Cymbalta

kayandok
kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi gals, just a quick update. I am almost finished 6 doses of avastin and am getting my 6th/DC (taxotere and carbo) this week. My CA125 seems to have leveled off, and my body is leveling down, so I asked if I could take a month off of the treatment. My doc wants me to stay on the same combo after my break, but meanwhile I am going to take tamoxifen.

I also started taking cymbalta to treat my neuropathy. It does seem to be helping, although the numbness is not completely gone. It is a controversial drug, and can be dangerous if you stop it cold turkey. I am posting the abstract from ASCO.

Has anyone else tried this for neuropathy?

K

http://www.asco.org/ASCOv2/Meetings/Abstracts?&vmview=abst_detail_view&confID=114&abstractID=91721

Comments

  • ktamp
    ktamp Member Posts: 81
    #2
    Are you taking any vitamin
    Are you taking any vitamin B6? I have found this to be very helpful in my neuropathy. My was so bad, I nearly quit chemo after my second cycle. I still have it but it is tolerable and some days I don't even notice it. I'm also on neurontin but I'm not sure if that is helping. I take 100mg of B6 three times a day. It's over the counter and cheap so it's worth a shot. I would go ahead and try the cymbalta too although I have no personal experience with it. I just know how bad neuropathy can be and I would be willing to try anything. Hope it gets better for you.
  • JoWin615
    JoWin615 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #3
    Cymbalta
    My partner has taken Cymbalta for several years for her pain from rheumatoid arthritis, and for anxiety. She has had good results on it, so I would think it would also be helpful for neuropathy.

    Jo
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #4
    JoWin615 said:

    Cymbalta
    My partner has taken Cymbalta for several years for her pain from rheumatoid arthritis, and for anxiety. She has had good results on it, so I would think it would also be helpful for neuropathy.

    Jo

    Jo,
    How many mg/day is she taking? I am currently taking 60 (20-3 times a day) and read some accounts of diabetics taking even more. With all the other stuff I take, I hesitate to take up to 120mg/fay, but have considered bumping it up to 80mg.

    ktamp, I have been taking B6 and L-Glutamine also. My neuropathy is permanent since 2009, when I took cisplatin. I have had 8 different courses of chemo including lot's of taxol and toxotere. The chemo is what has kept me alive for 5 years, but it has also given me some challenges with the neuropathy.

    K
  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #5
    Kathleen
    I have an appt with my onc tomorrow to discuss treatment and one option is Tamoxifen. I know I will get info tomorrow but could you tell me why you are taking it and what it does?


    Thanks,
    Karen
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #6
    kikz said:

    Kathleen
    I have an appt with my onc tomorrow to discuss treatment and one option is Tamoxifen. I know I will get info tomorrow but could you tell me why you are taking it and what it does?


    Thanks,
    Karen

    Karen,
    the cymbalta is for neuropathy. I have been on 8 different chemo cocktails and so the neuropathy is unavoidable after 5 years. So far, it seems to be helping a lot.

    Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen/progesteron drug. Have your tumors been tested for ER and PR (estrogen and progesteron)? If so, then it is a good drug to use as maintainance, but I have never heard of it being used to fight a bulky tumor, to be honest, unless all other chemo options have been tried. Is there a reason why you are not going back on the original chemo that gave you your long remission?

    hugs,
    kathleen
  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #7
    kayandok said:

    Karen,
    the cymbalta is for neuropathy. I have been on 8 different chemo cocktails and so the neuropathy is unavoidable after 5 years. So far, it seems to be helping a lot.

    Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen/progesteron drug. Have your tumors been tested for ER and PR (estrogen and progesteron)? If so, then it is a good drug to use as maintainance, but I have never heard of it being used to fight a bulky tumor, to be honest, unless all other chemo options have been tried. Is there a reason why you are not going back on the original chemo that gave you your long remission?

    hugs,
    kathleen

    I believe it is because
    my doctors are somewhat conservative about using chemo since as they both said I will be off and on chemo for the rest of my life. I had the choice to take the pill or wait for the cancer to grow until I am symptomatic. It is also about quality of life. I am feeling great right now. I asked what Tamoxifen will do for me, will it eradicate the tumor, keep it from growing and she said it could do either or possibly not work at all. I will have a CA 125 monthly to monitor growth and if after a few months the numbers don't indicate it's working, I guess I'll face chemo.

