Strategies for Current Side Effects

I am not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but my scalp decided that it needed to go through puberty. In the last week, it really started to break out. So, I asked the nurses about it and it turns out that this is a common side effect from Abraxane treatments. The nurses and some websites I found stated to just clean and moisturize your scalp the same way you clean and moisturize your face. My current facial regimen is to wash it twice daily with a facial cleanser made of tea tree oil and awapuhi. I then use Aloe Vera gel, since it has antibacterial properties. Two days ago, I started washing my scalp, back to my neck, using the same regimen and this morning, I noted some improvement in the break outs. I also try hard not to touch my scalp very much - just like they say not to touch your face to help prevent break-outs.

I know that I mentioned the weird cramping that I have been getting in my stomach and I think I mentioned that my colleague said that Abraxane can destroy the inner lining of your stomach. The cramping started on Sunday evening and it was pretty constant through yesterday, starting after I ate anything. (Luckily, it hasn't affected my appetite.) Yesterday, when I needed to get some info from my acupuncturist, I asked her if there was some herb that I could take, so based upon my symptoms (including my head cold), she mixed some powdered herbs together. Yesterday, I put the herbs into veggie capsules and started taking it last night with dinner. I've only felt the cramping once today - otherwise, I've been taking the herbs whenever I do have a meal and it seems to be working! Yay! I could tell, but I won't be explicit, that not all my food was being digested. And, that means that I'm not getting all the nutrients I need to help my body keep up the production of red and white blood cells. In the end, the herbs she gave me seem to be helping so far.

I'm pleased. It's nice to minimize side effects of treatment!

Abraxane Side Effects

I think I mentioned in a blog post a couple of days ago that one of the side effects I am experiencing is stomach cramping. When you read the list of potential side effects, they say "stomach upset" or "stomach pain", but in truth, it isn't painful. It just feels like a tightening or spasming of the tummy muscles. It's not even uncomfortable. Just weird. [WARNING: don't read the next sentence if you're squeamish.] And, I have some diarrhea and/or soft stools.

I should also say that I think I've lost a few pounds since starting Abraxane - maybe 4-6 pounds or so. My appetite is about the same, so either my body is using a lot more energy to whisk away the dead cancer cells or my body isn't absorbing the food I eat as well as it should. It's the latter, probably. I haven't minded the weight loss because I felt at least 15 pounds or more over my ideal weight. I'm about 11 or 12 pounds less than I was in June. Partly because of the recent weight loss due to Abraxane, but also because I think I've lost some fluids from the skin wound - I have less lymphedema than I did in the summer. Dietary changes have also contributed, like cutting out white flour recently and dairy products and I'm really trying to decrease my sugar input. I also haven't been drinking as much beer since summer. If I lose more than 5 pounds, I'll get worried. But losing another 5 puts me at the ideal weight for my height and bone frame.

So, I told my colleague, S., about my stomach cramping symptoms and wondered why. S. knows how to get into the medical literature that reports actual studies.

He told me this morning that it turns out that Abraxane can destroy the inner lining of your stomach. He suggested that I take Probiotics to help with digestion and to increase the good bacteria in the stomach. And, maybe occasionally take Mylanta or something like it.

I then mentioned it to a friend and colleague (K.) at lunch today and she suggested a supplement called "GI-Encap", which repairs the lining of the stomach. She also mentioned something called HMF-Intensive, which is a probiotic.

So, I will be adding those two to my supplement repertoire. At the moment, I take 1) CoQ-10 (helps your cells work more efficiently for more energy; may also have anticancer effects), 2) Vitamin D-3 (I had low Vitamin D levels and it also has anticancer properties), 3) turmeric (anticancer properties), 4) Chinese herbs (a five-mushroom blend (anticancer), Ji Xue for building blood, Rehmannia and Scrophularia also for building blood (I think), Shen Ling Bai Zhu Pian (to help my body digest the Rehmannia and for digestion issues generally)), 5) melatonin (anticancer properties), plus a 6) Chinese herb for sleep. I also picked up 7) Zong Gan LIng at the co-opera yesterday for "advanced colds". The latter helps with symptoms and also helps to get over your cold more quickly. I started taking it yesterday and I have to report that it really does help relieve cold symptoms, but without leaving my mouth dry from the antihistamines in western cold medicines or making me feel zonked out or tired. I feel normal and there's less stuffy/runny nose and post-nasal drip to worry about. I also think that my cold is already a lot better.

Having cancer isn't cheap. That's where a lot of any "disposable" income I might have goes to. I'm not complaining, mind you, because in general, I have been feeling fairly well lately, with good energy, no pain, etc. But thank goodness for good health insurance and for a full time job.

Abraxane Side Effects

I've had two Abraxane treatments so far. In terms of stomach/nausea/digestive problems, I seem to only get a gurfly stomach that night. Also, the anti-nausea meds cause some constipation, but that goes away after a day or two.

The biggest side effect is fatigue. This is explained by the fact that Abraxane affects your blood counts; when they tested me last week, I was anemic. My red blood cell counts (total red blocd cell, hematocrit, hemoglobin) were low, especiallyt he hemoglobin at 8.3. They were potentially thinking about giving me a blood transfusion, but my doctor thought I was still okay.

