Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Killers!

Tomorrow will be one week for this treatment phase. So far so good. Aside from crankiness, a slight increase in appetite, and a bit more tired he's been doing pretty good. That L-Asparaginase shot seemed to make his leg a bit sore. He tells me he can't walk often, but does so just fine. Here are a list of some of the drugs he will be taking and how they work and their side effects:

L-Asparaginase: These drugs are enzymes that block protein production in cancer cells to prevent them from reproducing.

Common Side Effects: Loss of appetite, Fatigue, Headache, Abdominal cramps, Nausea and vomiting

Doxorbucin: An antibiotic that prevents DNA from forming, thus preventing cancer cells from multiplying.

Common Side Effects: Myelosuppression (Low blood cell counts), Nausea and vomiting, Hair loss, Mouth Sores, Diarrhea, Heart damage, shortness of breath, Fever and chills, Abdominal pain, dark and bloody stools, darkening or ridging of nails.

Methotrexate: an antimetabolic that replaces nutrients in the cancer cell, causing cell death.

Common Side Effects: Low blood counts, extreme sun sensitivity,diarrhea, fatigue, skin rashes, headache, mouth sores, hair loss, loss of appetite

Dexamethasone: a steroid given in high doses as a chemotherapy drug.

Side Effects: Mood Changes (ha ha!), increased appetite, food obsessions, increased thirst, indigestion, weight gain, fluid retention, round face and protruding belly,sleeplessness, nightmares, nervousness, loss of potassium, hypersensitivity to lights, sound and motion, extreme irritability.

Vin Cristine: an alkyloid derived from the periwinkle plant. It causes cells to stop dividing.

Side Effects: Severe constipation, pain (may be severe) in jaw, back, joints, and or bones, foot drop (a child has a hard time lifting front part of foot), Numbness, tingling in fingers and toes, extreme weakness and loss of muscle mass, drooping eyelids, hair loss.

2 comments:

  1. woah, SubhanAllah...which is the cure and which is the disease?

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  2. Salamu alaikum Umm Yousuf, May Allah give your son a speedy and complete recovery, May He continue to give you strength through His strength, hope, reliance, trust, love, patience and all the other virtues that will help you get through this. May He remove all pain from your son and make him happy in this world and the next. May He protect him from all harm of the disease and the side effects of the medicine. May He fulfill all your needs and all of Yousuf's needs and all of your families' needs. May you and your family pass this test with flying colors. You and your son are in our prayers. May He give you and your family a good Qadar and make you pleased with it. Verily after every difficulty there is relief.

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