Today they are starting this antibiotic on Mr. T.......and I am not looking forward to it! It's a horrible drug. The reason they are giving it to him....is because the antibiotic he is now taking is not working.....he continues to get fevers every evening. 2 years ago Mr. T ended up in ICU with kidney damage because of this drug. It doesn't matter if I brought him tons of warm blankets...he would still shake so bad complaining of fever and chills.
Amphotericin-B
Amphotericin-B (AM-fo-TER-eh-sin Bee)[Fungizone/Bristol-Myers Squibb]: - an antibiotic drug derived from chemical byproducts of the soil bacterium Streptomyces nodosus. Amphotericin-B has for some years been the standard treatment drug for only the most serious fungal opportunistic infections seen in AIDS, especially against diseases such as
cryptococcal meningitis or
aspergillosis. Ampho-B is generally given intravenously, by slow IV drip, and though it is usually extremely effective against these deadly fungal infections, it is also incredibly toxic, its terrible, almost legendary, side effects of chills and fever earning it the moniker "shake and bake" among People with AIDS. Other side effects of IV Ampho-B include kidney damage, anemia (low red blood cell counts), disturbance of the blood's balance of
electrolytes, severe nausea, vomiting, and occasional phlebitis (pain/inflammation of the vein at the injection site). Premedication regimens (using Benadryl, Tylenol, Demerol, and one of the corticosteroid drugs) may reduce some of these side effects, but cannot eliminate them entirely.
Oh what a night he had! He shook so bad even with so many blankets on....but that's the drug! And still he had a fever of 38.8. They had given him more benadryl and gravol.
It may be hard to see but he actually had 7 bags hanging from the I.V. pole. He had to have a bolus as well for his kidneys. With the amphoteracine b....they have to watch his kidneys....make sure he is well hydrated.
He also had platelets before they started this terrible drug.
His hair is starting to fall out and it really bugs him....especially when you get a hair in your drink or in your food....or up your nose! This weekend his Uncle will come up and shave his head. When you lose your hair from chemo....it usually falls out in clumps. Most of the kids shave their heads so that it doesn't look too terrible when it falls out.
To think he will have this drug for 2 more nights. They just gave him ondanestron to counter the nausea....but still he threw up everything he had all day. I dumped out the first bowl and had to get him another one.
Hemoglobin is 78*
Platelets are 18*
Neutro-polys are 0.00*
Hopefully he can get some sleep tonight.
The past 2 days have been very difficult. Mr. T has had a lot of bone pain in his arms and legs....caused by the chemo....high potassium levels....and nausea. He's had a lot of terrible medications.....like vancomysin, ondanesetron, benadryl, tylenol, gravol, 'shake n bake' and more!
