Androgen Receptor Testing & Treatment

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  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015

    thanks Hope and Hummingbird. It is very encouraging to hear positive results hummingbird. I'm hopeful your new treatment gives you great results

  • pearlady
    pearlady Member Posts: 882
    edited August 2015

    Hope and Kimber praying for great results for both of you and for everyone on Xtandi.  I am anxiously following this thread as I know at some point, I will have the testing done.  I spoke with my onc about it and he brushed me off saying not to worry for now, but we all know we need as many options as possible.

  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015

    well I met with the clinical trial team this morning and I'm now sitting in chemo getting my old treatment...ugh. I was signing the final trial paperwork and the nurses were going over the paperwork with us and I would need to understand I couldn't drive while on xtandi. I can't make that kind of commitment ..I don't drive a ton anymore but at times I have too. Xtandi can causes seizures especially during day 31-100 which in itself is very concerning. Plus depending on your state a seizure of any kind can make you loose your drivers license. My son is an epileptic and we go through this with him all the time. So the team is going to contact the manufacturer and see why this paragraph was in the consent and how much we need to worry about this issue. I'm saddened because I think this was a good treatment choice for myself.

    So my question comes into play ..did you all get this same warning for those that were in a trial? Hope I don't think your in a trial but did they warn you of the seizures?

    So I'm sitting here in chemo getting my old treatment while they figure this out. We tabled everything for two weeks

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited August 2015

    I'm sorry. I am aware of the seizures, but I didn't have to sign anything

  • Hummingbird4
    Hummingbird4 Member Posts: 331
    edited August 2015

    Kimber - My MO did tell me and discussed with me the chance of seizures with Xtandi. I was very concerned about driving but she never told me not to drive. So, I had it on my mind and I did avoid long trips - but I drove locally the whole time. I had looked at the data from the trials with men who took Xtandi for prostate cancer, and the incidence of seizure was very small. None of the women on trial with me experienced a seizure. I don't recall anything about driving in the consent.


  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015

    thanks guys for your posts. I'll keep u posted as we figure out the situation. It was totally in my consent form it was two paragraphs on the seizures from the prostate trials and the fact that no one should be driving on the drug. So they went and called Astella the pharmacy house and said it is even in the literature that comes with the drugs. My team is going to find out the degree with which this consent form was written. I can't take the chance of signing this consent that says don't drive due to seizures. My luck I'd have a seizure while driving and I'd be open to a lawsuit then since I had to sign the consent. I know a lot of what ifs but for now till they get this figured out with Astella I'm on hold. All four of us just felt this wasn't a suggestion with the wording it was a straight up don't drive while on the trial. So Hope I know you won't have issues since your not in a tria. I'll pass along info as it comes down the wire to me

  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015
  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015

    sorry couldn't figure out how to post and type lol..I figured some would be interested in reading that section directly. I'm bummed at this point but still hopeful this is an option for me. I'm not sure how standard these consent forms are or is Siteman just overly cautious but I would think most of it is dictated by the pharmacy house running the trial. Thanks ladies and I'll let you know once I hear anything.

    Hope please know I'm praying and thinking of you. I really do hope this works for u

  • Hummingbird4
    Hummingbird4 Member Posts: 331
    edited August 2015

    Hi Kimber, I read your consent form and then I went and dug out mine from my trial. Unlike yours, mine did not specifically mention driving and swimming. It did say that seizures have been reported, about 9 in every 1000 people during treatment with Enzalutamide, and I should avoid activities where a sudden loss of consciousness could cause harm to myself or others. Since I was not told not to drive, I took the chance even though the slight risk of seizure was something I worried about.

    These are difficult decisions and I understand your concern and disappointment. Good luck, keep us updated.

  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015

    how are u feeling Hope? I've been thinking of you and praying for u.

  • Hummingbird4
    Hummingbird4 Member Posts: 331
    edited August 2015

    Thinking of you too, Hope. How are you?

  • oriole
    oriole Member Posts: 72
    edited August 2015

    Hope, Your thread on Ibrance and your posts on the AA and Bone Mets thread have helped me so much the past 9 months. Thank you so much for all your insights!

