[DallasGG]

Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade shots?

by DallasGG on Wed Jul 10, 2013 7:46 am

I just started treatment for my multiple myeloma...Velcade (once a week, every week, no breaks), Revlimid and dexamethasone. I previously scheduled a 2 week vacation before I was diagnosed. By the time I leave on the trip, I will have had 3 weekly Velcade shots. The vacation is coming up soon and if I go on it, I will miss 1 weekly Velcade shot and the next one after that will be 3-4 days later than the weekly scheduled shot. My doctor seems to think it wouldn't be a big deal to miss one shot and delay the 2nd one by a few days. Has anyone else had to miss 1 or 2 shots because of a vacation? Would it be a big deal to do this when I'm so early into the treatments?

[GaryH]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by GaryH on Wed Jul 10, 2013 9:31 am

Hi, i am on a 5 week cycle of Velcade/Cyclophoshamide/dex, with 1 week off (for good behavior!!). I recently took a 3 week vacation & timed it so that it started on my week off, then delayed the first 2 weeks of the next cycle. The Dr. didn't think it was a big deal & even encouraged it. To quote him..."the reason we are doing all of this is so that you can enjoy life!" I'm back on the regular cycle & at the last check, my free light chains numbers are still good. You should obviously listen to your own Dr. regarding your treatment though. Gary

[Barneasada]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by Barneasada on Wed Jul 10, 2013 10:29 am

GO FOR IT and enjoy life!

treatment will be there when you get back trust me, vacation will be great for clearing your mind from dealing with this....!

[rumnting]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by rumnting on Wed Jul 10, 2013 8:58 pm

My husband's doctor, too, said not to worry about missing a dose and to go on vacation.

[DallasGG]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by DallasGG on Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:24 am

Thanks for your responses....makes me feel better about my decision to go on vacation.

[tpt]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by tpt on Fri Jul 12, 2013 11:09 am

Last year, we had a two-month break because Dad was not feeling like it, which I think is a far, far much worse excuse than a two-week vacation. Go for it!

[torimooney]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by torimooney on Fri Jul 12, 2013 6:14 pm

I took a months vacation out of the country. Left with a .1 m spike, returned with a .1 m spike.
No problems. Now I'm at 0 m spike one month later with resumption of chemo. Go and enjoy. It was so good not to deal with cancer and it's treatment for a month. It made me feel whole again. Mental health is equally as important as physical health.

[TerryH]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by TerryH on Fri Jul 12, 2013 7:10 pm

It shouldn't necessarily be a big deal. However, if you're going someplace where there is a physician's office or cancer center where you could have the Velcade infusion/injection done, why not have it done, even though you're on vacation?

Another option is that, If you're getting the Velcade injections subcutaneously, you can have the doctor show you how to do the injection yourself, and then just give yourself the injections while you're on vacation.

Your doctor probably won't let you go the self-injection route, however, unless the doctor is very sure you're unlikely to have any serious complications during the injection.

[Multibilly]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by Multibilly on Fri Jul 12, 2013 9:44 pm

When I looked into the possibility of using other cancer centers or hospitals for chemo while on vacation, the hospital I talked to was incredulous that another center would accommodate a visiting patient for chemo treatment. But I do remember being excited on this forum when somebody else mentioned that their nurse had set them up with a series of their own subq Velcade syringes they could administer themself. For those on Velcade and full of wanderlust like me, this may be a great route.

But I can't seem to locate that post.

[Dr. Peter Voorhees]

Re: Going on vacation - will it hurt to miss 1-2 Velcade sho

by Dr. Peter Voorhees on Sat Jul 13, 2013 3:41 pm

The fact that you are entertaining a vacation would hopefully suggest that you are not too horribly ill from your multiple myeloma, which is great! If I am right, I would be very supportive of the vacation as well. We have made arrangements for patients to receive therapy where they are visiting, but this has typically been reserved for those leaving for a long time or those patients who have a significant disease burden, are quite ill from their myeloma, and cannot afford a treatment break. I am not aware of patients being able to administer Velcade to themselves.

In your case, you will still get the Revlimid and dexamethasone while you are on vacation, so you are still getting good therapy.

Go for it and enjoy!

Pete V.