The Reading Room: NY Times-FDA Steps Up Oversight of Infusion Pumps

Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut Member Posts: 336 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
22 Units of medication....or was that supposed to be 2 units ????

Just when I thought we had enough to worry about, now we have to worry about "key bounce:"

Link: FDA Steps Up Oversight of Infusion Pumps


Hatshepsut

Comments

  • Jaylo969
    Jaylo969 Member Posts: 824 Member
    #2
    OMG!!
    Isn't that encouraging news? Frightening!

    I did notice that the last time I used my 5-FU pump it was empty in 42 hrs rather than the usual 46 hrs. Just thought the nurse had made a mistake
    ( which might be the case in this instance ).

    -Pat
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #3
    Thanks for posting this....
    Thanks for posting this.... very interesting!
  • Kerry S
    Kerry S Member Posts: 606 Member
    #4
    the nurse was a blonde and hot
    When I had to be on the pump I downloaded the operator instructions for it from the net.

    I checked how it was programmed. Yes, I was just being paranoid, but the nurse was a blonde and hot.
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    #5
    AnneCan said:

    Thanks for posting this....
    Thanks for posting this.... very interesting!

    LIke the SEC,FDA often asleep at the wheel,
    as well as oftentimes being influenced by those its supposed to monitor........But its a serious matter for those of us who are using or have used chemo pumps......Good posting.......steve
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #6
    After a major chemo overdose...
    After I suffered through a significant chemo overdose on my first round of FolFox, I got my dr to tell me the exact amounts of each drug I should be receiving based on my size. (A nurse had put in my body temp of 97.5 as my wt in kg, when I weighed 63 kg - my first chemo was calculated in the pharmacy based on that.) Then every time my chemo was hooked up, I personally checked the bag. I also knew how much 5FU was supposed to be in my pump, and administered over the 46 hours. At least the amount was right, even if the timing was slightly off (which it never was).

    Get your numbers - confirm that the amounts are for your height and weight (some chemos are weight-based, others are body surface area, which takes into account ht and wt.) Either you or your partner should confirm that you are receiving the correct chemo in the correct amounts.

    It also doesn't hurt to know the set-up of your pump to confirm that the settings are correct. If we don't look after ourselves, there's no one out there to do it for us.
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    #7
    abrub said:

    After a major chemo overdose...
    After I suffered through a significant chemo overdose on my first round of FolFox, I got my dr to tell me the exact amounts of each drug I should be receiving based on my size. (A nurse had put in my body temp of 97.5 as my wt in kg, when I weighed 63 kg - my first chemo was calculated in the pharmacy based on that.) Then every time my chemo was hooked up, I personally checked the bag. I also knew how much 5FU was supposed to be in my pump, and administered over the 46 hours. At least the amount was right, even if the timing was slightly off (which it never was).

    Get your numbers - confirm that the amounts are for your height and weight (some chemos are weight-based, others are body surface area, which takes into account ht and wt.) Either you or your partner should confirm that you are receiving the correct chemo in the correct amounts.

    It also doesn't hurt to know the set-up of your pump to confirm that the settings are correct. If we don't look after ourselves, there's no one out there to do it for us.

    You're right, and simple as it was to fix....
    the first time my pump started beeping at home,I almost panicked, afraid air or something would go into me instead of the chemo. After pressing what I thought were the correct buttons with no results, I started looking at feed line and then picc line and noticed the little clip part had closed the picc line. When I opened it and repressed buttons on pump, pump started pumping again. When i returned it next day, I asked chemo nurse who detatched me to go over all the other things I should be aware of....never thought to check dose of chemicals....too late now I guess, as its over......steve
  • greybeard64
    greybeard64 Member Posts: 254
    #8
    Good info
    meds and doses are something we should all be dilegent about. When so much of this seems to be out of our hands this aspect at least is something we can and should be monitoring along with our Doc/Nurse or at least be cognizant of procedures, dosage, etc... thx for the post and all the responses
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #9
    greybeard64 said:

    Good info
    meds and doses are something we should all be dilegent about. When so much of this seems to be out of our hands this aspect at least is something we can and should be monitoring along with our Doc/Nurse or at least be cognizant of procedures, dosage, etc... thx for the post and all the responses

    So...
    Are they still going to let us use these pumps? What else would they use, I really never thought of the pump giving an overdose, that's really scary! Thanks Hat, this was very interesting!

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna

Discussion Boards