As noted here a while back, I began my chemotherapy (Taxotere) on March 4 and I'm pleased to report that I'm probably one of the more fortunate folk for whom side-effects have been minimal. The major one was extreme sweating during the 'drip' and some tiredness following it. I had none of the often reported nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, etc. etc.
I tend to worry myself silly over such things, so I offer this news so that others who may be facing chemo know that the effects vary widely between patients and one needn't get overly anxious.
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DrWrite
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After the first docetaxel psa went up,was put on zitiga with pres.along with chemo,psa went down to 0.1 stayed there for 12 months (also had provenge after chem.) Just finished jevtana last month psa stayed at around 25 (not happy) Dr.says my psa plateaued we will follow.may try docetaxel again,
Please see bio for more complete treatment history.
Just completed second round of 6 cycles of Docetaxel/Carboplatin chemo combo (12 infusions in total).
Thoughts:
1. MO prescribed Dexamethasone day before, day of, and day after chemo to moderate immediate side effects.
2. Began each chemo with injection of Aloxi to prevent nausea.
3. MO recommended daily oral 100mg B6 to mitigate peripheral neuropathy and I iced hands and feet.
4. Always left with On Body Injector of Neulasta to boost white blood cells. MO recommended taking Claritin daily for 7 days beginning day before chemo to mitigate bone pain from Neulasta.
5. Use Biotene products for mouth care.
6. Take Wisconsin American ginseng to moderate fatigue. Google Mayo Clinic for their trial.
First time, PSA dropped significantly and liver lesions got smaller. This time liver lesions under control but PSA rising. Time for some new tricks....
Well, raise my rent. Did not know there was a native American ginseng and that asia imports it from us since it is better than their ginseng. USA, USA. Of course ours costs a lot more, cause we put it in pretty bottles. Just advised I have anemia and to take B12. Just thought I was lazy. I kind of like lazy. So decided to take a B complex even though it has the nasty folic acid and will take the Wisconsin American ginseng, USA, USA, and see if I will be leaping tall buildings. Thanks for the tip. I should listen to you more often.
Great, but I can't find the Wis.Am. ginseng for sale on their website, or anywhere. All I find on Google Shopping have Chinese labels even though they claim from Wisconsin.
I have completed 6 cycles of chemo (docetaxel) between 10/23/18 and 02/04/19.
I didn't even have any sweating, let alone extreme sweating before, during or after any of the 6 cycles.
Sooooo, no side effects whatsoever, except maybe hair loss and weakness (which was already prevalent because of the Eligard that I have been taking).
But, the chemo proved totally useless for me. My mets increased in both qty and size and my PSA more than doubled in less than 2 months (from Jan to end Feb).
The chemo should be judged by its efficacy and in my case it was a disaster. What it succeeded in doing was to kill a lot of healthy cells in my body, weaken my immune system and leave me with a lower bank balance.
I finished my sixth just a little before you. My first 3 cycles were not too bad but side effects became increasingly annoying as I proceeded through sessions 4-6. It really knocked me on my fanny. Really became exhausted and had no endurance at all. I am now over the effects but the leg pain has only recently subsided. I also had a quick doubling time on my chemo and no positive results.
Thank you for your post, 8knots. So sorry to hear that you too did not get any sort of benefit from the 6 chemo infusions.
What treatment are you now on, may I ask ? Please answer only if you are comfortable doing so. I have been started on Abiraterone as a prelude to Lu-177/Ac-225.
I am just on Lupron at the moment. I have been on a 2 month break in Mexico, except for Lupron and it has been amazing to feel so good. Next week I go back to Seattle and get my scans and consent for a trail using a combo of Xtandi and Cabazitaxel. MO said since I appear to have aggressive cancer to hit it with an aggressive treatment.
I am very interested in LU177/Ac-225 and personally would be open to getting into a US-based trial. Heidelberg would be my second choice. I would like to have my MO's support on that. I guess we will see how the trial goes.
When PSA started to rise during Chemo, added Xtandi. PSA dive bombed to 0.140 and has stayed there ever sense. Had to cut Xtandi in half to survive, but over a year at 0.140 or less isn't bad. Last 10 or so in 0.120 area.
No, had real mess in my abdomin after robotic RP with pathology showing all neuro/veinous bundles out of area Gleason 9/10, and rising PSA after surgery. Up 10 pts from surgery to 6 week check up. Lupron started and 2 1/2 mo later PSA at 6.5 and on to taxotere.(decetaxel)
That sucks but thanks for the info. I went castrate resistant two years ago. Zytiga is still working for me but I know I’m getting close to the end of that run. Best of luck Shooter.
Thanks DrWrite.. helpful to us that have yet to jump that hurdle . Thank s
I was pretty nervous before docetaxel also but figured I could always quit at any time. Went the six rounds; fatigue increasing until I became a zombie on the last round. Lost my tastebuds (since mostly recovered), hair (recovered) and - weird - the soles of my feet feel like they are covered with Scotch tape (permanent). Also hearing problems in my left ear - which may be permanent. The docetaxel knocked my PSA down to 2 but it came right back up after I went off it, so don't think I'll try it again.
Just completed my sixth round. The first two rounds there were few side effects. Rounds three through six the fatigue got tougher and tougher. Just plan to get your needed rest. Taste buds do get metal like, but mine would subside by the next treatment. Never got the nausea but I stayed on top of my anti nausea meds. Stay strong!
Good to hear, likewise here I didn’t have any real side effects from the chemo but the Neulasta shot the day after kicked my butt. Keep up the fight. This monster is awful. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
My chemo was 30 months ago. Not sure the Neulasta that you wear was available then.
Good luck with your continued treatment! My husband finished treatment with side effects; however, they were tolerable. My husband had more side effects from the Neulasta than the chemo. In good health!
I had 5 x Docetaxel infusions, and first week after each I felt washed out.
But then my underlying fitness at 71 is very good compared to most guys my age.
But 2nd and 3rd week were OK and I cycled 20km to hospital to get treated for next cycle. Neuropathy was awful and has only now subsided to near zero some 5 months after quitting the chemo. While there was some numbness in fingers and toes, walking in bare feet on gravel was more painy.
These last 2 months I managed much work on house. But chemo was deemed to be a failure after 4 shots because Psa went from 12 to 45 so now I have had 3 x Lu177 infusions and side effects are very low.
Psa has moved from 25 to 17, and more progress on bone mets is due soon.
Doc is putting me onto enzalutamide to make Pca express more PsMa to make next Lu177 shot more effective. I'm also having EBRT to right hip which might stop my slight hip pain that does not let me cycle anywhere. But I can work around house OK fixing things that needed doing for a long time.
On my 4th round of Docetaxel today, it's been pretty good with just Flu like symptoms for 3-4 days (Aches and tiredness). I was in a LOT of leg pain, that pain is now down by 80% . PSA was 1386 in Nov, today it was 0.4, Hemoglobin was 59 g/l and today 110 g/l. Amazing turnaround and I'm really pleased.
same here, I am finishing now my 7th and final treatment, if any, side effects (all of them minimal) my hair thinned out a bit, - all vital signs ( weekly bloodtests) are meanwhile on normal,my comment CHEERIO, let's live a little bit longer!
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