Bell Curve On Chemo Cycles?

[CrocodileShoes]

Most of you know I had my first infusion of Docetaxel 3 weeks ago. After 4-5 days, I noticed that my symptoms (blood in urine, bladder discomfort, rectal wall pain) cleared up within days. I'm now 2 days away from infusion #2 and the pains have returned and I've just noticed a slight pink tinge to my urine. I saw my onco today and aksed if there was a bell curve effect on Docetaxel treatment (i.e. it's at peak effectiveness in the middle of the cycle, then tails off towards the end - until it all starts again) He didn't think there was.

I'm somewhat concerned that, if it doesn't tail off toward the end of each cycle, perhaps it's not working? However, it definitely eased the symptoms right down in the prostate area. Can anyone hypothesise as to what might be happening? And do most people see the mets shrink before the primary tumour, the other way around, or both at the same time?

I have a full-body MRI on November 1st, so I guess we'll get a decision then whether to abort the mission or press on.

[Ian99]

I am expecting to begin chemo soon myself. Based on my research it seems for most people the side effects are worst in the first few days after treatment, then they gradually felt better until the next treatment, which would somewhat support your bell curve theory. I wouldn’t say it’s not working, more likely you’re tolerating it better. Btw some blood traces in urine seems usual.

[softwaremom00]

From my knowledge, how sick the chemo makes you is not correlated to whether or not it is working. For some folks, fasting can help make their chemotherapy symptoms more mild. Hope this helps. Prayers and get well wishes.

[CrocodileShoes in reply to softwaremom00]

Somehow, my message about the effectiveness of chemo over each 3-week cycle has become confused with side effects and strategies. My apologies for not being clear. I was simply curious, since in my first cycle, I went from feeling rough, to minimal symptoms (days 10-16) to experiencing slight symptoms (days 18-20), whether there's a tailing off of chemo effectiveness towards the end of the 3-week spell, before then being boosted in the next cycle.

I'm less concerned about the chemo making me temporarily sick, than I am about making sure that the shrinking of tumours and mets continues to build. Well, I get infusion #2 tomorrow, so we'll soon see!

[j-o-h-n]

NTW (not to worry) you can't be wearing those shoes without feeling a bit of a bite now and then.......Keep on Keeping on and on and on and on and etc.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 09/28/2023 6:21 PM DST

[Ian99]

You will have had your second infusion by now. Hope it is going ok for you and you’re managing to mitigate SEs.