Not such good news today.
My white blood count is low again, so the Xeloda is delayed for a week in hopes it will improve. I did get a low dose of Avastin though - with a full one supposed to happen next week. Also, the oncologist is going to the US for a conference at the end of the month, so my next CT scan won't be scheduled till he is back. I am disappointed - I want to find out what is happening to the tumours.
I am having problems with the Clexane injections - I have lumps at almost every injection site and some of them bleed for a while. One bled for nearly 24 hours while we were away. The actual injection (not the needle insertion) is sometimes quite painful. I told the oncologist, but he didn't seem to think it was a problem. Yet another reason for anticipating the CT scan - I hope it will show the pulmonary embolisms have dissolved or at least reduced.
Showing posts with label Treatment cycle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Treatment cycle. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Last day - new cycle tomorrow
I went to have my blood test this morning. It was not a long wait, but I used up most of the parking time I paid for. I hope all is well with my white blood cells - I am due to start cycle 7 tomorrow.
The results of the CT scan I had on Thursday should be with the oncologist by now, so I am hoping that there will be good news about tumour shrinkage to report tomorrow.
While I am still suffering from tingling fingers when I touch cold stuff, my tongue is not quite as sensitive as it was earlier in the cycle and I can taste a bit better. Still hurts with spices though, so curries are off the menu for the foreseeable future. However, I did enjoy a hot cross bun for morning tea today. I know the lack of taste will be back tomorrow.
The results of the CT scan I had on Thursday should be with the oncologist by now, so I am hoping that there will be good news about tumour shrinkage to report tomorrow.
While I am still suffering from tingling fingers when I touch cold stuff, my tongue is not quite as sensitive as it was earlier in the cycle and I can taste a bit better. Still hurts with spices though, so curries are off the menu for the foreseeable future. However, I did enjoy a hot cross bun for morning tea today. I know the lack of taste will be back tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Second cycle begins
We started with a visit to the oncologist - not my usual one who is on leave, but his partner. I was glad that I have been keeping this journal because he really wanted to know how the first cycle had gone. He has changed the anti-nausea meds so hopefully I won't have the bad few days I did last time. We will see.
The blood test showed my white cells were OK and there was even a slight improvement in liver function. One marker had returned to normal range and the other had improved. Not an indication that the tumours had shrunk (CT scan needed for that) but good that the liver is dealing with all this. The next blood test will include the cancer marker - it wasn't requested this time because it often goes up when chemo is first started. It was apparently over 9000 (normal reading 5 or 6) when the blood test was done prior to my initial appointment with the oncologist - it had been 8000 when I was diagnosed.
Our chemo appointment was at 2pm, so Kevin left to amuse himself for the next 4 hours. I am quite happy with my ipod and and a book and really don't need him to suffer terminal boredom while the weedkiller is pumped in. However, the actual infusion didn't start till after 3, so when he came back at 6.30 there was still another hour to go.
By the time the pump was attached it was 7.30. I had almost finished my book and Kevin gratefully scoffed what was left of the fruit and nuts I had brought to snack on. That was a good idea and I will do it again.
Dinner tonight was the chicken and barley soup I made yesterday with some beans, broccoli and snow peas added. I really enjoyed it. I am not sure whether the inability to eat will happen this cycle or not, so I plan to eat what I like while I can.
There is 100ml of Fluorouracil to be pumped in over the next two days.
The blood test showed my white cells were OK and there was even a slight improvement in liver function. One marker had returned to normal range and the other had improved. Not an indication that the tumours had shrunk (CT scan needed for that) but good that the liver is dealing with all this. The next blood test will include the cancer marker - it wasn't requested this time because it often goes up when chemo is first started. It was apparently over 9000 (normal reading 5 or 6) when the blood test was done prior to my initial appointment with the oncologist - it had been 8000 when I was diagnosed.
Our chemo appointment was at 2pm, so Kevin left to amuse himself for the next 4 hours. I am quite happy with my ipod and and a book and really don't need him to suffer terminal boredom while the weedkiller is pumped in. However, the actual infusion didn't start till after 3, so when he came back at 6.30 there was still another hour to go.
