Celebrex

[Steph N.]

See on the old board some chat on this drug. I have been taking Celebrex since coming off a 2nd round of chemo in July of 2002. The 2 pills 2x a day was too much for my system - had loose bowel trouble. Cut back to 1 2x a day and have maintained on that plus herceptin and zometa every 3 weeks with no further recurrance or mets. Neither I nor my doc know what is an effective dose in prophelactic use.
Anyone out there have any ideas?

[Leslie]

Hi Steph,
Celebrex comes in different strengh pills so I don't know what you are taking. I take one 200 mg pill twice a day. I don't have any side effects from that dose. I don't think enough research has been done with breast cancer and Celebrex yet to really know the optimal dose, or even know for sure if it is helpful. I am taking it anyway!! I know the studies where it has proven beneficial (polyps - colon cancer, and some skin cancers) the studies were done with 800 mg per day. That is a really big dose - more than usual indications, so I am just taking the 400 mg per day. Would be interested in knowing what your dose is and what other people on the board are taking.
Leslie

[Lyn]

Hi there, I have been on and off Celebrex for years for inflammation and I still got breast cancer, so when I fractured my shoulder celebrex was the only anti inflammatory drug that gave me relief but unfortunately I developed fluid on the lungs which caused back pressure to the heart and I was having trouble breathing, so the celebrex was dropped. I also developed inflammation that only responded to Bruphen so I had to juggle them. I then developed a lump in the side of my neck and various scans and ct showed I had a thyroid problem, the thyroid problem took precedent and my treatment with thyroxin and the underlying lump put me into cardiac tamponage so I was in hospital for 7 dyas, but the lump kept getting bigger so after persistance I eventually I got a fine needle biopsy and the lump had cancer cells present, and obviouisly present since June 2003 when I found the lump, so I am now scheduled for radiation, in my case I would not think that the Celebrex has been of any use other than for my shoulder.

Hugs from Lyn

[Steph N.]

For Lyn. Sorry that you have had such a time with this demon disease.
The thing about Celebrex is not that it will stop the cancer from coming, but that it is another weapon in our arsenol to combat the growth. There is some action from this drug that cuts off the blood supply and stunts the tumor's growth. This is especially crucial for people like me who can get big tumors fast! My onc says that tumors subjected to Celebrex are supposed to grow no larger than the size of a pea. This was not from any published study but anecdotal when I was told this 18 months ago.

[Lyn]

Hi there, thanks for your kind words, I wish I could still have the Celebrex because my fractured shoulder is sometimes worse that any treatment I have had, and none of the other anti-inflammatories have worked and I am not keen on taking so many pain killers, when I wake in the morning I feel like I have to get the concrete slab off my neck but once I am up and about I think I tend to block out the pain and worry about the lump in my neck, more so anxious to get something started on getting rid of it.

Luv & Hugs to you
Lyn