Ulcers, leukeran

[JMM]

Mikey is doing about the same...

He vomited up what looked like coffee grounds today, so I called his internist. She is starting him on Pepcid for a couple weeks. We also decided we might as well wean him off the dex and try leukeran. We'll do a week of Pepcid, then start Leukeran and wean the dex. She'll see him in 3 weeks (after 2 weeks of leukeran) for a recheck, CBC, and he'll probably be due for liver values then.

She warned me the leukeran will knock out his immune system again and can have GI side effects. Anything else I should know? (I've handled it before so no big deal there).

[Traci]

It carries the same risks as any other cytotoxic drug. Frankly, I'm surprised she wants to start him on Leukeran when he already has some obvious stomach or GI issues (was there blood in his vomitus?)

[JMM]

Just one episode of the coffee ground stuff (so we're assuming he has an ulcer)...His vomiting is actually decreased right now...he's just very skinny and still having his other GI issues.

We're waiting 1-2 weeks to start the Leukeran as she wants his ulcer to have time to heal (we added in pepcid again).

This is certainly not a first or even second or third choice drug for him...but I don't want him wasting away and being uncomfortable either. We might as well give it a try. Worst case it rushes the decision...