Ibrance (Palbociclib)
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Artist,
thinking of you today, praying for good scans!!
Alissa
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Myra,
Unfortunately, patients who participate in state or federal insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, are not eligible for the co-pay or any other assistance in paying for Ibrance unless they can demonstrate "financial hardship." It's another worrisome example of a drug company taking advantage of Medicare's not being permitted to negotiate prices, and thus charging anything it pleases, soaking the government and impoverishing patients.
Oncologists, patients and others are beginning to realize this and protest. However, hope of rectifying the situation appears to be far in the future and may come too late for many people with advanced cancers who must make the choice between a promising treatment and penury. Do we deplete our savings to get a few more months of life, then leave our spouses broke as well as bereft?
Tina
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Tina2--isn't it also true that chemotherapy-like infusion chemo (I never had it-thus my ignorance) is covered completely in many policies as they consider it a procedure, whereas popping an Ibrance daily is a prescription?
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Ellelou,
As far as Medicare is concerned, Medicare Part B covers inpatient/in-clinic procedures involving drugs: infusions, injections and the like. I don't know about "completely;" it doesn't mine. Part D, the prescription plan, covers oral drugs that one takes at home. Obviously in the latter instance, I use the word "covers" loosely.
Tina
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Tina, see if you qualify for a drug patient assistance program for Ibrance if you do get it prescribed. Even if you don't qualify off the bat, write a letter of appeal to try to get free drug. Letters of hardship count a lot towards the pharma co team responsible for distributing drug.
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Well after two months on Ibrance with a reduction to 100mg and tumor markers jumping up the first month,happy to say seen a drop in TM this month.My wbc is down to 1.8 on this dose reduction praying he will not do a dose reduction again. Has anyone had problems with swallowing it burns going down and feels like food is getting stuck? Drinking water has a burning feeling going down.Had gerds for years but not like this.
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Tina, I am not on Medicare but know about all these med bills wiping you out. My insurance company has approved my Ibrance for one year then I don't know what happens. I'm not going to worry now as I don't even know if it is working yet....Thanks 3Holly, I am done and waiting for results on Monday. This is different than anxiety for sure. Wonder if it's related to my blood pressure suddenly going up too. I hate waiting, hate it!
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I am new in this board. However was following silently. Liked to share some SE experience as sallyk experienced. I had similar problems of swallowing and burning going down and felt like food is getting stuck. Couple of times even water got stuck while taking medicine and I felt I am dying from this. All these happened when I was in higher dose of 125 and 100 mg and had very low WBC count like 1.8 and 1.9, specially at 3rd week of the cycle. However at lower dose of 75 mg, swallowing problem reduced and feeling much better. Seems its Ibrance effect, it induced acidity with abdominal pain which was bad too.
Hope you will feel better with next cycle and with time it will be adjusted.
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Junjun thanks for the reply there has been so much going on theses last 2 months getting scared of these SE. With the 125mg TM went up 70 points with coughing and low wbc counts. Now with the 100mg no coughing but sore tongue with the swallowing issues. Did have the booster shots for wbc but still dropped to 1.8. Good thing is TM went down 15 points. See the dr. Monday will see if I can stay on the 100mg.
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I'm new to the boards but am just starting Femera/Ibrance. I have bone mets and one in my skull that is possibly starting to invade the outer part of my brain. We are praying the these miracle drugs can shrink them. Guess I just wanted to jump in on the conversation, hoping to get more information, and maybe, just maybe, a little hope.
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Kristen, this is a good place to come for support, information, and hope. Best wishes to you.
Sally and others with a cough, have any of you received specific information from your doctors aboutthis being a side effect of Ibrance or Femara?
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Junjun and Kristin-
We want to welcome you both to our community here at BCO! You've come to the right place for support. Junjun, we're so glad to hear your issues resolved after changing the dose. And Kristin, we hope that this treatment proves to be successful for you.
You're both in our thoughts!
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Sallyk, did you have neulasta shots? I thought that neulasta is not given for Ibrance low WBC, but rather a break and possible lowering of dose.
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woke up with blood in my mouth. Can't see where it is coming from. Of course, this is while I am on a train to NYC. Could this be a side effect of the ibrance? My blood work was fine on Tuesday, at least there were no red flags. Is this something I should call my MO about
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Raine, how much blood is there? Sometimes I have gum bleeding, but nothing you would notice just waking up. After teeth brushing. This SE is listed on the Ibrance website. I would call MO just for my own well being. Myra.
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Thanks Myra, I went to the bathroom at 5, looked in the mirror and my teeth were red. My gums generally don't bleed even when brushing and flossing. I didn't really want to call, I didn't let him know I was traveling. But, I suppose it would be prudent.
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Raine, my first cycle of Ibrance my gums and mouth were very sore and bled rather a lot when I flossed for about a week.
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so happy to have found this thread! I just started Ibrance 11/4/15 and letrozole 10/27/15. I have been getting pressure headaches too, mostly in the morning (I take Ibrance at dinner). Thank you for all your advice! I'm a newbie in this! Diagnosed de novo in March 2015. Mets in my T3. No chemo, no mastectomy. Was on tamoxifen, but had ovaries out so started letrozole/Ibrance. Any advice appreciated!
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Alice1derland, welcome! You will get lots of support here as well as valuable information. The ladies here are wonderful. Sorry to hear that you also are getting the pressure headaches that a few of us have been mentioning. But for the most part, this treatment combo is pretty easy to handle. Wishing you a long success on Ibrance
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Alice, my were in the morning too just after rising. The headaches were infrequent and ended fairly shortly, as did most of the other SE's I experienced As I get to the end of the cycle I do experience pretty bad fatigue....
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On 😈
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😢
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Welcome Alice! Great ladies and great advice here! I read the whole thread when I began treatment. Getting ready to start cycle 8 and doing well. Very effective treatment for me so far
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Medicare update: I've discovered that my oncologist has no patients who are taking Ibrance and are on Medicare. I told his nurse of my discovery of what out-of-pocket costs would be on Medicare Part D plans in 2016. She checked my claim with the clinic's insurance maven, who corroborated my findings.
I know there is a current effort that proposes the law be changed to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. Considering the immense financial and political clout of the pharmaceutical companies, I am not hopeful that this will occur anytime soon.
Tina
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Way to go Lynnwood, keep it up! Sorry about the Ibrance denial Tina, bureaucracy sucks!
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Artistatheart,
I haven't been prescribed Ibrance, so I wasn't denied. I was just researching costs!
Tina
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Oh! Sorry for the misunderstanding. Well, thanks for the good infor for others!
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Artist and Moissy, thinking of you and hoping to hear good scan results soon!
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Thanks, Hummingbird. My scan had to be rescheduled for mid-month so I'll be waiting a little longer now.
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Hello everyone,
I'm joining the Ibrance group now. I'm 10 days into taking it after being on Tamoxifen for about 10 months before it ran its course. My last CT showed small nodules throughout my upper lung fields (which are new). Too small to biopsy but assumed to be more mets. Also feeling SOB with any activity.
I'm tolerating the Ibrance okay so far. Headaches, stomach pain, and fatigue mainly. I will have my bloodwork done this Thursday. Fingers crossed that it's okay.
Laura
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