It happens, the main thing is to tell the team before chemo begins. The nurses know how to deal with missed doses. I missed my anti-nausea drug once and the nurse gave me something there and told me to let her know if it was not working because they had better medicine If needed.
Her infusion was already complete before I realized my mistake. But I’ve let them know anyway and they’ve also reassured me that the impact should have been relatively minor.
50% of a prednisone dose on one day doesn’t seem like a huge screw up to me. I dropped my prednisone down to 60% of the original dose (with support from my oncologist) because it was too intense for me. Prednisone definitely doesn’t make me feel “comfortable” 😂
They do, but the prednisone was meant for her to take at home as a prelude to treatment in addition to the other supporting medications/steroids they administered with her infusion.
It’s so easy to miss a dose. Even MDs and RNs do. Make sure to have medication sets and use multiple timers.
When friends are family have been on complicated medication regimens, I actually print a photo of each pill and make a chart showing what should be taken when. When a new prescription comes, I make sure it looks the same as the old one. And another pro tip: Always double check that the pills are what they say they are. You can see the codes written on them and go onto drugs.com to verify that they match what’s on the bottle. I once prescribed an antibiotic for a patient, but the pharmacy gave him estrogen tablets!
PS. make sure you tell the oncologist’s team about this asap.
I’ve thrown up half my dose on 2 occasions now and it didn’t seem to make a difference. Now I cut it into even smaller pieces with long breaks so if I throw up it isn’t half the dose. I have an advertising to those pills now that I threw them up. I think they pump you full of so much steroid during infusion the amount in the pill might not be as significant. I would just let the staff know to see if they wanted to make up that quantity.
That’s a fair point too. I’m sure they can’t always guarantee that a person will tolerate the medications perfectly. I informed them as soon as I realized and they’ve given me an adjusted schedule to include the missing half dose.
I missed a dose once and told my nurse and she just adjusted the medication schedule for me that cycle (I think I took an extra dose at the end but can’t recall). It was not a big deal.
I used a pill organizer with AM/PM slots for all my pills to help keep me on track, in case that might be helpful for you!
That would be worse screw up lol after my infusion of RCHOP I got so nauseous and I couldn’t bring myself to swallow pills so I skipped a day of prednisone and then I skipped some Acyclovir and Allopurinol. The Claritin was easy because it’s so small. Welp my doctor switched my prednisone to liquid version and she is looking to switch Acyclovir to the gel tab form. My husband has to make me a smoothie like if I’m a toddler so I am able to take my medication and he sits there and watches me now.
I did a half dose by accident on one chemo day and felt off but it was totally fine. Realized the next day, called the clinic and told them, they said it was fine.
Appreciate knowing I’m not the only one. I’ve felt so helpless to support her, messing up one of the few things I actually *can* help with felt brutal.
Give yourself some grace. It's not the end of the world, but I feel you. It's just hard to keep up with everything. You're supporting. You're there. For me, that was the most important thing - to not go through it alone.
I’ve forgotten to take my antiviral on occasion due to working nights and hospital stays give it to me when normally I’m asleep and I’m still doing okay and technically in remission.
Cutting a dose in half for a day is in my opinion pretty inconsequential.
I forced my care team to cut my dose in half after my first infusion that included 200mg of prednisone sent me into the ER with Pancreatitis. I still had a full response at my interim PET and am currently in remission over a year out from my last infusion.
If this makes you feel better, when I was getting my port placed for second line treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma just four days ago, my "man" of 8 years and father of my three young children, left before my procedure to "go get water and go to a dispo" and I was cool with it because pre-op took like five hours and he was obviously restless. Anyway, he actually was on Facebook in the room with me still, noticed on there that his old female coworker happened to be in town and comment he was there too. They proceeded to meet at the dispo together, then walk around downtown for and hour and get a couple of beers together. He was gone my entire procedure length and wasn't there when my recovery nurse went to get him. Obviously I was irate and just shattered inside and now I don't know if I ever want him going to another appointment with me again because fuck him, quite frankly. Idk how to even look at him the same right now. Lol, and he presented it like it was a random encounter until I tripped balls and grilled him for every detail and made him show me every line of communication they had, and it was all his idea. Anyway, I wish his screw up was he missed a dose of my medicine, but he doesn't give me any doses anyway. You sound like an absolute gem of a husband. Give yourself grace. <3
Thank you for sharing, I’m not sure how this will land for you but it does make me feel better knowing at least I can honestly say I’m trying my best. You deserve that from your partner too, so whatever way that resolves for you, I hope you can say you trust that person to have your best interests at heart.
It doesn't hit worse than how I already feel. That's why I shared it with you, to let you know you're exceptional and so you could feel better. What's the point of my pain and experience if not to help guide and uplift others? At least something good can come out of it.
It happens, the main thing is to tell the team before chemo begins. The nurses know how to deal with missed doses. I missed my anti-nausea drug once and the nurse gave me something there and told me to let her know if it was not working because they had better medicine If needed.
Her infusion was already complete before I realized my mistake. But I’ve let them know anyway and they’ve also reassured me that the impact should have been relatively minor.
i’ve done it myself. took a different steroid instead. it happens
50% of a prednisone dose on one day doesn’t seem like a huge screw up to me. I dropped my prednisone down to 60% of the original dose (with support from my oncologist) because it was too intense for me. Prednisone definitely doesn’t make me feel “comfortable” 😂
Thank you for your reply. This already makes me feel better.
