Is anyone else taking Lynparza (olaparib)? How are you doing?

Hi, I took Lynparza for two years, but it didn’t work for me. Ovarian cancer returned in late 2025. However, Lynparza did not worsen my neuropathy. Two things have helped my neuropathy: regular acupuncture treatments and Acetyl L’Carnitine vitamins in the morning and night.

@colleenyoung Hi! I have discussed my neuropathy with me doctor and care team. I was told Lynparza should not worsen the neuropathy, but there have been a few things that occurred during & as a result of chemo infusions that nobody gave me a heads up on.
I started Lynparza June 30th, so 1 week left in my first cycle. I have days of extreme fatigue and don't know if this is related to the medication or not, but have had a couple of days when my mental state of mind is down... I would not call it depression but it's definitely not my usual.

I was taking lynparza for about 8 or 9 months on max dose 600 mg a day. Really bothered with fatigue. Oncologist lowered dose to 500 a day and it made a big difference for me.

@amls
update: I had another scan two weeks ago and it turns out that the new growth is actually a swollen vein with a small blood clot in it, most likely from the surgery and avastin.

They found a couple of more small clots so I started taking a blood thinner to fix the problem that they said is common. We are so surprised and happy it isn’t new cancer growth like we thought it was! (Edited here to correct autocorrect spelling error. Changed the word bought to thought)

My ca125 is still rising but there is no visible change on the scan since I stopped chemo in Feb so the dr thinks it cld be growth on the molecular level that isn’t visible yet.

We decided that I will stay on my current maintenance plan - avastin infusion once every three weeks and Lynparza 250 2x/day - and watch for visible growth on scans every 8 weeks.

When we see growth, I’ll be getting carbo and doxil infusions.

I’m hoping the Lynparza and avastin slows the growth down. 🤞

@meeeeeeper

Congratulations on being cancer free after being on lynparza for a year! I’m six months in and there has been no new visible growth on my scans but my ca125 and ctdna results are indicating new growth. My dr thinks it’s at the molecular level and she’s keeping a close eye on my scans for changes.

How are your ca125 and ctDNA results?

I've been reading along because this may be in my future so i want the best first hand info i can find simply because i know from past experiences that's often the best ....
Some of you may know/remember just how much i suffer from fatigue/nausea/low blood levels/etc on chemo... i have one more cycle of carbo/doxil to go this round which after #5 has left me at the point of saying why in the world do i want to go through #6... because of my body and reactions to chemo i have to wait usually at min 5 weeks and usually 6 between treatments if that tells you anything about my recovery rates but anyways.... doc wants me to go on Lynparza after that.... he knows I'm hesitant...but I'm BRCA1 so he really wants me to do it... my concerns are (which yes I've already discussed with him and will do so again and again til I'm at peace one way or another but wanted to get y'alls feedback too)
1) low wbc/neutrophils I've had to have Neulasta EVERY SINGLE CHEMO treatment (both first go around and this one) due to neutropenia and knowing that can be a side effect of Lynparza...i don't want to have to rely on Neulasta constantly either...its a pain with all the bone pain i get from it ...cause i have to take Claritin for that every time as well...
2) fatigue.... i get packed red blood cells at min every other chemo treatment sometimes in between as well, as my body doesn't build quickly enough (my hemoglobin usually is between 7.0 and 8.2 but has been as low as 5.2 on a couple of occasions which gets the nurses asking how in the world are you walking...very slowly lol) which of course causes my extreme fatigue.. and I'm tired of being so exhausted and struggling to breathe walking through my house ...i want my LIFE back, not this existence I'm currently living with
3) nausea...if it wasn't for the acupuncture and most recently the lemonheads freeze dried candy idk how i'd have been making it through this rounds of nausea with the chemo...it literally has been a lifesaver for dealing with that...its bad when the thought of taking the compazine and zofran make you want to throw up.. but anyways i really don't want to have to depend on that stuff for the rest of my life simply because i'm nauseous all the time...i want to be able to enjoy food again
4) bruising... i've always bruised so easily anyways and while on chemo i bruise if a cat jumps on me...i swear half the time my legs and arms look like I've been beaten and the slightest little scratch has blood pouring...which obviously i can't afford to lose lol... they told me that's a common side effect...if it gets worse i'm gonna be walking around even more rainbow colored than i do now...
Anyways i just wanted y'alls thoughts on it... because I'm VERY in tune with my body, i cause the reoccurrence long before the docs would have even wanted to run a CT scan on me because of my numbers rising...so I'm not that concerned about that...I'm just curious about have y'all felt it was worth it, have the side effects been as bad as chemo etc...I'm really just not liking the idea of spending the rest of my life on another drug that's going to keep my quality of life crappy to put it mildly..

@mommacandy So good to see you back here and giving us updates. Your treatments over the last few years validates the phrase - “you’ve been through the wars”. (Now I wonder where that phrase came from? Do you ever listen to a “A Way with Words” on NPR? I love that radio show and will have to look that one up).

You have shared your full and active life and honestly I don’t know how you do it. When I read what you do within days after a chemo infusion I think to myself, “I’d be in bed all day and here she is baking cakes, planning birthdays, and taking care of her chickens!”. It’s Sunday morning so I figure you have been or are going to not one service at church but probably another one.

I don’t have any words of wisdom about the meds and what to expect as I haven’t lived these experiences. Others will fill you in so that you can that back to your oncologist and cancer care team.

You are very in tune with your body. Your doctors and nurses know this by now!

What are lemonheads freeze dried candies and where do you get them? I have to get me some of those.

@naturegirl5 there are several kinds but the ones i seem to like the best i think i found at Ollies don't remember what brand, i just know them when i see them they are in a white bag.... but i've also found others at Food Lion or maybe Kroger (can't remember which it was)... the ones i found there are Lemonheads Freeze Dried...they are good but not as the original ones i found.. the original comes in a variety of flavors but the lemon definitely work the best...
unfortunately i'm too tired to go to church,,, have been for weeks...i'm just too too tired to do anything...my emotions are so on a rollercoaster these days, i'm just over it which is why i'm debating on the whole lynparza thing...

@mommacandy Thanks for the info on those lemonheads. I’ll look for them.

I’ve wondered how you keep going with all the travel, medical appointments, chemo and meds. I understand how in tune with your body that you are and now it’s telling you that you’re really tired. It’s no wonder your emotions are all the place as the path has been so rocky. Many of us would like to get up each morning and live in the present. One day at a time. One hour at a time. But our brains have other plans and sometimes pull us back into whatever the reality it is that’s staring us in the face. I get it. There are times I think, if only there was a switch where I could turn that off. So yes, you’ll have those talks with your doctors and while Lynparza is a possibility you’re the only one who can decide if that’s for you.

I was on Lymparza 13 months and it raised my CA125 from 12.9 to 624 and fighting for my life.