[Annamaria]

Build up of toxicity from long-term treatment?

by Annamaria on Fri Sep 16, 2016 1:19 pm

Hi everyone.

I wonder how toxic the medicines we usually take actually are, and if there is a cumulative effect. About one year ago I relapsed, and I then started Revlimid 15 mg and dexamethasone 10 ml once a week. Aside from being unable to stay awake past nine, or nine thirty at the latest, in the evening, and sleeping long hours – including an afternoon nap – I feel fine. I finally reached an ideal weight; I have good color and lead a normal life. I swim regularly and I walk some. Fortunately I don’t have GI problems (or not yet). My levels of energy are normal.

However, I have become more lazy and tend to choose activities that don’t require too much effort, so, for instance, I have not been practicing drums for a couple of months now, and instead I bake much more!

I suspect this is due to the toxicity of the medicines in the long run. There could be other reasons of course, but I cannot think of any!

I wonder if there is a way to measure the build up of toxins themselves?.

[mplsterrapin]

Re: Build up of toxicity from long-term treatment?

by mplsterrapin on Thu Sep 22, 2016 2:18 am

I don't know about any way to measure the toxicity, but we have been told it can have a cumulative effect on energy, etc.

My husband has been on chemo for over a year now (three different regimens), and when he mentioned recently that he was feeling more fatigued despite having a higher hemoglobin, the nurse said that was not at all surprising given everything that has been put into his body, and that it can add up. It's unfortunate, but we tell ourselves better to have that rather than a buildup of cancer cells.

Hang in there and keep getting those naps when you need them!

[Annamaria]

Re: Build up of toxicity from long-term treatment?

by Annamaria on Sun Oct 23, 2016 1:30 pm

The other day I asked my doctor about the toxicity of the medicines. I assumed he would mention liver and kidneys, the filters in our body. Instead, he said that there is bone marrow toxicity, and by that he meant that the normal numbers of the various components are modified by the medicines. We know, for instance, that Revlimid lowers the while blood cells. Not even the cortisone is hard on liver and kidneys, but rather on other organs, eyes for instance. For instance, it can cause cataract. I did not know that alteration of numbers in the bone marrow in this case can be defined as toxicity.

He said that yes, there is a buildup. When I stated that lately I feel more tired and lazy he said that the disease itself can make one tired. That’s all I learned.