When Do Chemo Side Effects Subside?

[vandy69]

Finished chemo #6 (Docetaxel/Carboplatin) on 1/9! Will now have a break of undetermined length.

How long will it take my body to recover from the SEs of this chemo combo?

Best wishes. Never Give In.

Mark, Atlanta

[ronnie1943]

Hi, my name is Lynn, my husband finished his chemo Docetaxel. April 2017. he is now feeling pretty much back to normal. Everyone is different, but the side effects to go away.

Best wishes, Lynn, pa.

[JamesAtlanta]

Hi Mark!

Congratulations on completing your chemo!

I found that the initial effects started to improve in a week or so. But you’ll likely need weeks and even several months to fully recover. It’s a gradual process.

That said, my wife and I took a trip to London to see our son 3 weeks after my last treatment. I had some swelling of my legs due to the flight (needed to wear compression socks). It was quickly solved with some water pills. Most importantly I was in good enough shape to walk all over London and had a wonderful time. And have a few pints with my son! 🍺 So you really can recover pretty quickly.

Exercise and eating right helps speed the process. Hopefully you are not experiencing too much neuropathy.

One day a few months later I woke up and just felt better. I hope that happens to you very soon!

Best regards,

James

[Jscjac]

Great news ! I'll be sending hope for minimal SEs and a positive outcome.

[softwaremom00]

Our Docetaxel/Carboplatin finished in Oct/2017, It seemed like in a month or so most of the tough side effects were gone. The Neuropathy is still there. Our Oncologist suggested taking 1200mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid twice a day and see if it helps. We have just started this. We are going to try some Neuro Acupuncture.. Neuro Acupuncture helped my sons hand tremors in 1 visit, it was amazing. We are going to try this for my husbands Neuropathy.. I will let you know if it has any effect. I hope you feel better soon!

[vandy69 in reply to softwaremom00]

Hi softwaremom00,

I iced my hands and feet for each of the 6 infusions and my Med Onc has me on daily oral 100mg B6 since beginning to mitigate neuropathy. So far, OK.

I cannot wait to get past the "normal" 3 weeks between infusions to see how I feel!

Best wishes. Never Give In.

Mark, Atlanta

[softwaremom00 in reply to vandy69]

Glad to hear that you did not get the neuropathy. It is no fun. But the chemo helped reduce tumor load and he is in better shape now than he was in June.. so I am happy! Tons of Hugs and Prayers!

[Chiquis in reply to vandy69]

Hi Mark,

Can you please tell me some details on how did you use the ice, and how did you apply it, if you use a particular brand?? etc. I want to find out for my husband who is staring chemotherapy Friday. Thank you. Best wishes.

Erika.

[vandy69 in reply to Chiquis]

Hi Erika,

We developed method that seemed to work. First I bought on Amazon some nylon mittens that came with insertable frozen packs and also bought booties that had the same feature. Tried these alone for chemo #1 but they did not stay cold long enough.

My wife had 4 plastic containers for shoes into which my hands and feet would fit. For chemo #2, we brought an ice chest with ice, 4 large frozen packs for coolers, and the mittens/booties without inserts.

I used the mittens and booties to protect my skin from direct contact with ice or frozen packs. After putting on the mittens and booties, my wife would fill each container with ice, a frozen pack, and water. In went my hands and feet and let the Docetaxel begin!

It got me very cold, so we used their heated blankets over my core and I would watch a movie on a Kindle Fire propped up on a pillow in my lap, Once we moved from Docetaxel to Carboplatin, I would bring my hands and feet out, as Carboplatin is not supposed to cause neuropathy.

Hope this might work for your husband. It is trouble, but why not try it?

Best wishes. Never Give In.

Mark, Atlanta

[Chiquis in reply to vandy69]

Great method. It helps me to understand what to do to keep his feet and to keep his hands cold for the whole hour of the infusion and also what to buy. I'm happy that you finished with chemotherapy. For us it all begins on Friday. God help us. Thank you so much for your help.

Sincerely,

Erika

[Dan59 in reply to vandy69]

I used plyable gelpacks, and soaked fingers in ice cubes with water,sucked ice cubes, walked in with rolling cooler with my own ice, except did not do bottoms of feet until half way through, I had a little nueropathy in feet, but none anywhere else and no nail problems. Nuropathy in feet is mostly gone,as are all side effects from 12 rounds. I wish I had rinsed my eyes with eyedrops during and after chemo to stop the eyes from watering due to docetaxol, I certainly will next time.

[larry_dammit in reply to vandy69]

I did 6 rounds of chemo, didn’t get the neuropathy until I changed meds after the chemo. Didn’t need the ice packs

[larry_dammit in reply to softwaremom00]

Had Neuropathy due to incorrect pain meds , got the pain meds right and that went away.

