Question for Leslee

[SimplyStar]

Leslee wants to know  how Avastin is affecting you.  That may be the next chemo offered to her, she goes to Mayo  this Thur, will probably do the pet scan,  all she knows so far is that her CA125 raised to over 300 after 9 months of doxil, 3 small lesions on the outer edge of the abdomen, supecious lymph nodes  back by the lower spine area,  Sheis having lung problems, had an xray today,  her place of work is closed because of the flood, will be for at least 1 month. They live close but not in the actual flooding, 1/2 block away,  she thinks she may have breathed in some of the toxins. she worries about the fatigue, vomiting connected with Avastin.  I know that Jan, Becky and Chris have been on it,  every 2 weeks??,   Tell me what you know  and how it affected you please.

[Brownie3321]

Hi MArty - I'm on Avastin/Doxil. I take Avastin every 2 weeks. My biggest complaint is extreme fatigue. Becky is right, there is no bouncing back...this stuff wipes me out more and more every time. That is the only side effect I have had - a few nose bleeds too. Nothing major. It really is nothing compared to Doxil, Carbo,Taxol. When I get my Doxil, I feel much worse. I hope this helps, keep us updated. With love, Deandra

[SimplyStar]

thanks   will tell her this   she did have a bowel resection  with her surgery,  but that has been 2 years ago now, I really feel that  it is time to give this a try.  Will keep you all posted.  Marty

[Terrin2]

I also started on Avastin and Cytoxan, every two weeks, cytoxan pill once a day.   Had one Avastin so far,  no side effects at all.    I know two others on for ten months now.   They both get a small headache the next day after Avastin, both nothing else.   Also, for them,  it is working on the CA and the scans are doing a lot better.....

[crecco]

Marty,
  Becky is right. This should be pretty easy for LesLee. Of course you know that I had some problems with high BP and that can continue the whole time, but once they can get it regulated then it poses no problem. Mine has recently started going up just a little bit again, but then I was down to only one BP med per day. I am back up to 2 now, but still feeling ok. They will with hold the avastin if it is too high, but get you right back on it when it is normal again. Like Becky, I have noticed the fatigue has been getting worse. When I first started on this, it was not really a problem at all. But lately it has been wiping me out too. I have not had any problem with nose bleeds either. When it was colder out and I would blow my nose, occasionally there was blood mixed in, but nothing major. I have come to realize that the excess number of colds that I have had since early winter, are probably caused by the avastin as it can also cause upper respiratory infections. (Dr put me on an antibiotic Mon for another cold I developed over the week.) My Dr explained that the majority of people that have problems with bowel perforations are people whose bowels were affected by the cancer in the first place, and then it is not always the case. I have not experienced any nausea or vomiting either. I do recieve pre meds before treatment but it is mainly for the abraxane, as it is a form of taxol. I do not know the dose that I am on, but my schedule is 3 weeks on and 1 week off, recieving both avastin and abraxane on weeks 1 and 3, and abraxane alone on week 2. I am also curious as to what they are thinking of putting with it.
   She should not have many problems at all.
Chris

[Tybear]

Hey Marty...if she's been on Doxil for 9 months now, Avastin will be a walk in the park! The biggest and most common side effects are high blood pressure and fatigue. I know some people get nose bleeds too, but no one I know has had vomitting from it. They don't give you anything for nausea because I don't think it causes any. I know for me, I always feel a little wiped out for a few days afterwards and my fatigue keeps getting worse as I go along...there are no days of "bouncing back" like when I did taxol/carbo. My doctor's told me the concern with the bowel perforation is in patients who have recieved 3 or more prior treatments of chemo and, obviously, if there is visible tumor on the colon. Make sure to ask lot's of questions about that... My original dose was 10mg (per kg of body weight) every two weeks but when cost became an issue, we changed it to every three weeks. I found out a couple weeks ago that my Dr in Toronto was in charge of the Avastin plus low dose cyclophosphamide trial that was done a while back - he published it and everything. I'm guessing that's why he gave me the cyclo instead of some of the other drugs. If I could take this one pill everyday (which is still chemotherapy) I'd be thrilled...I have no side effects from it at all. What other drugs are they going to put with the Avastin?
Becky