Headache’s on Tafinlar (dabrafenib)

Thanks Karen.

Sometimes I just feel juggled between my local oncologist (don't have 100% trust in) and my Melanoma specialist in Texas.  Local freaks out at everything and wants me to have radiation while TX is more calm and knowledeable, but in TX.

I have been having pains in my side much like I did when they found the initial lytic lesion on my T9 vertebrae which was also fractured. Started after I left TX the first of Aug (scans on 8/8). Had to go to ER for abdomen pain 8/14 and they did an Ultrasound (ovarian cyst – begnin and ruptured). When I saw local oncologist after that, he looked at the CT report (not films) and noted it said there was a lesion on T9 and T11. He has no previous record of the T11 since the last scan I had done here was in January. So, he sets me up with radiation oncologist again. I contact TX Dr and he wants to see scan, says T11 has been there since Feb and stable since starting on Zelboraf. If it is not lesion/T11, then what is causing all this pain?

In the middle of all this, I was off Z for 5 days and started Tafinlar 8/21. Local Dr knows nothing about Tafinlar except that it exist and is for Braf melanoma (didn't know much about Zelboraf either. When I told him I was having jont pain he said he didn't think that was a side effect). He googles information on it while I am in office with him. I try to direct him with what I know, but I get quite tired of this.

With all that being said, my head is hurting, along with my side and back pain increasing and it is making me quite grouchy.  I don't know whether it is from the Tafinlar or if my Melanoma is progressing and I am going back and forth between these two Dr on voice mail and emails. 

To top it all off, the cdiff I contracted at the end of Juy is back.  Just changed from flagyl to vancomicin yesterday. So I am having to work from home (thankfuly my company will let me).

Wish I could see my Texas Dr anytime I needed to. Local is only group in area and once you see one in their group others will not see you (will not take another Dr's patient I am told). I think my Dr is good, just too buys an unable to devot enough time to case.

This went on way too long and off topic.  Thanks for listening.

Beck K

Thanks Karen.

Sometimes I just feel juggled between my local oncologist (don't have 100% trust in) and my Melanoma specialist in Texas.  Local freaks out at everything and wants me to have radiation while TX is more calm and knowledeable, but in TX.

I have been having pains in my side much like I did when they found the initial lytic lesion on my T9 vertebrae which was also fractured. Started after I left TX the first of Aug (scans on 8/8). Had to go to ER for abdomen pain 8/14 and they did an Ultrasound (ovarian cyst – begnin and ruptured). When I saw local oncologist after that, he looked at the CT report (not films) and noted it said there was a lesion on T9 and T11. He has no previous record of the T11 since the last scan I had done here was in January. So, he sets me up with radiation oncologist again. I contact TX Dr and he wants to see scan, says T11 has been there since Feb and stable since starting on Zelboraf. If it is not lesion/T11, then what is causing all this pain?

In the middle of all this, I was off Z for 5 days and started Tafinlar 8/21. Local Dr knows nothing about Tafinlar except that it exist and is for Braf melanoma (didn't know much about Zelboraf either. When I told him I was having jont pain he said he didn't think that was a side effect). He googles information on it while I am in office with him. I try to direct him with what I know, but I get quite tired of this.

With all that being said, my head is hurting, along with my side and back pain increasing and it is making me quite grouchy.  I don't know whether it is from the Tafinlar or if my Melanoma is progressing and I am going back and forth between these two Dr on voice mail and emails. 

To top it all off, the cdiff I contracted at the end of Juy is back.  Just changed from flagyl to vancomicin yesterday. So I am having to work from home (thankfuly my company will let me).

Wish I could see my Texas Dr anytime I needed to. Local is only group in area and once you see one in their group others will not see you (will not take another Dr's patient I am told). I think my Dr is good, just too buys an unable to devot enough time to case.

This went on way too long and off topic.  Thanks for listening.

Beck K

Thanks Karen.

Sometimes I just feel juggled between my local oncologist (don't have 100% trust in) and my Melanoma specialist in Texas.  Local freaks out at everything and wants me to have radiation while TX is more calm and knowledeable, but in TX.

I have been having pains in my side much like I did when they found the initial lytic lesion on my T9 vertebrae which was also fractured. Started after I left TX the first of Aug (scans on 8/8). Had to go to ER for abdomen pain 8/14 and they did an Ultrasound (ovarian cyst – begnin and ruptured). When I saw local oncologist after that, he looked at the CT report (not films) and noted it said there was a lesion on T9 and T11. He has no previous record of the T11 since the last scan I had done here was in January. So, he sets me up with radiation oncologist again. I contact TX Dr and he wants to see scan, says T11 has been there since Feb and stable since starting on Zelboraf. If it is not lesion/T11, then what is causing all this pain?

In the middle of all this, I was off Z for 5 days and started Tafinlar 8/21. Local Dr knows nothing about Tafinlar except that it exist and is for Braf melanoma (didn't know much about Zelboraf either. When I told him I was having jont pain he said he didn't think that was a side effect). He googles information on it while I am in office with him. I try to direct him with what I know, but I get quite tired of this.

With all that being said, my head is hurting, along with my side and back pain increasing and it is making me quite grouchy.  I don't know whether it is from the Tafinlar or if my Melanoma is progressing and I am going back and forth between these two Dr on voice mail and emails. 

To top it all off, the cdiff I contracted at the end of Juy is back.  Just changed from flagyl to vancomicin yesterday. So I am having to work from home (thankfuly my company will let me).

Wish I could see my Texas Dr anytime I needed to. Local is only group in area and once you see one in their group others will not see you (will not take another Dr's patient I am told). I think my Dr is good, just too buys an unable to devot enough time to case.

This went on way too long and off topic.  Thanks for listening.

Beck K