Second Round (Better or Worse)

• By pattyp1
• Posted December 30, 2008 at 1:16 pm
• Report post

well Faye,
I've been thinking of you and here you are!!!! What good news you have!

Cisplatin is a big of a nasty thing - lots of fatigue; etoposide will probably make his ankles blimp up (they have meds for that) - the bad news is that it takes a while to pump this stuff in (needs extra hydration).

hoping things are going well for you.......
many hugs,
Pat

• Reply

• By lorbethm
• Posted December 30, 2008 at 2:42 pm
• Report post

That was how I received my chemo (also cisplatin and etoposide). Three days of chemo and then three weeks off. Cisplatin is a cumulutive drug, so the more you take it the worse it gets. It doesn't affect men as much as younger women, though, so maybe it won't be too bad for him. You might make sure they give some anti-nausea pre-meds and I also asked for Benadryl to end up my infusion. I would have really bad leg pain after my treatments until I asked for that. It totally helped the leg pain (and had the extra benefit of counteracting the steroids and knocking out).

HTH! My prayers are with you guys.

Lorie

• Reply

• By ParrotFeathers
• Posted December 30, 2008 at 4:03 pm
• Report post

I'm on my last week of a four-course cisplatin & etoposide -- the same cycle your husband is on.

If I remember correctly (lately, I preface most of my statements that way), my first course was mostly fatigue with lots of anticipation for side effects that never happened: no puking, only mild aches, slight headache. I did have bone pain from the Neulasta shot (to encourage white blood cell production).

The second course was easier because I knew what to expect, although I was terribly tired. I began to lose my hair then, too.

The third course knocked me on my ass: fatigue, headache, bone aches, chills that shook me so much that walking made me look like a marionette with a bad handler.

I'm on the 2nd day of my 4th, and last!!, course and I feel great! I feel better than I did before beginning this one. Of course yesterday I sat in the chemo chair for eight hours, but all I had to really complain about was a numb butt. Tomorrow's infusion could be the one to tip the scales and lay me low, but today....

Other side effects for me: hair loss; hearing loss; vision change because of swelling, but will probably not be a permanent change.

I'm so hoping I will begin to gain weight after this. I weigh 103 pounds and I'm bald. I just know that every stranger who looks at me is thinking I'm a goner. Maybe they don't, but it's what I always think, so I don't go out on my own much. Today my onc prescribed...oh, what was it? Marinol! An appetite stimulant. Hope it works.

Hope, too, that your husband's chemo courses get easier and easier for him.

Debra

• Reply

• By Scaredwife
• Posted December 30, 2008 at 4:28 pm
• Report post

Thanks guys. I think I may have made a boo boo. This is actually his second "session".
His first session he got cisplatin/etoposide on a 6 day cycle. He had three weeks off and had another 6 day cycle.
This one will be a 3 day cycle, 3 weeks off with another 3 day cycle. The dr. says it will be the same dosage as the 6 days but be administered in 1/2 the time.
His first 6 days he did really well. The second 6 days royally kicked his butt !!!
He has only missed one day of work this entire time. He is tough and determined. I am just afraid that the same dosage in 1/2 the time is going to put him on his back.

• Reply

• By iahawk97
• Posted January 3, 2009 at 9:49 am
• Report post

That sounds like what my mom had - She had 5 treatments of Cisplatin/VP16 in 8 days, 3 weeks off and then 5 more treatments. To be quite honest, we had a tough time about 28 days AFTER the second round of treatments stopped. She was pretty tired most of the time (she had 35 radiation treatments simultaneously), and about 20-25 days AFTER the second set of chemo she developed low blood pressure. Both the oncologist and radiologist said it was to be expected and she could expect to feel better around Christmas and they were right on.

We go for our PET scan on 01/08 to see where we are. Praying and praying for NED.

• Reply

• By Scaredwife
• Posted January 6, 2009 at 10:27 am
• Report post

Praying with ya for NED !!!!!!!!!!!! Please let me know how it comes out !!
God Bless You

• Reply

Add to the discussion