Diagnosed with OC in 2018 and been through four different chemo treatments over the years. My tumor hasn't grown much in last 10 months and cancer has not spread (all good news) but my last chemo - topotecan - did not work. I am now going to start Avastin and wonder if anyone can tell me what to expect as far as side effects.
Answer Summary
Members shared their personal experiences with Avastin for ovarian cancer, with many reporting it was well-tolerated compared to chemotherapy.... Read more
I took Avastin for most of the last five years, with chemo and without chemo. It did not affect the way I felt but it did cause my blood pressure to increase. I am currently on a clinical trial with an immuno-therapy drug.
I know that high blood pressure can be a side effect. For me it dried me out bad. My sinuses dried out, I had bloody nose issues, sinus infections and dry mouth. I suggest using a cool mist humidifier and getting candies to suck on to help with the dry mouth. Another side effect you can have is protein in themurine so make sure they do urine tests on you regularly while your on it. Some protein in the urine is okay but if it starts to get up to 2+ or 3+ or higher the doctor should stop the medicine till it goes back to normal. I can't think of anything else. Good luck with it!
I liked avastin easier side effects then chemo . I was on it and did cause high blood pressure but meds can manage that . Everyone reacts different and wish you all the best. Sometimes had fatigue and stuffy nose but managable. Unfortunately, they had to take me off because of high levels of protein in my urine which could cause issues with kidneys I was on it for my first reoccurrence 2023 with doxil/carbo and avastin then continued every three weeks after chemo just with avastin till March 2025 had to come off. My levels are going back to normal takes a while hoping can try it again down the line! Unfortunately , Iβm on my second reoccurrence as of sept. 5 2025 had secondary surgery to remove tumor in my colon and just started infusions 10/28 now on gemcitabine/carbo regimen and will try avastin again when able too . Idk what else can take since havd no brca gene stage 4 Hgosc πͺπ»ππ»π stay strong u got this and good luck.
But I should add a caveat to my reply. Starting in January, I was coughing, which Iβd blown off to either allergies or my blood pressure medicine. But it ends up. I have some things in my lungs and my scans are showing a little bit of glassiness. And ended up coughing up a hard flem after a visit to an ER with no help. So PCP switched my blood pressure medicine to losartan and that made me awful and now Iβm on a different blood pressure medicine amlodipine and I feel much more like myself. Like when i first started this journey. So some of that what I was feeling, may have been due to my blood pressure medicine as well. Perhaps as your body changes so does your response to other medicines as well.
I just finished Avastin in July as part of my maintenance therapy. But it was also added to my last three doses if chemo regimen. So started in 2023. My side effects were runny nose, raspy voice and perhaps my muscle and ligament aches. I had a hit, a fall etc. causes slow healing but ligaments is an ongoing pain/strain. Acupuncture helped. Never had joint pain in either chemo or maintenance.. it has all been muscle, ligament nerve/neurological.