Leptomeningeal metastasis and medication absorption - 1258657

carrot
Posts:9

My son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma of the spine and is now paralysed from the waist down, with cord compression at t7. Leptomeningeal seeding along the spinal cord was recently detected. Today I noticed that his pain tablets, specifically, slow-release OxyContin, had been expelled through his bowels, intact. As this was was around 7 hours after he had taken them, it seems a bit odd. Could this be attributed to the leptomeningeal seeding?

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Reply # - August 17, 2013, 09:46 AM

Dr West
Posts: 4735

I'm sorry to hear about what he and all of you are facing now.

To answer your question about the absorption issues, I don't think this is likely to be attributable to leptomeningeal disease. I suppose it's possible that meningeal involvement could affect the rate of gut motility, but I've not heard of that, and I think it's a stretch.

Good luck.

-Dr. West

Reply # - August 24, 2013, 04:06 AM

carrot
Posts: 9

Mystery solved? On a tip from a friend, I read the leaflet that came with the OxyContin. Which said:

"Do not be alarmed if you see remnants or the whole tablet in your stool. The active substances have already been released in the stomach and gut, and absorbed into your body."

Examination of further expelled tablets revealed it to be solid inside but with a porous look. So I'm now assuming the active substances were hidden away in those little holes and had already been absorbed.

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