After five rounds of chemo my husbands face looks swollen.

[Cynthgob]

I am wondering if this is from the chemo or if others have had this side effect ? Will it go away after chemo finished?

[paulofaus]

Hi, Chemo is usually given with Dexamethasone a steroid. This is known to cause this symptom. I would check with your husband's Oncologist. Here is an article that might help: healthyliving.azcentral.com...

[Cynthgob in reply to paulofaus]

Yes he takes a steroid but only at the time of chemo. So I didn’t think that was enough steroid to cause face swelling.

[Gary94]

When I get chemo the first thing I get is a big hypodermic of steroids and I have to take 2 steroid pills a day.

[Cynthgob in reply to Gary94]

He’s only taking it for three days. But maybe that is enough?

[Gary94]

It’s my lmpression, and I could be wrong, that steroids and docetaxel go together. I was taking two prednisone pills a day with zytiga and extandi with no ill effects.

[Hidden]

I got what's called "moonface" from the steroids. It's a common side effect. It completely went away after I stopped using them.

[GAdrummer]

After 14 docetaxel treatments my husband's swelling wasn't confined to his face: his abdomen, legs and feet were also swelling. Turns out the 7 years of Lupron was increasing the calcification of his malformed aortic valve to the tipping point of congestive heart failure. Once the valve was replaced, the swelling went down. He thought maybe the intense fatigue would disappear, too. The 15th round proved to be just as bad as the 14th in terms of fatigue and digestive upset.

[Darryl Partner in reply to GAdrummer]

Our Caregivers community healthunlocked.com/advanced...

[Hidden]

It should go away..

[Darryl Partner]

Our Caregivers community healthunlocked.com/advanced...

[Cynthgob]

Pretty sure it is just weight gain. They told us today without testoterone he has to eat less once chemo is done. Calories are just not the same anymore. He’s never dieted in his life .

[Ian2017]

I've had significant fluid retention since the last two of my six infusions of docetaxel which ended in May. I've never been heavier (got up to about 112kg, normally about 102kg - height 182cm so quite well spread). I picked up about 2kg every month through the five months of chemotherapy. This despite beng very careful about eating and working out almost every day in the pool. Breathing became a problem and after extensive tests (cardio, chest x-ray for clots, various blood tests) nothing emerged. It seems it may be some kind of apnea effect from the fluid retention. Breathing improved after about 6-7 weeks and apnea effect now much less and no longer a problem when falling asleep. My ankles and feet swelled for about 6 weeks and this has gone away but the swelling has moved into the calves. Lymphatic drainage massage has helped significantly.