Tuesday, November 28, 2006

a wild ride

Boy, Herceptin is a trip. One moment I was fine, the next I was flopping around like a fish with chattering teeth (I know that fish don't have teeth. I just mean that I was shaking uncontrollably and my limbs were jerking around). This lasted for several minutes.

It was one of the most bizarre experiences of my life.

They used Demerol to stop the shaking. A lot of Demerol. I was very happy.

Then they told me I was running a fever.


After examining me and deciding there was no sign of an infection that could be causing the fever, the doctor decided that treatment could proceed.

We were at the hospital for eight long hours.

Apparently these are not uncommon side effects of Herceptin and that I am less likely to experience them next time.

That's good news. I liked the Demerol but I really didn't like the convulsing.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey - you were not wrong with that analogy! according to the national aquarium in the u.k., fish have teeth - look:

"There are many species of fish feeding on many different things. this is reflected in the diversity of their teeth. In fishes, teeth may be distributed throughout the oral cavity and pharynx - on the jaws, palate, tongue and some of the branchial arches. They are directed inwards and serve to anchor prey. All teeth of most fishes and primitive tetrapods have a similar shape, a condition called HOMODONT. The shape depends on how the teeth are used. In most fishes they are simple cones and function to prevent slippery prey from escaping."

now, it doesn't answer the question of whether their teeth chatter, but you were on safe ground.

(it's so much easier to spend time acquiring useless knowledge about marine biology than it is to think about what you're going through).

xox.

a.