Reactions

When I had the Taxotere reaction years ago (two, almost), it began very slowly. I had itchy palms and feet. The next day, I had more, and they morphed into hives, and I began to swell all over. All of this took about 24 hours.

As the pre - medication drugs wore off last night (about 24 hours later), and that feeling returned, I thought, "uh-oh."  I hoped it was just a little nothing.  So I took some Pepcid (my tummy had taken a turn as well.)  Did you know that the ranitidines (Zantac) and famotidines (Pepcid) of this world are related to and work in concert with loratidine (Claritin) and diphenhydramines (Benedryl)? My docs load me up on this stuff, along with some sort of steroid, each time this happens, until the reaction slows and stops.

The new "do" Short, ready to go.

So when I took the Pepcid and the Benedryl and the itching broke through, I got hubby up and had him take me to the ER. We'd been having a few moments, honestly, and we weren't on best of terms, because we are both struggling with facing this new round of trouble. He wanted me to go to the ER right away -- I wanted to be sure -- and he was angry at me. But he woke with grace and, although he barely spoke to me, nor I to him, he trundled me to the ER, where the doctor treated me with solumedrol, more benedryl and a little more Ativan to take the edge off the solumedrol -- it hit me with a mania-like reaction of its own. They also gave me something for my high blood pressure, which had shot way up.

I had stopped taking my HBP meds because they were giving me constant sinusitis. On a lower dose of my thyroid meds, my pressure was pretty much under control, perhaps enhanced occasionally by a dose of CoQ10. Now, as the chemo nurses warned, I was in dangerous territory. So they worked to bring it down. I nearly fell asleep in the ER, and when they discharged me, they loaded me up with scripts for more.

If there's a reaction to be had, it will happen to me, folks.  I swear.

I will contact a host of doctors on Monday: the oncologist will need to choose a new chemo; probably Abraxane. My primary needs to find me a high blood pressure drug I can tolerate. I wonder if she'll want me at the allergist, too. More fun.

We grabbed a little breakfast, headed home and feel deep asleep.  We awoke around noon and I felt ok enough to go out and buzz my hair in preparation for the inevitable.  My mouth is developing problems, too. So clearly, my drugs are working. Let's just hope I can take them long enough to go NED.  That's where I am aiming. No Evidence of Disease.

Eyes on the prize.

Got thoughts? I got comments. Have at it.