Hi Bonnie,

My husband is receiving amifostine and so far has gotten it for two weeks (10 doses) with no problems whatsoever!

Here's his routine: Checks in at MO 2-1/2 hours before his RO appointment. They take his blood pressure and start IV saline going at a rate of 500 ml/hour. After about an hour of fluids he receives 100 mg of anzamet (anti-nausea medication) and then dexamethasone (steroid). The dex has been tapered slowly over the course of the 10 weeks. He started at 20, then 10, 8, 6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 2, 2. This week he will probably stay at 2 all week since he isn't having any side effects. He then receives the rest of the liter of IV fluids over the second hour. About one hour before he is to go to radiation he receives 0.5 mg of Ativan (lorazepam) to help with anxiety in the radiation mask. They keep pumping in saline during all this time. 15 minutes before his radiation appointment they push the amifostine (200 mg/m2) into the IV over 30 seconds. (the recommenation from the drug company is to give it over 3 minutes but they have found less nausea if the drug is given more quickly). They have Mike lie back while they give the amifostine. They check his BP after 5 minutes, which usually drops about 10 points both diastolic and systolic, but nothing serious. Then he walks over to RO and gets zapped.

This has worked wonderfully well for him so far (knock on wood) and he hasn't had any bad problems with nausea, low BP, rash or anything from the Ethyol. Note that this is a very time-consuming process. We are at the MO office for 2-3 hours then RO for 30 minutes every weekday. But it is working! The other downside is that he had to have a port-a-cath placed in his chest, though he didn't have any problems with this and actually likes having it because he doesn't have to get stuck for blood draws, IV fluids, or anything like that.

Whichever method the doctors choose (IV or injection), I would ask about the anti-nausea drugs anzamet and also aloxi. The aloxi lasts a long time so is useful to take on Fridays when you have the weekend ahead of you.

Good luck!!

Tricia