After almost 7 yrs of Ibrance and anastrozole, I have the best cbc results - almost normal or normal across the board! This was my first month on this schedule. Currently, I’m taking 75 mg Ibrance.
I love seeing normal wbc, but am a little nervous that this schedule will make the Ibrance less effective (even though it was my idea after 3 months of 3 was on and two wks off due to blood counts)?
How long has anyone else stayed on this schedule?
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Merma
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I don't have answers to your questions but I'm curious about a few things, if you don't mind! Why were you on the 3 weeks on/ 2 weeks off cycle? Had you been on the regular schedule of 3 weeks on/2 weeks off cycle up until 3 months ago? I'm so happy for you that it's been working so well for you! It must feel good to have normal CBC results.
I started out almost 7 yrs ago on 125 on the regular schedule: 3 wks on/1 wk off. When the wbc could recover on the wk off, we switched to 100 mg (at about 2.5 yrs). When the thing happened with the 100 mg, it was worse, but my dr had a family emergency and nobody would make the change. So I had a recurrence that was caught early and the lung nodule that we’d been watching double for years finally showed as a metastases, we switched to 75 mg. Starting 4 months ago, my cbc wasn’t recovering in a week, so it kept turning into two weeks off.
By recovery, I mean that the counts were still lower than normal but in range for a patient on Ibrance. Yesterday’s results looked very normal (in almost every way).
Again, I’m sorry I can’t answer your question, but I am very encouraged to hear that you are doing so well with Ibrance.
I am from the UK and have been on Ibrance and letrozole since March 2020, I too suffered with low counts so dropped to the 75mg dose and I still couldn’t recover. I have been on a 3 week on, 3 week off cycle for most of my time on these drugs, and am Stable with near normal bloods. My neutrophils are still under normal range at times but over what’s accepted on these drugs. I’m very curious about your 5 days on and 2 days off cycle. Do you still get the normal side effects or are they easier to cope with, as in tiredness and the stresses the drugs put our bodies through? I have heard of this cycle regime in the USA before and have talked to my oncologist, but she won’t try it as it’s not licensed to be used like that over here.
Good luck and long may you continue with your great response to treatment. 💕
I am so happy this treatment is working for you and glad you have been able to do well for almost 7 years with these meds. I hope this new protocol works well for you for a long time. Sending you hugs and prayers.
Mariootsi I will curious to know effectiveness of Truqap and the side effects as I am going to have to make a decision on the next line of treatment soon.
I have a similar issue and some questions. I switched to Kisqali after two cycles on Ibrance, just because this new medication seemed worth trying and I had barely started Ibrance. I am going be be starting my 8th cycle and switched to a lower dose of kisqali for the same reasons, low neutrophils. Hopefully this will enable me to be on the 3 week on and 1 weeek off regimen. But are you saying that the 3 week on 2 week off cycle has been successful in keeping your cancer stable ?
Hi, Merma. Hope you continue to show stable results. I have been on 75mg Ibrance with this same 3:2 schedule. I’m on Letrozole as well, so not sure what the difference in the HT would do, but I’ve remained stable for 2+ years now. My oncologist decided this Ibrance schedule would be best because we were caught in that same dance of showing neutrophils too low to start back after one week off. After the two weeks off I’m still low, but just at 1 lets you start up again. I was reticent to move to the schedule as well, feeling defeated, and worried that it would not be as effective, but my MO noted that in fact the Letrozole was doing the heavy lifting, I thinks that how he put it, actually, so let’s stay positive and see how things go. All good so far. Wishing the same for you,
I have been on Ibrance and letrozole for 7 years mostly at 3 weeks on and 1 week off. Just found my cancer has spread with four new places in my bones and two spots on my liver. Had liquid biopsy done and will have a Fes PET scan this week. It will take two weeks for results but these tests will help determine the next line of treatment. I’m curious what the future holds for me. Sending positive thoughts and prayers to all of you.
Some doctors would switch to Veranzio and a SERD, I think. It depends on the test results if you have a new target. They have a bigger arsenal than when we started. Please keep us updated.
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