Community Connection: Ovarian Cancer Canada is looking for volunteers! Could you help?
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Community Champion. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
OVdialogue – consider joining our team in the role of Community Champion. Over a few hours each week, you would be part of a team that helps connect people, support conversations and are thought leaders for OVdialogue. This is your opportunity to give back to those who have/continue to support you through the tough times, share your unique experiences, and help celebrate successes. For more details of what this entails, please reach out to @Mfallis (mfallis@ovariancanada.org).
Ovarian Cancer Canada is thrilled to share that we have some exciting updates on the way for OVdialogue. These enhancements are designed to strengthen our community and make your experience even better.
Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Let’s make this community even stronger!
Stay tuned for more details, and feel free to share your thoughts below. Let’s make this community even stronger!
Avastin And Caylex
Comments
-
So far I am finding these are relatively mild or symptom free. I am starting my second round this week. I get Avastin and Caelyx every month and half way through the month I just get Avastin. During the first round I had no nausea, pain in my joints, or skin problems. The only immediate side effect I had was a persistent headache for a day which didn't go away using Tylenol 500s. I think this was due to the Avastin as I got it also when I had only Avastin half way through the month Strangely enough the headache went away when I used my migraine medication (generic version of Imitrex). (Checked with hospital to make sure it was OK to use this during chemo.)
I am noticeably more tired but my blood and urine levels are carefully monitored throughout this treatment. If I have something needing to be done I do it in the morning as by mid afternoon I am starting to droop. If it hasn't started to work by the end of the second round (end of January) I hope my oncologist will be able to come up with something else. He is very experienced so I am lucky.
Last summer I was on Paclitaxel and Carboplatin and those side effects were more difficult to control.
I will be interested to hear how you are making out.
0 -
Hi
I had 2 Nd infusion already this week is my avastin
i totally get the fatigue , this time it’s really quite significant
headaches is another issue
i had wkly taxol from May til October this year it brought my ca down but then my ca started going up
so I have the Caylex and avastin
my ct is next week the drs here go by ct imaging not ca.numbers
a week before I started this treatment which has been now going on 7 weeks I have developed a dry hacking relentless cough
so I think that’s why the ct scan
my ca is still going up apparently that’s how Caylex works it goes up before down for at least 3 infusions
i live in Ontario what part of Canada do you live?
i was dx in 2014 stage 3 c serous ovarian cancer
im going to a very good cancer hospital Princess Margeret Hospital Toronto Ontario
i would live to keep in touch seeing as we are both on similar treatment
Regards Mary
0 -
I really appreciate the feedback on how you got to this treatment. I live in south eastern BC. I was diagnosed in March 2017 - same diagnosis as yours. Over the next five months I had six rounds of carboplatin and paclitaxel and a big surgery to remove reproductive organs and debulking tumour. Thought I was doing fine but ten weeks after final treatment I had a recurrence. I have had lots of CT scans over the past ten months as part of the monitoring . I get another one at the end of this second cycle. I'm interested to hear that the CA 125 numbers go up and down before finally going down (hopefully for me, too). I had a mild cough and felt a bit short of breath at the beginning of my first cycle but no hacking cough. Just a dry cough that has disappeared but my voice sounds quite croaky these days. I also limit how much I talk every day as my abdominal muscles (where tumour is) get sore with using my diaphragm, for example, to hold my breath until the end of a sentence. Hope you have a good outcome from the CT scan.
Take care, Sally
0 -
-
Any way I can help so others!!!
thks Flowergirl
0 -
One of the side effects of Avastin (Bevacizumab) for me has been a rise in blood pressure. Usually my BP is around 130/ 80.Last week I had the "beginning of the cycle #2" doses of Caelyx and Avastin.Before I was given Avastin my blood pressure was measured, as usual, and it was 192/105. My husband and I share a black sense of humour and we agreed we were in the right place should I have a stroke...I was given two tablets for instant release for high blood pressure and it went down to an acceptable level for the Avastin to be administered. I went straight to my family doctor and now I take one tablet (Amlodipine Besylate) in the am and am monitoring myself with a blood pressure cuff at home.Fortunately it is going down day by day.
0 -
Guinsal im so glad that you have that side effect u dear control
im not sure if my coughing and sinus issue are part of the avastin side effects
i love that you can keep a sense of humour about it0 -
I am almost at the end of the second cycle of Caelyx and Avastin and this time my hands are getting a bit red and sore. Anything that causes friction against the skin can make them hurt a little. (eg twisting caps off bottles, wringing out dish cloths, taking lids off yoghurt containers ) I put Bag Balm on several times a day but it's greasy so I wear cheap cotton gloves bought at the dollar store or pharmacy. The gloves also provide an extra barrier so anything I'm doing with my hands doesn't affect me so much. I wear the gloves through the night,too, to help keep the cream on. I also make sure I don't put lids and screw tops back on tightly after I've got someone else to open them! I would call this a pre-emptive strike rather than that I'm dealing with a severe case of this side effect.
1 -
Hi @guinsal -thank you for sharing how you are coping with those side effects. Those gloves are a good idea!
0
