← Return to CA 27-29 numbers rising: Does anyone else have an issue like this?

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
@mom23boys

Good morning Sam. If you saw my other comment, I'm not a fan of the CA27-29. I personally haven't found it very trustworthy. That being said, your wife showed obvious response to the verzenio combo when her numbers took such a huge dip. Sometimes the minor blips 90-105-121 are nothing. Oh, and each person is different. I think "where" the mets are makes a difference as I've seen women with liver mets that numbers go into the thousands. My numbers are on a similar trajectory right now (90-104) and I am also on Faslodex but with Ibrance instead of Verzenio. I have had some progression in my femur met that we are radiating to see if that knocks it down, stops the pain and makes a difference in the numbers (without changing my meds).
Is her pain of the all-over aching-joint type? Being on Zometa tells me she is pre-menopausal? If that's the case it seems to me anyway that being hormone+ is harder because younger women get smacked with the stoppage of hormones. Even for us older gals (I'm 61) my joints hurt all over when I started the estrogen blockers and I had not nearly the amount to "block".
After about 7 months I adjusted. Also, the fatigue is the meds for the most part, and her pain could be adding to it.
So much comes down to where is the pain (spine, other bones?), is it somewhere where it may be pressing on a nerve? I'd press the doctor for a closer look if the pain is up there to see if there isn't something they can do to alleviate it. Sometimes radiating small spots can give pain relief.
Feel free to respond if you'd like and maybe we can figure it out.
Peggie

Jump to this post


Replies to "Good morning Sam. If you saw my other comment, I'm not a fan of the CA27-29...."

Peggie,
It wasn't until after I made my post that I saw yours-I'm still learning how to navigate this site. Thank you for your kind reply, it was encouraging, as far as the CA not being very trustworthy, especially when I read that most women's numbers are in the low double digits. My wife, Jen, will be 61 in Feb., her pain is all over; joints, spine, ribs, hips, metatarsals, etc., the most severe pain recently is at the base of her skull and throughout her cervical spine. Being that most of the cancer is in the spine and that she had the fractures, nerve pain is a huge possibility, she tried Gabapentin, but didn't like the side effects. At diagnosis she had multiple compression fractures in her spine. About 8 months ago she went to see a rheumatologist, he prescribed Diclofenac, the assumption was that as her bones were healing from the treatment it was causing arthritis, the diclofenac has helped. Her last Onc. appt. was almost two weeks ago, she is waiting to hear back from someone to get a consult on radiation, my concern with radiation on the neck is that the esophagus is so close, but I'll wait until we get a consult so that I can get fully educated on the pros and cons of the procedure. How long ago were you diagnosed ? I'd love to hear if the radiation on your femur helps. May I ask if you have LDH and CEA tests as well, if you don't want to share-no problem. Jen's LDH was 1000, and the CEA was 13 on her last visit. Thank you again, Sam