I am starting Lenvatinib soon. I am so very worried about the side effects. Has anyone had bad side effects and what helped? I am really thinking about not taking it. My thyroid cancer spread to my lungs.
Welcome, @tonbra32, as you likely know lenvatinib (Lenvima) is a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is prescribed for a number of different cancers, including thyroid cancer. @achatterjee's mom is soon to start on the medication as well.
I am starting Lenvatinib soon. I am so very worried about the side effects. Has anyone had bad side effects and what helped? I am really thinking about not taking it. My thyroid cancer spread to my lungs.
This June my husband started taking a daily dose of 14mg Lenvatinib and has tolerated it pretty well. Keeping weight on has been an issue so he drinks very high calorie “meal replacements”, in addition to his meals, 2-3 times a day. His blood pressure has remained normal. At times he has temperature sensitivity to cold in his hands, and for about a week or so, went through some major joint pain in his hips. He gets tired, but is able to continue working as normal. More than anything, he gets an upset stomach and nausea 3-4 days a week. He has been able to manage it with Zofran.
He just had a 3-month follow up MRI and bloodwork showing shrinking masses and improved Tg level. Also, no new disease progression. All reassuring.
He will continue at this dose for now since tumors are shrinking and side effects are tolerable. Follow-up appointment in 3 months.
i have been watching my lymphocytes drop pretty low. 18.9. my thyroglobulin is 74.7, it was higher than that before the radiation pills(2), down to 48, now back up. aggressive papillary carcinoma, which is now labeled indifferentiated cells. any and all comments are welcome
hi colleen, lilyann here. no, not yet as i was doing antibiotics and ibu and tylenol and they were hard enough to get through with my throat issues. i like to see how a new drug acts and give it my full attention. some drugs just do not like me at all. i won't go into that as it was many years ago. i'm a many years ago person. lol. but, i guess when you are an octogenarian that happens. lol. anyway. thing is colleen, on all my pet scans it was showing cardiomegaly. not so much as an enlargement per say, but showing a degree. i had been reading up on some of that and was wondering being lenvima can raise your blood pressure and/or cause a heart attack. of course the dr. said how they would put you on blood pressure meds when your blood pressure increases. never had any high blood pressure. just have it in the back of my mind as my next appt. with the oncologist is on the 8th of October. so between waiting for my gums to heal from dental work before starting radiation and then you can't take lenvima while doing radiation, so my mind has been boggled since the medicine has arrived a few days ago. i hope @bert60 is doing well. thank you for inquiring and i will keep you posted. wishing all wellness and happiness.
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I hope you will let us know how it is with lenvatinib and it's side effects? thank you
My thyroid cancer spread to my lungs, too. I have 40 nodules. I am very scared to start with Lenvatinib, too.
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1 ReactionThank so very much 💞
@emmanuel1, thinking of you as you get set to start treatment tomorrow.
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1 ReactionI will start on the 18th of August.
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2 ReactionsI am starting Lenvatinib soon. I am so very worried about the side effects. Has anyone had bad side effects and what helped? I am really thinking about not taking it. My thyroid cancer spread to my lungs.
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6 ReactionsHubby starts Lenvima in Sept/Oct. Lenvima is about $26k in the US. Luckily Medicare covers it.
This June my husband started taking a daily dose of 14mg Lenvatinib and has tolerated it pretty well. Keeping weight on has been an issue so he drinks very high calorie “meal replacements”, in addition to his meals, 2-3 times a day. His blood pressure has remained normal. At times he has temperature sensitivity to cold in his hands, and for about a week or so, went through some major joint pain in his hips. He gets tired, but is able to continue working as normal. More than anything, he gets an upset stomach and nausea 3-4 days a week. He has been able to manage it with Zofran.
He just had a 3-month follow up MRI and bloodwork showing shrinking masses and improved Tg level. Also, no new disease progression. All reassuring.
He will continue at this dose for now since tumors are shrinking and side effects are tolerable. Follow-up appointment in 3 months.
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2 Reactions@lilyann, are your blood levels improving?
hi colleen, lilyann here. no, not yet as i was doing antibiotics and ibu and tylenol and they were hard enough to get through with my throat issues. i like to see how a new drug acts and give it my full attention. some drugs just do not like me at all. i won't go into that as it was many years ago. i'm a many years ago person. lol. but, i guess when you are an octogenarian that happens. lol. anyway. thing is colleen, on all my pet scans it was showing cardiomegaly. not so much as an enlargement per say, but showing a degree. i had been reading up on some of that and was wondering being lenvima can raise your blood pressure and/or cause a heart attack. of course the dr. said how they would put you on blood pressure meds when your blood pressure increases. never had any high blood pressure. just have it in the back of my mind as my next appt. with the oncologist is on the 8th of October. so between waiting for my gums to heal from dental work before starting radiation and then you can't take lenvima while doing radiation, so my mind has been boggled since the medicine has arrived a few days ago. i hope @bert60 is doing well. thank you for inquiring and i will keep you posted. wishing all wellness and happiness.
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2 Reactions