Update - good news

[drdu]

Just a quick update. My CA125 was 5 on Tuesday. I got the result yesterday. So hopefully ibuprofen is continuing to work for me after my chemotherapy which finished in November 2014 (3rd round of chemo). See my previous posts about ibuprofen, NSAIDs and aspirin - their effect against cancer.

[Alikay]

Hi drdu

I have been reading your previous posts re Ibuprofen and NSAIDs and their effect on cancer and would like to ask a few questions if you don't mind so that I can then discuss with consultant.

I was diagnosed with PPC in July 2013 and had good response to chemo and surgery until Jan this year when I suffered a recurrence. I am due to complete second line chemo on Tuesday (last day 8 of carboplatin/gem combination) and am obviously keen to do anything that will help keep the cancer at bay for as long as possible. I am now on Avastin 3 weekly since the recurrence, but have not had any side effects from this. As a retired GP, would your recommendation be that Ibuprofen could be beneficial to me ( I do understand that everyone is different in their response to treatments and that ultimately it has to be a personal decision). Also, would it be suitable and safe to take with the Avastin?

If I've read your posts correctly, you take 400 mg Ibuprofen TDs with Omeprazole cover 20 mg od, doubled up to bd if you start to get discomfort. Is that the recommended dose and do you think there would be any detrimental effects as I currently am lucky enough not to have any pain?

I hope I haven't put you in a spot by asking these questions and drawing on your knowledge. I also appreciate that you have probably already answered these questions previously, but given the volume of responses to this topic, I would like some concise info to use as a starting point for discussions with Oncologist and GP.

Many thanks for your advice, and I'm so pleased to hear that your blood results were so good yesterday. Long may it continue for you.

Ali x

[drdu in reply to Alikay]

Hi Ali.

Sorry was away on holiday up north and not looking at emails. Yes, that is how I take ibuprofen. I take it with food, and these days I just take omeprazole 20mg daily, as I find that is enough, and if I increase the dose I get a lot of discomfort from excess wind in bowels.

Thanks, and hope this helps.

E xx

[Alikay]

Hi again

Since the last post, I have found your info on the possible benefits of Metformin in possibly holding /slowing the progression of disease. Would a GP prescribe this medication if there is no history of diabetes and blood sugars care within acceptable levels?

Thanks again.

Ali

[drdu in reply to Alikay]

Sorry, I have been away on holiday, and not looking at emails, as I don't have a smart phone! It is worth speaking to your GP. They may well not be happy using it, although it is used in non-diabetics I believe, like people with polycystic ovaries, I believe I am right in saying. I have not really followed up on the research on metformin and cancer, but it certainly has evidence of anti-cancer effects. There was another doctor on this ovacome website with ovarian cancer a couple of years ago who got her doctor to prescribe metformin. She was called Hilary - her code name was Hil... - I am afraid I don't remember the rest, but maybe you can find her posts.

Hope this is of some help.

Eileen xx

[Hidden]

That is interesting result long may it last, it is good you can have it and that it works for you

[drdu in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, and best wishes.

Eileen xx

[drdu in reply to Hidden]

Sorry I didn't reply before - was away on holiday hillwalking up north and wasn't looking at emails.

E xx

[Whippit]

This is wonderful news. Thanks so much for sharing. Wishing you many years of good health. Your belief in Ibroprofen rather reflects the attitude of Dr Phil Hammond whom I saw at the Hay Festival yesterday. He agreed that there are many approaches to medicine out there but they are not fully explored because drugs companies don't stand to make any money out of the research and development.

It's very heartening to enjoy your good news this morning. xx Annie

[drdu in reply to Whippit]

Thanks very much, Annie. Sorry I didn't reply before but have been away on holiday hillwalking up north and wasn't looking at emails. Interesting re what Dr Hammond said.

All best wishes to you.

Eileen xx

[francescahannah]

I'm rashly pleased for you. I did take 75g aspirin daily from the end of last Chemo in may 2014 till I was told my disease had progressed again in January so don't think it really helped me. I'm on 6th line Chemo now. I may try ibuprofen afterwards instead. Anyway enjoy the weekend. I'm doing race for life on Sunday and for first time in 10 years looks like heavy rain!

