Cycle 1 Week 1 Day 1 Carfilzomib - First Dose of Carfilzomib and No Heart Attack - October 30 2012

Shirley Olsen and I arrived at St. Luke's Hospital MSTI about 1 1/2 hours late for my appointment. I was immediately taken back for my labs. 

My white blood cell count is good at 4.8 (norms 4.5-11); platelets good at 151 (norms 140-440) and hemoglobin good at 12.8 (norms 12-15).

My creatinine (kidney function test) is still too high at 1.21 (norms 0.52-1.04). I'm not going to worry because my BUN is normal at 14 (norms 5-17). and BUN to Creatinine Ratio is normal at 12 (norms10-20).

My LDH was even higher today than last week - NOT GOOD. LDH 1,046 (norms 313-618). Last week was 993.

RN Janae got my IV started on the first poke and it didn't hurt at all. I was given intravenous dex 20 mg, followed by fluids, followed by my 1st dose of Carfilzomib, and then more fluids.

When the IV was completed, the nurse put heparin flush in my IV and sent me on my way since I have to have a second dose 24 hours later - tomorrow at 11 AM. We (especially me) are all hopeful that the IV will last through the night until tomorrow.

Shirley and I checked in to the Quality Inn in Twin Falls, Idaho for the night. I don't feel one bit different and I didn't have a heart attack from the first dose (a real possibility for some 7 percent of the patients on Carfilzomid in the past). 

It has been so nice to have Shirley along for the company. 

Took my first does of Revimid 10 mg tonight. As instructed, I do not handle the Revlimid capsules.

 So, that meant that I had to start back on Fragmin 15,000 unit injections in my stomach again - OH JOY~ Remember Revlimid can cause blood clots...and I was on daily Fragmin injections for 9 months from 2 Nov 2011 to 1 August 2012 for a blood clot in the right atrium of my heart...so, I'm no stranger to these shots. I'll stop the 81 mg of aspirin that I have been taking.