A New Chemotherapy Regimen

Two weeks ago I began a new chemotherapy regimen, because the regimen I had been on for three months was not working as expected. This new regimen is directed at adnocarcinoma cancers with the infusion process taking about 4.5 hours every other week. I get the same antinausea and antidiarrheal injections as before, but now get an infusion of Cisplatin and Avastin. From what I have been told, the Avastin stops the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to the tumors, therotically starving them. Cisplatin is a common chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of many cancers. One of the side effects of the Cisplatin is that it makes me super sensitive to hot and cold. I like cold drinks and thought it was interesting that a cool glass of water, actually felt like a slush when I drank it. I did not realize how sensitive it made me until my mother brought me a chocolate shake during my last infusion. The shake felt like it had little ice crystals in it, not the smooth creamy shake I was used to, and made my lips tingle with pain. After a couple sips, I got a strong pain in my stomach and back. I couldn’t figure out was what going on until after a minute or so, when it left as suddenly as it came. I have had brain freezes before, but never a stomach freeze. Now I take smaller sips when I have a cold drink. In addition to the Cisplatin, Avastin, and somthing called 5FU, I am also given a 15 minute infusion of Zometa to help strengthen my bones in the areas where the cancer has settled in. After finishing the 4.5 hour infusion, I have to continue with an additional 5FU infusion for another 46 hours, so I am hooked up to a mini-pump that I wear for the next two days. Since my infusion was on a Friday, I go in and have the mini-pump removed on the following Sunday. 24 hours after the mini-pump is removed, I go in for a Neulasta injection, to help boost my white blood cell production. The Neulasta makes my bones and joints ache, which I guess is normal. It seems like quite a procedure and the nurses that give me the infusion have to really know their stuff. Every time I have an infusion it effects me differently. Sometimes my lower back aches, sometimes my upper back aches, sometimes my side or hips ache, and sometimes my neck aches, but there is always some aching, and when I walk, I must look like an old man from behind. I just keep reminding myself that the achiness is due to the chemotherapy drugs doing there thing, and that the pain is not from the cancer.