Gone, gone, gone..

The chemo is rough.  It's not like the radiation that accumulates over time. It's immediate and the side effects are tough.  I would talk to your oncologist, or oncology nurse, infusion nurses to get the ball rolling to maybe lower the dosage.   From what I am told the dosage is lower for patients that have the cisplat every week but that too will accumulate.   We were adamant that the dosage be lowered because it hit my husband hard and fast.  Other issues arose that made our case for a lower dosage possible but it helped.  He got through the second round much better than the first.   On Monday we go in for the last dose and we are again going to insist on a even lowered dosage.  The oncologist already had an idea that we were going to ask so she was prepared.  I would ask and ask again... you still need to have some quality of life while going through this.  You can do it! Halfway through!!!

Chicklette said:

Cisplatin

My husband will be having low dose every week.  I am scared of the side effects of the chemo more than the radiation ... :-/ 

I had the higher dose every 3 weeks. In his case might be much better tolerated.

The worst was nausea. But this can be kept under control with proper medication (don’t forget to ask about Emend, it’s very effective). Hydration is very important (kidney toxicity), I had glucose 2L 5% iv perfusion done before actual treatment. Hearing loss – also to watch for (audiogram should to be done before and after infusions, to see if there are any issues). And of course, fatigue.

My husband had his chemo/rads in Oct/Nov 2016.  His first medical oncologist (and I say first because he saw 5 different docs due to staffing issues at the clinic he went to) was fresh out of school and touted the lower dose once a week for the whole 7 week radiation course.  The doc said that the latest studies showed that that course worked better, particularly for older patients.  My husband, who was 69 at the time, tolerated it very well for the most part.  He received his infusions along with the saline, some steriods and anti-nausea ivs prior to the cisplatin on Mondays.  Radiation was Mon thru Fri.  On Thursdays he was totally wiped.  Fridays were better as were Saturdays and then on Sundays he was feeling his 'new normal' only to start the process again.  Anyway, all of his blood work was really good until after the 6th treatment.  His White Cells dropped so low that they had to give him Neupogen injections 3 of the days that last week in order for him to be able to get the last chemo infusion.  He has since had to have surgery as the chemo/rads only did a partial job.  That treatment got rid of the tumor on the base of the tongue but only shrunk the tumor in the anterior tongue.