Palbociclib for Breast Cancer, Metastatic User Reviews (Page 3)

• Mai...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 11, 2021

Palbociclib "Update from review Dec 2020: Diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2016 (had chemo and radiation in 2005...none since). I am now on my 9th or 10th round of Ibrance. Doing great. CA 15-3 has reduced from 200 to 29. CT scans show all tumors have reduced in size and number (liver, esophagus, vertebrae, pelvis, intrapleural space). No significant side effects. Neutrophils dip at the end of each round but recover well. Eating/swallowing is getting easier and easier (had PEG tube direct to stomach due to esophageal tumor)."

• Amy...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 4, 2024

Palbociclib "Two breast tumors and bone metastasis: Ibrance with daily Anastrozole. Three on, one off week cycle makes it easier to put up with side effects. The first year was the easiest to get through, but after year two, it took a toll and I am weaker, side effects are more pronounced. Moved from 125mg to 100mg with side effect improvement. Hair has dramatically thinned and looks like soft baby hair wisps. It is embarrassing and I cover it up with a scarf. Side effects vary in how bad they are according to where I am in my three week cycle, worse towards the end. Fatigue has gotten to the point where I forget periods of time, perhaps similar to a drunk individual. Often chilled. UTIs are a common occurrence for me and constantly having to urinate. Week off is heavenly and I feel much better. Bones with metastasis are regenerating. Tried Kisqali, which gave me liver problems. Ibrance works. Haven't surgically removed: one tumor is scar tissue in MRI, second almost gone. Swim, hike, and do yoga regularly. Mental health is extremely important!"

• Ald...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 3, 2021

Palbociclib "First, the drug seemed to work. Then it was changed into tablet form, which I couldn't take. Throat pain I did not have with the caramel capsules. What's the use of changing a drug's capsule? It had to be taken with a meal. Now the tablet has a dirtier feel, and it was harder to tolerate as well. Cancer markers have gone up in the end. Side effects are bad... eyes, immunity drop needed for the battle. Wish there was something else available without the side effects."

• TCH...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 7, 2024

Palbociclib "Ibrance with Anastrozole has been very effective for me. I have had a lot of fatigue interfering with my ability to work and in keeping up with daily activities at home. I also have had severe joint pain-torn meniscus bilateral knees and torn tendon in my ankle, all requiring surgery. I have no current history of arthritis or damage to joints to get the cause of this joint damage. Also, constant low back pain (some arthritis noted in the low back). However, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer with mets to the liver. After 3 months of treatment, all tumors in the breast and liver decreased in size and completely gone in 6 months! Currently, no sign of metastatic disease noted per PET scan after 2 years of treatment."

• Hop...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 27, 2024

Palbociclib "After 3 1/2 years on successful treatment, I've experienced severe fatigue, hair thinning, tiny red spots on my face and chest, and irritation of urethra. Fulvestrant injections prescribed to work with Ibrance (tablets of 125 mg for 2 years; 100 for more than a year) are painful. But I am grateful to be alive. I live alone, do all home and garden chores and shopping. Loss of concentration forced me to retire. Fatigue is the only severe side effect."

• Los...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2021

Palbociclib "1st, I'd like to say that seeing so many positive reviews makes me very happy. I do not wish to take away from the success, quality of life, and even remission of those for whom it has worked. I'd just like to report my mom's story. My mom had breast cancer in 2001. She has been in remission since 2002, and I could not be more grateful. During a trip to the ER for severe stomach pain in late 2018, a very terse ER tech rudely asked my mom why she didn't tell him and how long she had had cancer in her bones. Sadly, the breast cancer had returned. She was stable on injections until a spot appeared on her liver late last year. That's when she was put on Ibrance. It seemed to be doing its job, but mom was getting so weak. She completed the cycle, but it did too much damage to her numbers, and we almost lost her. And, it was mitral valve prolapse/regurgitation that led to congestive heart failure. I know that everyone reacts differently. I just needed to share. Thank you for reading. God bless."

• Dot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 9, 2020

Palbociclib "My mother got two injections and one capsule on the neglected line of informed consent. She felt nauseous, lightheaded, lost hair, and above all, her leg function was hampered. After a 'clean' MRI scan without metastasis, ok red blood cell levels, and white blood cell levels, she got scanned after one month with severe pressure in her spine and dysfunctional legs and had bone cancer, severely declined red and white blood cells, and ruptures in her liver. Not saying it was this 'medicine' because I don't know. She lived 6 months... I can be angry, but that doesn't bring her back."

