Ibrance (Palbociclib)
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Hi ladies!!
Went in for my monthly check up todayand counts tanked on 100mg, so I am on a break again. Go back for bloodwork next Wednesday. If it is still low, I will have to move down to 75mg. Joint pain has increased tremendously over the past few days, especially in my feet. I also had to get a chest Xray as I was starting to have pain on one of my ribs. Praying hard for no progression. Other than all of that, I have been doing pretty good. I need to figure out what is next for as far as working. Chasing behind high schoolers has become a little too demanding. Praying all of you are doing well!
Monika
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Tina2 - If you contact Pfizer, the maker of IBrance, they have patient assistance for patients who have insurance but cannot afford their co-pay.
They also has patient assistance even if you have no prescrition insurance. I get my IBrance this way.
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Monika, I just got lowered to 75mg because of fatigue and blood counts. I feel somewhat better now. For example, I have made a simple dinner most nights this week, whereas before, week three of the Ibrance cycle meant take-out every night. When is your next scan? Does your onc use TMs?
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I can't keep up! I'm on Ibrance 75 bc my WBC keep dropping. SEs are heartburn, some nausea at times, itchy scalp and increased psorasis (I had it already), headaches in the morning, and fatigue, though my onc said that could be from my low blood counts.
Artist and Jobur - awesome news on the scans and results! So happy for you both!
Babs- I'd be interestd in the clinical trial you are on as I was thinking Xeloda next but would want something w less side effects!
Max-glad you caught the clots early and treated them and glad you are responding well to treatment.
I keep up more on the bone mets thread, that's my main area I converse in on this board.
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I guess we will be using condoms until I'm not interested in sex anymore. I'm off Palbo, etc and switched to Doxirubicin (Lyposomal) chemo every 4 weeks. Definitely back to condoms while on that. It seems that Oncologists don't want to admit or address that cancer patients want to live as "normal" a life as possible, and don't address sexuality beyond prescribing estrogen lubricant. (Which I wonder if it is good for us Estrogen + patients). Lubricated condoms aren't so bad, just difficult to adjust back to when you haven't needed them for years! Thanks everyone for advice
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Well, I'm finally no longer a lady-in-waiting for Ibrance! After six months of chemo, then an insurance fight, I started Ibrance/Aromasin four days ago. Yay! Very grateful to have access to this drug, and a bit nervous too as pain has increased since I've been off chemo. But I'm nearly six years into stage IV, so I guess problems are inevitable. Is anyone on the Ibrance/Aromasin combo? It seems unusual from what I've read here. Thank you all so much for your posts on this thread, by the way. I spent the whole summer reading and educating myself… I feel prepared!
Rose.
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Hi Rose and welcome!
I haven't noticed anyone on your particular combo, but it does seem that oncs are trying Ibrance with many different AIs. Sorry to hear you have had an increase in pain, hope it is short lived and you get great results with this tx. That's a LOT of reading to get through all 90 page of this thread!
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Rose - welcome! Happy to hear that you were able to straighten out your insurance and get started on Ibrance. I hope the increase in your pain will subside now. That's great that you have been keeping up with this thread. Wishing you a verylong success with this treatment!
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Thank you for the welcome, jobur and Hummingbird!
I'm just curious how long it took for the Ibrance to kick in for you all? It seems it may be slow to take effect?
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Steelrose...
Started Ibrance/Femara in June, by September liver mets decreased by half their sizeand the lump in my breast is undetectable. I will get another PET in January.. Hoping for good news.
Monika
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Welcome, Steelrose. I am on Ibrance/Aromasin/Faslodex. Haven't heard of anyone else on Aromasin with Ibrance besides us. I am glad you were able to work it through insurance. I had some troubles with that too.
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Great news, Monika! I hope your Ibrance success continues into the New Year and beyond…
JFL, wow, you're a triple threat with Ibrance/Aromasin/Faslodex. Nice to know I'm not alone on my combo! I flunked Faslodex, darn it.
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Monika, sounds like you got a mixed bag of news. I hope the blood counts and joint pain get better. But decreasing mets are great! Thanks cJanet, It was good news. Now just have to find out what is causing elevated liver enzymes and starting to feel somewhat short of breath so need to go get it checked out.....blah! Welcome Rose, I hope this combo works wonders and decreases the pain. Six years and going strong! Shetland, making dinner for most of the week is huge!
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Hi! I started Ibrance along with Exemestane Nov.12th. So far no side effects at all! I wish us all the best!!
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Hi everyone and welcome, Rose and Sandy!
Here's more info for our Ibrance databank: My previous blood test showed what my PCP called "mildly elevated" liver enzymes. At the suggestion of my PCP, I stopped taking my statin med for cholesterol, which I've taken for two years without ever having a rise in liver levels. She thought the liver numbers might possibly be due to a drug interaction because Ibrance is so new and interactions may not be fully known yet. I had also decided to stop all supplements except for calcium and D until the next blood draw.
My most recent bloodwork came back with normal liver enzymes. Coincidence? Who knows? My alkaline phosphatase is also in the normal level for the first time since starting Ibrance/Femara. My tumor markers are still dropping.
I will probably stay off the statin drug for awhile because I am borderline as to needing it anyway. But just throwing this info out in case it may help someone along the way.
