Celebrex

[al from canada]

Happy new year to all.
How many of us are still taking celebrex as a cox2 inhibitor? Linda is still taking 100 mg. 2X day. My understanding is that the research that labelled it as "dangerous" was on 400 mg. / day.
Al

[Monica]

I'm on the same dosage: 100 mg, two times a day. Neither my doctor nor pharmacist have suggested any changes.
Best,
Monica

[StephN]

Hi Al -
Maybe you saw my post a little bit down the list by now that I got a letter from my pharmacy warning the this class of drugs is under high scrutiny and may turn out not be the best thing for us.
With my current situation (brain mets) my new rad onc (for Gamma Knife) asked me to discontinue Celebrex, as well as all other pills possible (especially any aspirin I might need for headache or other pain, no blood thinners) before going into this procedure.
This morning my med onc and I talked about Celebrex and he mentioned that the data that came out in San Antonio last month indicated no real benefit for even the 400mg dose against returning cancers. I believe other ways are being worked on the block COX 2 a little differently and we will see some improvement down the line in this respect. So, I am officially off Celebrex.

[jessica]

I take Celebrex also & will continue to do so because I believe the risk for whatever the benefit, however marginal, is worth it to me.
Here's a question, what is the inicidence of heart attack deaths in Celebrex users in countries outside of the US?Has Celebrex been shrouded with the same strong precautions in countries outside the reach of the FDA? Is it truly a significant number & what were the circumstances-pre-existing conditions, dosage,etc-surrounding those deaths?
I think that's would be some important information to have in order to really assess the risk & make decisions for ourselves, not blindly follow the dictums of the FDA.
I'm willing to take the risk.

[StephN]

Hi Jessica -
I wish this new board had a way to directly address a post without starting a new topic, so hope you will see this.
I may not have this exactly straight, but I thought I heard in San Antonio that a full investigation with cooperating countries was underway to gather just the data you mentioned in the last post.

As it was in international symposium with cancer professionals from all over, as well as the drug companies respresented for their US AND foreign headquarters, we had chance to speak to as many as possible.
The HER2 Support table was in the midst of the large Exhibition area and we could wander around and speak to the reps, their docs, and reps from the foreign offices. Anything I had an interest in, I was free to start up a conversation at that booth and get any printed material, CD-roms, etc (I have two bags the size of a large computer carrier/briefcase FULL).
When these reps found out that I was a survivor, NED, maintained on Herceptin & Zometa (booth for Zometa (Novartis) right across from ours) this raised their interest as they don't see many actual patients in their end, but are quite informed. I was often quizzed on what else I took (including supplements, by the way).
The COX2 inhibitor was on a lot of minds due to the just released info on Vioxx, and what else might turn up.
It is likely if I did not have my current condition with brain mets, I wouls stay on the Celebrex until more complete information is out on the possible reasons to go off it. I have taken it for the reason you mentioned all this time (2.5 years) as another bullet in my arsenol, even if it only fit a Derringer!

[AlaskaAngel]

Did anyone else watch the PBS program "NOW" last night about Vioxx? It included some discussion of Celebrex as well. It was an interview with the doctor who worked at the FDA and why he pursued the question in the first place, etc. Very interesting.

A.A.