Hi All, I’m due to start a year of olaparib in the next month or two due to a BRCA2 mutation.
I wondered if many of you have gone through this treatment and if you can share what it’s like as a drug and how it’s affected you with side effects, work etc?
Hi @Tabby-Lou! I’m BRCA2 too. I finished active treatment for stage3 breast cancer last October and have been on Olaparib since late November. I’m also on hormone treatment, so it is a bit hard to pinpoint what effects come from what, but my quality of life is excellent. I felt tired the first two months (not as tired as when on chemo), but now I feel pretty normal. Water tastes a bit bitter in the morning… but has improved as well. No other effects, really… Stiff joints, but I think that is the aromatase inhibitor… Bloods have coped ok, so I’m on the full dose. I know other ladies on Olaparib and they are also coping really well. Good luck! =)
Thank you for sharing, that’s really encouraging and I’m glad it doesn’t all sound as bad as I thought it would! X x
I hope you don’t mind me asking but how has Olaparib been? I start it tomorrow and am already very creaky and sore from the Anastrazole and Leuprolenin (like Zoladex) so am nervous about more side effects. Finish radiotherapy tomorrow too which probably doesn’t help me feel particularly great right now! X
Hi, happy to share my experiences. On the whole it’s not been too bad, the first 2-3 months I did have bad nausea but managed it with domperidone. It has eased off now which is a relief. I still have dodgy tastebuds and an ashy taste in my mouth and struggle to get up and about if I’ve been sat down for a period of time but that could be the letrozole to be honest Overall not as bad as I thought and 100 times better than actual chemo for sure! Just allow yourself a couple of months to get used to them. I honestly think it’s the letrozole that I struggle with more! Wishing you all the best for the rest of your treatment plan x