Temodar - How Long Too long & tips on dealing with Side effects.

I take Temodar since February this year 2013, 250 mg a day for four days every month. 

Feel some nausea but not so much that I need any medicine for it, and some fatigue but not too bad.

I avoid driving a car those four days since I am not as alert as otherwise.

The plan is to take Temodar for two years and then take a new decision whether to continue or stop.

My doctor says that I should stop at some time, not go on for ever.

I have heard that if you take Temodar too long, then there is a certain risk for leukemia.

Rayanmckee said:

Temodar

I have been on Temodar 350mg for 5/28days since January '13. Dr.'s say I have to take it a min. of 1yr, but probably rest of my life. I am concerned about it destroying my kidneys and/or giving me bone marrow cancer. I try to nap only 1hr so I sleep at night. I take @5000mg Vitamin C daily and Senna tablets for constipation, it seems to be te combo that works. 

I want to quit the Temodar, but I need to do lots of research before I go in the Alternative treatments zone.

Hi Rayanmckee,

Yes, you are wise to do research. The question is what risk is greater, the side effects of Temodar or the risk for a relapse without Temodar. And the efficiency of alternative treatments is important too.

By the way, now after taking Temodar for five months, I have started to feel more nausea from Temodar, so I need to take some medicine for that, and I am also more tired so I have started to sleep for a few hours in the morning after taking Temodar.

Rayanmckee said:

Temodar

Hi Sten,

Yeah, I am having more nausea from Temodar, on & off for a week after my course ends. They gave me Odanast for the nausea to take before the Temodar, but I just take Benedryl for the mild nausea, because that Odan stuff backs me up too much. I hope you take something mild. I feel like a cat, eating & napping!

 

Hi again Rayanmckee,

For nausea I take 10 mg of a medicine called Primperan here in Sweden. That helps, and I feel fairly OK already in the afternoon, although tired. I wonder if our different types of cancer have an impact on the effect of Temodar. Mine was CNS lymphoma (a brain tumour) which disappeared after three rounds of four day chemo therapy. Then my stem cells were collected, and I got hi dose chemo and then autologous stem cell transplant. I now take Temodar to lessen the risk for a relapse.

Rayanmckee said:

temodar etc

Sten Hello again,

I am glad to know you are using Temodar in Sweden and it is not just another drug pushed by US Pharmaceuticals. Yes, diff cancer, I have glioblastoma multiforme. My tumor was removed, and like you Temodar to deter any new growths. I suppose I need to be patient with this process and stay positive about where I am with it; cancer free for almost 7 months! I will ask my Dr. about Primperan, maybe it is less constipating..?  My understanding is you have to be wealthy to get anywhere near a stem cell therapy, here State side. Thanks for the info! Ryan

Hi again Ryan,

I am glad that you have been cancer free for 7 months, and I hope that this good situation will last. For me, it is almost a year now without cancer. Yes, patience is important, and so is acceptance of discomfort from medicines like Temodar. I hope that the risk for leukemia and kidney problems with Temodar is not too great. In Sweden medical care is almost free, even stem cell transplants, and paid for mainly by taxes, which are high but sometimes useful.

I took Temodar for a year. Fortunately the nausea was not too bad - I lost most of my sense of taste and with it my appetite. I used cannabis, which helped.

The anti-nausea meds gave me more problems I think.  One thing I did which was helpful was to drink lots of water and increase my fiber intake when I was on my course of chemo.  Also take a good multi vitamin.  Hope this helps