Thursday, January 31, 2008
Hearts
It's that time of year: Valentine's day is fast approaching, when people's thoughts turn to matters of love and "why do greeting cards have such horrible rhymes?" In case you don't want to make do with the standard chalky valentine heart candies and want to send your sweetie a special custom message, you might try the Candy Heart generator instead.
I've also been thinking about my own heart. I am currently taking the drug Adriamycin, also known as "the Red Devil." It is bright kool-aid red and looks very alarming. Adriamycin also has a terrible reputation for causing nausea and all manner of horrible chemo side-effects. I can't say that I've had many problems. I do need to take colace, but it was really the anti-emetics that caused the worst of my symptoms when I began my new regimen.
The Red Devil seems to agree with me.
Here's the catch: Adriamycin is cardiotoxic. Whether given in large doses up front or given in small doses over time, the more Adriamycin you've had, the greater your risk of experiencing permanent heart damage. There are drugs one can take to try to delay the onset of heart damage, but when should they start giving it? There are guidelines, but how close can one cut it? I will probably get to add heart function tests to my usual array of scans. The Red Devil is being sweet now, but he'll eventually break my heart if I don't break up with him first.
No news on the liver and spleen, aside from "ayep, they're big." I'm not keen on doing another liver biopsy, but if I start to worry more about this, I might ask. My first question will be, "Can I be completely and totally unconscious when they stab me in the chest?" I really didn't like the last biopsy.
I've also been thinking about my own heart. I am currently taking the drug Adriamycin, also known as "the Red Devil." It is bright kool-aid red and looks very alarming. Adriamycin also has a terrible reputation for causing nausea and all manner of horrible chemo side-effects. I can't say that I've had many problems. I do need to take colace, but it was really the anti-emetics that caused the worst of my symptoms when I began my new regimen.
The Red Devil seems to agree with me.
Here's the catch: Adriamycin is cardiotoxic. Whether given in large doses up front or given in small doses over time, the more Adriamycin you've had, the greater your risk of experiencing permanent heart damage. There are drugs one can take to try to delay the onset of heart damage, but when should they start giving it? There are guidelines, but how close can one cut it? I will probably get to add heart function tests to my usual array of scans. The Red Devil is being sweet now, but he'll eventually break my heart if I don't break up with him first.
No news on the liver and spleen, aside from "ayep, they're big." I'm not keen on doing another liver biopsy, but if I start to worry more about this, I might ask. My first question will be, "Can I be completely and totally unconscious when they stab me in the chest?" I really didn't like the last biopsy.
Labels: Adriamycin, biopsy, liver, spleen