I'm now on 75 mg, Ibrance and this is the first time that I haven't had to sit out an extra week at the end of the cycle. So yay!
Scans upcoming. Wishing you all well!
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Good luck with your scans Moissey! Sounds like things are going very well for you. I have done 21 days of Ibrance and am now waiting for WBC to rise to start my next cycle.
Hi Sandy. Good luck. I developed that hand rash thing, and apparently knocked out my WBC count, but otherwise: no icky side effects.
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Hi Moissy,
Concerning liver enzyme, I had very normal all the enzymes before I started the Ibrance. I have never taken any statin or cholesterol medicine or any kind of supplements. But from the 2nd cycle of ibrance at 100 mg it shoot up four times, scared a lot as I have abdominal pains since beginning of the ibrance course. However last lab at the beginning of 4th cycle of 75 mg after one week off period, all the liver enzymes reduced to half (still two times higher). Will wait to see the next lab, do not know when yet. My doctor says its ok as the Ibtance metabolize in the liver, hence it may elevate the enzyme and would be ok upto 5 to 6 times of normal level.
Hope you will find more info regarding this and will let us know. Thanks to bringing the issue. Wish you good luck with your upcoming scan!
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Moissy and junjun, Thanks for that new info. It is reassuring to hear that they do settle down. I started a B complex supplement and it seemed that a few weeks later the enzymes were up so hmmmmm......I am seeing a liver specialist next Monday just to get a new perspective on recommendation of my Onc. Today I went to the ER because I was experiencing worse than ever before rapid heart beat and short of breath when exerting myself. Did a bunch of tests and said everything looks fine, no blood clots or enlarged heart. Phew! So far I have been able to stay on the 125 dose but wonder if reducing would get rid of that particular SE. Good luck on the scans Moissy!
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Hi Sandy, Glad your 4th day on Ibrance is going well so far. I keep a journal and write down what I think might be a side effect and then check it on my next cycle. I started 4th cycle this week too. Side effects seem to vary from a rash, to indigestion, fatigue, a sensitive tongue, and only three times nausea (easily helped with Zofran) and yes-low white blood count (ANC). I can easily live with these. They have given me an extra week to recover my white blood count so I'm still taking the 125 Mg dose. Take Care....
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Just started cycle 2, my white count started is starting at 3.9,, which was 10 days after last dose wondering how long it will stay high enough (cycle 1 they didn't check mid point as I started at almost 9) I am having heartburn they actually started me on something as it was effecting my eating, tiredness is huge...
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Hello Ibrance ladies! I don't post very often but I visit this page nearly every day. You are all such an inspiration and provide such a comforting place for me and so many others in this crazy world of MBC. I received my 3 month scan results today. Stable scans with some spots marginally better than they were in August! Started on 125 mg from May to August then dropped to 100. Fatigue and all overall side effects MUCH better on the 100. Very happy to be able to continue on the Ibrance/Femara combo. I'm 39, work full time and have the energy to do pretty much everything I did prior to my mets diagnosis. Only nagging thing I've had is a stitch in my right side/rib pain, however nothing showed up on the scans and my doc thinks it's referred pain from mets in my spine/lower back. Prayers and well wishes for good results for all of us!
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Zimmer - So glad to hear your great news. The thing I love about this board is whether you come here a little or a lot, there is always someone ready to celebrate the high points with you and be there when you walk through the low points. Love this board. Love this thread. And I love that your life is full of energy, Zimmer! Thanks for sharing your good news today!
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Good news Zimmer!
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Yep, that's great zimmer! Funny how little pains ca see to be one thing but actually be coming from another. Plus we are all probably extra tuned in to body twinges now. Keetmom, my counts have hovered around 3.4 the whole time (3 cycles so far). Although at the end of round 3 I am feeling a litle more breathless. Will have a new count Friday and see where I'm at. I have had a whole spectrum of SE's but so far mostly manageable.
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I was at the eye doctor for my annual exam, paging through the current issue of Oprah Magazine when what to my wondering eye should appear but a full-page (front and back) ad for Ibrance! Advertising high-end, very specificlaly-prescribed cancer drugs in popular media of all sorts is becoming quite the thing, leading people with metastasized cancer to march into their oncolgists' offices and demand to be put on the drug or at least be given more information about it.
I wonder how many of these patients will actually be able afford the promising new drugs that are now being marketed--with obviously huge promotional budgets-- to the lay population on the nightly news, online and in print.
Tina
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Zimmer, great news on your scan! My first scan since starting Ibrance was also stable. I'm also on 100mg and feeling well. Praying for a long run on this med for all of us
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Great news Lynnwood! Long may we run! Tina, not just magazine ads but television as well for all sorts of meds is just CRAZY saturated.....Wonder what that will do for cost?
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Wow! Today I woke up with a nasty stitch in my right side. That plus a cold plus tanked WBCs plus mets to lungs makes it somewhat difficult to recover my breath. What do you do to control your stitches?
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Great news Zimmer!!!!
Babs
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My onc decreased my Ibrance doseage to 100. It's only been a couple weeks but I feel so much better already. No more daily nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Yea. Just hoping it's still enough to do its job.
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