Feeling Well Enough to Blog

 

As I�ve mentioned, I haven�t been able to blog very much lately, mostly because the oral chemotherapy makes me pretty dizzy and working on the computer makes me nauseous.  However, the other reason I haven�t blogged much is because I really didn�t want to write that things weren�t going very well for me. It�s hard to write about that.  However, more recently I think things have gotten a little better and I have more energy to write.

I was very hopeful that the new oral medication would be a game changer for me.  I hoped that I wouldn�t have much in the way of side effects and that overall, it would be much easier for me�and my family.  After all, it�s a twice a day pill, rather than a 3-5 hour IV session every three weeks, followed by 5-7 days of nausea and vomiting, etc.  Sadly, and disappointingly, the oral medication is no easier or better.  I will, however, describe it in the conscientious way I do when trying to be critical of a person, place, event, etc.  � I will sandwich the criticism between two positives.  Here I go�

The good news about the oral medication is that my hair is starting to grow back.  Oddly, it�s much grayer than it was before.  I think, although I�m not sure, that more of the dark hairs fell out leaving the gray ones and it�s the gray ones that are growing back faster.  Also I am not getting mouth sores with this new med.

However, the nausea and vomiting are much worse.  After taking each pill, I get dizzy.  I will say that I�m dizzy for shorter amounts of time the longer I�m on the med.  (When I first started the oral med, I was dizzy for nearly 10-12 hours.  I�d have an hour or two of relief before I�d have to down another pill.)  Now the dizziness starts to fade in 1-3 hours.  I often get nauseous from being dizzy, too.  The frequency of actually vomiting is much higher on the oral med than the IV chemo�and I HATE vomiting.  The answer to all this from my doctor is to try more and different anti-nausea medications.  My goal has always been to be on as few medications as possible � which is impossible as a cancer patient.  I have several other minor side effects, such as visual changes and constipation.  Two of the more significant ones are fatigue and taste changes.   I don�t know if it�s the disease I�m fighting or the medications I�m taking to fight this disease that are making me so tired all the time.  And although it�s thought that the oral med makes food tastes so differently, it may be any of the other medications that I�m on, or the combination.  But just imagine sitting in front of a hot meal that smells amazing only to bite into it and feel like you�ve just taken a swig of dish soap mixed with lighter fluid. 

The second positive is that I think things are getting better.  (I really hate to write that because I�m so afraid that I�ll jinx myself.   So everyone, when you read this, please knock on wood for me.)   My dizziness is lasting a shorter time, and the nausea/vomiting seem to be lightening up a bit.  I�m hoping that my body is adjusting to the new oral medication and in time, the side effects will subside.  (I actually wrote this entire blog without nausea�a first since I started my new med.) 

You know me and my mantra: