Chemo- preparation

[efsculpt]

Hi, all, I'm near the end of 14 months ADT/Zytiga. I am having 4 sessions of chemo during the last 3 month Lupron shot.

So......what are some things I can do before and during chemo?

For one thing, I will be flying/driving to my chemo session every 3 weeks. How wiped out will I be? Can I fly back a day or more after? Drive?

Do I bring my own ice for mouth, feet, hands?

What else?

Thanks,

Craig

[Canoehead]

I assume you are getting Docetaxel. If you know about ice, then you also know about Claritin. Nobody told me about ice until after my fingertips were numb. Lol. I would also take a good probiotic daily. Worst effects show up for most people 2-4 days after chemo, so you should be fine to travel home the day of or the day after. Good luck and hope that chemo kills a lot of cancer cells.

[efsculpt in reply to Canoehead]

Thanks, Canoehead, I didn't know about Claritin. Looked it up.

Craig

[Dan59]

I always walked in with a rolling cooler, Ice packs for feet and soak fingers nails in ice water and, suck on ice chips I brought for preserving taste, It lots of fiber in my diet, I took metamucil for a few days. The claritin is for bone pain if you need to get nuelasta as a white blood cell booster, I took claritin for 3 days and used aleve during that time too, I brought my own ice as I do not trust hospital ice.

Dan

[henukit]

It seems to be very individual. I have had barely side effects so far except hair loss but as it turned out I look cool bald so it compensates this particular SE I do fast around chemo sessions 36-40 hours before and 24-36 hrs after. Plus I do exercise and some supplements like Vit D, C, B, fish oils, curcumin. I've had 8 hrs flight next day after the chemo with no problem. You can ask nurse to hydrate you well through IV during chemo, this should help as they said. As far as ice cap, I read it can produce patchy result since it's hard to cold surface evenly, bear that in mind. Taste and appetite are great after I break the fast, love food even more and zero nausea.

[efsculpt in reply to henukit]

Thanks, henukit, very helpful. I know I won't look good bald.

Craig

[Dan59]

It is important to have someone sit with you for at least first 20 min of initial chemo to watch for possible reactions, if not family or friend, a nurse or aid should be able to watch you at the beginning.

Another possible side effect causes watery eyes, I did get that, but it is suggested to get natural tears eye drops and drip in eyes 2 or 3 times during chemo 1 hr infusion.

I wish you the best , and hope you are a responder to everything.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Ps I did lose most of my hair by 2nd infusion 3 mos later it grew back thick, curly where is was straight before ,and minus the grey I had while, still on chemo.

Dan

[efsculpt in reply to Dan59]

Thanks, Dan, helpful info.

Craig

[Chugach]

Get your body in shape - stronger you are going in the better you will come out.

For me the first week was always rough but the next two would seem normal. Every day after chemo do some kind of exercise, walk around the block - move your body, adjust your effort to how you feel. Move your body and drink water.

I wouldn’t want to drive on days 2-7 post infusion, being a passenger would be ok - I did some road trips with other drivers. I could drive on day 1. Your docs may want you close to watch you white blood cell counts, ask them about that. Best to have a friend or spouse accompany you.

Embrace bald!!!

[vandy69]

Good Thursday Morning efsculpt,

You have already gotten some great advice. What I can add from my recent experience is:

1. Got small infusion of Aloxi before chemo to prevent nausea and it worked.

2. Med Onc suggested taking daily 100mg B6 to mitigate peripheral neuropathy (in addition to icing hands and feet).

3. Used Biotene products for mouth care-toothpaste, mouthwash, etc,

4. Took Wisconsin American ginseng to combat chemo fatigue. Google Mayo Clinic and ginseng for their trial.

5. I had Dexamethasone day before, day of, and day after chemo to manage immediate side effects. For me, 1 day after chemo was OK, 2 days after chemo got tired, 3 days after chemo stayed in pjs, but I had Docetaxel/Carboplatin chemo and everyone is different.

Best wishes. Never Give In.

Mark, Atlanta

[leswell]

Thanks for this post. I’m bookmarking all the good advice for any possible additional hours in what we call the cow barn, just rows of everyone all hooked up, you know. We also call modified citrus pectin “dirt”. “Have you taken your dirt yet?” And the neighbors are Grendel, Rocket, Neanderthals...Wonder what they call us? All in Jest. Mrs. S

P.S. Can’t say Leswell will ever embrace bald.

[efsculpt in reply to leswell]

Thanks, Leswell, I do take "dirt". I have a book on chemo but they neglect to describe an example of the physical place one goes to, to get chemo. Good to know there are "rural" settings.

Craig

[leswell]

Thanks, Craig, for taking my idiotic comments in the spirit intended. We know the seriousness of what you are going through and pray for the most successful outcome, something as wonderful as that reported by gourd_dancer, for example. I’m sure you’ve read about Dr. Robert Amato’s protocol from which the above profited greatly. I’m not sure at what age and stage chemo is no longer recommended, but we don’t know that it would be again for Les. Who knows? We move on in hope and faith.

As for you, may the results be far better than you’ve imagined. We wish you and yours long life and much happiness. Les and Jan

[leswell]

Dr. Amato (TX) protocol:

(See gourd_dancer in Health Unlocked) “

Each course of chemotherapy lasts for 8 weeks. Patients were treated in weeks 1, 3, and 5 with doxorubicin 20 mg/m2 as a 24 hour intravenous infusion on the first day of every week in combination with ketoconazole 400 mg orally 3 times a day daily for 7 days. In weeks 2, 4, and 6, treatment consisted of paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 intravenously on the first day of every week in combination with estramustine 280 mg orally 3 times a day for 7 days. 30 mg of Prednisone every day through the three courses of chemotherapy.”

[efsculpt]

Thank you, leswell, I'll research this protocal

Best,

Craig

[Cynthgob]

We flew south the next day after chemo but timed it so the neulasta will go off 26 hours after they apply the small container of medication. We made sure he was preferably lying down when it started to inject. You can fly with the neulasta and TSa did not question him but we did carry a card stating what it was. Husbands bad days were day 4 and 5!!! Claritin should be started several days before and be sure to hydrate as much as possible. We wiped down the airplane seats with antiseptic and wore mask but he still got the flu and pneumonia . Not sure if it was from flying or not. Six rounds of chemo and it seemed the later chemo were the worst. Hopefully you have a really good team to administer the chemo as all teams are not alike. We are glad we did chemo but it’s been a struggle to maintain strength and health. You are lucky you are doing it in summer. Walking did seem to help. Hope this helps!

[efsculpt]

Thank you, cynthgob, for reply. So your husband took neulasta for low neurophils and it was in a delayed injector? Sounds like the neulasta needs to be injected after chemo. I think the chemo team will be really important. I hadn't considered what a germfest an airplane is. Lots of good info.

Thanks,

Craig

[abmicro]

I did not feel any serious side effects after the first one, and even went home and ate grilled chicken tacos on the BBQ with tortillas and avocados. It was about 6 days later when I got gas, diarrhea, and horrible stomach acid that lasted 3 days. Darrhea got worse with Gaviscon to stop the stomach acid. Finally got it under control with saltine crackers, zantac 75, and gas-x. Oncologist said it is unusual to have those side effects so late, and blamed it on the prednisone included in the first infusion.

If you are traveling by plane, bring some depends and pads. They say you need to drink a lot of fluids after the infusion and you will pee a lot.