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Harry in Fair Oaks

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      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I have been on the BRAF/MEK combo through the GSK trial for 2-1/2 years now (since May 2011) and I am basically disease-free.  I hope it works for you as well as it did for me.

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I have been on the BRAF/MEK combo through the GSK trial for 2-1/2 years now (since May 2011) and I am basically disease-free.  I hope it works for you as well as it did for me.

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I have been on the BRAF/MEK combo through the GSK trial for 2-1/2 years now (since May 2011) and I am basically disease-free.  I hope it works for you as well as it did for me.

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      Fabulous!  I have been on this drug combo for 2-1/2 years as part of the GSK clinical trial, and it's still keeping things at bay.  I hope your experience will be similar to mine.  I also had joint pains at the beginning, also fevers and chills/shakes.  The side-effects diminished with time. 

      One question:  You say the Dabrafenib was cut to 200 mg.  What was it originally?  I have been on 150mg/day since the beginning, together with 2 mg/day of the MEK.  My understanding is that what I am getting are the max amounts administered under the clinical trial protocol for the combo, so it's hard for me to understand why you are being prescribed at a dosage higher than was tested (for the combo).

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      Fabulous!  I have been on this drug combo for 2-1/2 years as part of the GSK clinical trial, and it's still keeping things at bay.  I hope your experience will be similar to mine.  I also had joint pains at the beginning, also fevers and chills/shakes.  The side-effects diminished with time. 

      One question:  You say the Dabrafenib was cut to 200 mg.  What was it originally?  I have been on 150mg/day since the beginning, together with 2 mg/day of the MEK.  My understanding is that what I am getting are the max amounts administered under the clinical trial protocol for the combo, so it's hard for me to understand why you are being prescribed at a dosage higher than was tested (for the combo).

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      Fabulous!  I have been on this drug combo for 2-1/2 years as part of the GSK clinical trial, and it's still keeping things at bay.  I hope your experience will be similar to mine.  I also had joint pains at the beginning, also fevers and chills/shakes.  The side-effects diminished with time. 

      One question:  You say the Dabrafenib was cut to 200 mg.  What was it originally?  I have been on 150mg/day since the beginning, together with 2 mg/day of the MEK.  My understanding is that what I am getting are the max amounts administered under the clinical trial protocol for the combo, so it's hard for me to understand why you are being prescribed at a dosage higher than was tested (for the combo).

      Best wishes,

      Harry

        Harry in Fair Oaks
        Participant

        OOPS! (never mind).  I just turned 60 and I guess my mind fog is accelarating.  I am taking a total of 300mg/day (150mg twice a day).  So were you reduced to 200 from 300?

        Harry in Fair Oaks
        Participant

        OOPS! (never mind).  I just turned 60 and I guess my mind fog is accelarating.  I am taking a total of 300mg/day (150mg twice a day).  So were you reduced to 200 from 300?

        Harry in Fair Oaks
        Participant

        OOPS! (never mind).  I just turned 60 and I guess my mind fog is accelarating.  I am taking a total of 300mg/day (150mg twice a day).  So were you reduced to 200 from 300?

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I have been on the this combo through the GSK trial for 2-1/2 years.  At the beginning (first couple of months), I had lots of high fever/chills/shakes/sweating (when fever broke).  Usually this was controllable with ibuprofen – sometimes I took ibu an hour before the drugs to ward off the fever, and I think that helped..  My body must have adjusted to the drugs, because I have not had a fever episode for at least 1-1/2 years.

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I have been on the this combo through the GSK trial for 2-1/2 years.  At the beginning (first couple of months), I had lots of high fever/chills/shakes/sweating (when fever broke).  Usually this was controllable with ibuprofen – sometimes I took ibu an hour before the drugs to ward off the fever, and I think that helped..  My body must have adjusted to the drugs, because I have not had a fever episode for at least 1-1/2 years.

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I have been on the this combo through the GSK trial for 2-1/2 years.  At the beginning (first couple of months), I had lots of high fever/chills/shakes/sweating (when fever broke).  Usually this was controllable with ibuprofen – sometimes I took ibu an hour before the drugs to ward off the fever, and I think that helped..  My body must have adjusted to the drugs, because I have not had a fever episode for at least 1-1/2 years.

      Best wishes,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I get scanned every 12 weeks now.  At the beginning of the trial, the scans were every 8 weeks, but after the 2-year mark GSK gratefully relaxed this.  In addition to the CT/MRI scans, I also get ECHO cardiograms.  And every 8 weeks I have a dermatologist exam.

      Best regards,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I get scanned every 12 weeks now.  At the beginning of the trial, the scans were every 8 weeks, but after the 2-year mark GSK gratefully relaxed this.  In addition to the CT/MRI scans, I also get ECHO cardiograms.  And every 8 weeks I have a dermatologist exam.

      Best regards,

      Harry

      Harry in Fair Oaks
      Participant

      I get scanned every 12 weeks now.  At the beginning of the trial, the scans were every 8 weeks, but after the 2-year mark GSK gratefully relaxed this.  In addition to the CT/MRI scans, I also get ECHO cardiograms.  And every 8 weeks I have a dermatologist exam.

      Best regards,

      Harry

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