But I have certainly been fatigued. I exacerbated my fatigue with staying up too late on Friday and Saturday nights. Friday, I went to a grad student's house for dinner, but they didn't eat until 9pm, so we didn't leave until 10pm. And, Saturday, I was at Puttin' on the Pink all day. Sunday, we spent five hours at Bauman Farms in Gervais. I spent the last hour or so in the food tent while Eddie hung out with his cousins in the Dark Maze and then the Obstacle Course and the inflatables, which were all close to the tent. It was at the end of the day, so there weren't as many people. I got to rest and Eddie got to play. Also, dad drove up and back - a huge thanks for that! Thanks, dad!

I got to bed early enough last night, but I'm still fatigued. I got through class, but partly because I could lay down on the couch in my office and read and prepare for class.

I also feel that at least one or two of the lymph nodes and maybe some of the satellite lesions are smaller (lymph nodes) or softer (satellite lesions), which I think indicates that Abraxane might be working.

That's a good thing.

Must Be On the Mend . . .

Or, I could've titled it, "The Mind is Willing but the Body says maybe".

Or, I could've titled it, "I want to join the land of the living."

I had a good night's sleep last night - about eight hours. First time in at least a week or more. So, after I dropped Eddie off at school, I went in to my office to pick up a file and then to my Humanities office to pick up a file there. Because, you see, I want to start being productive, so if I bring it home, maybe I will actually get to it. I want to start writing. I want to start thinking about something other than my health. I want to think about work.

A good sign, eh?

But I feel a bit weak and shaky today. And, after running around for an hour, I'm kinda tired again. I figure if I can weather the next few days, I will enter a new normal where I can work and put all the health stuff on a sort of back burner - where I don't have to talk or think about it all the time. I will get into some kind of routine, which will feel nice, so I can plan ahead.

I haven't had Phenergan (an anti-nausea med) since dinner time yesterday. My stomach feel mostly okay. I do have some diarrhea.

This afternoon, I have the P.A.S. port inserted into my arm. They will give me a sedative, so I expect to be kind of out of it again tonight. I hope I recover enough so that I can do something tomorrow.

Oh, yeah, fever's gone. The wound is still not a pretty sight, but parts of what used to be a very hard lesion is now kinda soft and mushy. Not sure what that means.

See you on the other side . . .

Tired

I had insomnia last night - couldn't get to sleep until almost midnight and then I had to get up at 6:30. So, I've been tired all day. About 11am, my tummy felt a little gurgly. I didn't feel nauseous, just like the stomach was a bit too active. So, I took Phenergan and it was fine. I woke up a couple of times and at 5am, it was gurgly again, so I took another one.

I took Eddie to school and then came home and napped twice for about 30 minutes each time, then I took a shower, had lunch, then rested - maybe napped again - then picked Eddie up from school.

I wanted to go to qigong tonight, but I took Phenergan right before dinner (they said to do it about 30 min ahead of time, but I didn't) and my stomach felt a little upset again, so I rested yet again - maybe napped about 15 min here and there.

I've got stuff to do, but I can't seem to concentrate on it. I'd like to pay bills, read, do something that makes me feel productive, but it seems the most I can muster is updating my blog and posting on Facebook!

Here's to a more normal day tomorrow. Then again, I get the P.A.S. port inserted. So, I may be a little knocked out from the meds/sedatives they give me to do that. Maybe by the week-end, things will be back to "normal".

I think it's the cordyceps .. .

My stomach wasn't quite right again on Wednesday and Thursday. I started taking a new herb, cordyceps, last Friday. Cordyceps is a fungi that grows in caterpillar larvae. It has been used for many years in the Chinese medical pharmacopeia. It has since been found to help with many things, including respiratory issues, including both the lungs and the heart; a tonic for the liver and the kidneys; increased vitality; more efficient oxygen transport; among others.

I've been taking Tykerb - at least 500 mg/day and sometimes 750mg/day (the recommended dosage is 1250 mg/day) - since I found out about the spots on the lungs in April.

I took cordyceps last Friday night and Sat morning (I think they are 150mg tablets). I doubled my dose of Tykerb Sat morning to 1000 mg. I ended up with diarrhea.

I took both again on Sunday, thinking it was just a one-day occurrence, perhaps from seafood I ate on Friday. I still had diarrhea.

I didn't take either on Monday. No diarrhea, but with stomach upset and bloating and gas.

I didn't take either pill on Tuesday. I felt more or less normal.

I took cordyceps only on Wednesday. My stomach felt a little upset, bloated, and gassy.

I took both on Thursday. Again, my stomach felt a little upset.

Today, I only took Tykerb - 500mg. I won't take cordyceps today and I'll see how I feel.

That's the life of a cancer patient - never quite sure what's causing the side effects, so you have to do a little controlled experiment on yourself to figure it out. I haven't really changed my diet in any appreciable way in the past week. If anything, I haven't had as much to eat, but it's still the same kinds of foods. I am drinking lots of water.

I'll give you a report later!