Hi everyone,
My husband is now almost halfway through his treatment (13 IMRT sessions out of 30 total and 1 carboplatin) and has suffered very little side affects as of yet. Every day I wake up wondering if this is the day things are going to turn bad and thus far we have been very blessed. He has put on 5 lbs so far during treatment because he shoves food in at every moment that he can so that when things do get worse he has some weight to spare. The only real side affect he has yet is that he has a somewhat dry mouth and his tongue is a little sore. We've switched him to softer foods so as to keep from aggrevating the soreness any more but everything still tastes pretty normal. Just wondering if there are others out there that went this long without complications and when they should start to kick in. I worry about him everyday especially when I read everyone's stories on this forum. I do consider us blessed though, that we have gotten this far without alot of complications. Every day is a blessing.

I had 35 IMRT's concurrent with 3 cisplatin treatments. I started feeling the effects during week 3. Nausea was the worst because it (no feeding tube) prevented me from downing the right amt of cals and water. Not understanding what was happening to my body I continued to get worse. I would go to the ER and get fluids and try to rebound but it would only last a week or 2 before I would land back in the ER. Nobody could get a handle on the naseau until a week after treatment ended and I had lost 30 pounds did they put a tube through my nose. I had it in 10 days before I pulled it out myself BUT it got me over the naseau hump and I have recovered greatly since then. I also found Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC which has 560 cals in the same 8 oz size which has helped a lot as well.

Hi Michelle,

As you know, I can't give you any advice in this situation, but just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of you and Steve and glad to hear that things have been going so well.

Jerry

Michelle and Steve, the healthier you can stay now, the better it will be down the road. Good for Steve for eating [and hopefully drinking water, etc.] at every opportunity. I would also urge him to get as much rest as possible during rad. therapy. His body will appreciate it. Keep it up- you all are doing well! Amy

I can only speak for my experience, but I felt very little in the way of side efects until week 3, and then it all started to hit. The nausea really took me by surprise, sudden, severe and really difficult to control. I finally spent a couple of days in hospital on I.V. Zoefron and that finally got it under control.

The last 5 treatments (of 30) were the toughest for me. It was really an exercise in endurance. Now, two weeks out from the last treatment, I'm starting to feel a bit better but I suspec it's going to be a while
Good luck to both of you !
Wayne