Abemaciclib Verzenio for Stage IV
Comments
-
Hi @Rosebessie - not sure this is an apples to apples analogy but my experience may help. Last year I was on Kisqali when I had a diverticulitis attack. I was prescribed the same antibiotics you are getting for the UTI. I was told I had to stop the Kisqali while on the antibiotics - wasn’t given a choice.
Most recently, I was hospitalized to drain my pleura fully (reason I couldn’t breath as I noted in a post 2-3 weeks ago. It wasn’t the Verzenio which I had suspected). While I was hospitalized, I had a chest tube input on my left side to continuously drain for 4 days and had a thoracentesis on the right side.
I was told to stop the V while hospitalized even tho I wasn’t on any meds while there. Restarted V a week ago and am doing pretty well!
That was my experience. I think the first one is more in line with your issues. Considering how harsh Cipro is on my system (I knew from prior diveticulitis episodes), stopping the Kisqali was a directive I did not mind following.
Good luck and pray you are feeling better real soon!!!3 -
Hi @eddiej thanks for sharing. Your experience may not mirror my current situation but it helps. This whole Ciprofloxacin/Verzenio mix is made more complicated by the fact that Verzenio is a no break treatment. When I was on Ibrance I just scheduled all my antibiotic treatments within the one week break. Even so, I hear you. Im currently still on both, as instructed, but monitoring any signs of adverse interaction. The good thing is tge kidney pain has already subside significantly with only one day of Ciprofloxacin so im hoping it all goes down with no crisis. Also, I suspect i had diverticulitis a week ago because i had massive constipation and lower LHS pain for a week. I treated it as Verzenio induced constipation and took milk of magnesia as suggested by @seeq and I got sane day bowel movement. What a relief that was. Verzenio sure takes no prisoners!! If its not one thing, it's another. But so far, all well managed despite the agony. Have a lovely week. Hugs and blessings
2 -
Hi again @marcials1 on the contrary your experience is actually very helpful. I totally get you. Let me monitor my progress today. Thanks. Blessed week. 🙏🏻♥️
1 -
@Rosebessie - Hi - I had to take Amoxicillan 500 mg last April for an abscess on my chin (from a plucked chin hair, if you can believe it) treated by my dermatologist. I am on 100 mg Verzenio and did not even think to mention it to my oncologist. Thankfully, that and the six steroid injections into it worked to clear up the very painful infection and now I know to use Polysporin after plucking. I hope you are feeling better!
3 -
Hi @tbos805 OMG, im really sorry for your experience. I pluck my chin hairs every few days, just using tweezers. Its never even remotely crossed my mind that an abscess is possible. Im now on high alert. Dear me. Thanks for sharing. So clearly you didn't stop the Verzenio while on Amoxil?
My update is after thinking I was doing ok this morning, the pain in my flanks recurred. I guess from the UTI which had spread to the kidney. To avoid straining my clearly fragile body, ill just lay off the Verzenio until im done with the UTI.
Blessings and hugs ♥️🙏🏻
2 -
@Rosebessie No, I did not stop the Verzenio while on Amoxicillin. When my updated medications revealed Amoxicillin at my next appointment, there was no comment about it. I normally inform the oncologist about everything so I don't know what came over me then. I did learn after a quick Google search at the time:
Verzenio (abemaciclib) can increase the risk of developing infections, including abscesses, primarily because it frequently lowers your white blood cell counts (neutropenia). White blood cells are your body’s primary defense against bacteria; when they are depleted, localized skin or internal tissue infections can quickly escalate into painful, pus-filled pockets known as abscesses.
All of that to say: I did not have any adverse reactions while taking Amoxicillin along with Verzenio but I definitely should have notified my oncologist. Yes, you are wise to protect your clearly fragile body right now!! One of my mantras: "It's just for now."
4 -
@tbos805 yup. Its just for now.... I have noticed from my now close friend, AI, that while there's no caution about an adverse Verzenio/Amoxil interaction, theres repeated caution about an adverse Ciprofloxacin/Verzenio interaction, because its a CYP3A4 drug. So, as per our fellow patients' experience, let me suspend the Verzenio for a few days. I quote a wise woman when I say "Its just for now.........". @tbos805 🤣🤣. I really hope this kidney pain disappears tomorrow coz I cant sleep on my back for now. Blessings and hugs
4 -
@Rosebessie I’m glad I was of some help. I hope you are doing well!
