Dab tram

Hi, I have been on this treatment for 5 weeks, the side effects for me have been horrendous, fatigue being the worst.Been taken off Dam tablets for over a week now and starting to feel myself again, although just waiting for another blood test to lower the dose and put me back on them.I am 3c melanoma, so this is my only option, hoping my body will adjust to new dose.Hope you will feel better soon but tell your nurse or doctor about your side effects don’t just put up with them, as they can help.Good luck with your treatment.

Hi Boden thankyou so much for answering my mayday call lol. I'm stage 3 b melanoma with the gene can't remember what it is called and hate using technical terms. Hiding head in sand etc. Wow five weeks u did well I couldn't manage three days !!! Up and washed today just sickness and horrible fatigue left and soreness in operation site now. Have a phone call booked for next week with nurse so will decide from there . I'm sixty this year so feel time is precious not sure about handling work and side effects at the same time. Was hoping to have the op and run off into the sunset and not think about cancer again. I have much to be grateful for but feeling so poorly again wasnt on my list. Good luck and prayers for you and your journey. It's good to know I'm not alone 

Braf gene is what I have as well, and I am 65 with loads of life left in me.Lets get through this together we just got to do 1 year and hopefully we will get to do the things we dream of for a few years.My husband has been amazing hope you have the same help.

Aww brilliant to hear and yes have a hubby who is very supportive. So we have similar boats to sail in for a year. So yes together sounds easier. Thankyou. I feel much brighter now .Everything seemed a little bleak this morning. Nice to have something positive come out of this journey , hearing from you is definitely on the positive list.

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Hi Dudley: this week I have completed 13 months of taking Dab & Tram. Not going to lie; it’s been far harder than I’d thought at the outset. 
My piece of advise to you would be…… be kind to yourself. Cut yourself some slack. Learn to be a little selfish, self indulgent and, even, lazy!. Because there’ll be days when you feel absolutely floored. You’ll feel like someone has sucked every ounce of energy and motivation out of you. It won’t be every day. And, it won’t be consistent in nature. And, you may think yourself wrong to blame it on the drugs and rather push on through it. But, it is the drugs. The toxicity builds up as the months go on……… this is what your friends and family need to understand if they want to support you. 
I came to understand this aspect far too late in the course of my treatment……. I failed epically in cutting myself some slack, and my family followed my lead (naturally) and, I would say, for that reason, I found the overwhelming fatigue difficult to cope with (even though my dose had been reduced to compensate, plus I was prescribed steroids to get me through the last 4 months).

At the end of the day, these drugs are an oral form of chemotherapy and there’s NOTHING nice about chemo!!!

I hope you do well, best wishes. xx

Hi Bobdon: I’ve just completed 13 months of treatment. I had a few tweaks to my dose plus a couple of “breaks” off treatment to allow my energy levels to improve. So, I can relate to where you are on your journey. I hope all settles down and you go on to complete your full course……. Be kind to yourself; if you need a day on the sofa without any decision making or responsibilities be sure to take one!
Best wishes xx

Thanks for your response, they have lowered my dose and only just gone back on the tablets after having 9 day off them.Got to say I was much more myself in those 9 days.I have come out with a Rash and spots on my face now that look awful.Just hoping that there are no more side effects as I seem to of had most of them.Dealing with all this is not easy but where would we be if this treatment hadn’t been available.Trying to keep my spirits up but it’s very hard.Sometimes I just sit and cry I can’t help it.Thanks again and wishing you well.