Ethyol Shots

Greetings to all,

 My hubby had been taking the Ethyol shots daily before radiation treatments.  However over the past week it made him pretty sick so today the Dr. decided that we will discontinue using it.

What I am wondering from anyone who has had this shot is this: Does the 4 weeks that he WAS able to take the shot make a difference in the outcome later?  I am just wondering if he will receive any benefit from it at all or no since he is cutting it out two weeks earlier than we expected?  Did anyone else out there NOT manage to keep taking it?  I hope we aren't making a mistake but he just felt way too crappy when he got it.

 And how is everyone out there in cancerland? Two weeks to go here, I am counting down the days!!!

On 5/13/2008 g8orgal79 wrote:

Greetings to all,

 My hubby had been taking the Ethyol shots daily before radiation treatments.  However over the past week it made him pretty sick so today the Dr. decided that we will discontinue using it.

What I am wondering from anyone who has had this shot is this: Does the 4 weeks that he WAS able to take the shot make a difference in the outcome later?  I am just wondering if he will receive any benefit from it at all or no since he is cutting it out two weeks earlier than we expected?  Did anyone else out there NOT manage to keep taking it?  I hope we aren't making a mistake but he just felt way too crappy when he got it.

 And how is everyone out there in cancerland? Two weeks to go here, I am counting down the day

 

What type of cancer does he have? I had tongue base cancer & was to take 2 shots before radiation to not kill the saliva glands. The shot made me tried and then I got a reaction from it & they had to stop it. My saliva glands were destroyed and I have bad dry mouth. Blessing to him. Debi

 

 

On 5/13/2008 g8orgal79 wrote:

Greetings to all,

 My hubby had been taking the Ethyol shots daily before radiation treatments.  However over the past week it made him pretty sick so today the Dr. decided that we will discontinue using it.

What I am wondering from anyone who has had this shot is this: Does the 4 weeks that he WAS able to take the shot make a difference in the outcome later?  I am just wondering if he will receive any benefit from it at all or no since he is cutting it out two weeks earlier than we expected?  Did anyone else out there NOT manage to keep taking it?  I hope we aren't making a mistake but he just felt way too crappy when he got it.

 And how is everyone out there in cancerland? Two weeks to go here, I am counting down the days!!!

 

Hi G8,

I was treated in Jan - Feb of 07 for SCC stage 3. I was treated for 35 treatments with IMRT / IGRT and cisplatin then carboplatin and taxotere.  As part of my treatment, I started out with daily shots of Amophostine or Ethyol. As for the effectiveness of it my doc thought it would help ... three other docs I got opinions with didn't recommend it. Unfortunately, I had a very severe & particularly brutal allergic reaction after my 9th day of treatment and discontinued the ethyol. I currently have very little saliva loss and my doc attributes it to the partial ethyol dosage helping. I also took nutrients and vitamins throughout the treatment. I was told Ethyol is a synthetic anti-oxidant  so felt the concern for taking vitamins during chemo was unjustified. I didn't take them the day of chemo per information I researched. Make sure he takes good care of his mouth now and later. This next 3-4 weeks will be the hardest, but goes by quick by focusing on the finish line and getting back to a normal life again

I wouldn't concern yourself too much over whether 4 weeks was enough. He has taken two more weeks of it then I had and I believe it helped me. Many people aren't offered that option due to their own health or their doctor's preferences. If your hubby keeps his nutrition up and swallowing action active, and you try to be positive and keep his spirits focused on getting through the treatment you two will have done the most important thing. And that is to fight this thing with every thing you can with the goal of what happens on the other end of treatment. He and you will get through this, as have my wife and I and many many others. 

May the both of you find strength in your love, hope in your hearts and godspeed in your recovery.

Matt 

Same story for me. I did ok w/ the ethyol shots until the last 8 or 9 treatments. Then I started getting really sick, so I stopped them. I don't think it made any difference at all in the outcome.

-Blessings,

Rick

On 5/13/2008 g8orgal79 wrote:

Greetings to all,

 My hubby had been taking the Ethyol shots daily before radiation treatments.  However over the past week it made him pretty sick so today the Dr. decided that we will discontinue using it.

What I am wondering from anyone who has had this shot is this: Does the 4 weeks that he WAS able to take the shot make a difference in the outcome later?  I am just wondering if he will receive any benefit from it at all or no since he is cutting it out two weeks earlier than we expected?  Did anyone else out there NOT manage to keep taking it?  I hope we aren't making a mistake but he just felt way too crappy when he got it.

 And how is everyone out there in cancerland? Two weeks to go here, I am counting down the days!!!