2 -
@marcials1 I'm doing better, thanks. My flank pain is gone. However, Wednesday I developed a sudden terrifying headache which i thought was an aneurism due to its intensity. It was so bad I found myself message my 2 closest contacts with my last wishes instructions for cremation within 48 hours. I recovered, (obviously, since im messaging), but only felt out of the woods after 2 hours. You know, Ive never had to confront my mortality face to face like that although with all the Verzenio challenges it's crossed my mind albeit with a distant acceptance. So, now what?? Onward and forward it guess. 👍
5 -
@Rosebessie wow! That sounded scary! I'm glad it passed. I would definitely mention to your onc or primary physician. BTW, I am not the one who mentioned the Milk of Magnesia, but I'm glad it worked for you. I'll have to keep it in mind. If remember correctly, MoM can be used for either constipation or diarrhea with the variation being how much water you take with it. I'll have to get some and check the label again.
Also, with regard to antibiotics with Verzenio, there have been a couple that I took with it. The doc who prescribed them knew about my Verzenio and I checked drug interactions online. I didn't even think of checking with my MO at the time. Later, when I broke my ankle, the hospital where I had the surgery (far away from home) checked with him an I held the anastrozole a couple days and held the Verzenio for about a week. Not all interactions are serious, so maybe that was the thinking at the time?
3 -
@Rosebessie That must have been a terrifying experience! I hope that you found out what caused it and you do not experience it again.
1 -
@seeq will certainly do that. And i seem to give you credit for stuff you haven't done 🤣🤣. My chemobrain......!! @marcials1 im still very puzzled by that experience.
1 -
I'm exhausted from 5 days of RHS abdominal pain. Now slightly better but ive just done Lfts etc., now awaiting Abdominal Ultrasound. I had to miss social engagements, which further added to my low spirits. Also missed the Monday Zoom. My quality of life is at all time low which is not the best place to be. I clearly haven't yet struck the medium on management of Verzenio. Not a good place to be.
Im venting 😢😢😢. Hope thats ok.
2 -
@Rosebessie - I am so sorry to read about your current situation. Other than the yogurt and sauerkraut I suggested before, I don't have any ideas about what might help, and I wish I did. Outside of those GI problems, Verzenio can be a good and pretty long help. I've got my fingers crossed that ultrasound brings what you need. Sending a hug too!
0 -
@Rosebessie - So sorry to hear this as I know how frustrating it is. Have you tried no breakfast in the morning? That is what finally helped me over the hump after six agonizing months and I read the tip here on the boards. A banana at 7 AM with multivitamin. Verzenio dose #1 at 8 AM. Protein snack at 10 AM (such as protein bar or protein shake smoothie with frozen fruit blended in - I do not like flavored drinks such as protein drinks). Lunch 12:30 PM (first real meal of the day). Dinner 6 PM. Dose #2 at 8 PM. All this to say, avoiding food around the Verzenio doses is what worked for me although I still experience occasional cramping. Sorry for repeating myself as I have posted this elsewhere. I hope you feel some relief soon.
3 -
@Rosebessie sorry you keep getting hit from all angles. Have you called the Verzenio pharmacists for their diet recommendations? I did call them a few times on diet and other side effects; sometimes, not always, they were helpful.
1 -
@Rosebessie @tbos805 Hi Rosebessie, I took Tbos advice when I started Verzenio 2 months ago… unfortunately due to multiple pleural effusion episodes and subsequent care to handle it, I haven’t been totally consistent. BUT - when I am taking it and I have been for past 3 weeks, I always take it at 9am and don’t eat anything till around 11. I terribly miss my morning decaf and breakfast. I currently on a trip and in Sicily. They have a lovely breakfast as part of our hotel package and I take away some bits to eat later since it ends at 10 and I don’t tend to eat till around 11. When home, I tend to start with a morning protein drink and a bread/cracker. Then I have lunch a little later. Interestingly, I don’t seem to have issues at night when I take my 9pm pill. I try to eat dinner early but have often eaten as close as 15 minutes to pill time but no biggie 🤷♀️.
Bottom line, I am sticking to this eating plan and recommend trying it too. Thank you Tbos!! Knock on wood, I have not had a bad bout of diarrhea in the morning for a couple of weeks now. I have gas often (GasX) and sometimes a couple of cramps before going. But it appears under a sort of control. I def have issues with my appetite from the Verzenio, foods I used to love turn my stomach now and I have trouble figuring out what to eat. I’ve lost a couple of lbs. Doing my best to enjoy each day and come what may. Planning is more difficult or at least happy anticipation is often marred with some anxiety.
Of course, now that I documented this, who knows what tomorrow may bring… I pray I stay stable for next 2 weeks while I’m away.
Sending you big wishes in finding what works for you soon so you can enjoy life more.
I pray for all of us!! xoxo juliana2 -
Wow, @eddiej , that is awesome!! I, too, miss breakfast, which was a big day-starter for me. Now I have little energy in the morning but the alternative is so much worse. My evening dose has never been a problem either but I still have occasional cramping, who knows what causes it? And I am usually "punished" (as I call it) if I eat at a restaurant. As I continue to say, we are getting used to entirely new bodies on these meds. Have a wonderful time in Italy!!!
@Rosebessie , how are you doing?
3
