The Results of the Experiment!

Hi!

After one month on less Octreotide, the doctor and I have reached a conclusion. I will gradually resume using two shots per day of Octreotide at home until I can reach a happy balance that removes the dyspepsia and the weakness from too much Octreotide, but avoids the diarrhea and sweaty heat from the tumor!

Now, how will we achieve this perfect balance, you ask? For one month I have been taking just one 200 mcg shot per day about 10 am. I will begin to add in another 200 mcg about 10 pm on Mondays and Thursdays, and then do 3 shots per week. Maybe 4 nighttime shots per week will do the trick.

It is important to note that when my tumor is putting the chemicals into my bloodstream that make me sick, it is probably growing more capillaries, also. Octreotide works by decreasing the capillaries that supply carcinoid tumors. Therefore, when the level of the medicine gets too low in my body, my tumor might be growing.

In general, when I first decreased my shots at home, I felt stronger! I was going up and down the incline at the Grove Theatre where we have church without my cane. I even had my friend Raquel take my arm to walk down the aisle to her seat. Also, my upset stomach  went away after a week. (It was just dyspepsia. My stomach felt unsettled and some days I lost my appetite until after 12 noon.)

However, after 3 weeks of less medication, the cancer symptoms came back. I have had diarrhea on several days and the weakness that continues after it.  Plus, I can't go many places. And I get covered in sweat typically after 9 pm, when the medication in my bloodstream decreases. So the amount of medication needs to go back up, gradually.

Welchol still works for me! Thank God! See my other posts for what it does.

For patients who want to know the number of milligrams of Octreotide we are talking about, here goes: (200 micrograms is 0.2 milligrams)

0.2 mg aqueous shot at home every day
20 mg LAR February 14
0.2mg aqueous shot at home every day
20 mg LAR February 28

That is a total of 46 mg per month. I had been taking 52 mg per month by taking 2 shots at home per day. Now I have to figure out if 48 mg, 49 mg, etc., is the best amount for me.

This is something where prayer can be very effective so that God guides me to select the best amount of medication. Thank you for your prayers!

Love,
Sharon