    I hope that your new treatment is working for you. Thinking positive thoughts for you.

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited August 2015

    Good morning! I haven't been feeling too good. Really not sure why. It's been about 10 days of nausea off and on, weakness, and even low grade fever this past week. I'm hoping it's just a virus and it will pass eventually. I did call my MO when my fever was 100. They thought it could be a virus too, but no one can be sure. They told me to go to ER if anything gets worse. I have labs this week, so we will see if anything else is off. Really hoping it's just a virus and I will feel better soon. Haven't felt up to much of anything lately

  • Hummingbird4
    Hummingbird4 Member Posts: 331
    edited August 2015

    Hi Hope. So sorry you haven't felt well, I was concerned and I'm glad you just posted. I hate to hear you may have a virus on top of everything else. I hope that will just pass now, and that you will feel a lot better very soon! Good luck with your labs this week. Please keep us posted.

  • Bestbird
    Bestbird Member Posts: 2,818
    edited August 2015

    I am so sorry you are still under the weather. I looked up se's related to Xtandi and fever wasn't listed, although fatigue is prominently mentioned. So it may be some sort of bug which hopefully will decide to go somewhere else very soon.

    Please know you're in the thoughts of so many of us, and we hope that the nausea and malaise will disappear very soon!

    With a warm hug!

  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited August 2015

    Oh Hope I'm so sorry you've been feeling so bad. I know at times the fevers I get happen when I'm so run down and the littlest thing makes us so sick. I hope your blood work doesn't show anything serious. I hope u feel better soon. Your a fighter and let's hope this will pass soon. Rest and Feel better

  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited August 2015

    Hope, are you still on Ibrance, or did you stop that? Just wondering, because some of your current issues certainly are listed as SEs for Ibrance.

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited August 2015

    Thank you so much guys. It's wearing me out for sure. Still have a low grade fever. I am wondering if it's an infection because it's gone on for quite a while now. Will hopefully figure it out this week and start feeling better! Thanks for all your thoughtfulness

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited September 2015

    Just a quick check in. Still so fatigued and still dealing with low grade fever. MO thinks it may either be SE or it has been there for a while due to the large tumor/marrow load. I only noticed it recently when I stopped taking Celebrex, so I probably had it going on for some time. Not much we can do about it. Getting a little more anemic. Liver panel still off, but not awful yet.


    Maybe a teeny bit of good news in tumor markers. For the first time in many many months they didn't increase. They stayed about the same. We will see if that trend continues in about a month. If they start going down, it may make all this fatigue and fever worth it. Sorta...
  • Hummingbird4
    Hummingbird4 Member Posts: 331
    edited September 2015

    Hi Hope. Sorry to hear that the fatigue and low grade fever are still a problem. I certainly had the fatigue with Xtandi the entire time, but never heard about fever as a se. As you said though - all worthwhile if your tumor markers decline and your scan shows improvement. I'm hoping that your fever disappears and the fatigue isn't too bad. Wishing you a good success on this treatment.

  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited September 2015

    I'm so sorry your having such a rough time of it, Hope. Quality of life is such a balancing act and I'm always careful to realize we each have our issues that make treatment to much. Awesome news on your markers not increasing..thank goodness for small blessings.

    I can't believe after everything I put into this trial..I may never get pass GO so to speak. I spoke with one of the nurses last week and it is now with legal she said whether they can remove that clause and signature needed for not driving. I think she was mostly calling to see if I'd changed my mind on my commitment to the issue. I haven't they sent me some more things to read up on it and I'd love to try the drug if possible. I met with them again on the Monday after Labor Day . I did another cycle of Navelbine ,herceptin and Perjeta since my tutors are actively growing now.

    Hope feel better

  • Bestbird
    Bestbird Member Posts: 2,818
    edited September 2015

    Good to hear the TMs leveled off, although I am sorry to hear that you are still fatigued and running a low fever. The anemia can certainly be a contributor to the fatigue, so perhaps addressing that a bit may help increase your energy. I hope you feel much more like "yourself" very soon!

    usafmom, it's such a shame to be brought to a halt by the clause, and it is difficult to understand why it's in some patients' forms and not others. I hope that you catch a break and are able to obtain the drug (possibly look into compassionate use?)

