amifostine

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adventurebob
adventurebob Member Posts: 691
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
It's been recommended that I use Amifostine during radiation in small doses. I was just curious what everyone's experience was with it. It's optional for me.

Bob

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  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #2
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    Well, I did get them during
    Well, I did get them during my 30 rads. I had SCC Stage 4 with an unknown primary. I had a neck dissection and they took 23 lymph nodes, 3 cancerous, and my left salivary gland. So I was already down a salivary gland going in, but didn't notice any dryness before I had radiation. Now, forget it. I am as dry as dust. I don't wanna no how bad I'd be with out the shots.

    They gave them to me in the backs of my arms. Alternating each day. I thought they hurt and burned. Plus my arms were bruised for a the whole time. The shots were thirty minutes before table time and they had me take Tylenol and benedryl 30 minutes before the shot. It can spike a fever and cause a rash. If either happened I was supposed to let them know. It can also lower your blood pressure so they should take your pressure before and after rads.

    That's all I can think of at the moment. Any questions just ask.

    Sweet
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    #3
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    sweetblood22 said:

    Well, I did get them during
    Well, I did get them during my 30 rads. I had SCC Stage 4 with an unknown primary. I had a neck dissection and they took 23 lymph nodes, 3 cancerous, and my left salivary gland. So I was already down a salivary gland going in, but didn't notice any dryness before I had radiation. Now, forget it. I am as dry as dust. I don't wanna no how bad I'd be with out the shots.

    They gave them to me in the backs of my arms. Alternating each day. I thought they hurt and burned. Plus my arms were bruised for a the whole time. The shots were thirty minutes before table time and they had me take Tylenol and benedryl 30 minutes before the shot. It can spike a fever and cause a rash. If either happened I was supposed to let them know. It can also lower your blood pressure so they should take your pressure before and after rads.

    That's all I can think of at the moment. Any questions just ask.

    Sweet

    I would highly recommend
    I would highly recommend amifostine...we have a large thread on it here, somewhere....
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
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    Hi Bob
    I used it and had no problems with it
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #5
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    yes vote from this corner
    I also did the injections prior to radiation therapy, in my case prior to 33 of a scheduled 35 sessions. As someone else has indicated, I received the injections a half hour prior to the rads, and they moved the spot around, from different locations on my stomach (mainly) to my arms.

    My doctors were ambivalent about the efficacy of amifostine. They were not convinced that it would do as advertised, i.e., save my saliva glands, but they offered to prescribe it if I so desired so that my insurance would cover it (it IS expensive!!!).

    I was warned that some people had allergic reactions and that many became nauseous, but I was fine with it.

    I DO have salivary gland action, but of course only if I didn't could I tell you anything about the amifostine: If I didn't have salivary action I could say it didn't work for me; on the other hand, while I do have salivary action, I cannot say with any certainty that it is because of the drug. Still, if I had to do over again, I would again opt to get the shots.

    Best wishes with your treatment.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    #6
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    soccerfreaks said:

    yes vote from this corner
    I also did the injections prior to radiation therapy, in my case prior to 33 of a scheduled 35 sessions. As someone else has indicated, I received the injections a half hour prior to the rads, and they moved the spot around, from different locations on my stomach (mainly) to my arms.

    My doctors were ambivalent about the efficacy of amifostine. They were not convinced that it would do as advertised, i.e., save my saliva glands, but they offered to prescribe it if I so desired so that my insurance would cover it (it IS expensive!!!).

    I was warned that some people had allergic reactions and that many became nauseous, but I was fine with it.

    I DO have salivary gland action, but of course only if I didn't could I tell you anything about the amifostine: If I didn't have salivary action I could say it didn't work for me; on the other hand, while I do have salivary action, I cannot say with any certainty that it is because of the drug. Still, if I had to do over again, I would again opt to get the shots.

    Best wishes with your treatment.

    Take care,

    Joe

    I had the same outcome as
    I had the same outcome as Joe and John, good saliva recovery, no thick phlegm..would say it works. Mine were IV slow drip over 30 minutes??
    Stacey
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
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    Amifostine -
    I had around 32 injections also, mine was in my stomach...each day about 15 minutes before the rads.

    They did leave a red welt, later dried out and itchy..I did start getting high fevers around the 32nd day, so stopped using them the last few days of rads.

    But I do feel they helped me by not having the thick phlegm and mucous, and also on regaining my salivary function to nearly 90% or so of what it was before treatment.

    So for me, even though I had a few issues with it, I feel it worked for me and recommend it.

    Best,
    John

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