• Pia...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 30, 2023

Palbociclib "3 years ago, I was found with a 6cm tumor in my right breast and bone metastasis. With Ibrance and Femara, in 30 months my tumor shrunk to less than 3cm, and I had it removed without mastectomy. I continue my treatment. I avoided chemo, which was a miracle. I have no side effects, I feel and look very healthy, and I am grateful to my doctor for choosing this treatment."

• Bjc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2021

Palbociclib "I was originally diagnosed in 2018. Was told that 4 rounds of chemo and had a bilateral mastectomy. My cancer was in my left nipple, and it was like deteriorating and separating from my breast, very itchy. I had surgery along with cosmetic surgery. Fast forward to 2021, and I had a severe cough, turns out it was double pneumonia with fluid development in my lungs. I had to have my lungs drained, eventually having a lung catheter implanted. From the fluid, they found some cancerous cells there. Some spots in my lungs and liver with this crazy cough. I started to see an oncologist and was diagnosed with MBC. I asked if there was a pill because I was not ready mentally to do chemo. She told me about Ibrance and Faslodex. I started in June, and so far, I am doing well. I was on 125 mg, reduced to 100 mg. Side effects: low blood count. I get really short of breath to the point where it’s hard to walk."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 9, 2020

Palbociclib "Was on Ibrance and Letrozole for 3 months, possibly the worst of my life. Could not complete 1 single cycle (started 3 in total). White cells nosedived after 15 days. Side effects included mouth ulcers, diarrhea, skin peeling on my fingers and feet soles, extreme fatigue, joint pains. After 3 months, recurrence in axillary lymph nodes + bone lesions. Going back now to chemo. Almost happy about that since it means the end of Ibrance."

• Far...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2019

"For breast cancer, metastatic: 'My metastatic breast cancer appeared in my sacral bone 6 years after successful treatments for stage 2 BC. I’ve been on Ibrance 125, Aromasin, and Xgeva and 19 rounds of radiation. Due to Iranian sanctions, we use this Palbociclib (Ibrance) drug, which is produced in Iran. After 4 months of treatment, the tumor marker has decreased from 540 to 64, and I must use Ibrance for 2 years. Of course, I have problems (side effects), especially in my mouth, it hurts on my gum and blisters, but I thank my God and my oncologist, and these drugs can work wonderfully. I wish all patients a complete recovery. 10'"

• Lag...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 22, 2019

"My mother had metastatic breast cancer. It was in her lungs, spine, and pelvis. It was also ER/PR positive and HER2 negative. We wanted her to have the best treatment. We had to import Ibrance for her to use at great cost to us, her children. Also, she was on letrozole and denosumab injections for her bones. The Ibrance did nothing for her. Within a month, her cancer markers tripled, the cancer spread more, she was having diarrhea constantly, extreme fatigue, neutropenia, low WBC, low platelets. Within a month of diagnosis of her cancer and using Ibrance, she died from septic shock and febrile neutropenia. The drug did not help her. We could still have had more years with her without using this cursed drug. So, so sad and heartbreaking. We were feeding her poison, we just did not know."

• mem...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 1, 2023

"I had a lumpectomy and started taking Ibrance 2 years ago. I had 2 bone mets as well. I have had 2 clear PET scans since and my tumor markers are within normal range for over a year now. I have had very few side effects, just a little fatigue. I am also on Letrozole and Zometa. The product is easy to use and definitely seems to be working! I wish it would work for everyone!"

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2023

Palbociclib "I had mastectomy in 1988 and underwent chemo. No re-occurrence until 2019 when CA27/29 antigen levels rose above 38. The oncologist I was seeing at the time was not concerned, but my husband was and found a new oncologist. I was subsequently diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in my bones. 1-1/2 years treatment with low dose (75 mg) Ibrance and now PET/MRI/BONE scans show no signs of cancer and antigen level is down to 18."

• Ima...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 22, 2019

"My metastatic breast cancer appeared in my spine and hip bone 8 years after successful treatments for stage 1 BC. I’ve been on Ibrance, letrozole, and Xgeva after an initial round of radiation. After 5 months of treatment, I was in remission. Have now been in remission almost 3 years. Taking the same drug program the whole time. I have tolerated the drugs well. Only recently started to see hair damage. Always take drugs after eating, so no stomach problems. Occasionally a bit tired, but mostly feel good. Low white cells mean I’m very careful about exposure to germs. Swab down my airline seat with antibacterial wipes when flying. So far, so good. These drugs can work very well."

