chemo as aid against infections?

[Ruebacelle]

After 5 years and 5 rounds of chemo feel better physically than ever. Never get sick am wondering if chemo (carbotaxol then carbotaxol plus avastin then avastin alone then carbo gem then caelyx now taxol weekly) in some strange way insulates me or ?? Just had scan liver tumor shrunk by a third other peritoneal nodules gone lungs whatever those cloudy things are are stable. Very good news. Have asked for 3 more rounds of taxol then a pet scan then radiation probably. I find light fasting before and after lessens side effects and might make chemo more effective. Everyone take care hugs ffom fra ce

[Lyndy]

Wow.... five cycles of chemo! I am very impressed by your resilience Ruebacelle! I might try your light fasting when I get back on chemo and see how it goes xx

[Ruebacelle in reply to Lyndy]

You can do the research go to google chemo fasting. My onc says studies ongoing but concensus that it lessens side effects. Taxol well tolerated in any case but still i'm 77 ...hugs

[Katmal-UK]

Hi, maybe there is something in what you say regarding infections. In the last nearly 13 years since diagnosis I have only had one (minor sniffles) cold and that's it. I have had cancer 3 times yet I am the one in work (I work full time) with the best sickness record i.e. no days off apart from when I was having chemo. I've been around my young grandchildren as they got all sorts from school and came away unscathed. Hubby has had colds, chills etc and still I've come away unscathed. Hope your treatment goes well. xx Kathy xx

[Ruebacelle in reply to Katmal-UK]

Great to hear this. Stay well. Stay strong

[Ruebacelle in reply to Katmal-UK]

Wow a 13 year survivor. What was the diagnosis and your treatments?

[January-2016-UK]

There maybe something to this as although I did have quite a severe cough a couple of years back when I was on weekly taxol, apart from that, I’ve escaped all colds, coughs etc.

Also I think my complexion is better when I’m on chemo, although it may be that I spend more time and money on lotions and potions and then when a chemo regime is finished, that all goes out the window and I’m back to my old soap and water routine.

I’m sure my nails grow faster though.

[BellmoreBelle]

I tend to agree with you! Though in theory we are immuno-compromised, I have only ever had very light colds since having chemo 3 years ago, which I get through very quickly with very little in the way of the symptoms I used to have...

Also, I had a sebaceous cyst in my ear lobe which grew back three times over the years, even though I got it cut out - after chemo, gone forever! Same with an area of skin cancer on my face - gone and healed up as if it never existed, as well as a suspicious growth on my ankle. Plus I had quite wide pores on my nose before chemo, which seem to have closed up again, my skin is much smoother - I find it fascinating!

It's clear there's a lot we don't know about how these chemicals work, but it's nice to know there are some good side effects as well as the awful ones.

Carol

[AlaNtO]

The problem with some chemo treatments like the Taxols is that they can lose effectiveness with time. The body - the cancer cells - build up proteins that fight the chemo. This is often when the Onc's change the chemo. In USA they were working on medication that would stop the cancer cells building immunity. Aftr Paclitaxel I found Avastin useless and very expensive and then went to Cisplatin that makes you feel nauseous. Lance Armstrongs used it but the drug companies helped him out with anti nausea medication.

[caf132]

Maybe we are more aware of hand washing and cleaning?

[Artgreen in reply to caf132]

Yes that’s what I wondered. On chemo the scare stories on the handouts make me quite ocd!