Maintainence Drugs Avastin & Olaparib

[Rgrg]

Hello Everyone,

I hope all of you are doing well. I had my 6 cycles of chemo followed by debulking abdominal surgery. I was planned to have 2 more cycles of chemo after surgery. I went to see my oncologist for a review appointment yesterday and she said she wouldn't give me more chemo because I had 6 already and the risks outweigh the benefit. Also, she said my surgery went really well and the histology results were very good. So I will be moving into maintenance treatment with the combination of Avastin and Olaparib which needs to be approved by NHS first. I am a BRCA 2 positive so hoping to get the approval.

I wanted to ask when you had the combination treatment, how did you feel during the treatment? As it is 18 cycles of Avastin, are the side effects as bad as chemo? I haven't worked for a while after my diagnosis and would like to get back to work in the summer for at least 2-3 days a week. Do you think it is possible? Also, did any of you travel overseas whilst having the treatment? I hope to get some advice.

Thank you ☺️

Rosani

[Slipper1]

hi. I had the avastin after my first line chemo and no the side effects for me were very minimal. All the best to you with your treatment

[Rgrg in reply to Slipper1]

Thank you for your response. It is nice to hear that the side effects were minimal. Hopefully, it will be the same for me.

[Newbery3]

Hi 👋 I just had 4th avastin and it's been fine 🙂 started niraparib 600mg day after boxing day, i was really worried to begin with, I do get waves of feeling a bit sick and I get tired on times but so far so good 👍 I'm going to fuerteventura Saturday! Good luck X

[Rgrg in reply to Newbery3]

Its good to hear that you are coping well. I hope you have a lovely time x

[Itha]

hi. I had 16 x Avastin. Only joint pain at times and a runny nose, especially in the morning. I drank Lynparza for 17 months. The first 4-5 weeks is not so nice and then your body adjust. I did not like the taste of wine thus I had no wine for that period. Lynparza impacts taste buds a lot the first 4 weeks and then it gets better. You might be nauseous and have heartburn. I had both but it improved.

You can take the Lynparza with food. A lot of women says it is better with some protein as it reduces the nauseousness.

I unfortunately just had my first recurrence and going into theatre in the next hour for my second cytoreduction. If all goes well I will probably be on Avastin and Lynparza again. Xxx

[Roulasim in reply to Itha]

I am so sorry about your reoccurrence-I hope everything turns out fine for you!may I ask something did your doctor mention that you can go back to Lynpraza after reoccurrence?because mine said once you used it and stopped working eventually you can’t go back…

[Itha in reply to Roulasim]

hi. Not sure yet. Waiting for all the histology reports and will make an informed decision after that

[Vegana in reply to Itha]

🤗

[Lochawe]

hi, i am braca 1 and 2 negstive so no parp inhibitor for me, but i have just finished 18 avastin treatments, and i found it a walk in the park after chemo, bit of joint pain first 3 or 4 months and some peripheral neuropathy but that could have been the chemo and again not badly. I know everyone responds differently but i had no real issues with it, hoping you are the same 🤞

[Kouyate in reply to Lochawe]

Hi Lochawe, I'm also negative for both BRCA genes but started taking Rucaparib in January and my understanding is that studies have shown that parp inhibitors work well for us too. Might be worth asking the question x

[Lochawe in reply to Kouyate]

ooh good to know, thanks, will defo ask! 🙂

[NewtonEmma1900]

Avastin alone did not work fir me so I am just finishing carbo/caelyx. However a friend has been on Avastin for 6 months now and she told me that it seems to affect her platelets otherwise she is doing quite well and her CA125 is hivering around 10. Good Luck

[Loorunner]

I've been on Avastin with Olaporib since May 22. I've worked throughout this time 3 days a week ( 2 at home, 1 in work). Side effects of feeling a bit off from Olaporib lasted about 8 weeks- much better now. The cumulative effect of Avastin has made me more tired, but manageable. I take it easy the day after Avastin. I have travel insurance with Insurewith and have been to Germany to visit my daughter- going again next month. So hopefully everything you want to do should be possible xx

[Leniko]

I can only speak to Avastin. It kept me in remission for long periods of time. The side effects were minimal. Good Luck! 🙏😘

[Maxmg]

hi there. So I had 6 rounds of chemo and debunking prior. I have been on Olaparib since March and am tolerating well. Major issue is fatigue. I don’t have insight on other med but pray it goes well. I am BRCA1 positive. I am 56 and no other major health issues prior to ovarian cancer.

[Katmal-UK]

Hi I trialled Avastin on its own back in 2007/08. Continued to work full time and travelled several times in Europe and the USA. Ive been on Olaparib for just over 9 years (stage 3 OC BRAC2). I continued working full time until dec 21 when I was made redundant. Good luck x

[meadowgirl in reply to Katmal-UK]

Katmal, you don’t know how much that cheers me up seeing that you have been on Olaparib for 9 years. I hope you continue to live a long and happy life. 🤗

[Melnie]

Hi ya I've had bevacizamab (avastin) and didn't feel any side effects from it to be honest, initially I had it with the chemo 6 cycles, but once that finished just attended every 3 weeks for IV avastin until no. 18 was taken, once chemo finished I felt 'normal' so I don't think it affected me, good luck and hope all will be well for you

[Krimi77]

Hi Rosani, I am 45, diagnosed with stage 3 HGSOC in May 2022. I've been on Avastin since November '22 and Olaparib since December '22. I think I generally feel well, healthy appetite, sleep well etc, however, I do have side effects. My joints are inflamed, I really struggle to get up and move, however, once on the move, it improves but it starts again if I sit down. I also get tired easily. I have a bit of neuropathy, and I also feel I'm a bit slow mentally, it just takes a tiny bit longer to process things, to be able to organise my activities, shopping etc. It has improved though, and I can do everything (well, no running and jumsping just yet) I just have to put in startegies to deal with it. I am planning to go back to work in a school in March and also planning to travel abroad in April. XK

[ffoley in reply to Krimi77]

Hi Krimi77, your symptoms sound very similar to mine, I was diagnosed with HGSOC stage 3 back in June 22, did 6 rounds of chemo and had a full hysterectomy in December. Started maintenance therapy (Avastin) in feb and HRT 6 weeks ago. I find it very difficult to get up as my joints are very sore but like you once I start moving they ease. I am extremely tired but maybe these side effects are because of surgical menopause or maybe it’s the Avastin. It’s hard being a woman!!! Wishing all the women on this site good health🙏

[Krimi77 in reply to ffoley]

Hello! There is hope, it will improve! I started taking HRT at the end of February and it has helped a lot. My body pains eased, neuropathy is gone, however I still have localised bad pain in my right knee and left elbow, and it can still be quite crippling. I will now try double dose of HRT in the morning, if that doesn't help, we may try a steroid injection in my knee. such a shame as otherwise I feel fine, but the knee pain stops me from doing more varied exercise. Wishing you all the best! XK