Elevated ca125 levels/ possible liver problems?

[Natsmb]

I could use a little feedback. My ca125 levels have been going down steadily for the past five or six treatments. Unfortunately, I seem to have had issues with my heart. As I'm on avastin, it has most likely been the culprit in the ongoing developing build-up of fluid around the heart sac and the inflammation of my heart.

I was sent to a cardiologist who promptly put me on colchicine, bisoprolol and two tablets of aspirin 325 mg twice a day.

Unfortunately, the nurse did not record that I was currently on celebrex to treat muscle inflammation. When my doctor prescribed the prescriptions, he was not aware and the instructions did not include stopping my celebrex prescription so I continued taking my celebrex.

(What is really unfortunate, is that when I picked up the prescriptions I was concerned because there were quite a number of anti-inflammation medicines and I was concerned that I was being over-medicated. The following day, a Friday, I contacted the cardiology office but was sent straight to voicemail. In spite of the explicit voicemail regarding my concerns about the medicine, the office did not return my phone call until 5 days later. I had been taking the celebrex along with the newer meds the entire time. I cannot be sure if the celebrex was the cause of the following set of problems but it certainly couldn't help that I was taking that along with three other new meds.)

Long story short, I began to feel much worse than I felt in a very long time. I was instantly terribly fatigued, and had terrible almost flu-like symptoms - Sue nausea. My stomach became very bloated and it was hard to eat, it was crazy, and I was having a very hard time staying energized enough to get through even a morning let alone an entire day without being completely wiped out.

To make matters worse a few days ago I began to have pains in the area where my kidneys and liver were and in my lower back. It is a dull throbbing pain. I cannot be sure if the pain does muscle related because I've been a little bit more active than my body was prepared to be over the weekend but what I did notice was that my urine was far darker than it normally is. Like a strong tea. I went into the urgent care but the doctor didn't seem especially concerned and no treatment was suggested.

Since that time I had my avastin infusion and apparently my ca125 levels jumped almost 90 points in less than three weeks time. (In the past five treatments they had been dropping dramatically from to 88 to 98 being the last ca125 level.).

I hope it's not wrong for me to be at the meet about this but I personally feel that the new medications have to have some role in these new levels. I felt an instant change in my body and fatigue levels when I started the meds and this is the only thing that has changed in that time frame. Although I have contacted the pharmacist and my doctors, they seem to feel it's unlikely that the medication that I'm not taking is the culprit. I personally am in disagreement.

I I did some research and darker urine can be the results of some liver damage or kidney dysfunction or liver dysfunction. Liver dysfunction can cause elevated CA 125 levels. And furthermore, according to the literature I was reading on medical sites, the statistics of liver dysfunction causing elevated ca125 levels in women is not highly understood and according to that particular medical journal is underappreciated.

Although I can't get my doctors to respond, I have enough personal understanding of my own body to feel fairly confident that this could be a very reasonable cause of my elevated ca-125. Particularly since they jump so high. The beginning of taking my new medications started only a couple days after my last infusion so it makes sense that the change in the interim between infusions could very likely be the cause of the elevated levels.

Anyway, I wonder what other people think? Have any of you had issues with taking high doses of aspirin? I've never been particularly fond of aspirin as a painkiller in my life. It's always been particularly harsh on my stomach and I've avoided it. In fact, accepting a few ibuprofen, I've maybe had ten aspirin in my whole life andnow all of a sudden I'm shoving 1300 mg of aspirin down my throat each day. I feel like if my body and liver aren't used to that, there could be a reasonable expectation of a strong reaction. Anyway I would appreciate some feedback.

As far as addressing the liver issue, I think it's a matter of drinking a whole bunch of fluids.

[bamboo89]

I doubt the aspirin on its own is causing these problems, though so far as I'm aware, the usual dose in the UK for heart troubles is low, at 75mg a day, so you've been given quite a high dose - is there a reason for that? The other obvious contender for the way you feel is either drug interactions, or the colchicine, and I'm not sure why its been given to you, what effect is it supposed to have for your heart problems? Celebrex on its own is not recommended for use in people with heart problems or liver disease either, I note from the Patient Leaflet. I imagine the drugs you've been given all came with extensive information in the Patient Leaflet, so if you've not read those all the way through, that's worth doing. Otherwise, if you can't get your doctors to listen to you, probably best to talk to a pharmacist - they know more about drugs and their interactions than doctors anyway.

[Natsmb in reply to bamboo89]

Yes, I agree that 1300 mg of aspirin seems to be quite a lot. And I too don't know why I'm taking that much. I will hopefully talk to the cardiologist when I have my follow up and ask him to explain the large dose. I'm currently on bisoprolol and colchicine in the place of celebrex and amlodipine. I never was supposed to be taking the celebrex at all. The nurse taking down my information did not record that I was on celebrex. In spite of the conversation that we had regarding it, that information was not recorded. So when the doctor gave me my medication directions, he told me to stop the amlodipine but the continued all other medications as directed. I'm the one who contacted the office to find out why was on So many meds. It took him five days to get back to me before I found out I wasn't supposed to be taking the celebrex. Anyway, the only reason I think the aspirin could be a factor is that excessive doses of aspirin will cause liver enzymes to increase. And a little known fact is that excessive liver enzymes can show up as an elevated ca-125 count. Other than that I'm not sure what else but I know that something is different since I started these meds and I would like to get to the bottom of it.

Incidentally, in every instance where I have brought up what I thought was the reason for it a particular medical issue or what could help, I have been right. My body just does not respond to medication the standard way.

for instance, Benadryl will keep me from going to sleep for 72 hours. One Benadryl pill! Caffeine slows me down, melatonin hypes me up. So does Percocet. They took me off of a couple other blood pressure pills because instead of affecting my blood pressure in the positive white it blew it through the roof. So I do not respond to meds as expected. my family doctor is getting used to me by now but the new doctors think I'm out of my mind when I try to explain all this. I usually get a sort of smile and nod and I know what I'll look and then after a couple of months they figure it out.!

[bamboo89 in reply to Natsmb]

I'd still be looking at the colchicine - it has a narrow therapeutic dose and might cause liver or kidney problems.

[delia2]

I agree that the high dose of aspirin is puzzling and combined with Celebrex could really irritate your stomach. I take bystolic, a beta blocker, for my heart. Not sure if it’s the same as your med. but it could cause fatigue til you get used to it. Your blood work would show liver or kidney abnormalities though chemo can show temporary liver issues. Do you have access to your most recent labs? It seems really important that you get someone to either address this or reassure you.