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TIVDAK - Cervical Cancer
An update on my TIVDAK experience: I had my second scan during my treatment with TIVDAK. The drug is still working for me after 9 cycles. No more spread, some shrinkage, no new growths. I asked my oncologist “what’s next”? To which he replied: “we keep going with TIVDAK every three weeks, with a scan after every 3 cycles.” Yes, TIVDAK has side effects but I’m all in, ready to keep powering through the side effects because I continue to respond to the drug.
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That’s great news! Glad you are responding so well! How are you feeling?
@margitdill This is such good news. Thank you for coming back and sharing this with us. How are you feeling? How long do the side effects last?
I am 3 days post TIVDAK 10 and have the usual side effects, mainly fatigue and flu-like malaise. I just rest and otherwise I power through these things. I’m willing to experience the side effects, knowing the drug is working for me. If I keep myself occupied with other things like socializing with friends, Bible study etc, I feel a lot better. There isn’t a lot of info here on TIVDAK so I’m trying to fill in the gaps to help others. My CA-125 also went way down … from the last reading of 133 down to 86. I visualize that number going down to below 35.
PS the side effects ebb and flow throughout the interim period - between treatments. I might feel yucky in the morning but pretty good in the early evening. Sometimes I’ve had 3 good days in a row then boom, I feel yucky again. It’s very inconsistent!
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1 ReactionOne of the big side effects of TIVDAK that concerns doctors is severe eye inflammation. I have to have my eye doctor check my eyes prior to each treatment. Thankfully, my eyes are fine. I follow the post-chemo eye drop protocol and after 10 treatments, no eye problems, one of the inconveniences of the TIVDAK infusion is that you have to keep ice packs on your eyes for 60 minutes during treatment. To ease this, I wear gloves because I have to hold the ice packs in place. Without gloves, the coldness begins to hurt your hands. Then I find something I can listen to for 60 minutes to make the time fly by. Usually this is a sermon, a Bible lesson, a guided meditation - something that is healing and inspiring. Since I started doing this, I don’t mind the icing part of the treatment at all.
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1 Reaction@margitdill I find also that I can lose track of time when I'm listening to a podcast that is spiritual and inspiring. That's such a good strategy you've discovered that works for you.
Yes … thank you. With regular chemo, I could stream shows but with having to ice the eyes, I had to find things that required listening only. It helps make time fly and takes attention off the uncomfortable icing.
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