Taxol/Carboplatin

lynntaylor
lynntaylor Member Posts: 39
in Lung Cancer #1
Looking for information/insight on Taxol/Carboplatin chemo regime. My father will begin a 6-10 week (depending on how much he can tolerate) plan next week. He will also have concurrent radiation treatments everyday for 7 weeks. He was diagnosed with stage 3a NSCLC, with an extensive tumor in his mediastinum. Tumor believed to have started on side of lung... but no other sign of tumors in either lung. He had surgery 3 weeks ago (tumor was inoperable)... so he is still recovering from that. 68 years old, quit smoking 10 years ago, and in pretty good health. Just looking for some hope/info/advice, like everyone else here. Anything would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Happy Friday to all...
LT

Comments

  • hezzpw
    hezzpw Member Posts: 1
    #2
    in the same boat
    Hi there. My dad was diagnosed Thanksgiving 2010 for stage 4 lung cancer (inoperable). He started his chemo (taxol) and radiation treatments (8) just before Christmas. Throughout the treatments he was very tired, not much of an appetite, got sick only once. His attitude was very positive. My mom cooked him hearty healthy meals, chicken and dumplings type of meals. My dad is 64 and quit smoking over 20 years ago. My dad had lots of coughing, headaches and could never really sleep soundly. He never took well to meds. Even the anti nauseua meds made him sick. He has finished his chemo treatments for now (will have to continue for maintenance). The doctors were very happy with where dad was at. Then a week after the treatments ended his coughing was worse and he didn't feel right. The doctors gave him a breathing test and discovered dad has COPD as well. That was a week ago. They changed his breathing treatment meds which have really made him worse. He has been vomiting and serious headaches for 5 days. At the er yesterday for 6 hours. They gave him serious anti nauseu meds. Mom and Dad were back at the hospital this morning. He has had 3 bags of iv fluids. The doctors don't know if he was severely dehydrated, or if he has bleeding on the brain. This man has been thru so much. I want a better answer than "we don't know yet". I wish you and your dad the very best. If you have any info that could help, I would greatly appreciate it.
    Thanks,
    Heather
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    chemo
    Chemotherapy has a different impact on everybody, so it is hard to predict how dad will take to the carbo/taxol cocktail. Prior to my getting on it, I was warned by folks that it would kick me in the butt, just as a previous bout with cisplatin did (for different cancer). But it did not. In my case, I would feel mild flu-like systems, but nothing I could not manage.

    I did occasionally need a shot of Neupogen to elevate white blood cell counts, and this would mean skipping that round of chemo. I did occasionally have sufficiently low platelet counts that they would skip chemo for a week so that the body could regenerate them. (And while the Neupogen did not adversely impact me, others have complained that it made them sore in the bones.)

    In my case, I was given benadryl to help me be 'comfortable' during the treatment (in my case it led to restless feet :)) and decadron, a steroid provided to assist with anti-nausea or appetite, or both, depending on who you talk to. The decadron had the effect of making me a whirling dervish for the next 24 hours, able to clean entire houses without stopping, prior to the big crash.

    Hope and Humor!

    Best wishes to dad and his family.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Ex_Rock_n_Roller
    Ex_Rock_n_Roller Member Posts: 281 Member
    #4
    Platinum-based chemo
    Cisplatin and Etoposide here, and almost a carbon copy of Joe's experience (except I didn't need the white cell booster drug), including the Decadron "high."
  • Dapsterd
    Dapsterd Member Posts: 291
    #5
    carbo/taxol
    I have 3b nsclc and went through carbo/taxol 1 per week for 22 weeks. Took 4 hrs each time.

    Had radiation daily for a month or so, AT SAME TIME as chemo.

    Radiation was worse for me than the chemo, the burns front and back, and some swallowing issues for a couple weeks.

    In my case chemo gave me no major side effects, a bit tired a day or two after. Could not be away from the house more than 2-3 hrs--had to lay down and rest. I think I can tie my bad memory to the chemo period timeframe.

    Advise---hang tight and enjoy the ride !!!

    Best Wishes....Dave
  • lynntaylor
    lynntaylor Member Posts: 39
    #6
    Thank you all so much for
    Thank you all so much for sharing your stories and input with me. This network helps me so much when things start feeling too overwelming. Tomorrow the fight begins. Wishing best to all.
  • lynntaylor
    lynntaylor Member Posts: 39
    #7
    hezzpw said:

    in the same boat
    Hi there. My dad was diagnosed Thanksgiving 2010 for stage 4 lung cancer (inoperable). He started his chemo (taxol) and radiation treatments (8) just before Christmas. Throughout the treatments he was very tired, not much of an appetite, got sick only once. His attitude was very positive. My mom cooked him hearty healthy meals, chicken and dumplings type of meals. My dad is 64 and quit smoking over 20 years ago. My dad had lots of coughing, headaches and could never really sleep soundly. He never took well to meds. Even the anti nauseua meds made him sick. He has finished his chemo treatments for now (will have to continue for maintenance). The doctors were very happy with where dad was at. Then a week after the treatments ended his coughing was worse and he didn't feel right. The doctors gave him a breathing test and discovered dad has COPD as well. That was a week ago. They changed his breathing treatment meds which have really made him worse. He has been vomiting and serious headaches for 5 days. At the er yesterday for 6 hours. They gave him serious anti nauseu meds. Mom and Dad were back at the hospital this morning. He has had 3 bags of iv fluids. The doctors don't know if he was severely dehydrated, or if he has bleeding on the brain. This man has been thru so much. I want a better answer than "we don't know yet". I wish you and your dad the very best. If you have any info that could help, I would greatly appreciate it.
    Thanks,
    Heather

    Thanks
    Heather, it does sound like we're in a similar situation. I am sorry you and your family are going through this too... it is horrible I know. I hope your dad is improving since the er visit. Sounds like you are involved and very supportive to your parents. I think that's the best you can do right now... atleast that's what I keep telling myself. It's so incredibly difficult to not have the answers, and not know how to help. Hang in there, and try to stay positive. I wish you and your family the best as well.
    LT
  • iujenny
    iujenny Member Posts: 8
    #8
    Dapsterd said:

    carbo/taxol
    I have 3b nsclc and went through carbo/taxol 1 per week for 22 weeks. Took 4 hrs each time.

    Had radiation daily for a month or so, AT SAME TIME as chemo.

    Radiation was worse for me than the chemo, the burns front and back, and some swallowing issues for a couple weeks.

    In my case chemo gave me no major side effects, a bit tired a day or two after. Could not be away from the house more than 2-3 hrs--had to lay down and rest. I think I can tie my bad memory to the chemo period timeframe.

    Advise---hang tight and enjoy the ride !!!

    Best Wishes....Dave

    My mom
    My mom had this treatment 2.5 weeks ago and this past week was admitted to the hospital because she wouldn't eat/drink and her pain from mestasis in her femurs was so bad. She is also doing radiation at the same time. I guess what I am saying- thanks for sharing your story. I don't know how to feel when they say 3-6 months...

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