Course 8 (of 12) - longest. day. ever.

If you didn't see the comment on my last post here it is again, for context:

This drug hates me. The feeling is mutual.

At about the same point as last time (volume-wise) I get red palms, a small rash on back of my hands near my thumbs (neither one was itchy at all), and a very tiny wheeze when I breathed extra deep. Chemo is now at a full stop. My oncologist is less optimistic than when we spoke before treatment started re: my body's ability to handle this drug. Nonetheless we are going to try and muddle through. Another steroid (different one), more Benadryl, and an antihistamine that they didn't give me last time. Now I'm waiting about 20 minutes for these things to settle and they'll start it up again. Might work, might not. I didn't fall asleep from the first Benadryl, but I'll bet this second dose knocks me out. Unexpected surprise all over again. But we'll see if this works.

We are finally HOME, twelve hours later.  The second round of "pre-meds" did the trick.  The nurse I had today believes the different steroid (Solu-Medrol) and the antihistamine (Pepcid injection - it's not just an antacid!) did the trick.  I didn't have any other signs of an allergic reaction once we started up again.  Also this time the reaction was much more mild, due to the very slow rate of infusion.  We'll have a slightly different plan of attack for next time though what that is I won't know til next week probably.

And despite 100mg of Benadryl today, I NEVER FELL ASLEEP.  I got sleepy for a bit but it passed. The steroids were waging war with Benadryl all afternoon and apparently the steroids won by a landslide.  I was actually quite worried about this yesterday, as I had to start the other steroid 12 hours before my scheduled appointment time, and take another does 6 hours before.  I figured I'd be up all night but I managed to sleep ok in between.  Not a full night's sleep to be sure - Atavan is on my agenda before bed tonight so I can catch up. Right now I'm totally hopped up on the Solu-Medrol.

The best news is we don't have to go the de-sensitization route!  At least we don't have to yet.  Apparently that involves being at DFCI literally all day so they can spoon feed the evil drug and watch you incredibly closely - you have a dedicated nurse the whole time - and hopefully get it all in you. And then you have to come back the NEXT day to get the other drug.  If it has to happen, it has to happen, but my fingers are crossed...

According to my oncologist, many people don't make it all 12 courses with the oxaliplatin, but usually it is due to neuropathy.  I still haven't gotten to that point but they might cut it out of my regimen early for my hypersensitivity.  One course at a time.

Only other hiccup might be timing of the neulasta injection, as my next Monday treatment falls on a holiday so it's pushed to Wednesday, putting the injection on a Friday.  That only leaves 10 days between the injection and the next infusion which is technically not enough days... but it's up to my doctor.

Anyway.  In closing, I'm just glad the reaction wasn't as bad as last time and that it waited this long into the treatment to happen at all.  Some people get it the first time!  That would be a serious drag.  Now I'm 2/3 finished - 4 more super-slow infusions to go.