Length of time to infuse Cisplatin and VP 16

[jcawork]

Please let me know how long it took to infuse for your combo day and how long for just your VP 16 days. Including pre meds etc....

Want to see if my place is similar.

Thanks,

Jen

[mhutch1366]

Jen,

The reason the first day takes so long -- 9 am to about 4 I think -- is that they infuse 2L of saline (I think that's what it is, lik 5% ringers lactate) to prehydrate you for the cisplatin, then the pre meds took another 45 minutes or so -- the atavan, the zofran, and benadryl or deca dron or whatever, plus I had the ethyol. That was a long day. The next days with VP-16 alone were shorter, I'd say less than 4 hours. May be less. The day I had the half dose of cisplatin (which maybe you don't) was one liter saline, so it was only a little longer.

I think it takes as long as it takes, and they can't hurry it up. I do not think you'll find a huge difference in time for the same procedure. In my humble opinion, going slow is going good, it's easier on you.

Good luck, keep us posted. Call if you need something.

XOXOXOX

Prayers,

MaryAnn

PS Read what Larry said yesterday in Good News.

[jcawork]

Thanks for the reply. I was told 3 hours for combo dat and 1.5 hours for VP 16 alone. It seems too short

[Addie]

Jen...

I was told something similar by my onc....but ASK THE NURSES! They seem to know better.

My first chemo, I ended up being there for about 4.5 hrs on day one. The next two days I went to the hospital outpatient oncology because it was over a weekend. I ended up being there 3.5 hrs. and 4 hrs. on days 2 and 3....about double what it should have been

I start round two on Monday. They told me to block out about 5 hrs. on Monday....and Tues. and Wed. should be about 2 hrs. I expect.

I get Decadron and Zofran plus a little glucose to flush the lines between infusions and all of that takes maybe 40 mins. or so. Each bag of chemo takes about an hour. Allowing for the fact that a nurse is not sitting right there waiting for your next step...you have to add in a little time for how busy they are, or if you need to use the bathroom in between. And you can count on needing to use it on day one, for sure. All that fluid going in...plus I had a bottle of water with me....I think I used he potty twice on day one, during....and then again before the ride home!

Anyway....I'd say 3 hrs. might be a bit optimistic for day one....it will probably be closer to 4 - 4.5 and for days 2 & 3, perhaps 2 hrs...depending on exactly what they give you!

Hope this helps.

[MayFrog]

Hi Jen...

I'm on the same combo, and my "combo" day usually takes about 8 hours....my premeds are taken by mouth (decadron, kytril, ativan)....then there's the IV of fluids....then the Cisplatin...Mannitol and Magnesium (for the kidneys)....then the VP-16......on my VP-16 only days, it takes about and hour for the infusion itself.......not too bad.

Here's wishing you well....Mary

[OhioKat]

My days with the cisplatin were 8 hours days because of the extra fluids they infuse. My first Onc did the extra fluids too, but not as much as my current Onc. So it was a lot shorter my first time through chemo, but with both of them the big thing was making sure you were hydrated enough.

[kimblanchard]

Our longest day was 9 hours. Maybe our nurses went slower? Of all the days, the shortest was 1.5 hours, a couple were 2-3 hours and the longest was 9 hours. We packed a cooler with pop, sandwiches, cookies, and both brought books.

Good luck!! Margaret in Iowa