Ixempra? Any success stories/ experience

jml · 02-18-2010, 02:05 PM

Hello~
Can anyone share experience with Ixempra?
I'm planning on starting it on Monday.

I know so little about it, and have only seen 2 folks
post here that they used it.

Anything you can offer is very much appreciated~

Jml

Pam P · 02-18-2010, 03:00 PM

Jml - Sorry I know nothing about ixempra s/e and how people do on it, but I've been wondering what your onc. would advise for your next tx plan and I hope this will prove to be very effective for you. Pam

BarbM · 02-18-2010, 11:14 PM

I've had one treatment of Ixempra on the 1st of Feb. My 2nd will be Monday. It hasn't been too bad. For about the first 7 days, I had small shooting pains throughout my body with just a couple days of feeling sluggish. No nausea. My hair has started to thin on about day 12. It is still just thinning...not coming out in huge clumps as it did with Taxotere and Abraxane. Time will tell on whether I will need to wig it up or not. I am also on Herceptin and Tykerb....am having some digestive issues that I didn't have with Tykerb/Xeloda, but nothing to the extreme. The only other thing is some shortness of breath. I will ask the doc before I get Herceptin as it started after I restarted it..which was 3 weeks before I began Ixempra. So all and all, Ixempra has been tolerable. I sure hope it works!!!! Best to you!
~Barb

Elizab · 02-24-2010, 09:28 AM

Been on it for 7 treatments (3 wks apart), combined with herceptin until 6th treatment. Good results at 3 months scan. While on it, my voice has changed (hoarse). Also, I have a persistent cough - stopped the herceptin and the cough improved a bit, but still bothersome. Neither of these are listed side-effects. - will see Ear-Nose-throat doc in a few days.

jml · 02-24-2010, 09:42 AM

Hi All~
I had my 1st Ixempra/Herceptin infusion on Monday.Boy that was a long day.
Started with labs, then meet with the doc, then to the infusion center for a 5hr infusion - pre-meds, herceptin, then 3hrs of Ixempra.My bum was so sore from sitting for all those hours!
24 hrs after the infusion I started feeling a little flu'ish, but
nothing too major. And today just feeling cold, low energy.
I'm going to be doing my treatments on a weekly basis - which is fine.3 weeks on, 1 week off. In the past, we had the greatest success with my treatments when I was on weekly Taxol/Herceptin. And I just feel more confident exposing these monster spots to chemo as frequently as is reasonable.
So I guess that means my hair will thin & fall out more slowly, but if history repeats itself, day 21 is when it's happened in the past.
I already bought a new wig - real hair, lace front - pretty nice.
All my old one's have been retired since '05, so it made sense to buy a new one.
I'm feeling much more confident about Ixempra/Herceptin combo.My sister works for Genentech and has spoken with many of the MD/Scientists and they've given us a great feedback about the efficacy of this combo.
So now the plan is 2 cycles & evaluate. Hoping for the very best response and keeping eyes peeled for TDM1 trials to open up.

Thank you for your support & encouragement, as always~

Keep the Faith

Jessica

schoolteacher · 02-24-2010, 10:01 AM

Jessica,

Thinking of you. Hope you are feeling better today.

Amelia

BarbM · 02-24-2010, 01:13 PM

I have had the hoarseness with this combo, too. I also have had a shortness of breath. So, this past Monday (my 2nd every 3 week Ixempra) we dropped the Herceptin to see if it helps. Sure enough, the hoarseness and the shortness of breath are both going away. I will continue on Ixempra and Tykerb. Makes me a bit nervous to be off Herceptin, but maybe all 3 drugs were just too much for my lungs. Do you think I should drop the Tykerb and do Ixempra/Herceptin?

jml · 03-05-2010, 07:30 AM

Hi Friends~
Just wanted to share an update on how things are going on Ixempra...
I'm on weekly treatment of Herceptin + Ixempra, 3 weeks on, 1 week OFF.
The 1st treatment was long, but I seemed to respond as I usually do - 24 hrs after feeling flu'ey, then a couple of tough days.
The 2nd week has been tougher.I'm way more tired and nauseas on this treatment than any of the MANY revious combos I've been on.
It's surprises and scares me how "sick" I feel. Some of it's due to the disease in the nodes in my belly pressing on my bowels, making for lots of GI issues, but I really feel "chemo-sick" too. I was hoping to be able to continue to teach, even just a class/client or two, on my good days, but I'm just not having a full, good days like I have in the past on other treatments.
The good news is, I do feel like some of the GI issues are getting better, hopefully because the nodes are shrinking and everything in my belly isn't so crowded.
My 3rd treatment is on Monday, and I'm already getting nevous about how I'm going to feel afterwards. I've never been on Adria or Cytoxan, and I've heard that's a really tough combo. I wonder if this is what it feels like to be on that combo.

We'll re-evaluate after the 2nd full cycle. Hopefully the Ixempra will still be working, and I'll be tolerating it well.
And then hopefully TDM1 will be just around the corner.

Thanks for all your encouragement. I do check in daily on everyone, but don't always post.
Regardless, I keep you all in my prayers and
Keep the Faith for all of us~

Jessica

Sheila · 03-10-2010, 07:26 AM

Jessica
Hoping the Ixempra gets gentler on you....hoping it is kicking butt on the stubborn cancer cells!

Carolyns · 03-11-2010, 08:37 AM

Jessica, Have they spoken with you about a weekly dosing schedule? If I go on I think I will get it weekly and I heard it was easier. Carolyn

LOPSIDED · 03-11-2010, 10:42 AM

I had success with Ixempra a while back. I think I did 6 treatments. I don't remember any side effects except fatigue.

jml · 03-12-2010, 04:44 PM

I continue to be baffled by how awful I feel on this Ixempra.
(Carolyn - i am on weekly treatment, 3 on, 1 off. next week is my 'off' week, thank God).
The past couple of days have been particularly brutal, but that may be due to a UTI and the antibiotic, Bactrin I was taking. I read some posts from people that had really horrible side effects from the Bactrin. That's some powerful stuff.
I guess it could be the combo of chemo and the Bactrin that really cut me off at the knees.
I haven't logged on in the past couple of days and am heartbroken to learn that Woman of Steel isn't doing well.
Too much sadness and heartbreak here lately.

Praying & Keeping the Faith~

jessica

Carolyns · 03-13-2010, 11:12 AM

Hi Jessica,

I am sorry that you are feeling so bad even with the weekly treatment. My doctor mentioned to me that this will most likely be my next treatment along with Herceptin. No Tykerb.

I hope that you feel better once you get rid of your UTI.

Carolyn