Need some perspective, please

[Rich66]

Obviously anything has to be coordinated with your onc but..

If you have migraine issues, feverfew herbal is supposed to help with that. Feverfew contains parthenolide which has anticancer/cancer stem cell properties as well as calming qualities..supposedly enhancing melatonin production. Available at www.GNC.com
If common allergies might be an issue, Quercetin is supposed to help with that...along with anti-cancer/metabolism regulating qualities. I believe it is thought to help with diahrrea. Thought to increase absorption of certain nutrients and meds. Available as supplement but found naturally in onions.

There is some suggestion that Avastin, like many therapies, might be better tolerated if given lower dose/more frequently.

[Bill]

Hi Flori! I'm sorry to hear how you've hit this rough patch. Are you trying to drink more and trying some of the fluid recipes and anti-diarrhea remedies listed here in the past? Please know that your in my thoughts and prayers. Love,,,,,,Bill

[Patb]

Please know I am thinking of you and wishing you the
best. The others have given you good advice and food
for thought. Just know we are here for you in our hearts.
patb

[BonnieR]

Flori, how goes it?

[caya]

Hi Flori,

Hope you are doing better. I am thinking of you dear girl.

all the best
caya

Sei Gesund.

[Lani]

Flori--I just got back from the AACR annual meeting. Apparently Avastin seems only to
slow down progression of disease, but not change overall survival in any way.

Perhaps your oncologist knows of other means of achieving antiangiogenesis without the same side effects ie, metronomic chemotherapy, NSAIDs etc

One word of caution (and unfortunately I could not split myself into six clones and attend all sessions that interested me): there are those who have observed a rebound of tumors after discontinuing avastin --originally described in mice, don't know how often in humans--felt to happen because although avastin kills the blood vessel lining cells of the blood vessels feeding the tumor, it does not destroy the framework of the scaffolding for the blood vessels, so once it is stopped the scaffolding is already there which means it take much less time, effort and energy to reconstitute a new vascular system to feed the tumor.(like leaving the foundation and bearing walls rather than destroying an entire house, it is much quicker,easier to rebuild the house)

Someone from Genentech talked about the phenomenon and whether it was
found in humans and what could be done about it. I knew I would be sorry if I didn't attend--that someone would expect me to be able to help with that knowledge, but knew most talks were taped and could be bought through a company for listening afterwards ($399 for the entire meeting, but I met someone perhaps willing to split costs). If I get the tape I will listen to the talk and update you.

With that in mind, it might theoretically be best to add something else antiangiogenic when stopping avastin, although I generally agree with Becky that it is generally a good principle to stop one thing at a time to see what is causing a problem.

I also met someone from the NIH who is interested in having her2+ patients
for a trial he is doing with a radionucleide (radioactive-labelled compound) which is targetted with herceptin which seeks out and identifies (and perhaps someday treats) residual her2+ residual disease.

There were loads of new drugs being found useful in her2+ disease, and very hopeful reports with panher blockers.

Hopefully the cavalry (of new drugs) is coming over the hill just in time to be available to help if you find your present combo is not all it can be.

Best of luck!

[Rich66]

Tying in with what Lani saw at AACR, more on Angiogenesis, Avastin and other approaches:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...218#post221218

[ElaineM]

So sorry you are still under the weather. If you can't make it to the doc's office for hydration keep drinking water, tea, juice, soup and eat alot of fruit-------That will help with the hydration. I know salt can increase blood pressure, but it might help to put a little pinch of salt in a glass of warm water and drink it slowly for hydration. Oranges and bananas have potassium. Instant hydration and instant Gadorade !!
We are cheering for you !! Take good care of yourself.

[Bill]

Flori, Flori, Morning Glory, you better listen to Sister Elaine. Don't make me come out there.

[Lani]

hot off the press:
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Apr 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Incidence and risk of significantly raised blood pressure in cancer patients treated with bevacizumab: an updated meta-analysis.
An MM, Zou Z, Shen H, Liu P, Chen ML, Cao YB, Jiang YY.

