supplements with ibrance?

[Greatday2]

What are the best supplements to take while taking ibrance?

Turmeric? Green tea? Any specific vitamins?

[2Hopeful]

I would definitely check with oncologist before taking anything on my own. We never know if there may be some kind of interaction that we are not aware of. I’ve been on Ibrance for 3 years but take no supplements other than Melatonin which my dr said was ok.

[Trissh]

Hello. For supplements, I take D3 and a women's multi, Visbiome (probiotic), drink iced green tea decaf/diet. I think the general consensus is no tumeric. --Trish

[KarenandLinda]

Hi there. When I was on Ibrance I asked the pharmacist about the use of glucosamine and turmeric ( I had used before MBC and very helpful). I was advised against taking either - glucosamine because this would affect the white blood cells and turmeric because of the possible bleeding. I know how Ibrance and Letrezole which is what I was taking at the time had a bad effect on my joints but it’s always better to check first. Hope this helps. Good luck. Thinking of you xx

[bikebabe in reply to KarenandLinda]

That’s interesting. No one (oncos/GPs) has ever queried my use of glucosamine/ chondroitin supplement whilst taking ibrance/Letrozole/xgeva. I’ve used that Woods supplement for 10 yrs for my right knee which has absolutely slowed /prevented its deterioration (and means I can walk 7 miles without pain compared to 400 yds previously). Without it I wouldn’t be able to walk which is my lifeline to sanity with stage 4.

[bikebabe in reply to bikebabe]

And have had cancer meds for 2 yrs. My wbc/neutrophils are only just starting to be consistently low (ie 0.88 -1 for neuts ) but think maybe that’s the new heart meds. I would like to stop researching interactions between these many meds and how they’re metabolised but my anxiety is not helped by gaps in communication, multiple providers but no one in overall control, funding issues, variations between uk/USA meds checks, and medics who are overworked without adequate time to do detailed complex stuff. I’d quite like an embedded microchip that I can program/update about my meds/potential interactions/blood results etc.

[KarenandLinda in reply to bikebabe]

I’m so glad you’ve been helped by glucosamine. I found when I was fitness training it helped a lot. What I have found however when talking to my oncologist that they advise me to discuss any alternative therapies with my pharmacist I think it’s the lack of research about these therapies that is the problem. Best of luck though. Thinking of you

[Rafflesbabe in reply to bikebabe]

Hi Bikebabe, my oncologist was happy with glucosomine but said definitely not with chrondroitin.

[bikebabe in reply to Rafflesbabe]

Hello Rafflesbabe, thank you for your reply. Did your onco say why’s/he didn’t advise it as I’ve looked on loads of drugs checkers and it doesn’t come up as a risk (at least not for interactions ).

[bikebabe in reply to Rafflesbabe]

Hi - there i very little info about any interactions - the only one i can find says no interactions. So would be very grateful if you could find out from your onco and report back for me. Many thanks, BB

[wendle3007]

As the letrozole which I take alongside ibrance causes joint inflammation I take Turmeric - I was told by a chemo nurse that this was ok and I did loads of research about interactions (looked both ways) and found it was ok.

I am also prescribed calcium and Vit D because I'm on xgeva and need these supplements for that.

I read on here last week (and followed up with further research) that you should not have Green Tea whilst taking the pills (ok on your days off) because it can affect absorption, in the same way that grapefruit can.

[bikebabe in reply to wendle3007]

No one has ever mentioned not using green tea. These forums are so helpful in Sharing useful info.

[Hidden in reply to bikebabe]

Hi. My oncologist said I was OK to drink green tea, it's all I drink. The research I've done only mentions not to have green tea supplements with Ibrance. It's all very confusing.

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm on Ibrance and Letrozole. I take Calcium and Vit D3 as prescribed by oncologist plus Vit K2. I was confused by Green Tea, oncologist said it was OK but others have said no. So I went direct to Pfizer who said not to have grapefruit, pomegranate, or seville oranges. I continue to drink 3/4 mugs of green tea daily. Oncologist said not to take tumetic. Best wishes

[love2golfwell]

I agree with checking with your oncologist first. Mine said no turmeric or green tea and did not want me taking any other supplements other than a multivitamin and calcium/vitamin D. I had talked to Pfizer early on and they also told me no grapefruit, pomegranate or seville oranges (blood oranges) but did not say anything about green tea. Sending you hugs and prayers.

