Generic Faslodex

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GoodbyeGirl
GoodbyeGirl Member Posts: 29
edited July 2019 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

Has anyone received the newly approved generic Faslodex by Novartis? Novartis announced it May 30. I am surprised to not find anything about it on the main Breastcancer.org website or these discussions.

I went in for my injections today and without notice or disclosure, they prepared to administer a different product than what I have always received. As the nurse pulled it out and called me over, I saw a different box and said it was not my drug, that I am to get Faslodex injections The nurse said "Yes, this is Faslodex."

I repeated that it was not. Mind you, I am sitting 10-12 feet away and looking at the label style and box, not able to actually read the label. After I challenged that it was not Faslodex, she then said "Well, it is the new generic. We changed to it two weeks ago. That is all we give now."


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  • gailmary
    gailmary Member Posts: 332
    edited June 2019

    Woah. Did not hear of it. I know there are trials now on drugs of the same class that are pills instead of injections. I see my MO before next injection. Ill be asking. Thanks for the heads up. We should be told. I'm not opposed, just want to watch for new side effects.

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  • GoodbyeGirl
    GoodbyeGirl Member Posts: 29
    edited June 2019

    This was to be my 40th round of Faslodex. I have been responding well to it. I am quite distraught that they changed without the slightest notice. I objected, explained I have reactions to many filler materials, in both brand name and generics, and it was not a time I can risk a change as I have an important business trip leaving 7am the next day and will not be back until the first part of July. The head nurse said no one has had problems. How would they know? In only two weeks, NO ONE would have yet returned. And since they are not even disclosing the change, many would not know and attribute a problem to something else.

    This is extremely troublesome. When I returned to my office after that appointment, I called and confirmed with my insurance carrier that I am still approved for the brand name Faslodex and there are no planned changes in foreseable future. I now will go elsewhere for my injections. Fortunately, my oncologist office did find a hospital down the street that does have Faslodex.

    I trust my oncologist, but no longer trust the large, regional corporate practice he is part of. At this time, I plan to continue to see him, but all of my treatments prescribed by him will be obtained elsewhere for as long as that is practicable. This is the second time I had to listen to how "corporate" (yes, they call it that when speaking of the home office) made the decision (for higher profits) and they (the nurses) could not do anything. Last time, my doctor advocated for me and overrode the corporate head pharmacist who said nurses were now forbidden to warm the Faslodex in the heating blankets because it was not an FDA approved process. After an hour or more of losing the argument with the nurses up the line in seniority, I walked out and said I would be back when they warmed them for me and until then, I refuse treatment. Scared the hell out of myself, but six hours later my doctor had intervened and I won that battle and I returned for the warmed treatment that afternoon. This battle on the Faslodex brand product is lost because they run their own pharmacy and do not contract for Faslodex anymore.

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  • gailmary
    gailmary Member Posts: 332
    edited June 2019

    goodbye girl. I hope I can think to act as you have in a similar situation. I tend to get dumbstruck when I dont understsnd something and not question them. That is not typical of me. I marvel sometimes at the absurdity of peoples ideas. Really! Can't warm in the warming blankets cause its not approved. Pretty soon they'll be telling us how to breathe.

    Just thinking this should have been brought up on the main fadlodex girls thread. Some people only read their favorite topics and miss posts of new topics.

    Gailmary

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited June 2019

    Goodbye Girl, I used to take the syringes from the nurses and put them against my belly skin. Then told them to come back in 10-15 minutes to administer the shot. It's an alternative if the warming blankets get kiboshed again.

    I hadn't heard about a generic but here's the press release. Your corporate is all over this -- it's been available less than a month. They must have more ties to Sandoz than AZ

    https://www.us.sandoz.com/news/media-releases/sandoz-launches-fulvestrant-injection-first-generic-version-faslodex-us


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  • Misstic
    Misstic Member Posts: 115
    edited June 2019

    Living in France, my treatment is only Fulvestrant for 6 months now. I never had Faslodex, only the generic brand from Sandoz. The generic one is on the market for 4 years, I think. Never having Faslodex, I can't tell if there is any difference between the two. Here are my SE if it can help:

    • cramps and muscle pain
    • fatigue
    • moderate weight gain (4 kg)
    • moderate dyspnea
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  • LoveFromPhilly
    LoveFromPhilly Member Posts: 1,308
    edited June 2019

    hi all!

    Popping in to this thread to say hello and pass along some info.

    I happened to meet with an AstraZeneca representative yesterday (long story!). She was lovely and incredibly dedicated to helping us. I believe she was part of the founding team for the “Beyond Pink” movement.

    Anyway - AstraZeneca is the pharmaceutical company that makes Faslodex. She mentioned that the generic was just approved after 17 years of Faslodex being the one medication of its kind available and approved by the FDA.

    I told her that I’d been reading (on here) about the concerns that many people are sharing around the generic version.

    She said she completely understood the concern and really wanted to help. She also seemed aware that there could be minor changes in the generic’s fillers (although she did not confirm this) that could cause people to be alarmed.

    She suggested calling the AstraZeneca pharmacy’s 1-800 number to speak to their team of oncology specialists about it.

    I am not on Faslodex but I thought it was very important in light of the discussions I see on these boards, to pass along the info. In fact, she asked me to please pass along the info

    Hope this helps!

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  • jennyunderthesun
    jennyunderthesun Member Posts: 54
    edited June 2019

    I had the same thing happen— showed up for my regular appointment, saw the new label, googled it to see whether anyone was reporting differences between the generic and faslodex (which I had been reviving since feb), and then saw that it was just approved in May. Could be just a fluke, but I actually am having my easiest time so far. Didn’t need a break between the two injections and am having less site pain in general on my second day. That could be due to any number of variables, but has me thinking it could be a good switch for me. Haven’t seen the bill yet...

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  • jennyunderthesun
    jennyunderthesun Member Posts: 54
    edited June 2019

    wow, I’m actually having wicked nausea and dizziness this time around. Anyone else having different symptoms than usual on the generic?

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  • GoodbyeGirl
    GoodbyeGirl Member Posts: 29
    edited July 2019

    Well, clearly a money grab. The oncology practice billed my insurance company the exact same amount for the Sandoz generic as they have always billed for the brand name Faslodex by AstraZeneca, and they were paid the exact same amount.

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