Started Interferon Monday
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Started Interferon Monday

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Started Interferon Monday

  • Post
    • November 30, 2011 at 8:11 am
    piii
    Participant

    Just an update, I finished my radiation treatments and they went very well. The Interferon has been a tougher go. The chills are the worst but I will make it through. I did have another mole taken off and came back a-typical they are sending the slides to Brighan and Womens for futher study but to be honest I am not too worried about it. I will worry when they tell me it is something to worry about.

     

    Peter

    Just an update, I finished my radiation treatments and they went very well. The Interferon has been a tougher go. The chills are the worst but I will make it through. I did have another mole taken off and came back a-typical they are sending the slides to Brighan and Womens for futher study but to be honest I am not too worried about it. I will worry when they tell me it is something to worry about.

     

    Peter

Viewing 14 reply threads
  • Replies
      • November 30, 2011 at 1:02 pm
      scots
      Participant

      Peter,

      I have been where you are now.   For the chills I used a heating blanket. I went through the HD and I just finished 11 month LD of interferon 3 weeks ago.  Heating Blanket, fluids and sleep will help. Its tough but I just took one day at a time. Hang in there.  I would be happy to answer any questions based on my experience.

      scot

        • November 30, 2011 at 2:16 pm
        piii
        Participant

        Thanks for the replies. Does the month of high dose get worse before it gets better? I did start to add Advil and it helped a little bit. So I alternate every 4 hours and it did help. Doctors say I can go every 3 hours if needed.

         Peter

        • November 30, 2011 at 2:16 pm
        piii
        Participant

        Thanks for the replies. Does the month of high dose get worse before it gets better? I did start to add Advil and it helped a little bit. So I alternate every 4 hours and it did help. Doctors say I can go every 3 hours if needed.

         Peter

        • November 30, 2011 at 6:44 pm
        scots
        Participant

        For me it got worse, but it leveled out after about a week.  

        scot

        • November 30, 2011 at 6:44 pm
        scots
        Participant

        For me it got worse, but it leveled out after about a week.  

        scot

        • November 30, 2011 at 6:46 pm
        scots
        Participant

        FYI – you can check my profile. I listed anything major that happened to me in the last year.

        • November 30, 2011 at 6:46 pm
        scots
        Participant

        FYI – you can check my profile. I listed anything major that happened to me in the last year.

        • November 30, 2011 at 6:46 pm
        scots
        Participant

        FYI – you can check my profile. I listed anything major that happened to me in the last year.

        • November 30, 2011 at 6:44 pm
        scots
        Participant

        For me it got worse, but it leveled out after about a week.  

        scot

        • November 30, 2011 at 2:16 pm
        piii
        Participant

        Thanks for the replies. Does the month of high dose get worse before it gets better? I did start to add Advil and it helped a little bit. So I alternate every 4 hours and it did help. Doctors say I can go every 3 hours if needed.

         Peter

      • November 30, 2011 at 1:02 pm
      scots
      Participant

      Peter,

      I have been where you are now.   For the chills I used a heating blanket. I went through the HD and I just finished 11 month LD of interferon 3 weeks ago.  Heating Blanket, fluids and sleep will help. Its tough but I just took one day at a time. Hang in there.  I would be happy to answer any questions based on my experience.

      scot

      • November 30, 2011 at 1:02 pm
      scots
      Participant

      Peter,

      I have been where you are now.   For the chills I used a heating blanket. I went through the HD and I just finished 11 month LD of interferon 3 weeks ago.  Heating Blanket, fluids and sleep will help. Its tough but I just took one day at a time. Hang in there.  I would be happy to answer any questions based on my experience.

      scot

      • November 30, 2011 at 1:34 pm
      justlittleoleme
      Participant

      Peter,

      sounds like you and my husband have the same treatments in common.

      He is stage 3b.  He just finished radiation on 11/1 and is being randomized into the clinical trial of interferon v. ipi tomorrow.  We are thinking he will get the interferon arm so we are preparing for that.

      I am sorry to see that you are having side effects.  I am going to be watching to see what helps and what doesn't so we can learn.

      Hang tough!

      barb

      • November 30, 2011 at 1:34 pm
      justlittleoleme
      Participant

      Peter,

      sounds like you and my husband have the same treatments in common.

      He is stage 3b.  He just finished radiation on 11/1 and is being randomized into the clinical trial of interferon v. ipi tomorrow.  We are thinking he will get the interferon arm so we are preparing for that.

      I am sorry to see that you are having side effects.  I am going to be watching to see what helps and what doesn't so we can learn.

      Hang tough!

      barb

      • November 30, 2011 at 1:34 pm
      justlittleoleme
      Participant

      Peter,

      sounds like you and my husband have the same treatments in common.

      He is stage 3b.  He just finished radiation on 11/1 and is being randomized into the clinical trial of interferon v. ipi tomorrow.  We are thinking he will get the interferon arm so we are preparing for that.

      I am sorry to see that you are having side effects.  I am going to be watching to see what helps and what doesn't so we can learn.

