Three cycles of docetaxel...

kidclutch

Quick update: Dad gets the regular expected chemo side effects, of course, and  got one unit of packed red blood cells a few days after the third infusion (which helped with fatigue and pain), and the PSA has fallen from 172 (day of first chemo) to 67 at yesterday's check in. Imaging scheduled for next week. Looks like something is working how it is supposed to even if it is a bit miserable in the meantime. So far, so... okay. I don't want to say "good" because it hasn't been a good time, but it has been going okay.

Don't fear the chemo, and don't fear telling your oncologist if you're feeling like crap. "Don't be a hero."

Hope all of you are feeling well!

(Stage IV, mets to bones/liver/lungs, diagnosed October 2017--just truckin' along.)

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Good

kid,

Glad to hear the Taxotere is doing significant good.   You are correct: tell the doctor about side-effects.  Low RBC, low WBC, and nausea during chemo are today almost 100% fixable with available drugs.   Fatigue cannot be fixed, but makes napping a pleasure !  I slept 15 hours per day, my last four months on infusions.

max

(Six months of R-ABVD chemo, 2009-2010)

 

kidclutch

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Good

kid,

Glad to hear the Taxotere is doing significant good.   You are correct: tell the doctor about side-effects.  Low RBC, low WBC, and nausea during chemo are today almost 100% fixable with available drugs.   Fatigue cannot be fixed, but makes napping a pleasure !  I slept 15 hours per day, my last four months on infusions.

max

(Six months of R-ABVD chemo, 2009-2010)

 

naps!

He is retired, so he is free to nap as needed, which is great for this but he has been trying to nap less and sleep more at night to try and maintain some regular schedule. Tougher on some days than others. Appetite is alright, a bit of weight loss which didn't alarm the medical team so it must be common. Hoping to knock out the next few rounds and have some sort of treatment holiday for a bit, then maybe Xtandi to drag that PSA all the way down!

kidclutch

neuropathy

Also, if anyone has any tips for relieving the tingling / painful fingers and toes, I'm all ears.