Chemo Pills

It's now been 4 weeks that I've been taking the chemo pills.  The name of the pills is Votrient (Pazopanib).  I take 4 every night.  I was scared to death to first take them.  The unknown is why.  I was given the paper with the side effects, but it's different with each unique person.  After the 1st day and week, for that matter, there were really no side effects.  But  now that I'm 4 weeks into it I do have side effects that I would like to write about.

This is going to be very personal, so if you don't want to read any further, I understand.  Diarrhea is the biggest side effect that I'm having right now.  It may just be how it is.  I stay pretty close to home most of the time.  But if I'm out and about I travel with an emergency bag. The essentials that I may need in case I don't quite make it in time to the bathroom.  The biggest problem with that is that I'm so sore!  Need I say more?  I didn't think so.

Just this week I've noticed how sensitive my fingers are.  I was drying off after a shower and the towel felt so rough.  When I dry my hands off after washing my hands it's very uncomfortable.  The ends of my fingers are very warm and a deeper color than the rest of my hands.  My feet have never been the same since my other two bouts with chemo.  They are just getting worse.  It's really hard to describe.  It's almost like they are numb but yet they aren't.  Sometimes it feels like there are little pins in them.  It's hard to make my toes curl up.  It's just a very weird feeling.

My gums are so sour.  When I brush I have to be so gentle.  I've got to find a different toothpaste.  Something that's not so hot.  It feels like my mouth is on fire.  The inside of my mouth feels like I ate something too hot and I got burned.  It's also changed my  taste buds.  Food tastes so different.  It's just not as enjoyable to eat.  Then I've really got heart burn.  I'm having to be very picky about what I eat.  The chemo pills enhance and intensify with some heart burn medications.  I just started a medication my oncologist said I could try.  I just to take it opposite from when I take the chemo pills.  I take the chemo pills at night and I take the heart burn medication in the morning.

Tiredness is another thing I'm experiencing.  I'm up at night running (walking fast) to the bathroom a lot and that goes on all day.  If it's not that it's heart burn.  My energy level is much lower than usual. The longer I'm on these pills I wonder if all these side effects will get worse or just level out.  I don't know yet.  I am scheduled for my next CT scan in October so I guess it depends on that scan to see just how long I'll be on these pills.

To sum it all up,  it feels like I'm being cooked from the inside out.  My skin feels so dry.  My face has never been dry but now I'm putting on a lot more lotion.  I sure hope that these things won't get worse.  Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful that I am fortunate enough to take these chemo pills.  I'm so grateful for my doctors and for the Huntsman Cancer Institute. I'm not complaining.  I just wanted to make a record of the side effects from this medication.