hi today ( Monday ) was my last Venetoclax tablets . It has been a 12 month journey with thank goodness not too much drama . I won’t miss the nausea in the morning that’s for sure and am looking forward to having marmalade again . I just hope I can taste it as after 3 and 1/2 years of escaping covid my husband brought it home and I have had it since Saturday. I feel pretty rough but am keeping an eye on my temperature etc. I rang the service in wales to ask them about what I should do they said nothing and didn’t offer paxlovid or anything in fact the attitude was it’s only covid get on with it fingers crossed I don’t get to regret that conversation .
I am on day three now so am hoping that another few days will see me through it.
Thankyou to all those who have been kind enough to advise and encourage me and I wish all those on their various journeys good luck .
Written by
Hilo13
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi Hilo That's great news 👏 , your 12month treatment is done today , And didn't have to many problems. Do you have to have to have a body scan ....I am due to finish in November. I have ask 3 different Heamotogist 2 say don't need a scan and one says yes !! . We shall see...
Sorry you caught covid after all this time . . My Heamotogist was saying the other day there are 2 variants, and to be very cautious around people . We are all careful as can be be to protect our self , but sometimes still not enough . Others bring it home .Hope passes by with out to much problems . Good luck . Enjoy life . We all deserve it. 😊
Hi. Sorry to learn you have covid. I do hope you recover quickly. I'm sure you will.May I ask a question. I have been taking Ibrutanib for 2 years and apart from extreme fatigue I'm not feeling too bad and my bloods have improved radically although still not 100%. My specialist is suggesting I change to Ventoclax but I'm really not sure about it mainly because I understand that if Ventoclax doesn't work for me I can't go back to Ibrutanib. It sounds as the Ventoclax has been successful for you . Is sickness the only side effect. Hope you don't mind me asking and I hope Covid passes quickly for you.
Hi yes it was nausea for about 2 hours in the morning I tried changing the time I took the tablet but returned to the morning as it passed as soon as I had my lunch. O and V is the first treatment I have had and has proved successful.I am not sure about other medications. I hope you get the answers and the positive results we all crave .
I am on month 10 of venetoclax now on a first line ven&o treatment. Almost daily nausea. Seems having a higher protein meal vs a carb meal helps. As does a bigger meal but you never know for sure.
I need way more sleep too. If my Fitbit registers any less than 8 hours asleep I’m really tired.
My other side effect is stiffness, muscle and joints. After 2 hours in a car my 75/79 year old parents walked way better than I. When I loosened up in a few minutes I was fine and well ahead of them but I was worse to start.
My energy is down but some days ok and I push a bit too hard and then I am couch bound for 3 days.
I am hoping that this all cures itself when venetoclax finishes.
I must admit that the treatment wasn’t a quick fix I would say that gradually without really noticing my fatigue has got less I am still not back to full energy levels but as I’m a year older I put the aches and pains down to age . retrospectively I would say there is an improvement Hang on in there fingers crossed you will see improvement. Good luck
The idea of Venetoclax monotherapy sets alarm bells ringing.
Can't tell where you are located.
If in UK on NHS (like Hilo13 and moi) you can't have VenO as 2nd line, it's only approved for 1st line. Ven monotherapy is usually saved in NHS until last ditch EOL (last paragraph of NICE recommendations). Usual 2nd line after BTKi has been exhausted is 24 cycles VenR and a hopeful 2-3 years off treatment. It's more effective in combination treatments and it's also possible to develop resistance when taken long term.
Nothing on the NICE recommendation says it's not allowed to have Ibrutinib if previous Ibrutinib or Venetoclax. People are expected to take Ibrutinib (and other BTKi) until relapsed/refractory or intolerance, then it's not possible to continue with BTKi. A non covalent BTKi Pirtobrutinib is in NICE development. No date yet, estimate late '24 or early '25. Expected to win an extra 2 years after R/R BTKi. I have seen recent posts that this can be obtained now on compassionate grounds in both US and UK but that maybe only after BTKi and BCL-2 Ven are exhausted.
Great news, I hope you will celebrate the end of the treatment, once the horrid covid has gone.
Covid seems to be much easier to pass on this time around. I’ve just been through it and my family have all caught it this time. This never happened before, we all got it individually months apart.
With loss of smell and taste, what little advice I've seen appears essential to keep trying to smell and taste a variety of things. I used perfumes and essential oils.
Yes I had low platelets but they monitored me and I didn’t need treatment my neutrophil count went really low so had injections for a little while . It was a long 12 months editing for blood results to come back but worth it I’m hoping my next bloods ( October) will be good . Hope this helps
Thank you for your reply. It really helped. My platelets dropped to 36 but are at 50 as of yesterday. I am being closely monitored. Have AFIB and am on eliquis. Was told to stop eliquis until platelets get back over 50, Doing ok so far. Thanks again for your reply.
Wish you all the best. Sorry to hear you didn't escape covid, buthope you make a quick recovery. Enjoy marmalade . One thing I am still craving for Take care
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
reply to lenzellpetty regarding tablets to capsules of imbruvica.
What happens IF you break a venetoclax tablet before you swallow it?
Single tablet Imbruvica 
Acalabrutinib tablets versus capsules
