Ibrance not working

[shannamilton]

Had scans Friday and show new mets to spine and liver. So ibrance is ni longer working. Anyone else had this happen? What was your next medication? I see oncologist tomorrow.

[nstonerocks]

I had some progression on Ibrance and letrozole. Was switched to faslodex which is working. Not sure if Ibrance still working for me. Been on it a few years.

[neosha in reply to nstonerocks]

Can you tell me how long you have been on Ibracnce? Thanks

[shannamilton in reply to neosha]

I was on it for 6 months

[nstonerocks in reply to neosha]

Summer 2015

[neosha in reply to nstonerocks]

Thank you. I realize that each of us is different but you have given me some hope.

[nstonerocks in reply to neosha]

The longer we stay in the game the more options there will be. I dread when I’m told Ibrance isn’t working anymore, but there is recent research that shows a 7 week break from Ibrance might reset resistance. I hope so! 💕

[mariootsi]

Good luck tomorrow with your visit. So many options for meds! I wish you well!

Love, Marianne

[Barbteeth]

That’s so disheartening about the Ibrance..however there are plenty treatments which work really well

Don’t forget the ladies who have lived a long time before Ibrance was on the scene..it’s not the best choice for everyone

All the best

Barb xx

[barbarac76]

It's always disheartening when a treatment stops working, but you have many options available to you. My history of treatments...letrozole, Afinitor/Exemestane, Faslodex/Ibrance. Now Xeloda. I wish you well.

[Hidden]

Like NStoneRocks I'll comment that when Ibrance + Letrezole stopped working (sort of), I switched to Ibrance + Faslodex. Ibrance seems to extend the efficacy of the other treatments...so assuming you were on a combo, it might be the other drug that stopped working? I've heard from women on this forum who did Ibrance + Letrezole for a period of time, then far extended that time doing Faslodex...don't be discouraged...they (docs) are working off averages, and the NEXT treatment might be the one that really works best for you...

[nstonerocks in reply to Hidden]

🙏

[Selmac]

My first treatment plan was Ibrance and Faslodex. Only on it 6 months and cancer spread. It did nothing for me. I am now on Afinitor and Aromasin. Been on it 14 months. First pet scan showed no progression and slightly better. Getting new scans Friday. Praying it's still working.

[Survivornow in reply to Selmac]

Prayers for a great scan!

[shannamilton in reply to Survivornow]

Fingers crossed! Let us know.

[Gwennie123]

I have Cat scan Friday. Very nervous and frightened. Never felt

Such fear about it all before.

[Survivornow in reply to Gwennie123]

Prayers. Only think positive.

[Selmac in reply to Gwennie123]

Gwennie, prayers for you. I think it does get worse every time.

[nstonerocks in reply to Gwennie123]

Gwennie, do you meditate? Do you ever use an anti anxiety med like Xanax? When I am gripped by fear and can’t shake it I do both things. It does help. Unfortunately fear and anxiety are a “normal” part of scanxiety. I repeat a mantra while being scanned and visualize myself lying on a beach and think about the sound of the ocean, the heat of the sun, clouds passing overhead. Someone here once said they prayed to make known what needs to be known. I interpret that to mean I need to know if there is something that needs treatment. It already is, knowing it is necessary to treat it. Maybe that sounds simple minded, but has helped me. Best of luck and hugs.

[Gwennie123 in reply to nstonerocks]

Thank you. I love the beach idea.

[Southside25]

You and/or your onc might find the attached of interest if you've become Ibrance resistant:

dana-farber.org/newsroom/ne...

[Godbeforme]

Hi shannamilton! I'm so sorry to hear this but I wanted to mention that I recently read that there was a new study showing that an ibrance "vacation" of 42 days makes it start working again! I looked and looked to find the study again but to no avail. I will find it again, and won't stop looking until I do. I was diagnosed with MBC in December and then before I could start treatment, I slipped and fell and broke my femur, even though I landed on my behind it was weak because of a tumor, so my biopsy was done in-hospital. Now taking letrozole; had appointment with onc for 3/18 but they called and changed it to 4/18 and said onc going on vacation! So now I'm considering ibrance but the letrozole itself is having such an effect on my pain level that I think I will just continue on that for awhile before taking anything else; who knows what the onc will recommend, although from the info I've seen on here, I think it is standard treatment now to take the dual therapy of an aromatase inhibitor and ibrance. God bless you and heal you, amen!

[Purple60 in reply to Godbeforme]

Here is the one I read.

dana-farber.org/newsroom/ne...

[shannamilton in reply to Purple60]

Thank you, that's great information.

[Godbeforme in reply to Purple60]

thank you so much! that's the one! God bless you!

[Godbeforme in reply to Godbeforme]

yw and here's the link Purple gave, it is the same one I read. dana-farber.org/newsroom/ne...

[Arkait in reply to Purple60]

Much thanks, encouraging article

[Hidden]

I am so sorry it’s not working for you but it seems plenty of women use other medications and are doing ok. Good luck tomorrow ❤️

[Survivornow]

I saw a new article that said further testing showed that once your system becomes immune to these cancer fighting drugs, taking up to 7 weeks off them and then starting back up, our bodies can adapt and they begin working again! Are you having PET scans every 3 months to stay on top of everything? Prayers!

[shannamilton]

Thank you all for the replies. It's good to not feel alone in this battle. My oncologist said that my two spots on my liver are about the size of the tip of your pinky finger. The same with the spot on my 1st and 6th vertebrea. We are stopping faslodex and ibrance. The new med will be Olaparib. It is new on the market. It's an oral chemo I stead of a hormone therapy. I have the brca 2 gene and this med works to suppress the gene.we will see.

[Bubbles001 in reply to shannamilton]

Same for me. I’m enrolling in an NCI clinical trial that is happening at many locations across the country for brca people that will test Olaparib or Olaparib/Tecentriq (immunotherapy) combo. When you progress on Olaparib only, you get the combo. The study is for her2 neg of any type. Might be worth asking as the Tecentriq has been shown to extend overall survival in patients significantly and you can’t get access to it for breast cancer now unless you are triple negative and brca positive (in which case the standard of care is the chemo, abraxane, plus Tecentriq (generic name is atezolizumab). The study number is nci#10020. Yale is leading, I’m in Florida at Moffitt. Hope this helps.

[shannamilton in reply to Bubbles001]

In in Florida too. Thank you, I will look into it. I will be on the olaparib, and is being covered by my insurance. The only issue will be, if I sign up and do the trial who is o day I wont just get the same med that I'm prescribed now.

[Mimigram]

I read an article that if you take a vacation from Ibrance for several weeks and then you go back on it it starts working again.

[Kimr2081]

Ibrance and letrozole didn't work for me either. I went on a trial but couldn't stay on it but a few months because of the side effects. I am now on Xeloda which is an oral chemotherapy drug. I will have scans probably next month to see how I am doing. The side effects are fairly manageable.

Best of luck to you with your appt.

[shannamilton]

My new med is an oral chemo too instead of a hormone therapy. Hope it goes well.