    As I have learned this disease and it's treatment are basically a crap shoot. I told my onc that when I ask questions, she needs a crystal ball in order to know the answers. As we were leaving I told her to work on getting that crystal ball.

    Thanks, Kathleen


    Karen
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #8
    kikz said:

    I believe it is because
    my doctors are somewhat conservative about using chemo since as they both said I will be off and on chemo for the rest of my life. I had the choice to take the pill or wait for the cancer to grow until I am symptomatic. It is also about quality of life. I am feeling great right now. I asked what Tamoxifen will do for me, will it eradicate the tumor, keep it from growing and she said it could do either or possibly not work at all. I will have a CA 125 monthly to monitor growth and if after a few months the numbers don't indicate it's working, I guess I'll face chemo.

    As I have learned this disease and it's treatment are basically a crap shoot. I told my onc that when I ask questions, she needs a crystal ball in order to know the answers. As we were leaving I told her to work on getting that crystal ball.

    Thanks, Kathleen


    Karen

    crap shoot
    you are absolutely right about that. I'm glad you are confident in your doctors and your decision. That goes a long ways! I hope this treatment works a miracle for you!
    Wishing you the best, Karen!
    kathleen❤
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #9
    I'm a nurse practitioner
    I'm a nurse practitioner with a specialty in chronic pain. I treat many patients with Cymbalta for neuropathy and the added benefit it helps reduce depression which we know comes with cancer and pain. Good Luck.

    pS, we can treat the pain of neuropathy, but the numbness is just there. Clinically we can't seem to find anything to reduce the numbness. Kim
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #10
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    I'm a nurse practitioner
    I'm a nurse practitioner with a specialty in chronic pain. I treat many patients with Cymbalta for neuropathy and the added benefit it helps reduce depression which we know comes with cancer and pain. Good Luck.

    pS, we can treat the pain of neuropathy, but the numbness is just there. Clinically we can't seem to find anything to reduce the numbness. Kim

    cymbalta
    Kim, I am curious what kind of dosages are presribed for patients with neuropathy. I am taking 60mg daily, and it seems to help. Although, on days when I have to go out, entertain at my house, or go to an event at school etc, I take lyrica also. It seems to work differently, and together I'm good to go. But, I really don't like taking the lyrica daily as it seems to build up in my system and I almost feel like I have had too much coffee/a bit too wound up when I take it too many days in a row. I also don't like having so much medication in my system. Anyway, I have read of some people taking up to 120mg of cymalta and I'm wondering if I should ask to increase my dose, so I wouldn't need to use the lyrica. Any thoughts?

    Thanks,
    kathleen
  • kimberly sue 63
    kimberly sue 63 Member Posts: 421 Member
    #11
    kayandok said:

    cymbalta
    Kim, I am curious what kind of dosages are presribed for patients with neuropathy. I am taking 60mg daily, and it seems to help. Although, on days when I have to go out, entertain at my house, or go to an event at school etc, I take lyrica also. It seems to work differently, and together I'm good to go. But, I really don't like taking the lyrica daily as it seems to build up in my system and I almost feel like I have had too much coffee/a bit too wound up when I take it too many days in a row. I also don't like having so much medication in my system. Anyway, I have read of some people taking up to 120mg of cymalta and I'm wondering if I should ask to increase my dose, so I wouldn't need to use the lyrica. Any thoughts?

    Thanks,
    kathleen

    I do go up to doses of 120
    I do go up to doses of 120 mg; however, the research shows that there is not much more improvement in symptoms over 60-90 mg. I'm glad it is working for you!! Kim
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #12
    kimberly sue 63 said:

    I do go up to doses of 120
    I do go up to doses of 120 mg; however, the research shows that there is not much more improvement in symptoms over 60-90 mg. I'm glad it is working for you!! Kim

    Thank you,
    for that info.! It is very helpful. My feeling was that I should stay at 60.
    K

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