Francesca x

[drdu in reply to francescahannah]

Sorry I didn't reply before - have been away on holiday and not looking at emails. Hope race for life went well. Good luck with the chemo, and yes it might be good to try ibuprofen.

All best wishes.

Eileen xx

[thesilent1]

Hi, I'm so pleased for you. I had been taking pain rerlief prior to going out for a walk to try to help with the pains in my legs but after reading your last post, I decided to try the Ibuprofen. I asked my GP for some Omeprazole which she was happy to prescribe for me. I started taking thje Omepeazole every morning and thme Ibuprofen morning and again in the evening. My leg pains are nowhere near as bad as they were before. Next scan will be 12 June. Hope they will say after this one that once again they will see me in 3 months! Thanks for your post drdu. Ann xo

[drdu in reply to thesilent1]

Thanks Ann. Good luck with the scan. Sorry not to have replied before - was away on holiday, and not looking at the computer, not having a smart phone!

All best wishes.

Eileen xx

[Lily-Anne]

Excellent news, lovely low CA125. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

LA xx

[drdu in reply to Lily-Anne]

Hi Lily-Anne.

Thanks very much. Sorry for the delay in replying. Was away hillwalking up north and not looking at emails.

All best wishes.

Eileen xx

[Hertsmum]

Lovely to see encouraging post and am wondering whether to try it but as I am asthmatic I have never really taken ibuprofen so I will check with my GP. Glad it is working or something is for you! X

[drdu in reply to Hertsmum]

Thanks very much. Sorry to be so long in replying - was away and not looking at emails. Yes, it might be difficult to take ibuprofen with your asthma, but worth discussing with your GP.

All best wishes.

Eileen xx

[Hilsuk]

Great news Eileen , what a response! Was wondering how you were . Im not on HU very often , but pleased youre well. Im still on naproxen and in remission hopefully . Keep well Hilary x

[drdu in reply to Hilsuk]

Thanks Hilary. Was wondering how you were. Glad to hear you are doing well. I hadn't been on this site often either, but am looking a bit more now. Very pleased for you. Please keep in touch. It appears there are a few people on this site that anti-inflammatories or aspirin seem to be working well for. I will start keeping a note of them all.

Eileen xx

[Nikkio02]

Love hearing this stuff!

[drdu in reply to Nikkio02]

Thanks, Nikkio.

Eileen xx

[Sue-m]

Hello Eileen

I read your last post with interest. I posted before to you that I was told in March this year that cancer had returned after over 5yrs in remission. I had a ct scan in march after my ca 125 had risen to 55. My oncologist said my blood tests were trending as they had been rising over the last couple of years. The scan showed that 2 lymph nodes were swollen, hence the diagnosis of secondary cancer even though I said I felt well.

After reading your posts, I started taking ibrufen 3 times per day along with omeprazole. I had a further blood test and another ct scan about 2 weeks ago.

My ca125 has dropped to 46 and the 2 lymph nodes have reduced in size.

My oncologist said he doesn't know what I am doing but something is working for me. I told him that I thought the ibrufen was the reason my results were so good. I don't think he really believed me, he even said it could be that the swollen lymph nodes could be caused by something else? But can't explain why my ca125 levels have increased.

I see him again in 3 months. I am over the moon, I feel like I have won the lottery. I definitely intend to carry on taking the ibrufen even though I may not have secondary cancer at all eh!

All the best to you.

Love sue

[drdu]

That is good that your CA125 is down, and lymph nodes smaller. I am surprised if ibuprofen could do that if your cancer had recurred, as it is not that strong in my experience. It only worked with me when my CA125 was 6 or lower, and cancer not visible on CT scan. So I am afraid I do have my doubts about that, and am sorry to disappoint you. But do keep taking the ibuprofen as it may be doing something to keep cancer down/at bay, and I am not an expert. I just know what happened to me, and my cancer, but others may be different.

All best wishes.

Love,

Eileen