Karen's Experience
Karen, a YCS board member, submitted the following experience about her
husband Mark:
CODOX-M-IVAC, a sequence of: cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, doxorubicin, etoposide, ifosfamide, leucovorin, methotrexate, vincristine
In general terms, this is a very strong, tough chemo regimen. However, it is highly effective for many cases of Burkitt's lymphoma - considered a death sentence 10 or so years ago. Sometimes the entire sequence must be given in the hospital, including staying in the hospital between components.
Mark almost immediately became "loopy," cold, tired, etc. when he started the first doses. Getting chemo directly into the spine (and thus, brain) greatly contributes to chemo brain. The time in-between the first CODOX and M (methotrexate), we stayed with my in-laws. Mark slept with piles of blankets on him since he was absolutely freezing, and he could barely get up at all between the extreme fatigue and the headaches from the lumbar punctures. In the first weeks, he didn't eat much at all, and he lost a lot of weight. Mark was extremely nauseous at times, but he didn't throw up (which makes no sense). The methotrexate was particularly difficult to deal with - he was very nauseous, got mouth sores, and even hallucinated a bit at times.
The amounts of steroids he was on during the treatment made him break out (increasing the risk of a route of infection) and start swelling in his face. Some of the chemos caused mouth sores, making eating extremely difficult, particularly because Mark was not a fan of "squishy" foods like oatmeal, pudding, or soups. "Magical Mouthwash" (which contained lidocaine and other topical numbing drugs) applied shortly before eating greatly helped Mark's ability to get down at least some food and drink with less pain.