Chemo reaction

[Hollie123]

Hi everyone,don't often write a post.but had a bad experimce yesterday while having chemo.after 5 mins after having carbo platin i had a severe reaction.fortunately wonderful experienced staff on hand and responded really quickly .im absolutely fine now. My post is not meant to worry any one. THis is my 3 rd line chemo and third cycle.as it only happened and not seen my onc yet. Wondering what future plans.if anyone has had this experimce i would be grateful if for some information.hoping i can continue.xxx

[Hidden]

I think you'll get a number of replies as I know others have had similar too.

I started reacting over the course of 2nd line. Each time a bit worse than the time before. It's worth mentioning it next time to the nurse before you start so they're even more aware than the normal just brilliant. I didn't have my 6th cycle as the 5th had been so alarming. The impression I formed then was that they'd have been keener to continue if it had been an earlier cycle.

I think there are strategies for giving it, including over a longer time, as an inpatient and a desensitisation programme and possibly different meds beforehand.

Don't let the worry weigh too much on you during your off time......Let us know how you get on.

Good luck xx

[Hollie123 in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou for your reply.hopefully they will continue.will be nervous as it was full blow with cardiac trolley standing by.now it was protocol.but did shake me up the how powful thses drugs these drugs are. Terrie x

[EnaC]

Hello Hollie last year I had carboplatin with no problem at all. This time round on my second time I also had a bad reaction after 15 minutes. The nurses were brilliant and I was also fine. After an hours rest I was sent home. I have already seen my oncologist and they are substituting the carbo with cisplatin. This does have more side effects. I will have this next Thursday. Hopefully I won't have the same allergic reaction with cisplatin. The other drug I have is gemzar.

I believe there are other drugs they can try. Good luck with the rest of your treatment.

Ena xxxx

[Hollie123 in reply to EnaC]

Thank you enac, hopefully i may be offered the same drug.As imy combination was gemacibine too. Terrie xx

[MargaretJ]

HPpened to me on second and third cycles of second line in 2011. As a result, after a bad reaction to Caelyx last summer, there are no more chemo options as most are given with crno and I had full anaphylactic shock on carbo!

On the positive side I have bounced back from sepsis and was at ROH last night to see Bryn Terfel in the Flying Dutchman. Utter bliss!

I had cisplatin, with high anti allergy protocol, taxol alone and caelyx in 2011, 2013 and 2014. With varying success! Good luck!

Margaret

[Hollie123 in reply to MargaretJ]

Hi Margret,thankyou for your reply.seeing lots of positive reply's. I feel more reassured that there are many options available .like you full blown reaction,rather scary. Terrie x

[AnnieMae]

Hi Hollie - on my first line treatment I reacted to taxol and they stopped me having any more. I was also on Carbol and on my 3rd cycle of Carbol I reacted. I then had surgery and when it came to having my 4th cycle of carbol my Onc was very reluctant to let me have it. I'm afraid I sort of 'threw my dummy out of the pram' (as they say!). They agreed to let me try it again under strict supervision on the ward having it over a longer period and that worked!

I finished my Carbol only and was ok for 18 months.

I'm now on my first recurrence, on Carbol again (have to have lots of steroids and all the fluid drugs, ie, Carbol. anti sickness etc over a longer period than normal). Just had my 4th cycle last week so only 2 left!

Perhaps you could ask if this is an option for you??

I'm sure they will be able to offer some way forward as there are other drugs they can try.

Good luck

Annette xxx

[LesleyGreengran]

I had a reaction on carbo/taxol on 3rd cycle of first line. They gave me extra steroids to take the night before and in the morning before going in to the chemo unit for the rest of the 6 cycles and was ok. I didn't have any serious reaction to carbo/gem/avastin for 2nd line so presume it was the taxol but who knows ?

[Meryl1]

Hi. I had a major reaction on carbo/taxol on 3rd line, 4 years ago. Like Lesley they increased steroids - and as with Annie Mae they slowed down the infusion, and all was fine. And I've had carboplatin again since with the same protocol and all was fine. Good luck, Meryl x

[ginger69]

Hello Hollie,

I had the same experience with carboplatin, and apparently the reaction can happen at any time, and this

is one drug that is known to the specialists that can cause severe reaction. My dose has been given to me over a longer period now, so instead of having the dose over an afternoon, now it is given over a whole day. My body has tolerated the drug well since then, with the usual low wbc count etc.

I must say that my reaction was quite bad and I was given 20ml before they realised that I had a reaction so had the full caboodle of oxygen, nursing staff etc, so I felt a bit like a 'drama queen'.

Let me know what they say when you have your next meeting with your specialist.

Take care

Love Janette xx

[Patriciaa1963]

I had a reaction to the Carbo, mine was hot flash feeling. I had this on my 1st chemo. I thought it was a hot flash until I went for my 2nd. Shortly after they started it, I got the same feeling. I immediately got the nurse. They stopped it, gave me more benydryl & steroids. They then started it up again at a slower rate. From that time on, they would start it slow & gradually bump up the speed as I tolerated it.

Patty