Side Effects of Megace and Oral Cytoxan(cyclophosphamide)?

pam0422
pam0422 Member Posts: 25
in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1

Has anyone out there been on Megace and/or oral Cytoxan(cyclophosphamide)? If so, did you have abdominal pain as a side effect? My mother has been on Megace since February and Cytoxan since May. She is having acute stomach pains in the lower abdomen, especially when walking for any period of time. She had a colon resection in Feb for what was thought to be colon cancer and ended up being a recurrence of endometrial cancer in the colon. Her last ct scan on June 1 was negative. The pains started around the time she started on Megace. Her oncologist didn't seem concerned about it and said she could stop the Megace if she thought it was the cause, but of course she doesn't want to stop something that may be helping slow the growth of cells unless she absolutely has to. The pain is often bad enough to make her go lie down. 

Comments

  • AWK
    AWK Member Posts: 364 Member
    #2
    I was on it for six weeks prior to my surgery

    In the early stages of my journey.  I had nausea but no abdominal pain.  So sorry!  Is she having normal bowel movements?  sending prayers.   Anne

  • pam0422
    pam0422 Member Posts: 25
    #3
    AWK said:

    I was on it for six weeks prior to my surgery

    In the early stages of my journey.  I had nausea but no abdominal pain.  So sorry!  Is she having normal bowel movements?  sending prayers.   Anne

    Thank you Anne. She seems to

    Thank you Anne. She seems to generally have normal bowel movements, but lots of gas. - Pam

  • oldbeauty
    oldbeauty Member Posts: 378 Member
    #4
    pam0422 said:

    Thank you Anne. She seems to

    Thank you Anne. She seems to generally have normal bowel movements, but lots of gas. - Pam

    If you and she think Megace is the problem

    you can ask to switch to Provera instead.  Megace is the steroidal hormone of choice in the USA for cancer treatment (and it is used as an appetite stimulant) but I started hormone therapy overseas where Pfizer's Provera is prescribed.  There is a generic for Provera in the US which may well be on your mother's Medicare Rx plan.  Provera (and the generic) is only available in maximum 10 mg. tablets in the USA.  I'm on 400 mg daily so I  have to take 20 pills 2 times a day.  But they are small tablets and I pop them down in less than a minute.  Megace and Provera are not identical but I don't know whether the difference between them might solve intestinal distress.  The only side-effect, and it may not be insignificant in an older woman who may have co-morbity issues, is that, after 3 years, it has caused total adrenal gland suppression.  Also, I don't seem to be able to rid myself of the last few pounds I've wanted to (concerned about body fat being stored as estrogen) and I figure that might be metabolic effects from the hormone therapy.  But all in all I have no complaints.  I hope you and your mother and the docs can solve the problem. Oldbeauty

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