Anybody had desensitisation with chemo ?

[Zena41]

After they had a reaction to it?

[Hidden]

Yes.

I had single agent carboplatin with no problems; then I had it with taxol second line and started developing problems which got worse each time. Dose 5 was frightening and dose 6 was dropped.

Since then I have had carbo/gem and carbo/caelyx both with desensitisation and no problems at all.

[Zena41 in reply to Hidden]

Brill how do they do desensitisation? And I need to find out if they do this at christies as my chemo nurse mentioned it as an option x

[Hidden in reply to Zena41]

sure they will....basically lots more drugs beforehand, starting days before, then much slower infusion, small amounts, seeing how it goes , then increasing the amount. Takes all day

Good luck

[Zena41 in reply to Hidden]

Yes they did that on my very firstchemo with taxol I was there until 10 pm but I took it. Then the next session I reacted again not sure if it was put in faster?

Then they said try caelyx gave me steroids two days before chemo I reacted again. It's pretty scary. X

[ellseybellsey]

Had Taxol on 5th & 6th infusion over 5hrs and they pumped in saline at the same time.

Ellsey xx

[Hidden]

I had 6 infusions of carboplatin on a desensitisation protocol, following an allergic reaction on my previous regimen. I took steroids for 24 hours beforehand, then the carboplatin was infused over 6 hours.

[Beth25]

What is it and what is the anticipated outcome?

[Zena41 in reply to Beth25]

They introduce chemo at a slower pace to get ur body accept it

[Andrea63]

I had a severe allergic reaction on my second chemo. You're right, it's scary and it was the first time that it really sunk in that there was something seriously wrong with me.

For my third one I was given extra steroids and antihistamines to take the day before and they started the Taxol at a slower rate - over 4 hours rather than 3. The allergic reaction started again but was nowhere near as bad as the first time as we were all prepared for it.

The recovery drugs they gave me after each reaction meant that I could still have the taxol which was good news but it was considered too risky to continue to try and give me the chemo on the day unit for cycles 3 to 6. This meant huge amounts of dexamethosone - 20mg the night before and 20mg on the morning of treatment (as well as the 20mg straight before the infusion) and I was admitted as an inpatient. The taxol was given over 26 hours followed by the carboplatin so all in all I was spending 30 hours on a drip and two nights in hospital if I didn't get a bed until the afternoon.

I was bouncing off the walls with the steroids and the treatment was a real test of patience but I am grateful that I was still able to have the chemo and more importantly that it worked.

Andrea xx

[Zena41 in reply to Andrea63]

Which hospital are you under?

[Andrea63 in reply to Zena41]

I'm at the Royal Marsden. Are you at the Christie? What options have they offered you for desensitisation?