med question

[Patkid]

You guyz,

Brian had a really tough time with this round of chemo. He was horribly nauseated and complains of feeling so full, as though he is going to explode.

He is so new to this that we can't tell what is what. They keep giving him meds.........how can you ever tell what works and what doesn't?

He has

Zofran

Emend (started on day 2 of chemo as a reaction to nausea and vomiting during infusion rather than on day one as reccommended)

Ativan (got one does IVpush on day 2 and then a script for oral doses q 8 hours)

Compazein

and just after his infusion yesterday they gave him an oral dose of something that started with an R

They gave us a script for Emend for next round and asked us to pick it up and bring it w/ us for the next round of infusions...........Brian has hiccups pretty badly and I read that those are a side effect of Emend.

We seem to think that he gets the most relief from Ativan and whatever the drug was they gave him yesterday before we left.

Zofran seems to have little effect on him........

Last time the full feeling was relieved when they gave him lasix. They gave him that on day one this round during his 7 hour infusion but did not want to give him more on day 2 or 3 because it depletes electrolytes.

I feel so confused and Brian is so miserable.......

Any and all advice or input would be welcomed.

Thank you for being here.

Pat

[dadstimeon]

Hi Pat,

Sorry to hear that about Brian. Here is a site you might find (if you don't already know about it) helpful, plus a few more. Hope this helps. Prayers for the best. Rich

http://www.chemocare.com (ChemoCare)

http://lcam.org (Lung Cancer Awareness Month / November)

http://www.nccn.org/patients/patient_gl ... tents.asp# (Lung Cancer Treatment Guidelines for Patients – Version II/May 2004)

http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cancernet/600081.html (National Organizations That Offer Services to People With Cancer)

http://www.acscsn.org/books (The ACS and NCI Offer Free Cancer Survivorship Books)

http://www.cancercare.org/FinancialNeed ... .cfm?c=388 (Financial Needs: Internet Links for Financial Assistance)

http://www.cancermonthly.com/ (Cancer Monthly (The Source For Cancer Treatment Results)

http://www.roycastle.org (Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... h&DB=books (NCBI / BookShelf)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... _id=&state (Caregiving)

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MON/MON_1.asp (Track Side Effects)

http://www3.cancer.gov/cancercenters/centerslist.html (NCI-designated Cancer Centers / Cancer Centers Listed by State)

http://www.healthology.com/focus_articl ... cancernews (How To Eat Well During Cancer Treatment)

http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/nutrition.asp (Nutrition Facts and Information Center)

http://www.about-nsclc.com/content/patient/nsclc (Iressa)

http://www.about-nsclc.com/content/prof/about (Iressa)

http://www.findcancerexperts.com (Find Cancer Experts)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Making Decisions About Cancer Treatment)

http://www.chemocare.com (ChemoCare)

http://www.curetoday.com/currentissue/d ... index.html (Toolbox: Resources You Can Use)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks8h.htm (Resources for Caregivers)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=U ... sa&spell=1 (Medicaid)

http://www.thehealthinsurance.com/medicaid.htm (Medicaid)

http://www.thebeehive.org/health/contests/medicaid.asp (Medicaid)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_faq.html ((Lung Cancer - Frequently Asked Questions)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/treatme ... osurg.html (Surgery - General Information & What to Expect)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_glossary.html (Lung Cancer Glossary)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Receive the PLWC Bulletin)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hos ... p_home.htm (Directory Of American Hospitals)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/tests/index.html (Lung Cancer Online / Test And Procedures)

http://www.vh.org/adult/patient/cancerc ... index.html (Understanding Blood Tests / A Guide for Patients with Cancer)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/tr ... ng/patient (SCLC)

http://www.meds.com/pdq/smallcell_pat.html (Medicine OnLine / SCLG)

http://health.allrefer.com/health/prima ... -info.html (Diseases And Conditions / SCLC)

http://www.hospicefoundation.org (Hospice Foundation Of America)

http://www.hospiceweb.com (Hospice Web)

http://www.hospice-america.org/consumer.html (Hospice Association Of America)

http://www.hospicenet.org (Hospice Net)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 151,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Talking to Someone With Cancer)

http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/ ... 87526.html (3-year-old keeps her smile in battle with rare cancer)

http://www.rfalung.com (Radio Frequency Ablation Of Lung Cancer)

http://www.lungcancercoalition.org (Global Lung Cancer Coalition)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Financial Support Resources)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/healt ... hqcanc.htm (Best Hospitals)

https://www.alcase.org/advocacy/sign_the_petition.html (Advocacy / Sign the Petition)

http://www.cancersymptoms.org (Oncology Nursing Society)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Questions to Ask the Doctor)

http://www.alcase.org/education/publica ... reath.html (With Every Breath A Lung Cancer Guidebook / From ALCASE / A Wealth Of Information / Free)

http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org (The Cancer Survival Toolbox / Free / From NCCS)

http://www.centerwatch.com (Clinical Trails Listing Service / Center Watch)