R&D Center of New Drug, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guo He Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Bevacizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting vascular endothelial growth factor. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the overall incidence and risk of significantly raised blood pressure in cancer patients who receive bevacizumab therapy. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified in PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, and American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences. Overall incidence rates, relative risks (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. The primary clinical endpoint was significantly raised blood pressure (grade 3 or above). RESULTS: A total of 12,949 cancer patients with a variety of solid tumors from 19 RCTs were included in our meta-analysis. The overall incidence of significantly raised blood pressure was 8% (95% CI 6-10%) among patients receiving bevacizumab. Bevacizumab treatment was associated with a statistically significant increased risk of developing significantly raised blood pressure (RR 5.38, 95% CI 3.63-7.97). The RRs of significantly raised blood pressure in patients receiving bevacizumab at 5 and 2.5 mg/kg per week were 7.17 (95% CI, 3.91-13.13) and 4.11 (95% CI 2.49-6.78), respectively. Among cancer patients, those with renal cell carcinoma (RR 13.77, 95% CI 2.28-83.15) and breast cancer (RR 18.83, 95% CI 1.23-292.29) who received bevacizumab at 5 mg/kg per week had a higher risk of developing significantly raised blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Among the patients included in the trials analyzed in this meta-analysis, the addition of bevacizumab to cancer therapy treatments significantly increased the risk of significantly raised blood pressure. The risk may be dose-dependent and vary with tumor type.

PMID: 20401474

[Laurel]

Flori,

Try a bit of dried seaweed crumpled and littered over your salad, or in some miso soup. I have found that my blood pressure rises as I do not seem to have enough Iodine in my diet. I do not use salt to cook or add to foods, but with all the sodium in our diets I never considered I'd need some Iodine, but apparently it isn't added to salt they way it was in the past. I had a BP that was creeping up to where yours is ever since chemo. I finally added the Iodine after some research on elevated BP and also take a herbal supplement called Hawthorne. One 500mg cap daily has my bp back to normal. Also, Flori, pain will shoot your BP into the stratosphere.

Hoping and praying you get answers and relief.

[SoCalGal]

I think the virus part has passed, no fever and my headache is almost 100% gone. I'm sure in a few days I'll start to feel my energy return. After day 2 of hydration, my b/p was 120/72.

I am taking a chemo break for a month. After 2 days of sitting for hydration and talking to my doc about my quality of life of late, my frustration with side effects and feeling like crud, she says that it would do me some good to just take a break. She said that since my disease is mostly stable, it would not hurt to take a month off. I am going to focus on the time off, and what it can mean to me in getting my "me" back. I will be able to step up the exercise, eat better, and do a bit of travel.

Thank you for your input and support. I printed out every response, cut them out, and taped them alongside my mirror. (Well some of them I just printed out to discuss with my doc, Lani, Brenda and Rich!).

It really does help to remind yourself to focus on the good. As Chris said, one step, one breath at a time.

With gratitude,
Flori

[ElaineM]

I am very happy to hear you are feeling better Flori. Enjoy your month vacation from treatment. You deserve it !!

[caya]

Hi Flori,

Enjoy that month long chemo break. And eat some chocolate, it's good for you...

xo sweetie.

all the best
caya

[Bill]

Glad to hear that you're feeling better, Flori! It sounds like you and your onc. are in agreement that a break will do you some good. Sounds like a great chance to do all the things you mentioned, and maybe you can re-post that pic of your daughter's tattoo while you're at it. It's a classic.

[Emelie B]

Flori,
So glad you are feeling better. A break will help with everything. Just don't do what I do and try to "do it all" at the same time. Rest, eat well and enjoy!

[juanita]

Just adding some hugs and prayers for you!!!!

[Jackie07]

Flori,

Enjoy the off month: recharge, refuel, regroup, and redraw the battle plan...

[CourtneyL]

Just wanted to chime in and say that I hope you are feeling better, Flori. And I wanted to offer you some words of encouragement from one of my heroes:

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

[lkc Gumby]

Hi Flori, I've never written directly to before, But have often read your posts. This one hit me, as I felt your" desperation"
I am hoping you have just a simple virus and are feeling much better soon!