BEAM Chemotherapy

Ok, so I thought I would share some snippets from the 15 pages they gave me about the drugs I get next week. The nurses told me to expect most of the side effects listed to occur as I am receiving the maximum dosage of these agents. I've had a few people ask me about the chemo and what the drugs are like, so I'll share, this comes from the drug information sheets the hospital gave me....

Carmustine, BiCNU (B in BEAM) - Carmustine interferes with the growth of rapidly growing cells such as cancer and stem cells, eventually causing them to die.
Side effects include:
chest pain
difficulty breathing/wheezing/shortness of breath
low blood counts - carmustine may decrease the number of white and red blood cells as well as platelets,
signs of infection - fever, chills, cough, sore throat, pain or difficulty passing urine
Signs of decreased platelets or bleeding - unusual weakness or tiredness, fainting spells, lightheadedness
Nausea
Vomiting
Seizures
Yellow of skin or eyes
Flushing of the skin and red eyes
Headache
Loss of appetite

Etopotside, VP-16 (E in BEAM) - Etoposide interferes with the growth of cells.
Side effects include:
Severe Nausea
Vomiting
Blood in Urine/Stool
Hairloss
Mouthsores
Signs of Infection - fever, chills, cough, sore throat, pain
Blurred Vision
Shortness of breath
Lightheadedness, Dizzy spells
Fatigue or exhaustion
Loss of appetite

Cytarabine, ARA-C (A in BEAM)
This medicine reduces the growth of cells and suppresses the immune system.
Side effects include:
Low blood counts - increased risk for infections and/or bleeding
Signs of Infection - Fever/chills, cough, sore throat, pain or difficulty passing urine
Signs of Decrease Platelets - Bleeding, pinpoint red spots on the skin, black tarry stools, blood in the urine
Signs of Decreased Red Blood cells - unusually weak or tired, fainting spells, lightheadedness
Breathing problems
Changes in Vision
Feeling faint or lightheaded, falls
Fever
Headache
Mouth Sores
Nec stiffness and/or pain
Seizures
Stomach Pain
Unsteady in walking
Vomiting
Side effects that usually do NOT require medical attention:
Bone pain
Muscle Aches/Pains
Confusion
Dizziness
Feeling tired/weak
Loss of Appetite
Nausea

Melphalan (M in BEAM)
Side Effects include:
Allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips or tongue
Low blood counts - Increased risk for infections and bleeding
Signs of Infection - Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, pain or difficulty passing urine
Signs of decreased platelets or bleeding - bruising, pinpoint red spots on the skin, black tarry stools, blood in the urine
Signs of decreased Red Blood cells
Breathing problems
Dark urine
feeling faint or lightheaded, falls
cough that does not go away
mouth sores (they will be bad enough to require a morphine drip according to the nurse)
nausea,
vomiting
pain, swelling, redness
Unusual bleeding or bruising
Weight Loss
Yellowing of eyes or skin
Diarrhea
Feeling of warmth or tingling in extremities
Hair loss
Nausea

These drugs will be given daily for six days through the vascular catheter in my chest. Basically, I'm really not looking forward to this at all. I know I will get through I, I'm certainly strong enough physically and spiritually, but emotionally and mentally, I'm still not quite ready to dive right in and start having the cocktails.

Lists like this make Survivor seem like a fitting description for cancer patients. It takes everything, courage, strength, determination, focus, love, appreciation and patience. I hope I have enough of them.

We're off to the Leukemia Cup this weekend so I won't be posting again until Sunday or Monday. I check into the hospital early Tuesday morning and treatment begins immediately. I hope to keep posting from the hospital during my treatment. Have a good weekend!

TTYL,

T