chemo

J.R. and June
J.R. and June Member Posts: 60
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi All,

I am just wondering if anyone has had chemo and never experienced any side effects?  The doctor gave my mom a pamphlet with a case study of a lady who had no side effects from chemo.  thanks in advance.   

Comments

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #2
    Side Effects

    To my knowledge, I don't know of anyone here or elsewhere that didn't have some kind of side effect from chemo. "Everyone is different" in how they react but suffice it to say there will be a reaction of some kind. 

    I received 6 weekly doses of Cisplatin. I felt it the next day and the 2-3 days after infusion were the worst. They gave me anti-nausea drugs and steroids to counteract symptoms and for the most part they were effective. Unfortuntely, I had a severe reaction to the steroids and had to be taken off of them which led to more nausea. Overall though, the rads were worse IMO. 

    "T"

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    You might find someone

    on here who suffered no side effects....and a few who suffered minimal side effects, with only a couple of days of nausea then basically snapping out of it till the next dose.  It seems to me that those who were offered Emend for the first three days after chemo had less problem with nausea than those who's Dr.'s didn't offer it. 

    When I was getting Cisplatin only (during radiation), I had minimal nausea....and was just very tired for the first 5 days or so....then I'd get some of my energy back.  Rads zap energy, too....so I didn't turn into a non-stip top....but I'd feel pretty good for the next 2 weeks.  Subsequent chemos seem to come harder, tho.....the second and third doses made me nauseated longer (like 6 days then 7 days)....

    It's all a body thing....how an individual body reacts to the chemo.  I'm sure age plays a part (I was 61), and general health before treatment started would also play a part. 

    Being proactive on the nausea meds is the only way to go, I think.....take them even if there is no nausea....I didn't throw up often, but had that "ick" feeling going....which makes it hard to try and eat.  Since eating is SO important, better to hedge the bet and take the meds.

    p

  • J.R. and June
    J.R. and June Member Posts: 60
    #4
    phrannie51 said:

    You might find someone

    on here who suffered no side effects....and a few who suffered minimal side effects, with only a couple of days of nausea then basically snapping out of it till the next dose.  It seems to me that those who were offered Emend for the first three days after chemo had less problem with nausea than those who's Dr.'s didn't offer it. 

    When I was getting Cisplatin only (during radiation), I had minimal nausea....and was just very tired for the first 5 days or so....then I'd get some of my energy back.  Rads zap energy, too....so I didn't turn into a non-stip top....but I'd feel pretty good for the next 2 weeks.  Subsequent chemos seem to come harder, tho.....the second and third doses made me nauseated longer (like 6 days then 7 days)....

    It's all a body thing....how an individual body reacts to the chemo.  I'm sure age plays a part (I was 61), and general health before treatment started would also play a part. 

    Being proactive on the nausea meds is the only way to go, I think.....take them even if there is no nausea....I didn't throw up often, but had that "ick" feeling going....which makes it hard to try and eat.  Since eating is SO important, better to hedge the bet and take the meds.

    p

    thank you

    T and P   thanks for the great advice.  It sounds like the meds really help.   

  • robswife87
    robswife87 Member Posts: 209
    #5
    J.R. and June said:

    thank you

    T and P   thanks for the great advice.  It sounds like the meds really help.   

    No real Chemo side effects here

    Rob really had no chemo side effects, but do we really know for sure. How much of the side effects he had from rads or chemo. 

    He seemed to actually feel well after chemo, due to the fact that they pumped him full of steroids at the same time. He had no nausea to speak of. The only thing was in the beginning his food tasted like metal until the rads knocked out all taste.

    Sandy

  • J.R. and June
    J.R. and June Member Posts: 60
    #6
    robswife87 said:

    No real Chemo side effects here

    Rob really had no chemo side effects, but do we really know for sure. How much of the side effects he had from rads or chemo. 

    He seemed to actually feel well after chemo, due to the fact that they pumped him full of steroids at the same time. He had no nausea to speak of. The only thing was in the beginning his food tasted like metal until the rads knocked out all taste.

    Sandy

    very helpful

    this is very helpful and encouraging.  it seemslike the steroids and the nausea meds are helpful.

    thanks, Sandy

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
    Chemo with a Side Order Please...

    Like mentioned, most everyone does have some reaction, some very tolerable, some get the worse it has to offer.

    Myself, with EMEND I was never sick at all... I had Cisplatin, Taxotere, 5FU and then Carboplation.

     

    The first three of those were in three weeks cycles. I would lose taste between cycles and then it would come back. Felt kind of crappy the fist few days, but nothing bad, just blah...

    I lost all hair a few weeks in, even lost my toe nails (all of them).., but both hair and toe nails gre back.

    Blood work takes a huge hit... My blood counts were down in the 1.7 range. Neulasta injections between cycles helped that.

    Bu the secondary tumor (lymhnode) that I also had going in, it completely dissovled away around week seven, never to show again...

    Best,

    John

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #8
    Skiffin16 said:

    Chemo with a Side Order Please...

    Like mentioned, most everyone does have some reaction, some very tolerable, some get the worse it has to offer.

    Myself, with EMEND I was never sick at all... I had Cisplatin, Taxotere, 5FU and then Carboplation.

     

    The first three of those were in three weeks cycles. I would lose taste between cycles and then it would come back. Felt kind of crappy the fist few days, but nothing bad, just blah...

    I lost all hair a few weeks in, even lost my toe nails (all of them).., but both hair and toe nails gre back.

    Blood work takes a huge hit... My blood counts were down in the 1.7 range. Neulasta injections between cycles helped that.

    Bu the secondary tumor (lymhnode) that I also had going in, it completely dissovled away around week seven, never to show again...

    Best,

    John

    Cisplatin

    I started with the regular dose and got dehydrated so went to half doses weekly. The anti-nausea drugs worked for me. I took them in anticipation of getting the nausea and never got any so I stayed in front of it. Rads were harder on me.

  • J.R. and June
    J.R. and June Member Posts: 60
    #9
    hwt said:

    Cisplatin

    I started with the regular dose and got dehydrated so went to half doses weekly. The anti-nausea drugs worked for me. I took them in anticipation of getting the nausea and never got any so I stayed in front of it. Rads were harder on me.

    thank you

    Thanks to everyone for the quick and detailsed responses. I actually asked the question while visitng my mom this weekend. It was very helpful for her to read the responses herself.

Discussion Boards