Doxil Delay - Suggestions?

Rookerbird
Rookerbird Member Posts: 100
in Ovarian Cancer #1
Not supposed to be typing...

I was supposed to have Doxil (3rd round) on Tuesday, but my oncologist took a look at my hands and postponed chemo. I had not noticed a problem with my hands, but he pointed out specific issues that he called "classic Doxil." My palms are red, the lines on my palms and the creases where my fingers bend have brownish pigmentation, and the skin seems stretched and thin. My doctor prescribed Biafine as a topical treatment. Unfortunately, Blue Cross classifies it as a surgical supply and would not cover it. It cost $100.99...gulp.

Have any of you experienced this with Doxil? How long did it take to clear up? Any suggestions other than use the Biafine and limit typing/hot water/friction/pressure?

Thanks a bunch!

Comments

  • sofarstillhere
    sofarstillhere Member Posts: 19
    #2
    doxil
    Hi, I just wanted to let you know what I'm doing for hand foot syndrome. When I get the doxil I have ice packs around my ankles and wrists, but then I found I have to use ice several times a day for the next five days. After that I go to bed with an icepack every night and I use original eucerin creme hand lotion. So far I've done my original 8 doxils, then had a break for 6 months, then started again and have done 7 more. I hope this will help as I know how uncomfortable that hand thing is. Patty
  • Rookerbird
    Rookerbird Member Posts: 100
    #3
    sofarstillhere said:

    doxil
    Hi, I just wanted to let you know what I'm doing for hand foot syndrome. When I get the doxil I have ice packs around my ankles and wrists, but then I found I have to use ice several times a day for the next five days. After that I go to bed with an icepack every night and I use original eucerin creme hand lotion. So far I've done my original 8 doxils, then had a break for 6 months, then started again and have done 7 more. I hope this will help as I know how uncomfortable that hand thing is. Patty

    Thanks, Patty
    I've used ice packs during infusion, and iced my hands and feet for a few days after. But, I will do that more often during the five days after chemo. Your Eucerin/night ice pack suggestion is new, and I will try that too.

    Encouraging to hear you've been able to handle 15 Doxil treatments. Was that your second-line chemo?
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #4
    Rookerbird said:

    Thanks, Patty
    I've used ice packs during infusion, and iced my hands and feet for a few days after. But, I will do that more often during the five days after chemo. Your Eucerin/night ice pack suggestion is new, and I will try that too.

    Encouraging to hear you've been able to handle 15 Doxil treatments. Was that your second-line chemo?

    Doxil
    Doxil was my 2nd line treatment as well. I didn't ice at all. I did get hyperpigmentation and a rashy areas on my feet and abdomen. All in all it wasnt' that bad. I found Aquaphor, which is made by Eucerin, to be a better cream for me.
  • sofarstillhere
    sofarstillhere Member Posts: 19
    #5
    Rookerbird said:

    Thanks, Patty
    I've used ice packs during infusion, and iced my hands and feet for a few days after. But, I will do that more often during the five days after chemo. Your Eucerin/night ice pack suggestion is new, and I will try that too.

    Encouraging to hear you've been able to handle 15 Doxil treatments. Was that your second-line chemo?

    doxil
    Hi, no actully my 1st chemo was carboplatin and taxol, second occurance was just carboplatin, third reoccurence was carboplatin and taxol, just 4 rounds of these and they kind of quit working so I was switched to topetecan and I did 4 rounds of that and then off for two months and my ca125 started to go up again. My doc then started me on tamoxifen and I took that and it worked for about 8 months, then I had tomotherapy(a kind of radiation), this I did for 3 weeks. It worked on the one cancer I had but then a couple of new ones started and so then I took the 8 doxils followed by 6 months off and then when ca 125 went up again I did 7 doxils. I just got through with a ct scan and a pet scan because my ca125 started up again and my doc wanted to see what was going on. Depending on the results I will either resume doxil, start some hormone thing, I can't remember what he said it was or start gemzar and avastin if medicare will pay for the avastin. Sorry this is so long. I hope the doxil will do great things for you. Patty
  • sofarstillhere
    sofarstillhere Member Posts: 19
    #6
    sofarstillhere said:

    doxil
    Hi, no actully my 1st chemo was carboplatin and taxol, second occurance was just carboplatin, third reoccurence was carboplatin and taxol, just 4 rounds of these and they kind of quit working so I was switched to topetecan and I did 4 rounds of that and then off for two months and my ca125 started to go up again. My doc then started me on tamoxifen and I took that and it worked for about 8 months, then I had tomotherapy(a kind of radiation), this I did for 3 weeks. It worked on the one cancer I had but then a couple of new ones started and so then I took the 8 doxils followed by 6 months off and then when ca 125 went up again I did 7 doxils. I just got through with a ct scan and a pet scan because my ca125 started up again and my doc wanted to see what was going on. Depending on the results I will either resume doxil, start some hormone thing, I can't remember what he said it was or start gemzar and avastin if medicare will pay for the avastin. Sorry this is so long. I hope the doxil will do great things for you. Patty

    treatments.
    I just read my post and thought I should add that all of this has taken place in the last 8 and a half years. good luck, Patty
  • Rookerbird
    Rookerbird Member Posts: 100
    #7
    nancy591 said:

    Doxil
    Doxil was my 2nd line treatment as well. I didn't ice at all. I did get hyperpigmentation and a rashy areas on my feet and abdomen. All in all it wasnt' that bad. I found Aquaphor, which is made by Eucerin, to be a better cream for me.

    Doxil Suggestions + Steroids
    Thanks, ladies! After a 1-week delay due to hand and foot syndrome, my doctor cleared me for chemo on Tuesday (3rd infusion). He added steroids to my post-chemo regimen: Oral dexamethasone16 Mg/day for days 1 - 5, 8 mg on day 6, 4 mg on day 7. (Very wired from the steroids!)

    I also am following Patty's suggestion about ice packs on hands when I go to bed at night (in addition to 3 or 4 times daily), and will try the Aquaphor Nancy suggested.

    Steroid info: Oral dexamethasone attenuates Doxil-induced palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesias in patients with recurrent gynecologic malignancies. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15297168
  • 123missy
    123missy Member Posts: 26
    #8
    sofarstillhere said:

    treatments.
    I just read my post and thought I should add that all of this has taken place in the last 8 and a half years. good luck, Patty

    Ice paks
    Will someone tell me how you go to bed with icepaks. Won't they melt.
  • sofarstillhere
    sofarstillhere Member Posts: 19
    #9
    123missy said:

    Ice paks
    Will someone tell me how you go to bed with icepaks. Won't they melt.

    ICE PACKS
    Hi, I have an ice bag that you put ice in and then screw on the lid. I fill it completely full of ice and it usually lasts until morning. I hold it before I go to sleep, when I turn over and wake up and when I get up to go to the bathroom, which is several times a night. Unfortunatly I just got the results of my pet ct today and the doxil I was on got rid of the two cancers that were there, but now there are two more new ones. My doctor said the doxil wasn't working anymore since there are two new ones. I'm going to see a radiologist about tomotherapy. It worked for me once before or he said maybe some kind of hormone therapy or to start gemzar and avastin. Oh well it could be worse, they are still just in lymph nodes. Hope the ice will work as well for you as it did for me. It's been 22 months since I took the first doxil so it can be a good chemo to take. Patty
  • Rookerbird
    Rookerbird Member Posts: 100
    #10
    sofarstillhere said:

    ICE PACKS
    Hi, I have an ice bag that you put ice in and then screw on the lid. I fill it completely full of ice and it usually lasts until morning. I hold it before I go to sleep, when I turn over and wake up and when I get up to go to the bathroom, which is several times a night. Unfortunatly I just got the results of my pet ct today and the doxil I was on got rid of the two cancers that were there, but now there are two more new ones. My doctor said the doxil wasn't working anymore since there are two new ones. I'm going to see a radiologist about tomotherapy. It worked for me once before or he said maybe some kind of hormone therapy or to start gemzar and avastin. Oh well it could be worse, they are still just in lymph nodes. Hope the ice will work as well for you as it did for me. It's been 22 months since I took the first doxil so it can be a good chemo to take. Patty

    Ice Packs When Using Doxil
    My nurse gave me a pre-fab kit from Doxil before my first infusion. It had lots of stuff to help with symptoms. Included were 2 Doxil-trademarked black hand/foot wraps with Velcro, and 4 purple refreezable ice packs that slip into a pocket of the wrap. You just slip a frozen ice pack into the "sleeve" on the wrap and place wraps around your hands or feet. The Velco holds it on snugly. The coldness doesn't last through the night, but I'm guessing it's good for 2 hours or so. Patty's ice bag suggestion sounds great.

    Patty, so sorry that the Doxil isn't working any more. My doc's plan is 3 Doxil infusions then a CT. We think Doxil's shrinking the existing tumors based on physical exams and greatly-reduced pain level. But, only a scan will show if there are new spots. Good luck with your next plan.

Discussion Boards