Abraxane
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kaption, I am asking him Monday when the scan is coming as it has been awhile. I think he wanted me to get through a certain amount of cycles. but the way things have gone I have been every other week. My TM's have gone down which is a good thing but if that reduced schedule is allowing the ascites to come back I am not sure if we increase dosage again and risk more neuropathy or change Tx (again). I had such high hopes for Abraxane, as we all do with each one I know...I'll let you know Monday!
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Hi everyone! I was just wondering if anyone has noticed in your off week the side effects are worse? I’m on a week on/week off schedule I usually go on Fridays for my infusion and it isn’t until the following weekend that I get nausea and get acid reflux. I take ondesatron for the nausea but I think I’m going to ask my oncologist to raise the dose and request a scan I haven’t had one in a year my oncologist goes by my tumor markers and how I’m feeling but I feel nervous not knowing how I’m doing.
Hope everyone is having a pain free se free weekend.
Aurora
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auroaya, I would definitely want a scan after a year....I can't tell you about your symptoms because i don't get either nausea or acid reflux but my neuropathy definitely is worse in the 2nd week...
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Hello all. Just checking in. Had my 5th cycle (on every 3-week plan) today. Afterward, went for a lovely steak dinner. I like eating a good meal after my infusions before the appetite starts to blunt out tomorrow for a few days. 3 weeks ago, my calcium levels were high for the first time in years, which is not a good sign for me given my history with hypercalcemia. However, today, they were normal and even in the low side of normal. So relieved! I believe the last test was due to eating lunch and a calcium supplement right before blood draw. Whew. Relief there and now on to scanxiety mode with upcoming PET a week from tomorrow. My liver pain I have had since starting Abracane seems to be dwindling down a lot which is a good sign it could be from flare rather than something much less welcome. Fingers crossed.
Have a good night and please check in soon! I love hearing everyone’s updates..
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Sorry to tell you I’ll be leaving Abraxane after 8 months IT has failed! Notice I say it’s the chemo that’s failed not me. Moving to one of the new Ibrance like medicines and Faslodex. I’ll leave the thread in my favorite list and check back in here from time to time. Good luck to you all.
Aurora
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Auroaya, sorry to hear about Abraxane failing. Such a disappointment. It was certainly the failure and not you. 8 months is a decent run. Did you have any warning or was the progression out of the blue? Do you know which of the CDK inhibitors you will be taking? I assume it would have to be either abemaciclib (Verzenio) or ribociclib (Kisquali). You will be missed around here.
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JFL no I had no warning in fact I’ve been “lucky” in that my cancer has been asymptotic so far but my TMs have gone up in the last three months and in my last CT scan there seemed to be progression to the liver and my TMs continue to rise ☹️ My doctor ordered a new CT and based on that he’ll decide which medicine is next. I’ll miss you guys also but like I said I’ll sneak in from time to time.
Aurora
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Good luck with the next Tx Aurora! Sorry Abraxane is out for you. I'm probably next....
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Aurora - so sorry. What happened with your liver- did you have any liver mets previously? Please let us know what he wants you to take next. FYI my TMs are still going down which I hope is a good sign. Artist - what do you think is next if this isn't working?
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Hi palada my liver mets have been there from the beginning but stable my last CT shows the following: 3.9 cm in the right lobe and 1.4 cm in the left lobe. My doctor ordered a new CT next Wednesday to compare. He didn’t say which of the new medicines he will try just that it’s one of the new similar to Ibrance. I’ll see him Friday to decide.
I’ll keep you posted.
Aurora
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lalady, My scans looked stable and even slightly improved today so he said the Abraxane is working. However I had to skip treatments due to the neuropathy so he decided we are moving to Xeloda for awhile to give that a chance to clear up. He said we can return to Abraxane at some point as needed. I was happy with that plan. I'll let you know how it goes....Starting around next Monday. Guess I will get my hair back for awhile! WooHoo..
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Artist, I’m so glad your scans were good news. I’m also glad you’ll get some relief from the neuropathy. Sounds like a win-win!
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Artist, great news with scans! What a relief. Enjoy your Xeloda holiday. Should be a big improvement in side effects. Start using cream with 20% urea on your hands and feet immediately on Xeloda.
LA, any news yet about your recent scan?
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Thanks Ladies, I'm crossing my fingers again! Been reading up and writing down all the suggestions for HFS for sure JFL.
kaption, How are you doing?