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&editi ... ung+cancer (Lung Cancer In The News)

http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/pro ... /guide.asp (The Wellness Community / National Cancer Support, Education And Support / Free)

http://www.drugs.com (Drug Information Online)

http://www.alcase.org (ALCASE / Alliance For Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, Education)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov (Unites States / National Library Of Medicine)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html (Health Information / Medical Encyclopedia)

http://www.google.com (Great Search Engine)

http://blochcancer.org (R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Inc. / Please read: A Letter to all newly diagnosed cancer patients)

http://www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society)

http://www.cancer.gov (Cancer Information Service / NCI)

http://www.cancerresearchcenter.org (Cancer Research Center)

http://www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research; Nutrition Hotline / AICR)

http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org (Cancer Hope Network)

http://www.acor.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources / Free Online Lifeline For Everyone Affected By Cancer & Related Disorders)

http://www.meds.com/lung/lunginfo.html (Lung Cancer Information Library)

http://www.lungusa.org (American Lung Association)

http://www.ama-assn.org (American Medical Association)

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.ns ... g%20Cancer (Doctor’s Guide / Lung Cancer)

http://www.healthfinder.gov/Scripts/Sea ... ?topic=506 (Healthfinder)

http://www.medicinenet.com/Lung_Cancer/article.htm (Medicine Net)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks2l.htm (Cancer Index / Lung Cancer Resources Directory)

http://www.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pag ... ncers_lung (National Foundation For Cancer Research)

http://www.patientadvocate.org (Patient Advocate Foundation)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/effects ... fects.html (Lung Cancer Online / Hematologic (Blood) Effects)

http://www.cancerlinks.org/lung.html (Lung Cancer Links)

http://www.cancer-free.com (Cancer Free Connections)

http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/C ... ung_cancer (Health Insite)

http://www.lungcancerclaims.com (Lung Cancer / Lung Cancer Information Page)

http://www.cancerlifecenter.com/engine. ... =dictionar (Cancer Life Center/ Cancer Dictionary)

http://www.canceryellowpages.com/Resour ... G%20CANCER (Cancer yellow Pages)

http://icare.org (ICARE / The International Cancer Alliance)

http://www.vh.org/index.html (Virtual Hospital)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/support/financial.html (Lung Cancer Online / Financial, Legal & Insurance Issues)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/index.htm (Lung Cancer Online / HomePage)

http://cancernews.healthology.com/focus ... cancernews (Cancer News)

http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/7_48.htm (Follow-up Care: Questions and Answers)

[Fay]

Hi,

The "R" drug they gave him may have been reglan. Check out this link. http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/reg1369.htm .

Sometimes adding dexamethasone helps the zofran to work. Another drug like Zofran is Kytril. Unfortunately it sometimes takes trial and error to find what works well. I work in an operating room with anesthesia, and we find that what works well for one, does not necessarily work for another. Be persistant with your call to the oncs untill you find what works. If it continues on, you may need a trip to the ER. We did that with my mom, and they were able to get the nausea and vomitting under control faster using IV meds.

Best wishes,

Faylene

[SJAS]

Pat,

Afraid I don't have much advice for you because Brian's treatment is very different from Steve's. I just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and hoping that Brian will be feeling better after getting through the chemo.

[Cindy RN]

I have no idea about the full feeling.

The hiccups tho are sometimes relieved with thorazine. Ask for it.

Good Luck, Cindy

[kimmek]

Hi Pat and Brian

My mom found no relief from the new nausea meds they have come out with. I think she tried 3 diff ones, finally they gave her good ole phenergan, and she never had a problem again. It also had the side effect of putting her to sleep so she was able to sleep better when she wasnt feeling so well. Also she had and still had the bloating to some extent. Lasix is what she took and seemed to work, but she does not take it anylonger unless her feet swell.

I hope you find something that makes you comfortable and soon. It seems with mom just abput the time we figured out what meds worked for what, the chemo was over.

Take care

Kim

[Justakid]

Towards the end of my initial treatment NOTHING would stop the nausea, I had to deal with it, my doctor gave up (I did change docs after that). Once I the cancer came back I told the doc I had a full feeling like the food was coming back up too and pushing on my throat, he gave me metolopramide 10mg 4x a day, says it's for belching?! Seems to help with fullness.

[jcawork]

Here is what my med were and I was 100% w/o problems.

1 hour before chemo at home Emend (ady 1 and 2)

IV of Decadron 20mg, Aloxi 25 mg (works for a week-very expensive)

Ativan at home and zofran every 8 hours

Phenergan for any breakthrough but didnt have any

Prilosec for that full feeling and mylanta by the gallons. The chemo inflames the gut.

Hoping he feels better soon.

Jen

[lilyjohn]

Have they tried Marinol for the nausia? That is supposed to work really well and help with appitite too.