Time Marches On
Yes, I've gotten out of the habit of posting; in part because I'm uncertain how much I can say about the trial. And, I'm afraid, as a creature of habit, going without my laptop for all that time this spring broke my daily routine - I don't check my email daily; I don't read the online newspapers; I don't post to my blogs; I don't read my friends' blogs consistently. I'll try to be better about it ...
Monday's trip to Cleveland, the third treatment in the second cycle, brought an interesting observation. I can't predict how I will react to the Benadryl dose at all! I was deeply asleep moments after the stuff was administered, and stayed deeply asleep for the afternoon; it carried over as aching dopiness into Tuesday afternoon. I really dislike being subjected to that level of disorientation. But, having heard a description of reaction to the trial medication unmitigated by Benadryl, the discomfort is quite bearable by comparison. According to Nurse Vicki, the pre-meds were added to the protocol after several patients experienced wild fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate, and respiratory distress of a frightening magnitude. She said, "It took two hours each to stabilize the two patients here who suffered from these reactions, and we don't ever want patient and family to have to go through that if we can help it."
I'd love to know more about how health professionals, the companies, the NIH and the FDA negotiate changes to the protocol as a clinical trial progresses. I'll be doing a little poking about; if I can find anything out I'll pass it along.
Shades of the past: We finally got barn swallows to nest in the tractor shed this year. Yesterday the first two of the brood fledged, following their parents to perch on the house gutters while the adults hunted. Last night at dusk Saint H and I were sitting on the front porch glider, watching them dive-bomb outside kitty Jezebel as she came from the barn to join us on the porch. When I was growing up, we always knew when indoor/outdoor cat Denny was coming back to the house by the dive-bombing barn swallows. I've been waiting for a long time to see this again!
Monday's trip to Cleveland, the third treatment in the second cycle, brought an interesting observation. I can't predict how I will react to the Benadryl dose at all! I was deeply asleep moments after the stuff was administered, and stayed deeply asleep for the afternoon; it carried over as aching dopiness into Tuesday afternoon. I really dislike being subjected to that level of disorientation. But, having heard a description of reaction to the trial medication unmitigated by Benadryl, the discomfort is quite bearable by comparison. According to Nurse Vicki, the pre-meds were added to the protocol after several patients experienced wild fluctuations in blood pressure and heart rate, and respiratory distress of a frightening magnitude. She said, "It took two hours each to stabilize the two patients here who suffered from these reactions, and we don't ever want patient and family to have to go through that if we can help it."
I'd love to know more about how health professionals, the companies, the NIH and the FDA negotiate changes to the protocol as a clinical trial progresses. I'll be doing a little poking about; if I can find anything out I'll pass it along.
Shades of the past: We finally got barn swallows to nest in the tractor shed this year. Yesterday the first two of the brood fledged, following their parents to perch on the house gutters while the adults hunted. Last night at dusk Saint H and I were sitting on the front porch glider, watching them dive-bomb outside kitty Jezebel as she came from the barn to join us on the porch. When I was growing up, we always knew when indoor/outdoor cat Denny was coming back to the house by the dive-bombing barn swallows. I've been waiting for a long time to see this again!
Labels: clinical trial, farm, nature, side effects
posted by rcclive at
6:44 AM
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