My husband is receiving Cisplatin and this is his 2nd second treatment. He is in his 6th week now, and had his chemo treatment 2 days ago. He is taking medication for the nausea. No vomiting just feels rough. (holding his head) Question. Will the 3rd treatment be just as BAD? I really dont know how any person could go through this treatment without a caregiver. I administer the medication while at home. I am hoping he can arrange his last chemo with radiation on his last day so I can try to help him get through this ordeal. Any suggestions.

My second Cisplatin treatment was an M*F*er! They canceled the third one. It would have surely killed me! The anti-emetics simply did not work. Even Zofran. I resorted to Compazine suppositories. Make sure he stays well hydrated and replaces the fluids he throws up.

I wouldn't have survived without a caregiver...

Hi Carol, chemo is cumulative so the answer is yes it will be as bad and it's good to be prepared for that. Jack had lots of nausea but no vomiting for the first 3 treatments of cisplatin. The 4th one was a killer and he had problems with vomiting and severe nausea for several weeks after it ended. He did get through it but it was hard.

The main thing that helped was taking the zofran that dissolved under his tongue twice a day, plus emend on the chemo days, plus compazine suppositories for breakthrough nausea in addition to staying well hydrated. We probably also threw in some Ativan.

I did IV hydration at home thru his port on the evenings he received his treatments. You can also do hydration thru the PEG tube by using a kangaroo gravity bag on a slow drip - that makes it easier to tolerate sometimes with nausea. Any way he can get 2-3 quarts of water in him will work. As Gary said replacing fluids that he throws up is key.

We were told that the main thing was for him to at least have 2 treatments of cisplatin and they made the decisions on the 3rd and 4th cycles based on his blood work and his overall condition. If they think he won't tolerate it they won't give it.

Regards JoAnne

Carol,

I had 3 and the total Tx almost killed me. I can't seperate the chemo from the rad as far as which was worse but listen to JoAnne. Nothing seemed to work for me but I wasn't the best patient to care for, if you know what I mean. My wife tried to do the right things but I KNEW BETTER... so much so I almost killed myself singlehandedly. If you can get him to do the things that JoAnne says and they work and he gives them time to work, both of you will be better off.

Good Luck

Well strange enough you would not really know by looking at him at he is on his 6th week. His throat is very sore, he is not really vomitting but at this point he feels lousy. Currently is watching a movie which takes his mind off things. He never usually complains about anything. He is taking all the medication prescribed for him to help with the nausea. I will encourage him to get the final treatment of Cisplatin. (3r) and continue with his radiation which he saids really does not bother him, only that has some fatigue. He is in good shape for his age. In fact the one nurse was looking for someone 60 years old and could not believe it was him. LOL Thanks for all the input. We must beat this thing.

What Gary said about his Cisplatin experience exactly mirrors mine, including that the Zofran stooped working, I was using compazine suppositories which affect your brain in the same way I imagine being shot up with horse tranquilizers would (I became a total Zombie but at least I wasn't living next to the toilet) and I never ended up having a third treatment....

It really sounds like your husband is doing reasonably well all things considered. Hang in there! Nelie

Today is day 4 and he seems alot better now. I realized that the instructions from the hospital stated he was to take a certain drug early in the morning. He took it late in the evening when he arrived home from the hospital Dexamethasone with food and the other drug Granisetron was to be taken and started the next day. Prochlorazine is to be taken when needed. All medications are for nausea to be taken after chemo. 10 days of radiation to go and 1 chemo. We have to make it!!! Thanks for all the replies. Carol.

You will make it. we are on a 4 wek break from treatments. Now thay want us to do a chemo pump for 3 treatments of 96 hrs. each. My husband doesn't know what to do. He was so sick with his first 3 rounds of chemo. Keep him hydrated thats the best advice I can give. This disease is a beast. MY husband said it is the most brutal thing he has had to do and He was in Vietnam! I will be praying for you both.

This is my first post. My mom had her first chemo treatment last week. She had chemo monday and tuesday at the hospital and had to wear a pump monday thru friday. Side effects hit her thursday. Nausea, vomiting (some "violent") and mouth sores on saturday. She says she hasn't sleep since the saturday before her first treatment.

My questions are:

1. Is insomnia common?

2. Are there anti-emetics that work better when cisplatin is used versus other chemos?

3. Will she tend to have the same side effects after the second and third treatments as all the "stuff" builds up in her body and good cells are already destroyed?

She was really positive after dianosis and before chemo began. She's not positive now and she hasn't even started radiation.

Any advice? Thank-you!

My heart goes out to you both. Its not an esy journey but you will make it. The Cisplatin made my husband very nausea the first time and also the violent vomiting. Infact he lost 14 lbs the first week!.. He then tried E-mend for the nausea and it really helped. Also to keep hydrated that is so important. I would also strongly suggest a peg-tube. It really saved my husband. Wish we would of done it in the very beginning instead of 4weeks later. That is what they want my husband to do in June go on the pump for one week each month for 3 months. This would be his second round of chemo. PLease keep me posted. YOu are in my prayers.