Abraxane
Comments
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Thanks lllimae and kaption. I get my first infusion on Monday and every Monday after that with a week off after 3. First one has to go through a vein as i don't get a port until next Friday. Just hope it helps to knock out the ascites and it is one miserable condition. All I ask is a little energy and no nausea....
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Good luck artist, I'm on abraxane as well and next week I will do CT scan to see if is working. I hope it is.
C
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Me too Ziz, crossing my fingers for you!
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1st infusion was actually a breeze besides being exhausted after. Came home and slept for a few hours. Now just hope the SE's don't jump out to bite me and get rid of the ascites.....
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artista I'm glad your first infusion went well. I'm in 12 or 13th infusion and I have to say the se's haven't been too bad aside from the hair loss slight fatigue and slight nausea sometimes vomiting but it's bearable. I'm in an easy schedule one infusion every two weeks and TMs have been consistently dropping. I hope you get great results.
Aurora
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Artistatheart, I'm so happy your first treatment went well. I've been doing Abraxane since February. Side effects are very minimal. I hope it treats you well also. You hang in there, better days ahead. I'm sure you are very busy with the wedding approaching, sure don't want to waste time with side effects. Praying for you.
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Artist, glad to hear that. I start tomorrow!
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Had my 1st infusion Monday and it did go well except it just piled more fatigue on top of what I already had. I have never been so exhausted. Some nausea but still trying to force down whatever food sounds doable. I just pray that this takes care of the ascites as I have had to have a paracentesis even week. I hate it so much and it just seems to bring me back to square one. Getting a port on Friday.
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Artist,
I hope your results are great! I hear you on the fatigue.
I had my first infusion. Only se have been slight nausea and achy shoulders. Tired, but that's because I woke up so early.
On we go...
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Indeed Kaption! On we go. Got a port today which was really a breeze. The IV drugs including the anti nausea and electrolytes made me feel so much better I actually ate a decent lunch followed by a piece of chocolate. I had mild nausea too and the Zoran doesn't seem to do much so she gave me a little stronger one. Second infusion on Monday so crossing my fingers I am back in the pink soon! I also got achy shoulders and wrists!!! Weird..Best to us both and all on this Tx!
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Artist-Glad you are doing well. The port is so helpful!!
I have to remind myself to eat. But, can do small meals ok.
How do you receive electrolytes? For the past few months I've had this weird very low blood pressure with high resting pulse thing going on. One doctor suggested electrolyte issues. Now that I've been off Xeloda a while, I know that wasn't it. A puzzle!
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Kaption, yesterday when they did the port I had an IV drip of electrolytes and could not believe how much more energy I have today. Still a little slow but compared to a few days ago I almost feel like I could go out for awhile. Also in the drip were the anti-nausea they give which works well too. So was able to eat which helps tremendously with the energy. Anytime I get a feeling like a food sounds good I go for it never knowing when the next bout of no appetite will come. Trying to remain steady!
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my first treatment was last Wednesday. Since Friday night I've been running a fever of around99.4 pretty consistently. I was expecting the achy muscles, but not the low grade fever. Is this common?
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kaption, I had no fever (I'm colder than most 96.5-97.5) but not much bone pain either. My infusions were on mondays and my muscle/bone pain happened on fridays and felt like the flu. I would take tramadol and was fine the next day. Hopefully, the fever will subside and your SE's, if any, will be mild.
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Thanks Illimae. I guess as long as it stays under 100 I'll just wait and tell my np next Wednesday when I see her.
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kaption;
I sometimes run on fever.
Zi
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Thanks Ziz.
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Kaption, I don't know if it's the meds but I keep asking my DH to turn on the AC. Feel hot all the time. Don't think it is fever but did get achy this week and just super tired still. Get next one tomorrow in the new port which makes me nervous as I just got it Friday and it seems fragile somehow...Let you know how that goes. Wish I could get another "energy" infusion of some sort.
