Avastin

Hi KitKat84, I’m sorry to hear about your mum.

I have been on Avastin treatment since last year and my hair has been growing back since the chemotherapy finished.

It’s the paclitaxel (taxol) and carboplatin that cause hair loss. Your mum’s hair should grow back now those have finished. I don’t think the Avastin would commonly cause hair loss, according to its description. 

I hope that helps. Let me know if you have other questions.

Take care,

MaldivesFan 

Thank you so much for your reply, we are very relieved to hear that xx

I hope your mum does okay. I have felt quite okay on Avastin and haven't had the type of side-effects that chemotherapy comes with. I sometimes get joint aches and joint pains but I just take some paracetamol. The only other thing is that I sometimes get a runny nose and fits of sneezing.

I'm back at work but working from home and I just go in every three weeks to have the Avastin. Once you have got used to Avastin the infusion is only 30 minutes. However, the first time they give you Avastin they run the infusion for 90 minutes. If if you don't have any problems then the second time they will go for 60 minutes. And then after that it's just 30 minutes each time.

Hi, I am the same as your Mum.  Completed chemo in April and had surgery in June.  So far I have had two Avastin.  My Hair is growing back and my eye lashes are far better, thicker and longer than they were before.  I have been fine with Avastin and am about to re-start it again now the surgery is and recovery is nearly over.  Love Jan. x.

Hello Maldives Fan,

I hope you are OK and all is going well with your treatment. My wife was diagnosed just before Christmas, has had Chemo (today is her 5th Cycle of 8) and had surgery about 6 weeks ago. She is doing well but now Medical Oncologist has suggested Avastin. I've read some about some pretty terrible side effects. Hope you don't mind me asking but how are you getting on with it. We are questioning whether Avastin would be right for her and wold detrimentally affect her quality of life.

Thanks

P

Hi, I was given the choice of Avastin, not due to side effects, but potential risks of holes in my bowel being caused.  I had to decide and went with it although was worried about the side effects. My voice has changed and my BP did go up but is being managed.  I am so glad I had it and am again.  My CA125 has fallen from 567 to 188. On just the taxol and carboplatin it was no where near as dramatic.  Stage 4b round 3 of treatment. Pre surgery if I get it. I also have injections to boost my immune system don’t know if that made the side effects better.  

Hi, I had 8 cycles of chemo (Carbo/Taxol), 3 with Avastin and then continued post-chemo with a further 15 cycles of Avastin.  As stated above, it's the Paclitaxol that causes hair loss, so mine grew back once I'd finished chemo.  The Avastin does not cause hair loss.  I suffered raised blood pressure from the Avastin, and quite bad joint pain.  Apart from that it is nowhere hear as brutal as chemo, and i have no regrets about doing it - if it delays recurrence then it will have been well worth it.  I feel it has slowed my recovery from chemo, and i'm still not as energetic or supple as I was before, but quality of life definitely improved once chemo stopped.  It's always scary reading about possible side-effects, but hopefully she won't get too many - everyone is different of course.  good luck x