09/10/09 - Intrathecal 2.1, Drug 1
Posted 9/16/09. Last Thursday, I received my first dose of a new (to me) intrathecal chemotherapy drug, and a drug to prevent blood vessel growth, hopefully choking-off nutrients and oxygen to my spinal tumor.
Methotrexate looks like Mountain Dew
The new intrathecal chemotherapy drug is methotrexate. As I mentioned in my "Irony" post, it needs to be given twice per week because its effectiveness doesn't last long. It looks like Mountain Dew... Maybe that's why I don't sleep well... No, actually I have been sleeping well since I have been off steroids.
Receiving Intrathecal Chemotherapy
Methotrexate is administered relatively fast, in about 5 minutes. On the contrary, the drug that prevents blood vessel growth can take several hours. Last Thursday, the initial dose took about an hour and a half to receive intravenously. Luckily, it only needs to be delivered every two weeks.
Receiving Avastin
Yes, the intrathecal chemo is delivered via a port in my head, and the anti-blood vessel drug is delivered via port in my chest. To administer it, a pump controls the rate at which I receive it. Big Monkey inspected the pump before had to make sure it was working properly, shown below.
Big Monkey inspecting the pump
Any drug that takes a long time to administer tends to be delivered at Moffitt's Infusion Center. Like the rest of Moffitt, it is very nice. You can read, watch TV, sleep, or just sit there during the drug delivery. For example, we were there late last Thursday, and watched some of the NFL Kickoff show from Pittsburgh (my home town). Of course, nurses execute and monitor drug delivery. It has been a comfortable experience for me when I have been there.
The new intrathecal chemotherapy drug is methotrexate. As I mentioned in my "Irony" post, it needs to be given twice per week because its effectiveness doesn't last long. It looks like Mountain Dew... Maybe that's why I don't sleep well... No, actually I have been sleeping well since I have been off steroids.
Methotrexate is administered relatively fast, in about 5 minutes. On the contrary, the drug that prevents blood vessel growth can take several hours. Last Thursday, the initial dose took about an hour and a half to receive intravenously. Luckily, it only needs to be delivered every two weeks.
Yes, the intrathecal chemo is delivered via a port in my head, and the anti-blood vessel drug is delivered via port in my chest. To administer it, a pump controls the rate at which I receive it. Big Monkey inspected the pump before had to make sure it was working properly, shown below.
Any drug that takes a long time to administer tends to be delivered at Moffitt's Infusion Center. Like the rest of Moffitt, it is very nice. You can read, watch TV, sleep, or just sit there during the drug delivery. For example, we were there late last Thursday, and watched some of the NFL Kickoff show from Pittsburgh (my home town). Of course, nurses execute and monitor drug delivery. It has been a comfortable experience for me when I have been there.
posted by Mark at 9/16/2009 07:49:00 AM
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