By the time the pump was attached it was 7.30. I had almost finished my book and Kevin gratefully scoffed what was left of the fruit and nuts I had brought to snack on. That was a good idea and I will do it again.
Dinner tonight was the chicken and barley soup I made yesterday with some beans, broccoli and snow peas added. I really enjoyed it. I am not sure whether the inability to eat will happen this cycle or not, so I plan to eat what I like while I can.
There is 100ml of Fluorouracil to be pumped in over the next two days.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Taking the fight to the enemy
Life has been somewhat of a roller-coaster ride since diagnosis and the days are slipping away seemingly out of control. I have decided that I need to chronicle what is going on in my (our) life in regard to the cancer fight. Otherwise, in six months or a year when I look back, I will have no pegs on which to hang my memories of what happened - both the good and the bad.
I will write a post in a day or so about how I was diagnosed and the incredible speed with which treatment was organised. The Australian health system is often said to be in crisis, but we have had no complaints about speed or efficiency in getting treatment underway.
I began chemotherapy (Folfox 6 plus Avastin) on Tuesday December 29th - exactly a fortnight after diagnosis. I had a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line inserted into my arm, then Oxaliplatin and Leucovorin infused. This took 3 hours and was followed by the Avastin for another hour and and a half (this drug will take less time in the future). A pump was then attached to deliver Fluorouracil slowly over a 46 hour period and I went home.
Apart from getting a bit tangled up in the pump line, and some difficulty showering, no problems on Day 2.
The pump was removed on Day 3 and the PICC line covered with a dressing. We went to see the oncologist and the next two treatment cycles were organised. I felt fine, and we had a very pleasant New Year's Eve gathering with friends, though I didn't manage to see the New Year in.
Day 4 was New Year's Day and it was really bad. I was vomiting and had serious diarrhoea. I spent most of the day sleeping when not dealing with unpleasant bodily functions.
Day 5 we rang the hospital because I was still very unwell, plus the dressing covering my PICC line had pulled away. The dressing was replaced and we received advice about how to cope with these side effects. Apparently steroids are given at the same time as the drug infusions and these help you to feel good for the first three days. It is important to take anti-nausea drugs as soon as you wake up on the first couple of days after the pump is removed. I did not know that and had only taken them when I felt sick.
I was still unwell on Day 6. I still had no appetite and found it difficult to eat more than a mouthful or two of anything.
Today is Day 7 of the first treatment cycle and I am starting to feel much better. I have not been sick, though I am still very tired and slept for nearly 3 hours this afternoon.
I will write a post in a day or so about how I was diagnosed and the incredible speed with which treatment was organised. The Australian health system is often said to be in crisis, but we have had no complaints about speed or efficiency in getting treatment underway.
I began chemotherapy (Folfox 6 plus Avastin) on Tuesday December 29th - exactly a fortnight after diagnosis. I had a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line inserted into my arm, then Oxaliplatin and Leucovorin infused. This took 3 hours and was followed by the Avastin for another hour and and a half (this drug will take less time in the future). A pump was then attached to deliver Fluorouracil slowly over a 46 hour period and I went home.
Apart from getting a bit tangled up in the pump line, and some difficulty showering, no problems on Day 2.
The pump was removed on Day 3 and the PICC line covered with a dressing. We went to see the oncologist and the next two treatment cycles were organised. I felt fine, and we had a very pleasant New Year's Eve gathering with friends, though I didn't manage to see the New Year in.
Day 4 was New Year's Day and it was really bad. I was vomiting and had serious diarrhoea. I spent most of the day sleeping when not dealing with unpleasant bodily functions.
Day 5 we rang the hospital because I was still very unwell, plus the dressing covering my PICC line had pulled away. The dressing was replaced and we received advice about how to cope with these side effects. Apparently steroids are given at the same time as the drug infusions and these help you to feel good for the first three days. It is important to take anti-nausea drugs as soon as you wake up on the first couple of days after the pump is removed. I did not know that and had only taken them when I felt sick.
I was still unwell on Day 6. I still had no appetite and found it difficult to eat more than a mouthful or two of anything.
Today is Day 7 of the first treatment cycle and I am starting to feel much better. I have not been sick, though I am still very tired and slept for nearly 3 hours this afternoon.
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