Day 16: The Fierce Drug Regimen
As promised, here's a rundown on all the drugs I'm currently taking. It's a little shocking at first glance, but it's the truth. Katie and I figured it would be easier to balance these lists into 3 separate parts and talk about them that way, so that our readers could understand easier too.
Right off the bat, we're going into the chemotherapy drugs. I remember being in Chicago on Monday and getting the first treatment of these drugs. They delivered two bags of IV's to my room with the hazardous material label on it. (Kind of made me chuckle.) Followed by which time, one of my doctors actually said, "and since you've been having backpain and sore joints for a while now Jonathon, this chemo will go to work right away on killing those cancer cells, and you might actually start to feel better, instead of worse." I couldn't help but laugh.
'Here....take this poison...you'll feel better...call me in the morning!'
Rock on. I didn't actually end up feeling any better afterwards, but it was very weird seeing two bags hanging from my IV tripod labeled 'hazardous.'
Drugs used for chemotherapy:
Prednisone: Taken twice daily by mouth. Tastes horrible!
Vincristine: Only administered Mondays so far by IV. (Through port.)
Daunorubicin: Only administered Mondays so far by IV. (Through port.)
Methotraxete: Administered certain days of their choosing by Spinal Tap.
PEG-Asparagase: Only had this one once by IV last Thursday. Bad news bears. (Did not like this one!)
Immune System-helping Drugs:
Avalox: Antibiotic taken once daily by mouth.
Acyclovir: Anti-viral taken twice daily by mouth.
Diflucan: Anti-fungal taken twice a day.
Side-Effect Managing Drugs:
Compazine: Anti-nausea taken when needed. So, far about every other day.
Miralax: To keep the pipes clean in case they get stopped up.
Dilaudid: My new favorite pain med - more on that one later.
Nexium: Yes, the little purple pill you see on TV. Every day by mouth.
Most people have one of those pill organizers so they can keep track of what they have to take every day...yeah, me too. Only I have TWO of them for morning and night. It's insane.
Which, brings me to Dilaudid! Man, this drug is fun. When we went to the hospital that night because I couldn't breathe, my chest hurt so bad, they gave me Dilaudid to help with the pain. It calmed the chest pain I was having, as well as allowed me to take deeper breaths. It can be given by IV, or by mouth. (IV is MUCH more fun, of course.) This drug is a serious pain-relieving-thought mauling-acid-trip-inducing-I'm-going on a free spirit walk in my mind running around naked and no can see me kind of drug! BUT! Here's the catch: That feeling only lasts like around an hour. And then, you're as sober as a priest on Sunday. It's slightly stronger than morphine, I'm told...but wow. When you're in pain, that's a quick fix, FO SHO! I still have it in pill-form, but I really try not to take it unless I really need it. I could become a druggie off that one man!
More tomorrow...
Day 16: The Fierce Drug Regimen
As promised, here's a rundown on all the drugs I'm currently taking. It's a little shocking at first glance, but it's the truth. Katie and I figured it would be easier to balance these lists into 3 separate parts and talk about them that way, so that our readers could understand easier too.
Right off the bat, we're going into the chemotherapy drugs. I remember being in Chicago on Monday and getting the first treatment of these drugs. They delivered two bags of IV's to my room with the hazardous material label on it. (Kind of made me chuckle.) Followed by which time, one of my doctors actually said, "and since you've been having backpain and sore joints for a while now Jonathon, this chemo will go to work right away on killing those cancer cells, and you might actually start to feel better, instead of worse." I couldn't help but laugh.
'Here....take this poison...you'll feel better...call me in the morning!'
Rock on. I didn't actually end up feeling any better afterwards, but it was very weird seeing two bags hanging from my IV tripod labeled 'hazardous.'
Drugs used for chemotherapy:
Prednisone: Taken twice daily by mouth. Tastes horrible!
Vincristine: Only administered Mondays so far by IV. (Through port.)
Daunorubicin: Only administered Mondays so far by IV. (Through port.)
Methotraxete: Administered certain days of their choosing by Spinal Tap.
PEG-Asparagase: Only had this one once by IV last Thursday. Bad news bears. (Did not like this one!)
Immune System-helping Drugs:
Avalox: Antibiotic taken once daily by mouth.
Acyclovir: Anti-viral taken twice daily by mouth.
Diflucan: Anti-fungal taken twice a day.
Side-Effect Managing Drugs:
Compazine: Anti-nausea taken when needed. So, far about every other day.
Miralax: To keep the pipes clean in case they get stopped up.
Dilaudid: My new favorite pain med - more on that one later.
Nexium: Yes, the little purple pill you see on TV. Every day by mouth.
Most people have one of those pill organizers so they can keep track of what they have to take every day...yeah, me too. Only I have TWO of them for morning and night. It's insane.
Which, brings me to Dilaudid! Man, this drug is fun. When we went to the hospital that night because I couldn't breathe, my chest hurt so bad, they gave me Dilaudid to help with the pain. It calmed the chest pain I was having, as well as allowed me to take deeper breaths. It can be given by IV, or by mouth. (IV is MUCH more fun, of course.) This drug is a serious pain-relieving-thought mauling-acid-trip-inducing-I'm-going on a free spirit walk in my mind running around naked and no can see me kind of drug! BUT! Here's the catch: That feeling only lasts like around an hour. And then, you're as sober as a priest on Sunday. It's slightly stronger than morphine, I'm told...but wow. When you're in pain, that's a quick fix, FO SHO! I still have it in pill-form, but I really try not to take it unless I really need it. I could become a druggie off that one man!
More tomorrow...
this is so cool! I hope they don't do surprise drug testing when you get back to work! Now you have two pill organizers just like me! Here's the big quesion...does your pee glow at night now? With all of that hazardous liquid in there, one has to wonder. Remember how we laughed when we made that hazardous logo at work and hung it on the wall? Who knew! At least you know this is just a temporary thing. Have a safe trip into the big city tomorrow. I will be thing of you.
ReplyDeleteHahahaha...glowing pee! I hadn't thought of that one...nice!
ReplyDeleteCall me tomorrow night...I'll give you an update.
Ah yes, Nexium...who isn't taking it these days! Keep up with the good food too! More free medical advice from you know who...
ReplyDeleteHey you guys. Soji takes Prednisone and Methotrexate for her lupus/RA/FM, as well as Nexium (used to be Prilosec) to cut down on the tummy issues. One thing about Prednisone is that it might make you a little "puffy". It tends to put a little extra padding on you until you get used to it. Nothing to worry about.
ReplyDeletePlus, I've gotten real good at giving sub-cutaneous Methotrexate injections, especially considering my needle phobia...
Oh, p.s., Soji says "Yes, prednisone tastes like concentrated vomit." So that's not just you... :-)
ReplyDelete