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goodbye xeloda hullo to navelbine

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  • wendy_h67
    wendy_h67 Member, Dragonfly Posts: 466
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    Hi Wendy,  so glad to hear you can enjoy your food again. I only lasted on Xeloda for about 20 months. The treatment I'm on now is called Caelyx and is given I.V. every 28 days. which I thought would be alot better than going to the chemo ward weekly. The side effects kick in about a week after the infusion and last almost until the next lot of treatment is due. Apparently I am on the highest dose and can be reduced. I have had a rash , foot and hand syndrome , mouth ulcers and oral thrush. Its really sending my tumour markers tumbling and a couple of bone mets have got smaller and 2 skull bone mets have disappeared. I'm hoping to be able to stay on this chemo as it seems to be working the best that I have been on for a while. In March I will have been on treatment for 7 years. Some days I wonder if it is worth going through the side effects when I know that it is not going to cure me of cancer . I dont feel depressed, I just wish we could have a bit more quality of life . I have spoken to my oncologist last week about it and she agrees. So if things don't improve with the side effects, she will change the treatment . There always seems to be something else available .,which is fortunate for us as we keep battling on. I have 2 friends who have brain mets after breast cancer and I see them coping so I keep on keeping on. Hope everything goes well for you. 
  • Jenni22
    Jenni22 Member Posts: 5 ✭
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    Hi Ladies,

    I noticed a few comments from those starting abemaciclib, and was wondering if the side effects have improved.   I have started on Letrizole and Vereeniging/Abemaciclib and ams struggling with the side effects.  I am in the fortunate position in that both these drugs are being given as a preventative measure.  I don’t have Mets, but am at very high risk of re-occurrence.  Originally diagnosed with bi-lateral early breast cancer, one was triple negative, the larger more aggressive (grade 3) was estrogen positive.  Hade 6months chemo, plus radiotherapy and double breast reduction.  The abemaciclibb is part of a trial that is showing reduction in recurrence rates of around 6%.  I’ve only been on these for 5 weeks, and side effects are manageable, but I am struggling with diarrhoea, fatigue, vertigo and just generally feeling unwell.  I was so looking forward to end of my treatment and getting some energy back, but now with two years ahead of me on this regime, I am wondering if it is worth it.  Keen to hear if anyone else is in a similar position and how you are managing the pros and cons of the treatment options and quality of life.

    Thanks
    Jenni

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