avastin

My doc wants to start me on Avastin in a few weeks.  I'd like to hear from anyone who has been on this drug.  I have ovarian cancer stage 3C diagnosed in Jan 07.  Have been on chemo since then.  I'd like to know how this drug is tolerated by most.  If you've been on it, or know someone who has, I would love to hear from you.

thank you

vicki

 

On 6/4/2009 vickiv74 wrote:

My doc wants to start me on Avastin in a few weeks.  I'd like to hear from anyone who has been on this drug.  I have ovarian cancer stage 3C diagnosed in Jan 07.  Have been on chemo since then.  I'd like to know how this drug is tolerated by most.  If you've been on it, or know someone who has, I would love to hear from you.

thank you

vicki

 

 

On 6/4/2009 vickiv74 wrote:

My doc wants to start me on Avastin in a few weeks.  I'd like to hear from anyone who has been on this drug.  I have ovarian cancer stage 3C diagnosed in Jan 07.  Have been on chemo since then.  I'd like to know how this drug is tolerated by most.  If you've been on it, or know someone who has, I would love to hear from you.

thank you

vicki

I have been on Avastin since April 1, 2009.  I have had only one bloody nose event.  I am also on Cisplatin and Gemzar.  I am very tired most of the time.  I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer last July and had surgery August 4, 2008.  I had six rounds of Taxol and Carboplatin.  I was told I was in remission because my CA125 was down from 904 to 24.  But.....my doctor was doing a ileostomy reversal and found two tumors, sent them to pathology and they came back cancerous.  I do not trust the CA125 any longer.  So in April of this year, I was put on Gemzar, Cisplatin and the Avastin.  I truly can't say I have had any problems with this drug.  I was told I would bruise easily, and have nose bleeds but I have haven't. 

Hope this helps you.

Charma 

 

 

I was also diagnosed in Jan 07 (stage 3c).  I had avastin along with carbo platin and taxol (5 treatments), then 7 treatments with avastin alone.  This was a clinial drug study.  My disease progressed  after seven treatments and my participation in the study ended.  The avastin was easily tolerated by me, the only apparent effect was low white count.  Unfortunately I did not benefit much from this drug, but every patient is different I hope you will be more successful.  I am now looking into molecular profiling of my tumor tissue hoping that it will provide a better picture of what drugs might work instead of the trial and error method currently used. 

Took Avastin for 6 months, had bizarre sideaffect of severe loss of short term memory...might talk with you today and see you tommorrow and not remember...no kiddding, it was scary. Also the research says it gives you about 4 months of life at the end, thaks for nothing. at providence in anchorage it costs 36,ooo dollars a pop here in the valley 11,000 s pop. Someone is going to hell I can tell you that right now. My sister and I are both BRACA1 and are trying to find clinical trials that approach our disease from that point of view. I saw try everything you can as long as it doesnt become your life 9more than it already is)l If anyone out there knows anyone doing miracles with BRACA people pleasse let me knowllcolleen

My husband has had 6 Avastin infusions. After the first 3 he had a greater than 50% reduction in his grade IV GBM and a complete resolution of the edema in his brain so was able to come off his Decadron, which was great.. He has tolerated the infusions very well. We do have to be carefull since he bruises easily and takes a long time to heal and watch for blood clots. Fred is tired for several days after the infusion but by the next week he is feeling good again. I have seen such an improvement in his quality of life that Avastin has been almost a miracle drug for him. I know that bleeding and blood clots are a concern along with constipation and high blood pressure. His NO did place him on Norvasc for his blood pressure but no other symptoms at present. Hope this is helpfull, I am so sorry you and your family have to go through this. God bless you and give you the peace and strength to fight this terrible disease.

Mrs Fritz

Husband Fred diagnosed Grade IV GBM Nov 2008