Food Diary Week One W/C 12th June

I've read all the literature including the self help remedies. It's suggested if bloating or diarrhoea is a side effect to keep a food diary which will help identify triggers foods.

Where else should I record it, but here, all in one handy place!

12th June B - spring onion omelette L - egg mayonnaise sandwich on wholemeal bread D - chicken & vegetable stir-fry with hoi sin sauce and egg noodles

13th June B - grapefruit L - grilled bacon sandwich, wholemeal bread D - cottage pie, peas & broccoli and 2 muller fat free yogurt

14th June B - fruit salad L - savoury rice and salad D - fish fingers, waffles and beans

15th June B - scrambled egg on toast L - chicken pie, mash & peas D - pizza

16th June B - grapefruit L - nothing D - Chilli-con-carne and rice

17th June B - fruit and fibre cereal L - apple D - Roast beef, trimmings, fruit salad

18th June B - Scrambled eggs and wholemeal pitta bread L - apple D - Chilli, pasta and salad, muller fat free yogurt

 

All Systems Go!

Had the all clear from the clinic today. Blood tests were fine, and the CT scan showed what it needed to show and nothing extra. No little Ted's! 


If you want to see how happy I am, I posted this on my other blog


This means the way is clear for me to start on the Sorce Trial of Sorafenib!


Today I had more bloods drawn as I gave permission for its analysis along with the cancerous kidney to help with another study. My blood pressure was 132/80 and I'm good to go.


I know I said I wasn't going to read the list of side effects, but I've been advised it's a legal requirement. They are:-


Common

• Hand/Foot skin reactions
• Rash
• High Blood Pressure
• Sore or sensitive tongue or mouth
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain, cramping or bloating
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite which may lead to weight loss

And Less Common

• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Hair thinning or patchy hair loss
• Hoarse voice

So some things to look out for. And if I don't suffer from any of these, doesn't mean I'm in the placebo group. Everyone reacts differently. My Nurse explained she had people on a previous study who felt they weren't on the drug but were and visa versa. I'm going into this with the view I won't have any, glass half full you see!


My blood pressure needs to be recorded every week too, been given a machine to take it myself. Already had a play, very easy to use. Have a funny feeling I may, for a while, be using it more often until the novelty wears off.


I'm to take two tablets every day for the next three weeks, either an hour before food or two hours after, ideally the same time each day. The plan will be to increase the dosage to two pills, twice a day, 12 hours apart. All depends on how I react to the medication.


I'm getting a lot of support from the trial nurse, have numbers to call if the self help remedies I've been given don't work, 24/7


Next appointment is Tuesday 3rd of July, must remember to get a blood taken the day before. If all is well, my next batch of tablets will be prescribed and released.


All in all, a productive day. I take the first dose tonight.


Wish me luck!

Oh, I am an idiot!

I can't believe what a plonker I've been!

I had an appointment today with the consultant who took my gallbladder out two weeks ago. My gallbladder or Geoff as he's been affectionately labelled, is the reason my kidney tumour, or Ted, was found. I was having a lot of pain and the ultrasound to confirm gallbladder issues, found Ted.

To start on this trial, I needed to either have Geoff out ASAP or wait for at least six weeks after starting and go for it then. Sorafenib can make healing a little difficult, so this makes sense. Geoff was causing me a lot of pain, so had to come out and my private health insurance came into play quite nicely!

At the appointment today he asked about the trial and kept talking about chemotherapy. I kept repeating (and correcting) saying drugs trial.

When I got home, it finally dawned on me that Sofafenib is actually a chemotherapy drug! What an idiot!

Makes me almost wish I'm in the placebo or control group!

Gulp