      Hang tough!

      barb

      • November 30, 2011 at 3:41 pm
      awg
      Participant

      Peter,

      I am 6mo into my interferon treatment, scans scheduled on 12/1/11. I had all the symptoms you described on my first high dose infusion as well as with my first injection. I did not have these symptoms again ( during my treatment) until I took a break for the holiday and did not receive a injection for 6 days, needless to say the injection gave me the same symptoms as my initial first injection.

      During my high does infusion I received the following daily prior to Interferon..

      1000mL saline

      25mg Benadryl

      IV Zophran

      Oral compazine

      600mg Advil

      I also took in as much water as possible.

       

      I switched from Advil to Aleve and also noticed a difference, my Onc likes Aleve.

      I wish you well with your treatment and hope that your symptoms decrease over time.

       

      Allen

      • November 30, 2011 at 3:41 pm
      awg
      Participant

      Peter,

      I am 6mo into my interferon treatment, scans scheduled on 12/1/11. I had all the symptoms you described on my first high dose infusion as well as with my first injection. I did not have these symptoms again ( during my treatment) until I took a break for the holiday and did not receive a injection for 6 days, needless to say the injection gave me the same symptoms as my initial first injection.

      During my high does infusion I received the following daily prior to Interferon..

      1000mL saline

      25mg Benadryl

      IV Zophran

      Oral compazine

      600mg Advil

      I also took in as much water as possible.

       

      I switched from Advil to Aleve and also noticed a difference, my Onc likes Aleve.

      I wish you well with your treatment and hope that your symptoms decrease over time.

       

      Allen

      • November 30, 2011 at 3:41 pm
      awg
      Participant

      Peter,

      I am 6mo into my interferon treatment, scans scheduled on 12/1/11. I had all the symptoms you described on my first high dose infusion as well as with my first injection. I did not have these symptoms again ( during my treatment) until I took a break for the holiday and did not receive a injection for 6 days, needless to say the injection gave me the same symptoms as my initial first injection.

      During my high does infusion I received the following daily prior to Interferon..

      1000mL saline

      25mg Benadryl

      IV Zophran

      Oral compazine

      600mg Advil

      I also took in as much water as possible.

       

      I switched from Advil to Aleve and also noticed a difference, my Onc likes Aleve.

      I wish you well with your treatment and hope that your symptoms decrease over time.

       

      Allen

      • December 1, 2011 at 9:37 am
      piii
      Participant

      Thanks for the info. I did much better last night. The first dose was the worse, I am not getting as sick as they go on. Hope that it the trend for me. its good to share with all of you I do want to say the nurses and Doc's at the cancer center have been great and they are always in a good mood, welcome me with a smile and makes the treatment easier to go through.

       

      Peter

      • December 1, 2011 at 9:37 am
      piii
      Participant

      Thanks for the info. I did much better last night. The first dose was the worse, I am not getting as sick as they go on. Hope that it the trend for me. its good to share with all of you I do want to say the nurses and Doc's at the cancer center have been great and they are always in a good mood, welcome me with a smile and makes the treatment easier to go through.

       

      Peter

      • December 1, 2011 at 9:37 am
      piii
      Participant

      Thanks for the info. I did much better last night. The first dose was the worse, I am not getting as sick as they go on. Hope that it the trend for me. its good to share with all of you I do want to say the nurses and Doc's at the cancer center have been great and they are always in a good mood, welcome me with a smile and makes the treatment easier to go through.

       

      Peter

      • December 1, 2011 at 12:06 pm
      fdess056
      Participant

      Peter, i too had radiation followed by Interferon.  The 1st few days were tough…rigors, fever, muscle aches, etc but it  got much better as time went on.  I was able to drive myself 30 miles each way for the IV treatment. I recommend drinking lots and lots of water.  Saline was also added to my IV along with anti-nausea medication.  I carried a  water bottle wherever I went and sipped from it all day long.  Later on fatigue got to be a problem but since I'm lucky enough to work from home i was able to deal with it.  Everyone responds differently and it can be a difficult treatment but Iit can be tolerated.  Good luck with your treatment

      FrankD

      • December 1, 2011 at 12:06 pm
      fdess056
      Participant

      Peter, i too had radiation followed by Interferon.  The 1st few days were tough…rigors, fever, muscle aches, etc but it  got much better as time went on.  I was able to drive myself 30 miles each way for the IV treatment. I recommend drinking lots and lots of water.  Saline was also added to my IV along with anti-nausea medication.  I carried a  water bottle wherever I went and sipped from it all day long.  Later on fatigue got to be a problem but since I'm lucky enough to work from home i was able to deal with it.  Everyone responds differently and it can be a difficult treatment but Iit can be tolerated.  Good luck with your treatment

      FrankD

      • December 1, 2011 at 12:06 pm
      fdess056
      Participant

      Peter, i too had radiation followed by Interferon.  The 1st few days were tough…rigors, fever, muscle aches, etc but it  got much better as time went on.  I was able to drive myself 30 miles each way for the IV treatment. I recommend drinking lots and lots of water.  Saline was also added to my IV along with anti-nausea medication.  I carried a  water bottle wherever I went and sipped from it all day long.  Later on fatigue got to be a problem but since I'm lucky enough to work from home i was able to deal with it.  Everyone responds differently and it can be a difficult treatment but Iit can be tolerated.  Good luck with your treatment

      FrankD

Viewing 14 reply threads

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