Pills and Potions

The drug regime is certainly picking up.

Starting yesterday at 07:00 I was given 660mg of cyclophosphamide in 500ml of saline infused over three hours in my drip. Then another dose of the same at 19:00 This is a powerful cytotoxin ( literal translation cell killer ) to attack the cancer cells. This along with the dexamethasone steroids are two of the drugs to attack the cancer.

The steroids are pretty impressive in how quick they work. 24 hours after 1 dose the largish lump at the side of my ear that you could feel is pea sized instead of walnut sized.

To counteract the side effects of these drugs I am now taking:-

Allopurinol - one tablet a day to prevent gout caused by vincristine I'll be taking shortly
Lansoprazole - one tablet a day to reduce acid reflux and protect stomach because lining is damaged by the cyclophosphamide
Fluconazole - two tablets a day to prevent fungal infections in the mouth while my immune system is being suppressed
Chlorhexadine Gluconate - mouthwash four times a day to prevent bacterial infections of the mouth for the same reason.
Mesna - 880mg in 500ml saline in a drip in my other line infused over 12 hours ( so my drip stand now has two pumps on it - cornering hasn't been helped by this ) This is repeated immediately so its 1760mg over 24 hours. This drug helps prevents bladder irritation from the cytotoxins.

So it's 2 drugs to attack the cancer and 5 to alleviate side effects / avoid infections

I'm doing ok with side effects so far. I've got a bit of fluid retention but nothing that needs to be looked at yet. I'm belching quite well or getting hicccoughs but no nausea yet.

I have noticed I get a little breathless if I exert myself like struggling to get the bedside table out from the side of the bed and it gets stuck. Nothing major just a huff and puff as though I'd llifted something a bit heavier. It also elevated my heart rate for a few mins but it settled down fine.

I'm feeling a bit more tired today but that might be because I had to have my mesna drip changed at 23:00 just as i had dozed off and then there was an air lock that needed clearing at 04:45 this morning and the alarms etc woke me.

Overall these are pretty minor things and my mood is upbeat ( though that could be an effect of steroids, but who cares :o)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

T + 188 Hackery, Bakery, Accident and Emergency

Down the line (12A)

T + 109 New Year New Look