[Nicnatno]

Mark, I finished my 6th and final chemo treatment on July 13, 2017. It took a month until I was mobile and comfortable enough to resume my regular exercise such as brisk walks and playing tennis. Today, the pain has subsided considerably but I still feel some discomfort every now and then but it doesn't keep me from the things that I want to do. I asked my Onc when the discomfort will totally diminish and said "don't know ". As many have said everyone is different but I can assure you that you will recover from it and enjoy the things that you want to do. Please keep us posted of your progress.

Nick

[larry_dammit]

Mine went away pretty fast, but getting the pain meds right when they put me on Xtandi was another thing. Hang in there. Better than dead 😜😜😜😜

[MelaniePaul]

Paul had his last Chemotherapy (Carbo Platin) on 28 December. Since then, he has been feeling pretty rough; always very tired and sleepy and can hardly keep his eyes open. However, we do see a slight improvement every day. We hope that he will feel more energetic soon.

[rxearl]

Mine took me about a month to get over and now 3 months later I even have hair😁

[vandy69 in reply to rxearl]

I will be excited to see if my hair comes back like it was before chemo!

Mark

[Dan59 in reply to vandy69]

Mine came back , now 2 months after 12 rounds it is just as thick , but what was straight as can be, now has a curly wave in it.

[larry_dammit in reply to vandy69]

Mine came back thicker than before 😀😀😀 only problem is that either the Lupron or Xtandi has removed all my body hair and most of my facial hair

[Stegosaurus37]

In reading y'all's posts, I realize how lucky I am. Side effects of lupron were just very mild hot flashes. Chemo round one (docetaxol plus casodex), several days of total exhaustion and tastebuds totally packed it in. Now almost through my second round, fatigue is less and some days are almost pre-therapy normal. Plus my tastebuds are coming back. I haven't noticed hair loss but it does look thinner. I only have to shave about every fifth day, but It's still growing some. No other side effects. It's as they say; everyone is different. When I got the laundry list of possible side effects before I started chemo, I almost didn't do it. Looked much too scary.

You guys with more serious side effects are truly awesome the way you're handling them. My thoughts and prayers are with you always.

[dress2544]

Hi vandy

Sorry for the reply. I had undergone chemotherapy in in July 2016. But to severe toxicity of docetaxel I had to discontinue with only one injection. Due to the toxicity I had developed mucucitis grade three. But most of the people tolerate without much side effects. Good luck to you

[ronnie1943]

Hi, my name is Lynn, husband has been nine years. First started age65..PSA 483. Tumor in arm, operated removed most of tumor. Six weeks radiation on arm and bone mets. Did well for nine years on casodex and hormone shot. PSA undetectable.Sam is now74 young. This past year cancer came back with a vengeance, tumor blocked kidney tubes, had nerostomey tubes six months, taxotere ten months.radaition seven weeks,were able to get rid of kidney bags. After all this Sam was put on Zytiga didn't work, Xtsndi neother. PSA rose to 254 cat scan showed three lymph nodes . 1.cm,1.2cm and just had the 1.3 cm LN removed two weeks ago waiting for biopsy report to see maybe what clinicial trial Sam might be eligible for.

Worried, did you say you had lymph node involvement? Any advice would so be appreciated.

Thank you, Lynn

[Grumpyswife]

Hi vandy69, Please update how you are doing after chemo. I read all your posts.

[vandy69 in reply to Grumpyswife]

Good Saturday Morning mjbach,

Thank you for remembering and for asking!

Last chemo was 1/9 and I had 3rd liver MRI on 1/17. Results were like 2nd liver MRI---great improvement since beginning chemo, but pretty much same as 2nd, taken after chemo #3. Had blood work on 2/8, with final PSA drop to .4---10.8 before chemo!

My wife and I and 3 friends went on a 14 day Caribbean cruise late January/early February. Hair on head is making a comeback, mouth soreness gone, and overall I began to feel more normal. My Med Onc is doing monthly blood work and every 2 month liver MRIs to monitor situation during my chemo break. Remain on 3 month Trelstar.

Current issue is rectal bleeding. Had colonoscopy and found a 4 inch lesion in my rectum. Jury is out on what it is, but just had a rectal MRI yesterday so hopefully we are on the path to discovery and treatment options.

Another front in the ongoing battle....

Best wishes. Never Give In.

Mark, Atlanta

[Grumpyswife]

Wonderful news! (except for the rectal lesion) 14 day cruise sounds dreamy and you and your wife are enjoying living.