[mariootsi]

Always check with your onc before taking any supplements. Many of them interact with our meds!

[Burtie1]

With Ibrance I found that calling the pharmacist or Dr and ask them if you can take something with Ibrance .

[TammyCross]

I just switched from anastrozole to exemestane. I read up on what to eat and not to eat with exemestane. Among many other things, it said that lemons and limes inhibit all aromatase inhibitors and should be avoided. I live on lemonade, do not drink water. I have had kidney stones, and the urologist said lemonade was better than water. The oncology nutritionist knew about my lemonade habit and just said to dilute it, but I gather that I shouldn't have been drinking lemonade and putting lemon juice on my food when I was on anastrozole. Red grapes are good, so I switched to grape juice, but it is not made with red grapes.

The nutritionist seems to know more about side effects than my oncologist and the nurse practitioners. She said no turmeric supplements, only turmeric in food. I think she said that I could take glucosamine for the pain from AIs but there is no solid evidence it works. I think that is what she said, and I never tried it. A rehabilitative medicine doctor told me it is actually not bone or joint or ligament pain from the AIs but weak muscles, and he prescribed PT and acupuncture.

[Beattheodds]

Been on Ibrance and Faslodex 4years. Asked Onc which supplements I should take and he only suggested B complex.

[Pbsoup]

It’s crazy how we all get such different advice! My oncologist is fine with tumerix (curcumin supplements) and said he think it helps. The head of ucsf Osher center recommended I drink lots of green tea.

But who really knows? As I always say we’re all n=1.

[Dragonfly2]

oh my gosh, what a diverse set of answers to this simple question…my ONC never said anything about what I could or couldn’t take except for the grapefruit warning. Sometimes I wonder if the supplements are a waste of money…I have been weening myself off the supplements I took to “prevent” cancer. I’m feeling very skeptical about the whole subject. Apparently no one really knows and we are all Guinea pigs. Oh dear!

a little more digging revealed something interesting: Turmeric was associated with significant iron deficiency anemia, consistent with the binding of available iron in the gut and the prevention of absorption. This resolved after the turmeric was stopped, consistent with animal studies. So, since IBrance causes anemia and neutropenia, it would make sense to avoid a supplement that impacts iron absorption and contributes to anemia. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[bikebabe in reply to Dragonfly2]

Yes, I'm thinking much of it (apart from grapefruit) its a bit unknown. I don't take anything to prevent further development of cancer but do take Vit D/K2, and substrates to help my thyroid meds work efficiently ie B12, folate and the glucosamine/chondroitin for my knees. I tried a B vit complex but it gave me very weird side effects so stopped it ( i was sweating urea). I know the Gluc/chondroitin works because when i stopped it for a few months, the pain and disability came roaring back.

[Colacancer]

I would definitely ask your oncologist for an integrative medicine meeting. Many interference with Ibrance with vitamins. Turmeric is one of them. Not green tea. BUT LOTS OF INTERFERENCE. so ask for either a dietitian to help you or the ingrative med doctor. I was shocked. D3 , QUERCETIN AND MANY MUSHOOMS all of it. All huge cancer fighrers. ??Not on Ibrance. I juice. Green juice to get my vitamins. Glutathione and chlorella. . Anything green. Also NO SUGAR. but that what I got from integrative medicine. Big cancer feeder. A tough one. I have cut back big time but hard to stop completely. I have special needs child. And the stress is profound. Sometimes I need a little ice cream. Dammit.. 🤣🤣🤣

[Dragonfly2 in reply to Colacancer]

I think you have hit the nail on the head…what are considered healthy and anti- cancer properties in many of these supplements, do not work the same way once a med like IBrance is introduced. IBrance changes cells in our body and this affects how supplements work. Turmeric has a slightly negative effect on how iron is absorbed in the body but IBrance already compromises red blood cells and how much iron they carry resulting in borderline anemia. Add the effects of turmeric and now you have a a more serious situation. The irony here ( no pun intended) is that iron is necessary to cancer cells so reduced iron actually diminishes cancer cell activity.

So yes, do watch out for anti-Cancer supplements once you are on a med.🙏

[Colacancer in reply to Dragonfly2]

I've had matastisis on Ibrance. Am now waiting on a call from Mayo. My oncologist have been dropping balls left and right.