Archive for January, 2009

Sutent is working

Monday, January 19th, 2009

I had new CT scans done today, and the preliminary reads show that the tumors in my lungs and the one in my abdomen are all shrinking. Thank you to Dr. Ramdin for calling me this evening with the preliminary results, thank you Pfizer for this miracle drug, and thank you everyone who is sending the positive prayers, thoughts and energy this way. I’ll update this post when I get actual numbers which are soon forthcoming.

Update: For those who want to get really serious about this, here is a link to the Radiologist’s report on the scans

Sutent, Round Three

Friday, January 16th, 2009

Last night I took the 28th dose of Sutent, Pfizer’s oncology drug. The early days were easier than the earlier rounds, and the side effects were later coming on, but when they got here they were the worst yet.

The taste and mouth issues were somewhat better. I was a good three weeks into the therapy before the taste buds went and everything started tasting like dog shit flavored cardboard, but I had no mouth sores this round, and the metallic taste and dry mouth has only been with me for a week or so and hopefully will go away in a few day now that I am in my break period.

The tingling feet and hand issue is still with me but it is pretty painless, just a bother.

The pain in my chest (it now goes from my butt all the way up into my chest, both front and back, is way worse this round. The muscle relaxer, Flexeril, that drug I use to lessen the pain, works, but puts me soundly asleep, and I refuse to go through life sleep walking.

But mostly I am tired and worn out all the time the last couple of weeks. It wears me out just getting dressed in the morning, and I hate being so inactive, but it is all I can do.

I go for new CT scans on the 18th and hopefully the cancer will be held in check and maybe even shrinking. I guarantee you something is going on inside me, and I just hope it is good and worth the pain.