Lengthening Oxaliplatin infusion time

Kathryn_in_MN
Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
After getting my nurse navigator to pull up the studies on the syndrome I was getting from oxy (happens in 1-2% of patients - acute neurotoxicity - affecting chest, throat, jaw, tongue, eyes), and the results that lengthening infusion time from 2 hours out to 6 hours can make a difference, we adjusted. Due to time constraints we went with 4 hours. It helped a lot. I asked for a reduction of the drug amounts, but my onc wants to stay aggressive - he said we will lengthen first.

This did help a lot with my extreme symptoms. Instead of having them start 1/2 way through (1 hour of 2 total), they started 7/8 way through (3 1/2 hour out of 4 total). So I did get the Benadryl again - but quicker this time - right at the end of the oxy infusion, and before the calcium and magnesium 2nd dose. Before it got as bad as last time. So I dozed off a little while those bags were hung, and then was good to go once they hooked up the pump. It makes for a long day. We arrived early (traffic wasn't bad), so we were there from 7:40 - 4:15.

I'm asking that we push it out to 5 hours next time. I think that might help get rid of the rest of the extreme issues. I still have the jaw spasms, but they are not near as bad. I still have some hand cramping, but not near as bad. My throat is no where near as sore, although it does still spasm when I sneeze or try to swallow pills. I do have a lot of eye pain again, and my left eye twitches. But at least the extreme neck and throat pain, chest pain, and the funny facial expressions are gone! And the jaw spasms are much more tolerable. I'll glady sit yet another hour in the chair to lessen my symptoms for the next two weeks!

Comments

  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #2
    Kathryn
    Kathryn, I had chest, throat, jaw, tongue, eyes concerns, as did everyone getting OXI with me. My chest felt heavy. My throat closed so that I couldn't swallow vitamins (cleared up last month) and my voice would crack like a teenaged boy for the whole day of tx. I actually lost my voice for hours one treatment day. My tongue is still tingly, 3 1/2 months after chemo ended. My eyes would cloud over during tx and would feel like they were wrinkling in. My lips pursed up and it was hard to talk. I also broke out in pink splotches. I stll have lots of floaters and have noticed my eyesight is not as good as pre chemo.

    I had Benadryl before every tx and it was increased later on. Dr. added in Ativan for the last four or five treatments. I was kept on the 2 hour infusion schedule.
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #3
    Infusion time
    Hi Kathyrn

    My oxy infusion time was 6 hrs and I could tell when it got sped up (schools and businesses closing for a snow storm caused it to be sped up one time since we had to all leave the clinic as soon as we could.) My total time spent in the office was 8 hrs with the prep, calcium magnesium infusion before and after, and pump. The nurses were great at getting me in at 8 (I had to drive 3 hrs the day before and overnight in order to get there at 8 and stay overnight again before going home the next day). The drug folks insist it can be infused at 2 hrs with no bad effects and also that the neuropathy will clear up in 6 months,. Those claims were not true for me.

    Leslie

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