pharmacist

Treanda and Rituxan
Hi,I have Follicular NHL Bcell stage3 nearing my 17th year.Have done a good bit of treatment to make it this far.Local radiation-twice-Chop96-97....Rituxan/10 times + {over40total}now doing Treanda/Rituxan/6.My question would be what is Treanda really made from?I know it is an alkaling agent with that I'm sure rat something or other in it.Have had such a variety of odd side effects.Such as pain effecting "one side" of my body,eye/w tearing& pressure, headache in temple/head,knee swelling with pain and fluid,severe rash and itching mainly ears, head and upper back.I know my body is reacting in a all out negative way and hope I'm able to complete the last 2 rounds of treatment.With Chop I had a breakdown of each drug and what it was derived from.Now I don't get those kinds of papers.Makes one wonder.Lets face it when push comes to shove it's our choice to take these drugs but we should know a bit more about them.Had a port for Chop and removed it a year or so later.Since I've roughed it.So wished I'd had it for Treanda as I've never had veins hurt for a month after treatment.So that's my story and by the way I've have had a very good quality of life up until this drug.There will always be bumps in the road of life even without cancer.Thanks for your kind thoughts and prayers and also mixing up our drugs.Blessings,Michele

Thank you
It always amazes me when I hear that people that I don't know have prayed for me! How sweet and caring you are. Thank you for offering your assistance, it is very much appreciated. Kellie

Michele23 said:

Treanda and Rituxan
Hi,I have Follicular NHL Bcell stage3 nearing my 17th year.Have done a good bit of treatment to make it this far.Local radiation-twice-Chop96-97....Rituxan/10 times + {over40total}now doing Treanda/Rituxan/6.My question would be what is Treanda really made from?I know it is an alkaling agent with that I'm sure rat something or other in it.Have had such a variety of odd side effects.Such as pain effecting "one side" of my body,eye/w tearing& pressure, headache in temple/head,knee swelling with pain and fluid,severe rash and itching mainly ears, head and upper back.I know my body is reacting in a all out negative way and hope I'm able to complete the last 2 rounds of treatment.With Chop I had a breakdown of each drug and what it was derived from.Now I don't get those kinds of papers.Makes one wonder.Lets face it when push comes to shove it's our choice to take these drugs but we should know a bit more about them.Had a port for Chop and removed it a year or so later.Since I've roughed it.So wished I'd had it for Treanda as I've never had veins hurt for a month after treatment.So that's my story and by the way I've have had a very good quality of life up until this drug.There will always be bumps in the road of life even without cancer.Thanks for your kind thoughts and prayers and also mixing up our drugs.Blessings,Michele

Arnica Gel for sore veins
Michele, I didn't know the painful veins were from Treanda & not other chemo drugs. So many people tried to convince me to get a port, but I kept thinking 4 rounds of treatment, I can handle that. I had no idea how many times I would have IVs and how painful my arms were afterwards for months. A massage therapist suggested Arnica Gel and wow! what a relief that was! I bought Boericke & Tafel Arniflora Arnica Gel from SwansonVitamins.com for only $6.03. it is worth every penny.

keep us posted on how things turn out for you after the final two treatments. I will keep praying that you reach remission. My Onc. believes it's possible to stay in remission easily 5 years and hopefully longer. that's what I'm hoping for!

Janelle

CountryGal7557 said:

Arnica Gel for sore veins
Michele, I didn't know the painful veins were from Treanda & not other chemo drugs. So many people tried to convince me to get a port, but I kept thinking 4 rounds of treatment, I can handle that. I had no idea how many times I would have IVs and how painful my arms were afterwards for months. A massage therapist suggested Arnica Gel and wow! what a relief that was! I bought Boericke & Tafel Arniflora Arnica Gel from SwansonVitamins.com for only $6.03. it is worth every penny.

keep us posted on how things turn out for you after the final two treatments. I will keep praying that you reach remission. My Onc. believes it's possible to stay in remission easily 5 years and hopefully longer. that's what I'm hoping for!

