Kisqali side effect issues

My breast oncologist recently suggested Verzenio which is a "twin" to Kisqali (as per her information).
I am on Exemestane (my 3rd aromatase inhibitor, suffering severe headaches from the AIs, my only treatment post BM) and she wants to add Verzenio to "cover all my bases". I am thinking about it but want another opinion first. This medication, like yours, has some serious side effects so my sense is you are not imagining anything!
To me, she mentioned low white blood counts (suspectable to infections), low red blood counts (anemia, fatigue, brain fog) plus severe diarrhea. No question there are lots more. She is really pushing this medication on me.
I have no further info for you but I believe I can safely say everything you are feeling IS a side effect of Kisqali.
All the best to you!

@briarrose I’m on Anastrozole and don’t notice any side effects. Maybe I have them but my rheumatoid arthritis masks them. Idk. I don’t know what I should feel like. All I know is I don’t remember what I used to feel like before all this stuff started.

I am taking letrozole (2.5 mg/day) and Kisqali (400 mg/ day) 3 weeks on, one week off. I’ve been on Kisqali for a year now, and most of the side effects have drastically subsided (this probably took 6 months) with the exception of the brain fog (that is still lingering). Taking both meds in the morning has helping my sleep patterns. Blood work is decent, lower counts here and there but am told they are in good range. I am exercising an hour every day in the pool to help with joint pain and stiffness, also my lifestyle medicine oncologist prescribed naltrexone compound through Mayo pharmacy to help with some of the side effects (among other benefits!). She also has inspired me to move towards a plant-based diet (which I haven’t perfected but paving forward!) Lastly I am starting strength training since my estrogen and progesterone are no more. This podcast was a good resource to understand the science behind the need for strength training for women in menopause https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mel-robbins-podcast/id1646101002 Prayers for strength and guidance along your journey. You are not alone!

I have been taking Verzenio which is one of the three available CDK4/6 inhibitors, Kisquali and Ibrance are the other two. I have all sorts of side effects from it, as well as from the AI I am on, Exemestane. But all the side effects you mentioned, I do have as well.

My Dr says bloodwork looks good and I look like you couldn’t even tell I had cancer. Looking isn’t feeling though. And I feel good most days but the days I don’t, I don’t! But it helps talking to y’all about the struggles and the triumphs. 💪🏻

I'm glad you brought up the CDK4K drug issue! I too am being steered by my Doc toward trying Verzenio. She would like to add a hormone blocker to it also, but after trying 2 AI's and Fulvestrant shots, and then a low dose of Tamoxifen, all of which gave me serious side effects like labile hypertension, very achy legs with a rash after 4 months resulting in some vein insufficiency, and severe headaches, I've decided Hormone blockers are not for me. I see that Verzenio is not a H-blocker, but "a targeted therapy known as a CDK4/6 inhibitor. While it treats hormone-receptor positive (HR+) breast cancer, it works by blocking proteins (CDK4 & 6) that fuel cancer cell division, rather than cutting off hormone production like hormonal therapies." I need to shrink a tumor, so may try it. Hopefully it can be adjusted for weight, because at 130 lbs. and age 76, I seem very sensitive to all meds. I don't want to feel sick and diarrhea-prone for summer, would rather go walking & do gardening, but need to shrink this in-my-chest-wall tumor recurrence from 30 years ago. Maybe follow up with Proton radiation if it shrinks. It's pretty hard to choose another sickening drug when the others gave me more trouble than I had.