Abemaciclib - starting tomorrow

I had 2 months on full dose, I have slightly sensitive bowels and it did take me by surprise the first time or two, but I quickly got to recognise the signs. I did need antisickness a couple of times, as I felt quite poorly with it. However, I asked to reduce dose and only had a month on that when I realised my ‘get up and go’ had also gone, so as it was explained that efficacy is not reduced with dose reduction, I went onto the lowest dose and did 19 months out of the 24 before coming off recently. I’ve a phone call booked next week to see how things are and I guess discuss whether I should start again or just stop. 

I think the message is, just ‘suck it and see’ but be prepared for the need to be near a loo at times! 

hugs xxx

Hi, I’m 9 days away from finishing 2 years on the full dose. It took about 6 weeks to really settle on them, the first 2 weeks being spent with me saying “There’s no way I can possibly do 2 years of this”

I didn’t get the diarrhoea as badly as many, but in the mornings it involved 3-4 urgent visits to the toilet to empty bowels in a free flowing way. I didn’t take the Imodium as it only involved the first hour of the day. I made my diet more bland for a while, no raw veg, salads etc but found that I could adjust it back gradually and was pretty normal again well within 3 months. I did have some fairly excruciating bouts of abdominal pain, not particularly associated with needing the loo but I walked about breathing through them. They did not persist, coming on only very rarely after the first couple of months. 
Mostly I’ve felt ok, but tired, particularly in the last few months. Thinner, drier hair, dry skin, nails which split. Some of which may be partly down to the letrozole i take with it. I get the runny eyes,blocked nose and chapped lips, but not all the time. 

I have felt that I would like to move to the reduced dose, however my blood tests have held up quite well and havent warranted a dose reduction according to the oncologist. As it happens the last 2 sets of blood results have shown more of the measures being an increasingly above or below the “ok” range and I think it’s just as well I’m finishing now. Overall I’ve found it fairly “do-able” but it does go on a bit!

I’ll de just 72 when I stop and really do hope to pick up energy wise! I’ve been committed to taking this drug, though I was appalled when the consultant gave me the leaflet about it. I’d had a year of chemotherapy, 2 operations and 19 radiotherapy doses and 2 years of fairly hardcore drug treatment wasn’t what I’d hoped for. However I was/am “ primary breast cancer with lymph node involvement , at high risk of return”.

All the very best with this treatment. xx

Oh yes, I forgot the effect on nails, ridged and flaking. I keep mine reasonably short and tried to avoid using in any tasks that might help them break! Takes a good few months for those effects to show though, of course. 

Hugs xxx

You will be fine was on it myself for two years