CVP with Rituxan treatment

Treatment
I did CVP+Rituxan 6 cycles, then maintenance rituxan for about a year and a half every other month. I took the prednisone for 7 days starting with the first day of chemo tapering down every day after the first 3 days. I went every 3 weeks.

The problems I had were jaw pain for a few days, then major constipation. It took until the 4th treatment to figure out acupuncture helped with the side effects better than ANY medication I could take. I found out that the day of chemo after treatment if I went to get the acupuncture I could sleep and the constipation was a NON issue, as well as the
reduction of the jaw pain. The jaw pain the first time around had me in tears and THAT hurt too. My onc said jaw pain really only happened with children, so I had to be going through a second childhood! Oh my god it was horrible.

CVP is a milder chemo and it still sucked, but it IS doable. You will be fine. Take care of yourself, get lots of rest. Drink LOTS of water, it helps flush it out of your system. Take lots of naps when you get tired. Invest in lots of purell. Buy some wipes when you touch grocery carts, public bathrooms etc. My hubby bought the paper towels you throw away for our bathroom so that we kept our germs to ourselves :)rather than using a common handtowel.

Take care of yourself.
Beth

cookingirl said:

CVP-R
Hi - this was posted in April and just reading it - how's it going? I started the exact same this past Wed. in FL. My oncologist (associated with Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa)has best success with giving Rituxan the first time very slowly in the infusion room and I had it four hours two straight days. Before that, Prednisone at home (50mg) one hour before going in, along with an anti-naseau and Benedryl (both IV) and then Rituxan. So far, 3 days out, just extreme tiredness (I'm an energizer bunny that usually goes 18 hrs. a day - now flattened on the sofa). No other symptoms other than jaw pain from the V part of drugs. Feel blessed - can't be this easy each time - know by 5th and 6th I'll be resting all the time.

Hope you're still on this site and can share - haven't found a soul with this chemo - most are on CHOP. Please write back! God Bless -

Hi Cookingirl
Yes, I am still here and enjoy coming to the chat room. I hope to meet up with you there. I did do just the CVP & Rituxan and did pretty well with it. It's still hard, don't get me wrong, but it IS doable.

My prednisone was 100 mg a day for 3 days then reduce it by 20 every day over a 7 day time frame. I started it the day of chemo. I did both my rituxan and chemo all in one day, and the first treatment was very long, but it gets better......really.

I had a horrible time sleeping for the first few days and took lots of benedryl, muscle relaxers and hot baths. The vincristine gave me jaw pain for a few days which was really bad, but the later treatments didn't last as long. If constipation gets bad I highly recommend acupuncture. It was really the only thing that helped.

Talk to you soon!
Beth