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Hi Artist,
I’m ok. Had treatment 3 of round 3. I’ll get a little longer break because of Thanksgiving. I’ll have TM done next Wednesday. My MO dropped by at the end of last Thursday’s treatment to say she had talked to the radiologist (for a second time) about the liver mets. They are very small and Abraxane seems to be handling them for now. TM next Wednesdaywill tell us more.
Se of Abraxane has been mainly nausea, relatively mild- controlled with meds. A little more neuropathy this time.
I’m having this ongoing issue with my a high pulse rate. It started during Xeloda. Then calmed down, but now it’s back. Pcp is trying some new meds to calm it down, but not succeeding as yet. I may need to go back to my cardiologist. I’m sure the chemo has an effect on it.
Been struggling mentally with all this lately. Hoping Thanksgiving and seeing family and friends helps.
Hope everyone has comforting plans for Thanksgiving.
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Hi ladies;
I'm doing the happy dance for the ladies that got good results lately.
I had my CT SCAN last Thursday and there are some improvements on my liver and my lungs, tumor markers have always be hiigh so we can't rely on them. The odd thing is I've been feeling bad since last week. the shortness of breath has gotten worse and sometimes I get this pain that feels like cramps. so we are moving to the next treatment which I don't know what I twill be. Seems like each treatment lasts for about 6 months only for me.
Ziz
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Ziz,
Happy dance on good scans.
I’m kind of in the change every 6 months mode too. Ibrance gave me a year, MO thinks we may have stayed at that dance a bit too long.
Do you know what your next treatment will be?
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Ziz, great news about your scan!
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Hello Artist, JFL and Kaption - good scan! Bone is almost resolved, jaw met is better, right liver met nearly resolved, but new left liver met. So we are planning for Abraxane through Jan 10th (which is just shy of 6 mos on A-train). Next med will either be xeloda or tamoxifen. I'm fine with that. My onc said that results of switching to Abemaciclib after Ibrance fail are still a little cloudy. So Abe is in my arsenal, but not going there just yet. Also since bone resolution is going so well with Abraxane, X or tamox may be a better killer for the stray liver met. All in all a one page report is good news. Bummer is yesterday after work I twisted around and cracked a right rib. Really hurts when I take a deep breath or cough, but had X-rays, and onc said it should resolve on its own in a few weeks. Just need to take it easy and rest. My hair is looking good, so will continue with cold caps through Jan. Happy dance for all good scans.
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LA, here's a toast to a good scan! So happy to hear, especially that is it helping your bone mets, including the pesky jaw met. It sounds like your MO is not too worried about the left liver met? Is the plan to just monitor it and take it in stride as it is overshadowed by all of the other shrinkage/improvements? Interesting what your MO says about Abemaciclib. Makes me rethink whether to jump right to that also. I am to the point I am needing a break from Abraxane and spend a lot of time trying to determine good options for a "break" therapy (assuming Abraxane is working). Sometimes I feel like those violinists continuing to play their music as the ship is sinking in the Titanic. I barrel through as if nothing is wrong but my gut says I am close to my physical limit with Abraxane. I have always been very sensitive to the taxanes (either that or it is just that I always seem to get really high doses of these drugs, higher than I see them giving others).
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Lalady,
My MO had a similar comment about using Abe since Ibrance already failed. I got the idea we were not completely crossing it off the list, but it won’t be the next treatment after Abraxane.
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kaption, I definitely have days where I struggle too. With decent scan results everyone thinks I should be dancing around on cloud nine. But of course, for us, we are always waiting for the other shoe to drop. We read so much about incorrect reading of scans, sudden explosions of mets ect ect. Then we get very hopeful for a new treatment to work and slide along for awhile until the next change. It is mentally so difficult! Watch that neuropathy. I've been off Abraxane for two weeks and no improvement in my hands yet. Although i am convinced that the antibiotic Cepro caused this muscle weakness I am experiencing in my wrists and legs, and they put in their pamphlet that it can be permanent! How long did Xeloda last for you? I hope the heart pounding gets resolved soon....
wiz, have they tried reducing the Ibrance dose? When I was on 125 mg I was gasping for air. We cut down to 75 and it resolved and still worked. If your scans were good it seems unfortunate to jus up and change.....
