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135691 tn?1271097123

Crecco - Avastin question

Hey...just wondering how many cycles your doctor scheduled you for, before doing a CT scan. I was scheduled for 4 treatments, then my scan (booked on March 31st) but having my last two treatments delayed because of illness, I'm wondering if I should just skip out on my fourth one until I find out the results of my scan. I guess it's just so much money to spend without knowing if it's working... Would they not know after 3 treatments, if it's working or not?
Thanks,
Becky
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272338 tn?1252280404
I wish you the best. I am trying to think back and if I am remembering correctly (HAH!) I think that he checked mine after 3 treatments of the avastin. He checked it in the middle of my 2nd round so that would be right. 2 times the first round and once in the second and my CA had dropped from 613 to 315. So even though it is expensive I really hope that your scan shows that it is working for you.
I don't blame you for doing it the way that you are. It really screws things up when you have to miss a treatment. It is amazing what missing just one or two can do. I am off Mon so I will be there in thought with you, with my fingers crossed that you get nothing but good news. Let me know what you find out!
Take care, Love Chris
Helpful - 0
135691 tn?1271097123
I'm back from Toronto, and they've decided (with a little help from me complaining about the costs!) that I will have my CT scan next Monday to determine the effectiveness of the Avastin and skip my treatment scheduled for tomorrow night. Like I said, it's $6300 and with my scan being so close, I'd rather make sure it's actually doing something then spend all that money and find out it wasn't working. If I hadn't had the setbacks I've had these last two weeks, and had my treatment when it was originally scheduled (March 12th) I wouldn't have cared. He said if it is working for me, it will show up after three doses...so, now just waiting and crossing my fingers that my scan goes well!!
Take care,
Becky
Helpful - 0
135691 tn?1271097123
Thanks Chris, for getting back to me. I'm glad to hear that your numbers are doing well. Unfortunately they aren't a good marker for me - they didn't go up at all when my cancer came back and actually went down as my cancer grew. I honestly don't know if they even bother to check it anymore.
I have an appointment today down in Toronto and will talk to them about what to do.
That must have been very unnerving about your BP. I know they watch mine very closely and it has gone up, but not enough to really worry about it. I started out with low BP, so hopefully that helped to off set it!!
I'll let you know how I make out today,
Becky
Helpful - 0
272338 tn?1252280404
I just had a treatment today (Mon) and brought up about a CT scan as it has been awhile since I had one. My onc was not real concerned about it as long as my numbers continue to go down. But my treatments have been all screwed up too due to the high blood pressure problems I was having. I missed one treatment (#3 of the last round) of avastin/abraxane due to high BP. So when I went back the next week I only recieved abraxane just as a precaution until they could be sure my BP was stabilized. Last week I did recieve avastin/abraxane with no problem. Mon i just got the abraxane. So next week is my week of and then when I go back we will get back on the right schedule again of avastin/abraxane on weeks 1 and 3 and just abraxane on week 2. Also when I go back in 2 weeks (Apr 7) we will check my CA again. It was checked an extra time in those weeks my treatments were screwed up and it had taken a small jump from 315 to 360 but he was not real concerned.
  I would thing that they would have some kind of idea if it is working or not by your counts. In the middle of my second round they checked my CA for the first time since before i had started and it had dropped from 613 down to 315.
But after i reminded him today that it had been awhile since my last CT he decided that we would go ahead and do one but then he didn't schedule it So I am not sure what he wants to do. Like I said though, the way that I understand him that as long as my numbers continue to go down, he will not worry to much. Myself though I am kind of curious as to what is going on where.
  Have you had a CA run lately? And if so, is it dropping? I know that it is a lot of money but I would go ahead and do the treatments and I would ask about your numbers too. I know a lot of people do not put much on those counts, but with me they are a good indicator of how good something is working. And normally when my counts start rising and they do a CT, they will check it again when my counts go back down and they are able to see a big difference.
  Thank you for asking! I am finally getting to where I am begining to feel a little better each day. But that high blood pressure thing had me scared for awhile. After playing around with the meds and the dosages though they seem to have it pretty well leveled back out. I am glad, that way we can get back on schedule and see how this is really going to work.
  How are you doing with it? No problems I hope. I have been thinking of you also and wondering how it has been working and if you were having any problems. Now other then being really tired (and some of tht is from the BP meds) I am doing just fine. I hope it is the same for you. Let me know what you decide and what you find out.
    Chris
Helpful - 0
135691 tn?1271097123
I hope your ok!! Thinking of you,
Becky
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135691 tn?1271097123
I'm sorry...I forgot to ask how your doing???
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