I’ll be starting on Verzenios (abemaciclib) next month. I’d be really grateful if anyone taking it could share their experience of side effects - thanks!
Hi I am due to start next week as well . My oncologist said that it can cause diarrhoea. But interested to know if anyone else is raking it what their side effects have been ?
Looks like a few of us will be starting it over the next few weeks. Shall we share our experience of it here? Maybe we can be a mini support group for each other?
I am starting it on Monday. I literally had to chase this and beg my oncologist to prescribe it for me even though I am high risk. Been chasing since 8th July and go on holiday in October, which has been bookes since before this drug became available. Was hoping it would have been in my system way before now. Anyway I hope everyone gets on ok with it x
Hi. I start too! I was supposed to start last week but I got covid and couldn’t face it. I’d like to join this mini support group too please as I’m pretty apprehensive about it! X
I’ve been taking Abemaciclib for 9 months now and while it was a bit problematic at the start, I feel like things have really settled now and I feel well.
Diarrhoea was the main issue in the early days and it was pretty bad for me. I’d say the first 2-4 weeks were the worst, although it did continue on and off for about 2 months. That said it was well controlled with Loperamide (Imodium) which I was also given. After a while I got used to how my stomach was feeling and could plan around that.
I had very mild nausea in the first week of taking it but not bad enough to affect my appetite or to need medication.
I did feel a bit fatigued but this could also be down to the Letrozole and going back to work, on the plus side I sleep very well. I’ve carried on exercising as I find this actually helps fatigue. I can feel dead on my feet before a walk or a short run but feel tons better afterwards.
I started on 150mg and took this until late May but switched to 100mg after my neutrophils fell below 1. I was going away to Spain and my consultant felt the dose reduction was wise before travel. I’ve stayed on this since then and it seems to suit. Stomach is completely normal and feel like I have more energy.
My hair is growing well - was petrified that I’d get that side effect, having endured cold cap during chemo and managed to keep a fair amount. Sadly hair also growing like mad everywhere else again!
See what works for you but I’ve found that trying to be really on it in terms of timing helped my stomach. Making sure I kept to 12 hours between doses - for me that’s 8.00 am and 8.00 pm. Also, I found that taking my morning dose and then eating within 15-30 mins works. Taking it after breakfast did not work for me.
