Olaparib and bevacizumab maintenance

Hi DanC1979 and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.

I'm not a member of this group but noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.

While you're waiting for replies, it would be great if you could put something about your wife's diagnosis and treatment to date into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

Hi DanC1979

Im sorry you and your wife are going through this and yes it can feel never ending. I have ovarian cancer stage 3c which had mestatic spread to the peritoneum. Like your wife I had 4 carbon/taxol chemo then debulking then 3 more chemos then I was straight into maintenance of bevacizumab and olparib. My way of looking at it was chemo melted the cancer , surgery removed the cancer and now the maintenance is to keep it out ! Please be assured the maintenance is nothing like chemotherapy, it’s easier to tolerate, although it comes with its own challenges. I found the first 12 weeks while the body’s adjusting was the hardest but now after 6 months it’s more of a routine for me . Some tips I can offer is while it seems like a hamster wheel going around and around try to make it a routine, I asked my clinic can I do things closer to home , like bloods , I asked can I have phone consultations and can I have my infusion at my local hospital ( as they have a unit there). All this was agreed and my 3 weekly routine is Monday local hospital phlebotomist take bloods ( forms sent via post) Tuesday I have phone consultation then Thursday infusion at local hospital. This then doesn’t really feel like it’s interfering with my life or my family’s, it’s something that happens every three weeks ! I’m still NED ( no evidence of disease) and I’ve remained stable x just keep on keeping on is my mantra x I hope this is of help and remember if your ever overwhelmed or need to chat give the macmillan helpline a call there amazing x take care 

Hi Hnickkie,

Thanks for getting back to me, Hope you are feeling well still.

My wife has her last chemo session next week, where they will include the bevacizumab within that cycle. 

Did you have a scan after your last chemo session ? 

Do you feel tired days after the bevacizumab, as we have asked for a Friday for the cycles,

Its good to hear the maintenance is nothing like the chemo, my wife hasn't been too bad on the chemo but its been very tough, her hair has been the big thing for her, so hopefully after her last session it will slow start to grow back.

My wife had her spleen removed at surgery so is also on penicillin, so been a tough journey so far.

Love your mantra, Keep on keeping on. 

Take care best wishes 

Hi DanC1979

I had the Bev added in my last chemo too! I did feel a bit tired but that was because it was the carbo taxol and bev but with the Bev on it’s own I found I felt a little tired but only in the afternoon, a nap is amazing at counteracting this :o) about 4 weeks after my final chemo I did have a scan so the team could have a new “ baseline” picture of everything,this is so if a future scan is needed they could see any changes. With the Olaparib I did read and also personally found that for a few months while the body is adjusting I had a little nausea a bit of tiredness and some aches but now I don’t feel any effects at all! I just take my tablets AM and PM and get on with my day x. One thing to let your wife know with regards to the hair is that for me because I went straight from chemo straight to maintenance it did take a while to start regrowing ( about 6 weeks) but for me when it did come back it was sooooo thick and lush! I’ve had two hair cuts in the last few months! Always look for the positive in everything that happens, it can be difficult at times but it’s the little things that make a difference to your mental health. At the last chemo say yes! That’s that done now bring on the maintenance therapy lol then when her hair starts regrowing she can think of how she can have it! Let it grow , keep it short, pixie cuts, punk rocker look :o) please please let her know when you start looking like your old self it makes a massive difference to how you feel x x please feel free to message or ask any questions anytime x take care both and keep on keeping on x x 

Hi Hnickkie, 

Hope your keeping well.

Could I ask where you are getting your maintenance treatment, is this at a local hospital?

Hope you don't mind me asking 

Regards, 

Hello Dan

I’m keeping well thank you ! Yes I’m receiving my maintenance treatment at my local hospital, with the first 2 infusions I had to go to the cancer centre ( which is over an hour and a half away!) as the first Bev is done for 90 minutes the second infusion is then 60 minutes then all other infusions are just 30 minutes! Obviously before infusion you have ob’s done ( blood pressure,temperature and you give a urine sample) then your cannula and flush then infusion is done so all in all it’s about an hour. My local hospital has a unit which is associated with my cancer centre, it has about 9 chairs and it’s open twice a week for people in the surrounding area to receive treatment and not make the long journey to the centre. As I said before everything is done local or virtual eg I just went down for my bloods today ( forms sent via post) I have a phone consultation tomorrow ( check all ok with bloods, any questions and to sign off my Bev and Olaparib which is then sent to the clinic) and in Thursday I go down have my infusion and collect my Olaparib. Hopefully you’ll have a local unit near you and this can be arranged. 

Hey Hnickkie.

Hope your keeping well, 

My wife is now on the Bev & Olaparib. When she takes the Olaparib she has a little bit of nausea for an hour or so after taking them, did you feel the same when you first started and if so any tips to help?

we also had a scan and it showed NED, so hoping the maintenance does it magic :) 

Hello DanC1979

NED that’s amazing! Well done to her! Yes I too had nausea for the first few months but countered this with carbs! I had some toast or a biscuit and cuppa and it seemed to help, also a good tip is ginger (just like morning sickness!) either ginger tea or ginger biscuits or ginger drinks. I personally went off ginger as found I also had some taste and smell changes too but then found a little carbs after my meds helped with the sicky feeling. Let your wife know for a good few months while her body adjusts to the meds it can be hard but then your body settles down and you feel so much better. Keep up your fluid intake, eat good foods and try to go for little gentle walks all this combined helps you immensely :o)  keep reminding yourselves how far you’ve come x another tip to pass on is that you’ll have your bloods done to make sure everything is going ok for treatment but when asking about my bloods I just ask for basic “everything ok?” because if you have every bit of info like how’s your red cells how’s your white cells what’s my ca125 levels etc etc you can become a bit obsessed! This can (if all good) pick you up but alternatively if not too good can bring you down, just a little tip from my personal experience:o) good luck going forward,feel free to message anytime and have a fabulous Christmas x x x 

Thanks for always replying and will pass on the tips , Have a wonderful Christmas and keep in touch