May 17, 2012
by kpw413
Dosing day 2 of 4 in Cycle 2.
7:30 AM – Took my dexamethasone and acyclovir along with my vitamins at breakfast.
10:10 AM – Arrived at Lynn Cancer Center.
10:35 AM – Velcade injection given sub-cu by Karen. Another of the excellent nurses here at Lynn.
11:15 AM – arrived home with a Starbucks. Feeling tired as usual.
I had figured out earlier today that I really do have lost sense of taste for salt and sour. I mentioned this to the nurse, Karen, who said that this was a side effect of the Velcade. Strangely, I don’t see either hypogeusia or dysgeusia (the medical terms for low or no taste of one of the 4 usual tastes of salt, sour, sweet and bitter) listed in the side effects on the Velcade package insert. According to a reference in Supportive Cancer Therapy, July, 2004, cyclophosphamide can also have this side effect. I also did not find this listed on cyclophosphamide package insert. I will file an adverse event report (AER) with the FDA.
karl&myeloma 
That’s scary. You’d figure it would be labeled for it if those side effects are so common. smh.
Hang in there, Dad. I love you.
Thank you for support, Kris. I love you too.
These side effects I complained about are actually minor ones caused by cytotoxic drugs. These are truly quality of life degradation, but the taste buds have come back during my last off week and I can expect them to recover again. I am thankful that the much more serious side effects have not shown up.