Anyone else on blood thinners?

[bamboo89]

I've been on blood thinning medication for years because I have a genetic problem called Leiden V, which means I get deep vein thrombosis - had loads down the years, so that's why I'm on permanent meds for it

Now they want to give me piclataxel, carboplatin and avastin - I note that piclataxel might cause thrombosis, but avastin my cause haemorrhage from the blood being too thin.

Just wondering how this is managed and whether anyone else has the same problem as me?

[Lucyk10]

I am also on blood thinners. I have been since March 2017. I started my first chemo in June 2017 and I'm on the same taxol/carbo with Avastin added at round 2. I will be having my last round (12 in total) next week. So far no issues with the blood thinners except for nose bleeds. I had 3 serious nose bleeds that took hours in the hospital to get under control. I now use a humidifier in my bedroom at night, rinse my nose with a saline liquid everyday and use a nose gel several times a day. So far this has helped with no more bleeds.

I live in Canada, so our dry winter weather is probably very different from yours. I've had no other problems with the Avastin.

Good luck to you!

Lucy

[bamboo89 in reply to Lucyk10]

Thanks for the reply; heard from someone else in Canada who said they developed mouth ulcers from the piclataxel and were given a drug for those - a drug we don't get offered here in the UK! Our air is probably a lot damper than yours over there, but my nose bleeds a fair bit anyway normally...

Did you have any other problems with the piclataxel? That's the one that really frightens me...

[Lucyk10 in reply to bamboo89]

No I've had no other problems other than a few mouth sores. I use a lot of salt water to rinse. I try to eat healthy (a lot of fruit) and rest as much as I need.

[bamboo89 in reply to Lucyk10]

Oh, well done, doesn't sound awful at all. Good luck with the rest of your treatment, and your health ongoing, fingers crossed for a great outcome

[lesleysage]

Hi, I had dose-dense weekly taxol/carbo + fortnightly avastin and am on 75mg aspirin. Had nose bleeds but not as severe as Lucy describes, so just had some ointment to smear up my nose. Had mouth ulcers and after lots of chatter with chemo nurses and oncologist, my regime became clean teeth after every 'meal', gargle with dispersible aspirin (as an anti-inflammatory) but not swallow it, then applied an Orabase paste onto each ulcer and finally on the worst ones, my oncologist prescribed a lotion of local anesthetic+steroid which I dabbed onto each ulcer with a cotton wool bud. Got me through the chemo and managed to eat enough to stem the weight loss I've had in the first chemo. Blood pressure rose with the Avastin but finally stabalised to my pre-Avastin level about 2 to 2.5 years after concluding the chemo.

I now just do as Lucy does, gargle with salt water to keep up 'mouth hygiene' and so prevent big ulcers returning. These only tend to occur when I'm 'doing too much' and overlooked some good quality regular, resting!!

Good luck; take care. Lesley

[bamboo89 in reply to lesleysage]

Many thanks - seen the senior Oncology Consultant today who has decided to avoid using Avastin, sticking just with the piclataxel and carboplatin - he feels the risk of health complications with avastin is too great because of the blood problem. It's all a question of balancing the risks against the advantages I guess...

[lesleysage in reply to bamboo89]

Sounds sense. Good luck. Lesley

[Kal47]

I was on Avastin because I had ovarian cancer

It perforated my bowl and I nearly die!

A friend of mine was also on it and it perforated his bowl and he died

If you have diverticulitis you should never take it!

Many side affects

Be careful

Good luck

Kathy

[bamboo89 in reply to Kal47]

Well luckily, they've decided not to use it anyway - Stage 4 ovarian cancer was why they were going to use it for me.