    Sending both of you best wishes!

  • Sue2009
    Sue2009 Member Posts: 228
    edited September 2015

    romansma, I am not sure where your pain is, but was wondering if u have a radiologist oncologist. My hips were hurting so bad, & I was told my bone mets was increasing in my skull, which would make me no longer eligible for Palbociclib/faslodex trial. I have all scans sent to my RO, he called me in & offered radiation 2 times per day to affected sites. My MO doesn't agree with him, but I trust his 30 yrs experience. My MO was shocked that I had no radiation burns to skin & I no longer needed oxycodone for pain. I did go through some bad withdrawal symptoms from not needing pain med

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited September 2015

    USAFMOM, I echo Bestbird, look into compassionate use. I had no trouble getting it that way.

    Hummingbird, how are you doing on Pablo? I hope you are feeling well.

    Sue, I did have a couple sites radiated about a year and a half ago and checked again about 8 months ago. There is just too much and the marrow infiltration makes it it tough. Radiation can take your white count way down, making it tough to take anything else. My white count has recovered from the Pablo, but the highest I've gotten is 2.5. This will be a limiting factor for treatments for me.

    I helped my husband in the yard yesterday afternoon even though I had been feeling nauseated and more pain in my back that morning. It was warm outside. By the time I came in, I felt like I had full on Flu symptoms. I felt awful! I'm feeling better this morning, but I guess I can't be very useful these days.


  • Hummingbird4
    Hummingbird4 Member Posts: 331
    edited September 2015

    Hi Romansma. I'm feeling great on Pablo, no se at all which is so wonderful - thanks for asking. A few new aches; I have an appointment with my MO tomorrow and I'll see what she says as far as scanning. One of my tumor markers has doubled at my labs a few weeks ago, so I'm hoping it's not related to progression. I'll have labs again tomorrow.

    I am so sorry to hear that you are continuing to have flu like symptoms and feel awful at times. Fatigue is one thing, but to feel that ill is terrible. Please keep us posted. I would think your MO is concerned about this?

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited September 2015

    Hope the tumor markers were nothing and the Pablo is working for you. Yes, I think MO is concerned, but where to go with this? She said we would scan at the first indication of anything wrong. Just not sure what this fever/flu feeling is. It definitely gets worse as I try to do more, so pushing through it just backfires on me. Time will tell.

  • Bestbird
    Bestbird Member Posts: 2,818
    edited September 2015

    Romansma, I know this sounds odd, but have you had opportunity to consult with your internal medicine physician? Sometimes oncologists focus mainly on cancer, and it is possible that another pair of professional eyes may be of help in diagnosing the cause. It's gone on a bit too long for comfort, and it may be opportune to go for a regular workup.

    Thinking of you today and sending you a big hug!

  • Romansma
    Romansma Member Posts: 1,515
    edited September 2015

    Thanks for the idea Bestbird. I may look into it this week.


  • usafmom
    usafmom Member Posts: 778
    edited September 2015

    Hope ..I can understand your frustration with wanting to help your husband. Sometimes it is hard to still feel useful but your husband will tell u I'm sure you just being with him outside meant the world to him. I really do hope you get some relief soon from those icky flu symptoms.

    Every time I over do I get this wicked sore throat I'd swear I have strep till I rest back up. The crazy things are body does. I see the onc again in a week. This is my off week from chemo I'm looking forward to getting back on my feet before we tackle all this again. I may just sign the clinical trial paperwork..not sure. I'm having issues anyways with my eyes so not sure what my driving status will be soon. Definitely will ask about compassionate use too. Thanks everyone.

    Big Hugs Hope..we are all rooting for you!

    Kimber

  • oriole
    oriole Member Posts: 72
    edited September 2015

    I hope that you are feeling better, Hope. I also live in CA and the heat has been too much this past week!

    Your posts have just helped me so much since my stage IV diagnosis in January 2015. Wishing a good week for you!


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