October 31st marked my first chemotherapy infusion. They told me to plan for four to five hours, and it truly was a long day. The lab was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning, and with nearly an hour of travel, we were up early. Treatment began at 8:30 and started with education.
The process begins with pre-medications to help manage side effects. First comes Benadryl to prevent allergic reactions, followed by a steroid and anti nausea medications. Then they administer the immunotherapy drug Keytruda along with two chemotherapy drugs, Docetaxel and Carboplatin.
After the infusion, they placed a device on my arm to deliver Neulasta, a medication that helps my body produce white blood cells. This device is programmed to give the injection 24 hours after chemotherapy. In the past, this required a separate trip to the clinic the next day. Now, they send you home with a sharps container to dispose of the device once the injection is complete. While the device is active, it blinks green. Once the shot is delivered, it should turn solid green. If it turns red, that signals a problem and you must contact the oncology team and prepare to go into the clinic for the injection.
To help manage side effects, they prescribed anti-nausea medication and recommended several over-the-counter options for bone pain caused by the Neulasta injection. Since bone marrow produces white blood cells, this pain can be intense. The recommended regimen includes Loratadine 10 mg taken one hour before the shot, Famotidine 20 mg twice daily if not already on a stomach acid reducer, Naproxen 220 mg two tablets twice daily, or Tylenol 650 mg every four hours if Naproxen is not tolerated. This routine continues for up to five days depending on the level of discomfort.
Chemo session one is officially complete. I am experiencing some annoying side effects and am still healing from my port surgery, which has brought its own symptoms. I have a metallic taste in my mouth that makes some foods unpleasant or leaves an aftertaste. My appetite is low. I do not feel nauseated but I do have an upset stomach. I am prone to headaches and also have had achy joints are some of the symptoms I currently am dealing with. All things considered I am doing well, it could be worse.