Ciprofloxacin

Mum thinks it is the Ciprofloxacin that is causing her dizziness and we will check this on Monday with the Consultant. She has to take one tablet twice a day and she feels that when she is in between doses, she feels better.

At this stage in the cycle, Mum is at risk of infection and this drug is prescribed to reduce that risk.

Ciprofloxacin (INN) is a synthetic chemotherapeutic antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone drug class^. It is a second-generation fluoroquinolone antibacterial. It kills bacteria by interfering with the enzymes that cause DNA to rewind after being copied, which stops synthesis of DNA and of protein.

Source - Wikipedia

Not very good today

Just spoken with Mum on the phone and she is feeling very dizzy and shaky when she gets up. It sounds like she isn't eating much either. I am worried that even what she tells me is minimised. Anyway, she is staying in bed at the moment and has some walking sticks to hand if she gets up.

I don't know if this is normal; as we are in the first cycle, everything is all still new. I will have loads of questions for the consultant on Monday!

Two of Mum's friends are visiting Sunday and I have sent her a copy of my latest CD so hopefully things will cheer up for her. Kimberly is back from is holiday tomorrow as well so hopefully he will get chance to pop in too.

Diet

Mum is still feeling a bit shaky and it sounds like she isn't eating much. This worries me a bit and I am trying to encourage her to eat and drink plenty. This was stressed at the last meeting with her consultant. She is moving into the 'high risk of infection' part of the cycle now so it is important she stays healthy.

I am going down again on Monday to take her to the next routine appointment and hopefully that will go well. I am telephoning her two or three times a day so if anything is needed I can respond quickly.

Toilet humour?

Just been on the phone with Mum and there is relief in the house... The motions are in motion again and the toilet has been used several times!

After the first Chemo cycle

Mum had her first Chemo treatment on Thursday 21st July 2011. I went with her to see her consultant haematologist Dr. W Mumar-Bashi yesterday, This was a routine appointment after her first treatment.

The news was encouraging. It was previously suggested that she also had Myeloma (which is not easily treated) and it has now been confirmed that she has High Grade Large B Cell Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. This is much more easily treated and even after the first Chemo, her lymph nodes have reduced.

She had a bone marrow biopsy and this proved clear. Her blood count is good for now but this will probably drop over the next few days. She still has a high calcium level at 2.9 and the reason for this is currently unknown. If it doesn't reduce, she will be further referred to an Endocrinologist.

She finished her steroids yesterday and is a little constipated so she has been prescribed Senokot (a stimulant) and Magnesium Hydrozide (a softener) to help her with her bowel movements.

She is also on Ondansetron to help prevent sickness and this seems to be working as she hasn't actually been sick yet.

As her blood count starts to drop, she will be at risk of infection and so to protect her she is taking Ciprofloxacin.

The beginning

Mum has been ill for a few months and then she started to feel a bit better. We all took her for a birthday meal on 22nd June 2011 and all seemed well.

She had been referred by her GP to a consultant haematologist Dr. W Mumar-Bashi. He had received the results of her CT scan and she has the following challenges:

• Lymphoma.

• A small cyst on her liver - but this is not uncommon
   
• An ovary cyst which will be the subject of an ultrasound scan this week.

• An hiatus hernia which is currently under consideration.

The prognosis is this:

There is a 75% success rate in the Chemotherapy Treatment.
If successful, there is then a 40% chance that she will not relapse within 5 years.