Avastin for BC (Taxol & AC, too)

coehler
coehler Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi there! I had a bilateral mastectomy due to a 4 cm invasive carcinoma in the right breast. That was a year ago, on Sept. 3. I then had AC (Adriamycin Cytoxin), Taxol and Avastin. The Avastin was a study, and I took 18 out of 30 treatments & stopped because of high blood pressure & migraines. I actually started the Avastin at the same time as the Taxol. I was told it is double the amount that colon cancer patients receive. Anyway, Taxol finished in Jan. 07 and Avastin in May 07. In April 07 I began having terrible migraines (I had a few earlier, but not almost every day). I also began having neuropathy, with pain, tingling & numbness. Nerve testing (OUCH!) showed no large nerve damage but the neurologist said it was definitely neuropathy. I'm taking Neurontin 3 times daily now, and it takes the edge off but may have to be increased. I take Fioricet (barbituate, caffeine, Tylenol) for the migraines. I also have Oxycodone/Tylenol for the breakthrough pain (I also have a jpouch from having my colon removed 5 years ago, and I have Crohn's & pain & then there's the lymphedema in my right hand and arm...yikes). Has anyone else had any long-term effects with Avastin? My onc acts like I'm a freak :) I used to have such a high pain tolerance. I try not to take anything and then it hits me like a truck. I'm now unemployed, after always working a 40-hour week. My body just caved in :) Oh yeah, I also have confusion and short-term memory loss-more than just chemobrain I'm told. The onc took me off Tamoxifen for 6 weeks to see if my brain cleared up, but it made no difference so I'm back on it. It doesn't seem to be causing any of the weirdness :) I appreciate your input!

Comments

  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #2
    Wow, it sounds like you have been througth the wringer! I am on Taxol and Herceptin...they have been successful and very few side effects...I do not know about Avastin. The chemo nurses at the center i go to suggested a wbsite to go to to read about drugs and their effects, but I did not write it down, so of course I have no idea what it is now. I have confusion and memory problems too....carry a notebook, or get an electronic one and USE IT ALL THE TIME. Chemomeds.com maybe??? You might ask the oncologist or his nurses if they know. Maybe 6 weeks is not long enough for the effects to wear off???
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    Hey dearheart...so you are a semi-colon, too...just like me...we got the 2-fer...colon followed by breast...lucky we are, huh?

    Post this Avastin question over on the colorectal board...you will get many responses. We have a number of stage 4 warriors that can share, I'm sure.

    MY trick was water, water, water....flushed everything out....2 quarts the day before, day of, and day after infusion.

    Hugs kathi
  • Skybuf
    Skybuf Member Posts: 143
    #4
    Hi Coehler, I have taken taxol also, it damaged my FEET big time, did it yours? The nerve ends are damaged, numb, tingling, sore, burning, hard to walk at all, did the Taxol do that to yours?
    I didn't take that other drug but did the AC as well. Dr told me Taxol gets the "hidden cells" so I had no choice she said......now I can't walk right due to the pain. Would love to hear from you.
    God bless you on your journey
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #5
    Skybuf said:

    Hi Coehler, I have taken taxol also, it damaged my FEET big time, did it yours? The nerve ends are damaged, numb, tingling, sore, burning, hard to walk at all, did the Taxol do that to yours?
    I didn't take that other drug but did the AC as well. Dr told me Taxol gets the "hidden cells" so I had no choice she said......now I can't walk right due to the pain. Would love to hear from you.
    God bless you on your journey

    I had the foot damage from the
    A/C. and leg pains from Tax where I took vicodin on and off.
    I haven't taken Avastin but plan to if i have a recurrance (I've also had colon and I have mulitple lung nodules) - so I figure it will be a "three for 1" for me. Don't let the oncologist treat you like you're crazy. The big Avasin study for breast was only completed a few years ago, so they only have a few years of real world data on side affects and you could be having side effects that didn't come up in the trial. You can ask him to file a report to the company (Genentech) and let them know of your side effects to help others down the road...

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