Is anyone here familiar with Xtandi (enzalutimide) for unsupervised cancer patients?
I'm a caregiver for a patient who is left alone at home quite often. He's on bicalutimide and has done well on it. I do not know the rationale for changing the medicine to Xtandi.
It comes from the specialty pharmacy. As I read about the side effects I saw that it can cause seizures. It can also cause patients to fall.
For reasons that are complicated, it's highly unrealistic for him to be under constant supervision every day. He still drives and takes off without telling anyone where he's going and is gone for hours. He's stable enough to know where he's going and how to get home and yet is still forgetful. He still cooks his own meals and this requires him to be alert. I'm afraid for someone who would be cooking and driving if they might be at risk for seizures. I intend to talk with his doctors because I think they're making a mistake. I think it might be dangerous to give this to patients who are not supervised around the clock. I can't stay in the same room with him all the time, nor can I stay with him all day and all night.
He needs to go up and down the stairs in his house which at this time is fine with his increase in appetite and his weight gain and since he has not fallen for a long time.
I'm afraid of letting people who I don't know come to take care of him.
Has anyone else here had experience with this drug? I could not find any information about how many years it's been used.
4 Answers
Popular Questions
Related Questions
- Hospice nurse suggested Haldol 1/2 syringe to help momma rest/anxiety and agitation. Stage 4 Cancer metastasis. Anyone familiar with drug?
- I’m 51. I had a full hysterectomy 20 years ago. This past Saturday I began to bleed a lot. Why am I still bleeding?
- Ativan overdose and brain damage?
- Is gillioblastoma fatal?
I feel like so many cancer patients on these meds are probably no longer driving, no longer using the stove and are living strictly on one floor and are under constant supervision.
When I think about this and remember patients from years past, I feel guilty and feel that I should protect this one's safety.
I hope the medical team understands this.
According to Wikipedia
"Enzalutamide was first described in 2006, and was introduced for the treatment of prostate cancer in 2012. It was the first second-generation NSAA to be introduced. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines."
The article also states
"Seizures have occurred in approximately 1% of patients treated with enzalutamide in clinical trials"
I think that the need to list every possible side effect should be familiar to anyone who has ever seen a drug ad on TV or in a magazine, while we need to be aware we shouldn't worry overly much about the ones that are incredibly rare.
I hope it helps him.