Ibrance (Palbociclib)

Okay, now I am really confused...could be my chemo brain as I am nearing the end of chemo. I take atorvastatin and the plan is that when I get done with chemo and radiation that I will go on Ibrance. So, do I need to be talking to my doctor about getting off of the atorvastatin now and what medicine to replace it with?

SondraF, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t oligo - my first PET report said “numerous lytic snd sclerotic lesions throughout the visualized skeleton”. There were hotspots in a few places in the spine, sacrum and iliac bones. Took about 6 months for them to completely lose FDG uptake. The axillary nodes took nearly a year to resolve.

There’s hope, and my doctor is wonderful about bringing it around. He mentioned how excited he is about the newest oral SERDs, which supposedly work better than fulvestrant, and also mentioned that oral CDK7 trials are getting ready to open in the US, and should be a good option down the road.

42young, I am definitely taking it as an early Christmas present. It’s the only thing I really wished for.

I haven’t had any local treatments (based on the whole “horse out of the barn” theory). This is the first time in two years that my MO expressed any inclination to do local treatments in the event of a “localized” progression.

As far as diets, I eat anything I want, as the extra 30 pounds I’ve “acquired” since the diagnosis can prove. I try to get fruits and vegetables in every day, and I go through good eating spells, but food is one of my biggest pleasures in life and it’s hard to give it up. I don’t exercise as often as I should, especially when school and work get busy. I take baby aspirin and loratadine every day based on the human studies that showed improved survival in breast cancer patients and fish oil, magnesium and calcium with vitamin D to keep the bones strong and lessen letrozole pains. I do sometimes wonder if I’m doing enough, especially diet and exercise wise-something I can put on my New Year resolutions list. But I think staying NEAD and ultimately staying alive comes down 80% to tumor biology and the rest to scientists coming up with new treatments fast enough and doctors staying on top of things, thinking creatively and looking out for us. Absent those kinds of doctors, self-advocating probably makes a difference as well. It’s certainly not a “merit-based” disease, otherwise Zarovkawould still be with us...

Great news Piggy! Enjoy the Holidays.

Thanks Simone80. I sent Jaycee a PM.

Piggy, I never heard of the baby aspirin/loratadine connection to better breast cancer survival.

Mike, I don't have any Cobra answers, but I feel for you and the insurance thing, Mine was quite jumbled up this year and I found it stressful. If your income is low enough, you can qualify for assistance even on Cobra I believe, and income levels are pretty generous. Best wishes getting that sorted out. It may take time, but eventually it gets figured out.

Congrats Piggy! What great news to start the holidays. Thanks for bringing us more hope!

I have suffered from strep throat the last few days. For the first time in 2 years I had to delay the start of my cycle by almost 2 weeks. MO says it shouldn’t effect anything. Maybe my body needs a break anyways. It’s nice to feel “normal” for a while and not be bound to having to take the meds.

Karen, welcome to the board. Friends here have been amazing to me. Side effects are definitely manageable. I had many spots in my lung 2 years ago and much have resolved since. Best of luck to you on the treatment

Wishing you all the very best this holiday season.

thanks thereishope, I’ve actually been around this board for quite a while, just don’t post very often

Great news, Piggy!

sondra, so true about the pain with strep throat. Although the woman in me said “if I can handle child birth, I can handle sore throat”. Lol. I was in pain for 4-5 days before giving in to getting a swab test and getting antibiotics. I felt better within a day. Sometimes it’s not worth trying to be a hero!

Thanks for your response, BevJen, and for your earlier one to me too. I’ll def go to the linked thread. I’ve been trying to learn more about the various procedures so maybe I’ve already been there? I’d like to ask you some questions if you’re there too.

Thanks, ladies, you are the best. I hope we all get to hang around here for many years doing the Ibrance dance!

Quick question for you Ibrance dancers -- I know that people have posted about having nausea, but is anyone out there actually vomiting? I am in the middle of cycle 5 and took my pill a little bit late last evening (a while after dinner) and this morning I was not only nauseous but vomited for a good part of the day. I'm thinking that this might be a little virus (I'm in the middle of my cycle, and probably most vulnerable right now to these things) because I have a temp that's slightly over 99.

Thanks for any info.

Bev

Thanks, IntoLight. I am watching that fever for sure. I do feel better than I did this morning.

Cowgal, atorvastatin is still considered one of the best, and if it's working for you, there might not be a reason to switch. Just make sure your prescribing doctor knows about the enhancing effects of Ibrance and keeps a close watch (mine tests every 3 months) on your cholesterol levels. There is definitely a reason to reduce the dose - I went from 20mg a day to 20mg every other day (the fact that I still had 80 doses in a 90-dose bottle, combined with the half-life info, convinced my doc not to lower the dose itself). Having the extra day to flush it out of my system has done wonders - I am literally pain free, after not being able to walk at all without a cane, and my Advil use has gone from 6-8 caps a day to... I literally can't remember the last time I took any!