me to stop taking tumeric supplements as they can increase estrogen? She said tumeric in food is fine. I had been taking tumeric / black pepper supplements for a couple of years as I had read they reduce inflammation. Sigh - so frustrating. I am sorry you are having GI issues and hope that a dose reduction helps, or your onc has some other suggestions.
Jen - hope you are ok and your dog bite is healing. I know a completely healthy woman who was bit by a neighbors cat and ended up in the hospital for a few days. I don't know if dog bites can do the same thing but it's always best to err on the safe side.
Serenity - I love the dark chocolate info! in 2019 prior to my November dx I pretty much cut out all white sugar and white flour. I found Lily's chocolate which is sugar free (sold at whole foods, sprouts and some other stores) and it is pretty good!
Philly - great news that your scan has been approved! Sucks that we have to be sooo persistent.
Ginny02 - I don't have an answer for you.....good question!
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HI Lauren, Ive been following this Ibrance thread for about three years but now I'm also on Herceptin and Perjeta in addition to Ibrance Letrozole. Are you on these too and do you have any advice on managing the side effects of this combination?
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Thanks spookiesmom for the turmeric and herb update.
Sandi beach thanks for excellent explanation of how the ibrance functions and affects our organs.
Philly I used to take the turmeric black pepper combo and then awhile ago someone posted on here about it affecting the ibrance.
Have a good day all
Tanya
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Home from MO appointment.
Asked about dentist visit with Ibrance use---- ok for dental exam and cleaning. But ANY work needed would need prophylactic antibiotics and be off Xgeva for a period of time.
Called dentist when home---need note from MO before making appointment.
Edited to say- "Stable" and scan in 3 months.
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Second month in a row I've got a cracked spot/small sore right corner of my mouth. Any thoughts on solving this? It's really annoying and it starts healing and then I yawn and it cracks again. Ugh...was hoping last month was an aberration.
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My wife had her first blood work today since going down to 75mg of Ibrance (starting in Cycle #8). Neutrophils came in at a whopping 1.3 (versus the normal 0.9 at the end of her cycle). She's due to get a scan next week so bring on scanxiety.
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Serenity, thank you for your input on withdrawing from meds. Rosie and Karen, thank you for the info on Ibrance. Have appt. tomorrow for Faslodex shots and the Xgeva shot. Maybe I will get my 75mg. Ibrance too.
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BLMike,
Good luck on the scans next week and anyone else with scans coming up.
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