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Artistatwork, try not to be so nervous. The port will be fine to use. That same thing happened to me that they used mine in less than a week after it was put in. Remember to use your numbing med. make sure you put it on thick and at least an hour before they access it. The only issue I had when they used mine was I was still sore from them putting it in, so when they put pressure on it to access it, it was uncomfortable. But I assure you that you have had worse things done. Best of luck to you
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You wee right Kandy, it was a snap and way better than another IV. I used the cream and then she sprayed on more. It was a snap. Was pretty tired after but still hungry! Yay! Hope my energy ramps up soon, I hate this sitting around.
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Hello, Artist, Kandy, Kaption, IlliMae, Ziz and any others. I am officially joining you starting this Friday.
I was on Afinitor/Aromasin which didn't seem to be working so much. 3 short months.
What have been the worst side effects for you on this med? I was expecting to be out on Taxotere so haven't done any research on Abraxane.
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Hi JFL,
I'm near the end of my second week on Abraxane. My main issue is muscle aches- that flu like feeling. Tylenol doesn't seem to help. I just took a hot bath that felt good. But, that has been my main issue. Not much nausea.
Good on this treatment! Hopefully it will work for a long time!
Artist-how did it go today?
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JFL, my symptoms and solutions were as follows. (Day 1 is infusion day)
Day 4 or 5 muscle/bone pain (flu like), took tramadol, felt fine the following day.
Day 7 minimal to moderate D, took Imodium
3 months in the cumulative affects presented.
Mild/moderate neuropathy and significant nail damage, cut dose by 20%.
Day 2-5 (weekly chemo) food tasted like ass sweat! I underestimated my emotional connection to food (even as a fat chick), not being able to enjoy a meal made me very angry and sad, I was ok with the 25lb weight loss though.
Dry skin was also an issue, used Eucerin lotion.
Otherwise, much easier than I expected, plus I walked daily and never had fatigue.
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Well, failed by blood test today. Treatment delayed a week. I haven't seen the numbers yet. I should receive them later today. I'm very surprised and a bit concerned. How often does this happen? This would have just been my third treatment for the first round. My se has been achy muscles.
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Kaption, I've been on this since February this year and my Hbg has been low but not enough to warrant delay. Perhaps your onc is being extra cautious? Hope you can stay on this and get wonderful results. My TMs have been steadily falling I have treatment scheduled for Friday and will see my doctor I'm going to request a scan haven't had a full body one since October last year. I had two CTs for the chest due to wheezing.
Praying for all of us.
Aurora
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Thank you, Aurora and good luck!
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Hi Lovely ladies - I had my first round of Abraxane (2 hours) and cold caps (4 hours) yesterday at OC UCLA, did ok, and had remainder of cold caps at my home which was nice. Woke up today a little dizzy, tired, no appetite and constipated. Onc called me this morning to say calcium is elevated and I need an ugent Xgeva shot, naturally insurance is taking their sweet time for approval. Any of you had elevated calcium? Please advise. I am planning to work 3 mos from home.
(()) Claire
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I had a friend being treated for MBC have very high elevated calcium levels a few times ... she needed immediate hydration. Are you drinking lots o fluids? I wonder if they can give you fluids when you get in to have the xgeva shot? I found abraxane to be an "ok" chemo, but it did take a few weeks to adjust to it (and to losing my hair). Wishing you well.
Oriole
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Claire,
Sounds like kind of a rough start. My first week was kind of rough too. Second week was better, except for achy muscles. As I said above, wasn't allowed to get my third because of low blood counts.
Hope you get the calcium issue resolved. I've never had that.
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Hi all! Thanks for the great advice on side effects.
Kaption, it must be so frustrating to have to miss a treatment. Is it possible to get an EPO shot with Stage 4 to boost up your levels?
LA, I was diagnosed based on hypercalcemia. It was uncontrollable for a few weeks and didn't respond to 1 steroid treatment and 2 bisphosohonates but did respond to XGeva. XGeva is great for hypercalcemia. I had to be hooked up to a constant saline drop for 10 days or so to water down my blood. You should try to drink as much water as humanly possible to dilute the calcium in your blood until the XGeva kicks in. My insurance took their sweet time approving it too. You should be back normal in no time!
Is anyone else doing every 3 weeks? It sounds like most Stage 4 folks are taking a lower dose, more often.
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