Side effects from med administration

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LTAC.

Im 33 and recently had a steep drop in libido. Got blood work done and testosterone was normal but FSH and LH were like triple the reference range at both in the 30s. The doctor asked specifically if I take anastrazole a cancer med which I do give regularly or semi regularly to patients. Crush it and put it in g tubes or give it to patients po and as I work in an LTAC facility its a blistering pace like don't even pee for first 10 hrs type job so I usually always wear gloves but sometimes no gown and never n95 when handling reproductive toxin meds like anastrazole. I told md I handle the med but I wanted to know is there anyone thats had any side effects from working with drugs, specifically on endocrine/reproductive system? Has anyone heard of this happening? I tried to Google it forever and I nothing comes up. Any information or pointing in the right direction would be greatly appreciated

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You should have a manual on drugs that are toxic and need special handling.  Something was passed a couple of years ago and now we go education on it yearly.  I think it’s called U800.  Certain drugs require a mask and double gloving.  But there should be a manual on site.  Our emar now comes up with hazardous drugs and how to handle them.

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Specializes in LTAC.

Thank you ?? 

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Specializes in Trauma ICU/PCU.

This is not only possible, but is very probable. Case in point: Few years ago I applied for and got hired into ICU at a large hospital in Southeast. While undergoing 9-panel pre-hire drug check I was flagged for barbiturates. At the time my cat was diagnosed with idiopathic seisures for which a veterinarian prescribed Phenobarb PO. I handled and crushed tablets for my cat with bare hands for several weeks, which resulted in continuous skin absorption and accumulation over time. Imagine my disbelief at the time of drug testing..I had to bring my cat's prescription to employee office to prove this.

Some drug classes you just need gloves or double gloves for. Usually it says on the package about how to handle, but in your case it's a given.

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Specializes in LTAC.

Holy smokes well apparently according to my labs at my age I either I got poisoned by an aromatase inhibitor like anastrazole or I have klinfelters disease so at this point im kinda hoping for the anastrazole. I go in in a week to get in person exam and more tests.

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Specializes in LTAC.

Only thing thats weird is there are so many nurses like 50+ working at this spot and I know they arent wearing n95 when crushing. Some pregnant women too! Maybe they are double gloving and thats my problem. This is craaaaazy makes me rethink the dangers of nursing 

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.
18 hours ago, IHateMyJob said:

Only thing thats weird is there are so many nurses like 50+ working at this spot and I know they arent wearing n95 when crushing. Some pregnant women too! Maybe they are double gloving and thats my problem. This is craaaaazy makes me rethink the dangers of nursing 

Oncology nurse here. Part of the reason I quit my job was because all of a sudden it was acceptable to not double glove during the pandemic when we've had it drilled into us for years to do so. I mean, at my last job, they tested surfaces all the time and chemo was everywhere. I'm pregnant so I said I'm double gloving; they said I was wasting resources, so I bounced. I'm a cancer survivor, I've already been exposed to enough. That wasn't the only reason but it definitely contributed. 

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Specializes in LTAC.

Wow thanks for this. I remember when I was in school doing clinicals at kaiser nurses had to be trained to administer cancer meds, I thought it was IV’s only but maybe it was PO too and it was volunteer, as in not everyone had to do it, only those that signed up for the classZ 

I never double glove I will be doing that always from now on I thought 1 layer of rubber was good! Cant believe it gets through. I knew to double glove I just didn't believe it until this happened to me. 

like I said doctors think I either took anastrazole or have klinefelters which I researched and seems unlikely. Or maybe some brain cancer or something. Either way I will report back and if this is from anastrazole I will rethink nursing and its hazards long and hard

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Best wishes to you, I hope that all goes well.

 

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