The following is a post from Chuck Maack on the Advanced Prostate Cancer Internet support group:
“It came to mind wondering how many patients and/or their caregivers prescribed Zytiga/abiraterone acetate have ever taken the important time to read all the details regarding the effects that may be experienced by patients and whether or not they and their prescribing physician are insuring that appropriate blood testing is being performed at appropriat intervals to be aware of the numerous effects that can occur in order to remedy those effects in short order or even realize, depending on blood level results, should stop continuing with this medication. Please take that important time to read the lengthy information in this paper:
https://web.archive.org/web/20130331142905/http://www.zytigahcp.com/prescribing-information.
If there are areas you don’t understand but appear important, write notes and take them with you to your next doctor appointment.
Zytiga is a remarkable medication for those who can tolerate the medication and whose blood levels remain within the defined appropriate levels. It provides at least a median of over 13 months effectiveness, and in my personal case has continued effectiveness for 20 months and continuing. “
As usual, Chuck is right on target. However, I want to add that this is true for all drugs we take, both drugs that treat