Since stopping intravenous chemotherapy, I have still continued with oral chemotherapy consisting of Temodar for five nights every three weeks or so. The last of the five nights from this most recent round was Sunday night and it didn't go so well. Usually, I just experience discomfort from the constipation that Temodar causes and the inability to eat in the evening, which I often do. You are supposed to take Temodar on an empty stomach and wait a couple hours after eating before you take it.
Sunday night, I ate a decent size dinner and then a little later took my evening pills. I always take Levetiraceta (generic Keppra) each day to prevent seizures and I take my nightly dose with Ondansetron (generic Zofran) on the nights that I have to take Temodar to prevent nausea, which almost never happens (the nausea). I took the Temodar when I meant to take the other pills and then when it was time for bed and I probably would have had an empty stomach, I took the other pills.
At 0200 hours, I woke up and felt sick. I hoped it would pass, but it didn't. I went to the bathroom and perched myself over the toilet and vomited. I didn't think that this small error would cause that to happen. I am tired of all these drugs and perhaps it is time to stop taking Temodar. When I went to the doctor's office on Wednesday, 10.21.2009, and had IV Avastin and started nightly Temodar, my blood counts were lower than was expected but okay to proceed. The next visit will be a consult with the doctor an a MRI. How much more chemotherapy, even oral chemo, can my body take?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
09.09.2009 - The End of IV Chemo
Yes, it is real this time...it is the end of intravenous chemotherapy for me. I had a MRI scan of my brain this morning, as I usually do every eight weeks and the scan showed no new growth or activity in the residual tumor tissue. After I have the scan each time, I always see my neurooncologist and we discuss treatment and where to go from here.
He invited me to do eight more weeks of chemo to bring me to the end of October, but I declined. He invited me to try etopicide in oral form, but I declined. I said I was willing to continue taking temodar and he was perfectly alright with that. The present plan is to do my five-day temodar regimen every three weeks accompanied by one 30-minute avastin session at his office. Avastin is not chemotherapy. It doesn't make me sick, it doesn't make me drowsy, it just helps slow the growth of rapid growth cells.
I was doing five-day temodar sessions each time I had intravenous chemotherapy, which was usually every four to six weeks. Temodar is taken orally before bed. I will need to go into his office to have my blood counts checked every week and a half and we'll see if doing it at three-week intervals works out.
Both Carissa and I carefully considered this decision and prayed a lot about it and we feel it is the right decision. Haven't I done enough chemotherapy? I think so. I should miss less work, feel better, be able to grow my hair back, and spend less time with a needle in my arm.
He invited me to do eight more weeks of chemo to bring me to the end of October, but I declined. He invited me to try etopicide in oral form, but I declined. I said I was willing to continue taking temodar and he was perfectly alright with that. The present plan is to do my five-day temodar regimen every three weeks accompanied by one 30-minute avastin session at his office. Avastin is not chemotherapy. It doesn't make me sick, it doesn't make me drowsy, it just helps slow the growth of rapid growth cells.
I was doing five-day temodar sessions each time I had intravenous chemotherapy, which was usually every four to six weeks. Temodar is taken orally before bed. I will need to go into his office to have my blood counts checked every week and a half and we'll see if doing it at three-week intervals works out.
Both Carissa and I carefully considered this decision and prayed a lot about it and we feel it is the right decision. Haven't I done enough chemotherapy? I think so. I should miss less work, feel better, be able to grow my hair back, and spend less time with a needle in my arm.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
08.16.2009 - A Hard Week Post-Chemo
This recent round of chemotherapy came too close to the last one. This week, my hair has been falling out, which always happens with the Taxol, but it usually happens a week or two before the next round of chemo, not at the same time or after. I did okay at work the day after chemo, but on Wednesday, August 12, 2009, I stayed at work for two and a half hours and left to go home for the day. I have needed extra sleep all week long. It has been harder than usual after this round of chemo.
Monday, August 10, 2009
08.10.2009 - Yet Another Round of Chemo
On 08.10.2009, I had yet another round of chemotherapy. One of our relatives that lives in the area watched the kids for the morning and early afternoon while my wife took me to the doctor's office to have chemo. I like to compare chemo to lethal injection. If I had enough of it, I am sure it would kill me. If I were ever sentenced to death by lethal injection, I might just lay there and laugh because I was immune to the poison.
This round came pretty quick after the last one, less than four weeks since 07.16.2009. My blood counts were up high enough to permit it and the schedule generally is a round of chemo every four to six weeks. I am hoping that IV chemo will be eliminated at the two year mark, which would be October 2009. That is the goal that my neurooncologist was aiming for and I know I can make it until then. If he asks me to do more once we get to that point, I think I will decline the offer.
I don't feel too bad right now. I had etopicide, taxol, and avastin and the session went from 0900-1300 hours today. My hair is presently falling out, which always used to happen a couple weeks before getting a new round of taxol. Without BCNU in the program, my blood counts spring back faster. Getting a shot of Neulasta stimulates my bone marrow to produce more white blood cells and helps a lot. I will get that shot next week when I go in to have my blood counts checked.
