A Surprising Chemo Day

March 4, 2020
March 5, 2020
 macfightsback
I went in for Chemo # 3  yesterday.   I have been tolerating chemo pretty well, so far in 2020. I got my premeds as usual to prevent any bad reaction from the chemo.

After I received my Doxil, I went to the bathroom (my usual routine), lots of IV fluids make my bladder full. I washed my hands afterward and noticed numerous red pinprick dots on the back of both hands. No itching, no burning, no pain, just flat lesions.

I told the nurses immediately. I took off my socks and looked at my feet and I had some there too on the top of my feet. (I had heard alot about hand and foot syndrome with Doxil.). I looked at my belly and legs and face, no lesions there.

Unfortunately, because I might be having a reaction, the nurses were required to take a set of vital signs. My blood pressure was sky high. No surprise, it had been sky high when I arrived (we took it twice.). So, we had to hold the Avastin. Avastin could make my BP even higher, potentially causing a stroke or heart attack.

Understand, they have not been checking my vital signs during chemo since I began chemo in 2018. I had high BP readings in 2015,( not as high as now however) during Frontline chemo in Raleigh, NC and they chose not to check my BP during chemo too. I figured the attitude was, what you don’t know won’t hurt you and chemo comes first. After all, my allergic reaction to Taxol on my first dose in 2015 surely did not cause any anxiety. (Not!)  I caught myself getting restless after I got the Doxil (like restless leg syndrome) yesterday afternoon.  Sometimes this happens to me during chemo or blood transfusions.


CT to be scheduled in 3 and a half weeks. Next chemo March 31st and I will get the CT results the same day. My CA-125 was only 5 today. My Oncologist was excited. I just looked at him. ( My CA-125 has been normal, less than 10 through both my reoccurences. It was over 600 on initial diagnosis.) My Oncologist said if it goes up that will mean things are really bad. Really bad? I have cancer in my left lung. I never smoked. I don’t want to think about it getting really bad.

The one insight we had was the steroids I am receiving as premeds may be increasing my BP. Since I had 4-5 hot flashes yesterday evening (not post menopausal or fever related) perhaps we can decrease my Decadron which may help bring down my blood pressure.

Overall, a surprising day. I had showed my Oncologist’s PA my hands before chemo so she could see my nails we’re beginning to be more brittle and break off. Thank goodness she saw too that those dots (petechiae according to my Oncologist) were not there before chemo. All I can assume it had something to do with my marginally low platelet count. It does bother me a little but they did not spread to other areas so I will assume it is a minor side effect from Doxil. I hope!
macfightsback
  • macfightsback

  • I worked as a registered nurse in Critical Care for over 35 years. I retired in 2017. I am single, never married. I have one sister, one brother and I am an aunt. I love animals and nature, especially cats. My Siamese cat, Tiger is my constant companion and joy. I was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in July 2015. I received debulking surgery at that time. I have been through chemotherapy a total of 3 times. I am receiving it now for pulmonary nodules which popped up on my CT scan in April and an area under my left diaphragm which is also positive for cancer. This is my 2nd reoccurence. No symptoms with this reoccurence or the reoccurence I had in 2018. (See what I mean by MY SNEAKY CANCER ) ?

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