Janelle

Gel
Hello Janelle,Thanks for that piece of information,I'll check into it.See now there are two of us that have suffered with this vein issue.One of my nurses ran the "saline" after treatment and it did help curve the pain.Last time though nurse forgot and I'm always in outerspace after treatment so of course there was pain again.Have already found a fellow who did T/R 11 months ago who has relapsed.Dawn may be able to tell us more,as she sees the names on the bags,If she has a good memory.Most of the nurses know me by name from being at the treatment center so often.Am praying also get some freedom also from this treatment.Thank you so much for your help and kind words.Blessings,Michele

Michele23 said:

Gel
Hello Janelle,Thanks for that piece of information,I'll check into it.See now there are two of us that have suffered with this vein issue.One of my nurses ran the "saline" after treatment and it did help curve the pain.Last time though nurse forgot and I'm always in outerspace after treatment so of course there was pain again.Have already found a fellow who did T/R 11 months ago who has relapsed.Dawn may be able to tell us more,as she sees the names on the bags,If she has a good memory.Most of the nurses know me by name from being at the treatment center so often.Am praying also get some freedom also from this treatment.Thank you so much for your help and kind words.Blessings,Michele

will always worry
Michele, You are right, we are the data! so how could my Onc. say I could be in remission for 5 years easily. I guess he says what he believes I want to hear & that is what I wanted to hear. My Onc. also looked at me with that blank look & said "I've never heard of that" when I asked about the achy joints. Flushing of saline did help the vein pain, and Arnica Gel takes the remainder of the pain away.

we will learn from each other. and hopefully Dawn can help. My daughter is also a pharmacist at the VA in Minneapolis. she has helped me alot...I will ask her if she can find out what Treanda is made of too.

talk to you later.
Janelle

onlytoday said:

Thank you
Thanks so much for thinking of us! It means so much. Very touching to think that people mixing up our drugs are caring about us - thank you.

My next treatment will probably be Treanda. Do you know what it is made of? I know you were already asked this. I was extremely allergic to Rituxan and my doc said it was the murine (mouse) protein that did it. So if in fact Treanda is from rats - I could be facing more trouble!

Any info you can share with us is welcome.

Donna

Treanda
Treanda is Bendamustine but I don't know if it's from rats or not. It's what my other option was Donna.

What I was considering was being part of a clinical trial with B & Rituxan but since you were allergic to rituxan I guess you wouldn't qualify.

I hope you're doing well my friend.

Beth

onlytoday said:

Thank you
Thanks so much for thinking of us! It means so much. Very touching to think that people mixing up our drugs are caring about us - thank you.

My next treatment will probably be Treanda. Do you know what it is made of? I know you were already asked this. I was extremely allergic to Rituxan and my doc said it was the murine (mouse) protein that did it. So if in fact Treanda is from rats - I could be facing more trouble!

Any info you can share with us is welcome.

Donna

bendamustine
Hi Donna,

How are you doing? I know you are going through a hard time right now. I sure hope some of your days are easy and calm.

I saw your question about treanda/bendamustine and wanted to let you know that it is a nitrogen mustard, not from a mouse. Any chemo that has mustine in the name means mustard. As in mustard gas (world war 1) Hope this helps.

Peaceful healing
Lisha

onlytoday said:

Thanks
Lisha,
Yes this helps. Of course thinking about mustard gas is pretty creepy isn't it?

Just re-enforces the fact that I HATE CANCER!!!

I am now waiting for my results of the capsule endoscopy which we hope will tell the tale of what is going on in my small intestine. Thank you for asking.

I am staying busy and not dwelling on the details as much as possible. In two weeks or so I have a lot of doctors appointments coming up and I figure I can think about it then!!

How are you doing?

Praying for all as always.

Love,

Donna

Good news
Dear Donna,

Glad you have no worries with your new treatment. Mustard sounds so much
better than rat.

Question: Can you tell me what's the difference between a regular endioscopy and capsule
endioscopy?

Thinking of you always. Maggie