This round came pretty quick after the last one, less than four weeks since 07.16.2009. My blood counts were up high enough to permit it and the schedule generally is a round of chemo every four to six weeks. I am hoping that IV chemo will be eliminated at the two year mark, which would be October 2009. That is the goal that my neurooncologist was aiming for and I know I can make it until then. If he asks me to do more once we get to that point, I think I will decline the offer.
I don't feel too bad right now. I had etopicide, taxol, and avastin and the session went from 0900-1300 hours today. My hair is presently falling out, which always used to happen a couple weeks before getting a new round of taxol. Without BCNU in the program, my blood counts spring back faster. Getting a shot of Neulasta stimulates my bone marrow to produce more white blood cells and helps a lot. I will get that shot next week when I go in to have my blood counts checked.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
07.16.2009 - Another Round of Chemo
On 07.16.2009, I had another round of chemotherapy. I had a MRI the prior day, 07.15.2009, and the results of the scan were that my tumor was stable and unchanged. My neurooncologist was very impressed that I was able to work full-time, run three times a week, and lift weights three times a week while doing the therapy and that my energy levels were excellent. He mentioned that when people ask him if they can continue working while doing the therapy, he will now reply, "Russ does it." We decided to continue the current course of treatment and expect to do that until we get to the two year mark, which will be three months.
We had to leave the house early for the chemotherapy today and our sister-in-law really helped us out by watching all the kids. My wife ran some errands while I was receiving the chemo and saw the new Harry Potter movie. Due to the benadryl they gave me intravenously, I slept for most of the four hours that I was there.
I am home now and could be feeling better. I would call my current state mediocre, but not terrible. I am slightly nauseous. I took some anti-nausea medication a little over an hour ago and it is helping. I am really grateful for all my supportive friends and family. It is amazing how many people post supportive comments regarding my treatment status on Facebook. Thank you so much.
For those of you who don't know how you could do it, you could do it. It sounds hard and it is hard, but when faced with something that can and will kill you if you do nothing, you have two choices...fight it and live, or ignore the situation and die. I think the choice is simple. YOU FIGHT. I think you would all do the same thing.
We had to leave the house early for the chemotherapy today and our sister-in-law really helped us out by watching all the kids. My wife ran some errands while I was receiving the chemo and saw the new Harry Potter movie. Due to the benadryl they gave me intravenously, I slept for most of the four hours that I was there.
I am home now and could be feeling better. I would call my current state mediocre, but not terrible. I am slightly nauseous. I took some anti-nausea medication a little over an hour ago and it is helping. I am really grateful for all my supportive friends and family. It is amazing how many people post supportive comments regarding my treatment status on Facebook. Thank you so much.
For those of you who don't know how you could do it, you could do it. It sounds hard and it is hard, but when faced with something that can and will kill you if you do nothing, you have two choices...fight it and live, or ignore the situation and die. I think the choice is simple. YOU FIGHT. I think you would all do the same thing.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
06.13.2009 - Another Round of Chemo
On 06.10.2009, I had another round of chemo. It was Etopicide and Taxol. I always take the Temodar too, but that is orally each evening for five days, beginning with the first day of chemo. That night, I wasn't feeling well, but I felt well enough the following morning to go for a three mile run. I only missed work for the time it took to receive the chemo. So far, so good. My face is breaking out and that is likely an interaction between the Tarceva and the IV chemo drugs. I will hold off on the Tarceva for a while until that goes away. Even though Temodar isn't that bad, it frustrates me that I am supposed to take it at bed time on an empty stomach. I really like eating before bed and I have to plan to eat earlier when taking the Temodar. The hair is all back, but it is only a matter of time before the Taxol knocks it all out again.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
05.12.2009 - MRI & Going Well
On 05.12.2009, I had a MRI and it showed that everything is presently stable. My doctor showed me the scan from hours earlier compared to a scan from over a year ago and it was clearly visible that the tumor had responded to treatment. I was very pleased to see that.
The new treatment plan is to discontinue using BCNU because I have had as much, if not more, than anyone has ever had of BCNU and it could cause lung damage. The last lung test that I had showed my DLCO as 134% of normal for people my age. My doctor was impressed by this. I think the weight lifting and running has paid off.
DLCO is the extent to which oxygen passes from the air sacs of the lungs into the blood. He and my nurse were concerned that use of the drug any further could significantly affect my DLCO.
Now, we will continue using the Etopiside and Taxol via IV and the Temodar, orally. When I get to 24 months - which is only five months away - we will switch to all oral medications.
The new treatment plan is to discontinue using BCNU because I have had as much, if not more, than anyone has ever had of BCNU and it could cause lung damage. The last lung test that I had showed my DLCO as 134% of normal for people my age. My doctor was impressed by this. I think the weight lifting and running has paid off.
DLCO is the extent to which oxygen passes from the air sacs of the lungs into the blood. He and my nurse were concerned that use of the drug any further could significantly affect my DLCO.
Now, we will continue using the Etopiside and Taxol via IV and the Temodar, orally. When I get to 24 months - which is only five months away - we will switch to all oral medications.
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