• joa...
• September 24, 2019

"Stage 3 fungating breast cancer with suspicious lung metastasis, I began taking Ibrance alongside Letrozole in May 2019. I was warned about the side effects and neutropenia, in which I have had problems with a little, but oncology has reduced my meds from 125 mg to 75 mg now, and I am doing great. Only a few manageable side effects: blurred vision, exhaustion, hair shredding. But all in all, this is a good medication, and my cancer markers have been reduced from 960 to 235, very happy for now."

• Emj...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2024

Palbociclib "I do have cold hands and feet, but now I have a pain in the back of my hand that goes to my wrist. I also have skin issues, but the doc said cancer markers are down. I am also gaining back weight which I needed."

• Kit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 12, 2018

"Was on palbociclib and Faslodex for 4 months. Started off with the highest dose, which caused big red plaques on my legs. Stopped for 1 month and went on a lower dose for 3 months. No other serious side effects. Markers went down for 1 month, then I started having sharp pains in my bones that moved location. My tumor markers tripled. From experience, I know these are signs of the cancer spreading. When I confronted my oncologist with this, her reply was not to worry, it's only a flare. In the 4th month, we did a PET scan. Till then, the mets had only been in my bones and were manageable. Now the scan showed massive spread in the bones and worse, in the liver. I should have taken myself off the palbociclib like other people here have done. But I had such trust in my oncologist that it never crossed my mind. I am still not out of the damage the palbo caused, but now I get a second opinion, and if a treatment isn't working, I stop. The onc industry may not like it, but it's my life and my body."

• Fig...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 10, 2018

"I was taking care of my husband and missed my mammogram. By the time I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, I had mets all over my spine, ribs, femur, and head. I was put on Ibrance and had 2 great years. Tiredness, yes, but nothing else. I was able to care for my husband until he died. Almost 2 years. It quit working about the same time, and now I am struggling to find something else. I wish I could have it back. I always took it on a full stomach at night. But it was great."

• ant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2023

Palbociclib "I have noticed very few side effects. I have had a small sore on my arm that Neosporin has helped. I also have a small sore in the roof of my mouth that has cleared up after I used mouthwash after brushing my teeth with a soft-bristled brush. I have noticed that I tire quickly. I also have hot flashes and cold chills similar to what I had when I had menopause. I have also noticed a small amount of hair loss. The right breast seems to be healing on the outside. It doesn't seem to be bleeding or oozing fluid."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2020

"I was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer 4 months ago, which has spread to my lungs. I was put on palbociclib and letrozole alongside a monthly injection. I felt so poorly and wasn't getting any quality of life. My 1st scan showed it had shrunk, but at stage 4, I know it will never go away. I made the decision to come off palbociclib. I also wanted to come off the letrozole, but the oncologist recommended I stay on the letrozole because the cancer could spread quicker, so I felt I had no choice but to stay on the letrozole. I have terrible pains in my legs and my fingers. I'm now worried, now that I've come off the palbociclib, if it is going to shorten my life."

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 30, 2024

"Taking 125 mg Ibrance tablets along with Fulvestrant infusions successfully cleared an area in my chest that caused 'metastatic' to be added to my breast cancer diagnosis in 2022. Once cleared, my dose was decreased to 75 mg, which eliminated some of my side effects such as extreme chronic fatigue and brain fog."

• koa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 12, 2023

Palbociclib "Mom started coughing, and doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. Mom had never had heart issues of any kind. I believe the cough was a result of this medication, and her breast cancer, despite a radical mastectomy, had returned. Three months after the cough started, my mom passed away."

• Fis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2023

"After two weeks on this medication, I have had limited side effects besides fatigue. Some days are better than others, but about once or twice a week I sleep from 16 to 24 hours instead of my regular 12. I had joint pain and headaches in the first few days, but they seem to have subsided after the first week. A rash I get on my face over a scar has flared up directly after starting this medication."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 27, 2023

"Absolutely horrific. I was rapidly losing weight, had no energy, and about half my hair and eyebrows fell out. Felt mixed up and life was not worth living. It took numerous infections, plus being hospitalized with sepsis because no one was listening in the health service, and it has now been stopped. Maybe big pharma is the true winner here."