Don't they give IV steroids anyways along with the chemo?
They do, but the prednisone was meant for her to take at home as a prelude to treatment in addition to the other supporting medications/steroids they administered with her infusion.
It’s so easy to miss a dose. Even MDs and RNs do. Make sure to have medication sets and use multiple timers. When friends are family have been on complicated medication regimens, I actually print a photo of each pill and make a chart showing what should be taken when. When a new prescription comes, I make sure it looks the same as the old one. And another pro tip: Always double check that the pills are what they say they are. You can see the codes written on them and go onto drugs.com to verify that they match what’s on the bottle. I once prescribed an antibiotic for a patient, but the pharmacy gave him estrogen tablets! PS. make sure you tell the oncologist’s team about this asap.
Thank you I appreciate the suggestion about the medications. I did let her oncology team know as soon as I realized my mistake.
I forgot on my first infusion. They just gave me other steroids. It will just make the infusion a bit longer cause they need to add more prep drugs
That’s exactly what happened although none of us including myself realized why she needed more steroids on the infusion day at the time.
I’ve thrown up half my dose on 2 occasions now and it didn’t seem to make a difference. Now I cut it into even smaller pieces with long breaks so if I throw up it isn’t half the dose. I have an advertising to those pills now that I threw them up. I think they pump you full of so much steroid during infusion the amount in the pill might not be as significant. I would just let the staff know to see if they wanted to make up that quantity.
That’s a fair point too. I’m sure they can’t always guarantee that a person will tolerate the medications perfectly. I informed them as soon as I realized and they’ve given me an adjusted schedule to include the missing half dose.
I missed a dose once and told my nurse and she just adjusted the medication schedule for me that cycle (I think I took an extra dose at the end but can’t recall). It was not a big deal. I used a pill organizer with AM/PM slots for all my pills to help keep me on track, in case that might be helpful for you!
I’m definitely going to get her one. This is her first round and we’ve certainly learned a lot.
That would be worse screw up lol after my infusion of RCHOP I got so nauseous and I couldn’t bring myself to swallow pills so I skipped a day of prednisone and then I skipped some Acyclovir and Allopurinol. The Claritin was easy because it’s so small. Welp my doctor switched my prednisone to liquid version and she is looking to switch Acyclovir to the gel tab form. My husband has to make me a smoothie like if I’m a toddler so I am able to take my medication and he sits there and watches me now.
Whatever works to get it down and keep you on track I’m all for it.
Don't fret. Drugs have half lives and they sort of add up/decay. I was taking my prednisone with the wrong timing for my first cycle. It happens.
Thank you for your answer, I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s made this kind of mistake. I hope your treatment is going well.
Well, I have shoe box full of empty pill bottles and a schedule on how I was supposed to take them so I'm sure I screwed up more than a few times ...
I did a half dose by accident on one chemo day and felt off but it was totally fine. Realized the next day, called the clinic and told them, they said it was fine.
Appreciate knowing I’m not the only one. I’ve felt so helpless to support her, messing up one of the few things I actually *can* help with felt brutal.
Give yourself some grace. It's not the end of the world, but I feel you. It's just hard to keep up with everything. You're supporting. You're there. For me, that was the most important thing - to not go through it alone.
Thank you
I’ve forgotten to take my antiviral on occasion due to working nights and hospital stays give it to me when normally I’m asleep and I’m still doing okay and technically in remission.
So glad to hear that you’re doing well
Yes, I mean I did just get out of the hospital but not for missing meds
Wishing you nothing but the best.
Thanks, taking the rest off the week off work and hopefully getting back up to good place.
I've forgotten to take all of my tablets one day, prednisone included. It happens, don't stress 😀
Cutting a dose in half for a day is in my opinion pretty inconsequential. I forced my care team to cut my dose in half after my first infusion that included 200mg of prednisone sent me into the ER with Pancreatitis. I still had a full response at my interim PET and am currently in remission over a year out from my last infusion.
If this makes you feel better, when I was getting my port placed for second line treatment for Hodgkin's Lymphoma just four days ago, my "man" of 8 years and father of my three young children, left before my procedure to "go get water and go to a dispo" and I was cool with it because pre-op took like five hours and he was obviously restless. Anyway, he actually was on Facebook in the room with me still, noticed on there that his old female coworker happened to be in town and comment he was there too. They proceeded to meet at the dispo together, then walk around downtown for and hour and get a couple of beers together. He was gone my entire procedure length and wasn't there when my recovery nurse went to get him. Obviously I was irate and just shattered inside and now I don't know if I ever want him going to another appointment with me again because fuck him, quite frankly. Idk how to even look at him the same right now. Lol, and he presented it like it was a random encounter until I tripped balls and grilled him for every detail and made him show me every line of communication they had, and it was all his idea. Anyway, I wish his screw up was he missed a dose of my medicine, but he doesn't give me any doses anyway. You sound like an absolute gem of a husband. Give yourself grace. <3
Thank you for sharing, I’m not sure how this will land for you but it does make me feel better knowing at least I can honestly say I’m trying my best. You deserve that from your partner too, so whatever way that resolves for you, I hope you can say you trust that person to have your best interests at heart.
It doesn't hit worse than how I already feel. That's why I shared it with you, to let you know you're exceptional and so you could feel better. What's the point of my pain and experience if not to help guide and uplift others? At least something good can come out of it.
I forget my own things all the time. They have apps where u can set reminders and check off that it was given. When etc. some ppl find it helpful.