Yay lalady! What a relief on the resolved mets. Hopefully the new one will disappear in no time. How in the heck did you crack a rib? I have a small met on one of my ribs and overtime I got the Abraxane infusion it would be tender and sore for 2 days after. Always wondered if it meant healing as it feels fine now.....
JFL. although it seems Abraxane was working for me too we had to take so many breaks due to neuropathy it allowed the ascites to come back. so we are switching to Xeloda for now but my Onc says we ca return to Abraxane at a later date when my next tx stops working and the neuropathy is cleared up. I am glad to get a break too.
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Artist,
I was on Xeloda for about 7 months. My main issue with it was fatigue, but I also had rads during that time. I never really had any HFS problem.
I too struggle with getting too excited by good results. It's not that don't believe the scans and other info. It's always that “ other shoe" and wondering what's next.
Day by day!
Thank you!
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Hi Kaption - Day by day is a good mantra here. I finished another round in the big chair today along with freezing cold caps. brrr I think our oncs are in agreement that Abe is a possibility, but not the one to follow Abraxane just yet. There may be more Abe data published soon - so hoping that provides leads on what is next in our arsenals. Artist - I want to see that neuropathy go away - hoping X treats you well, and the bonus is your hair will return. Copy that for me on tamox or X, the remaining hair will grow back and importantly I can dye the roots. Lol on stress giving me white roots. JFL - plan your next med with your onc so your break is a good one, and maybe a long one if you respond to the new treatment. I see many ladies getting long runs on X, just worried for HSF. Ziz - please report your shortness of breath - that does not sound good. Planning to catch up on Walking Dead and The Voice tonight as the steroids do their night owl magic.
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I’m still having problems breathing, moving around is a struggle. I live in a two store house and I haven’t been in the first floor for about 4 days because climbing back the stairs to my room makes me feel like I’m going to die.
MO hasn’t said what will be next treatment so I just hang around the house moving from my bed to my son’s bed just to change the scenario and I always care oxygen and the nebulization machine
Cheers
Ziz
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Ziz,
I'm kind of a wimp, but I'd be thinking about the ER or at last urgent care if I were you. How is your blood pressure and pulse? It just seems like you need attention NOW.
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lalady, Z had an interesting post about the feasibility of using TACE as a second line for liver mets after AA drugs rather than moving to IV chemo. Supposedly has a good success rate.....I am nervous about the HFS too as just what I need is for that to appear before the neuropathy clears up, if it does! Hands still feel about the same darn it all. Still waiting for the Specialty Pharmacy to call and deliver my X. Been off Abraxane for 3 weeks now so anxious to get started.
ziz, sorry you are feeling so poorly! Any thoughts on a dose reduction?
kaption, good to hear you did not get HFS. My Onc is starting me at a little lower dose at first. I'm not sure if I don't wholly believe scans or it's just how many different people you get reading them, they just don't mesh as smoothly as I would like to do an apples to apples comparison.
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Artist - I am open to TACE after Abraxane, especially if all I have left are a few liver mets. I will ask my onc next week. Wanted to give you a heads up on a scary ordeal - I had the flu for about 2 weeks, then had chemo on Wed. Thought I cracked a rib, xray was negative, then spent all day in ER to find that I stretched or tore a chest muscle and have a sticky lung (CT scan plus contrast solved that). I am sore as hell in my chest, hurts to get out of bed or walk much, but finally getting a little better. Just when you think you have this figured out, you don't. Cancer is sneaky and constantly evolving.
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So sorry to hear of your ordeal, lalady. I hope you do feel some healing soon!
Sneaky indeed!
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LA, torn muscle and sticky lung? The “gifts” keep coming. Sounds painful although I have no idea what a sticky lung is! I have never heard that term.
I received my PET results and they were good! Bones continue to be stable with no increased metabolic uptake and allliver lesions have shrunk significantly and some have disappeared. Most areas don’t have increased uptake and where they do, it is lower than last PET. I still have one large lesion which has several areas of increased uptake but the entire “blob” is no longer lighting up. The blob is still pressing on my back nerve and causes some pain and some numbness on the right side. Hoping that go away or minimize at some point.
Ziz, I hope your next treatment treats you well and that your fatigue is due to the meds and not the lung mets.
Artist, when do you start Xeloda? It may be just what your ascites need! If I had the choice to go back on any of the medications I have previously taken, I would go back on that. I prefer it to all the hormone and/or targeted therapies as well as the chemos.
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