#88558 01-20-2009 08:17 PM | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 18 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 18 | Hubby is having a rough time with the chemo. First blast was last Thursday, and he is still having queasy gut and passing wind, and it isn't because he's eating beans.
His doc came back with this:
"You can take Zofran (up to 3 times a day), Decadron (up to 3 times a day) and Compazine (up to 4 times a day) for your nausea. Yes, you take all these 3 medicines."
And my/our question is, that sounds like a very heavy drug load to us, so is this kind of administration of meds normal?
And what's normal for the nausea? I thought it would only last 48 hours or so. Thanks for your help on this one...
Elin, artist and Wife to Ron, neck lump 8/08
Ron, age 68, Dx 11/23/08, T2N2bMx BOT Stage IV, treatments begin January. cisplatin x 3 and rads 35x, one chemo down and rads x4 as of 1/20.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 | Elin, He's getting Chemo......"Heavy load of drugs" does not compute. If he has nausea take what they offer.
Last edited by Mark; 01-20-2009 09:29 PM.
Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Next time try Emends. Has to be taken the day of chemo and the next 2 days. Very expensive but what isn't?
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 622 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 622 | Take the meds, on schedule whether he thinks he needs them or not. I was on Zofran, Phenegran, & Marinol and was very well managed by mt OCNP so I had very few problems with nausea.
Kevin
18 YEAR SURVIVOR
SCC Tongue (T3N0M0) diag 06/2006.
No evidence of disease 2010
Another PET 12-2014 pre-HBO, still N.E.D.
�Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. It matters that you don't just give up.�
Stephen Hawking | | | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 228 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 228 | We don't even want to get started on all the drugs I was taking during treatment. I was on a series of antibiotics because of pneumonia along with pain meds and a couple other things. For nausea I was on phenergan, zofran, and I had Aloxi given via IV before all my chemo treatments. Usually I'm not even one to pop an ibuprofen for a headache, but in this case, I was all about getting through treatment as painfree as possible.
Stephanie, 23, SCC on the right side of my tongue, surgery on 5-19-08, over half my tongue removed, free flap constructed from my forearm, bilateral neck dissection, one positive node. Radiation (32) and chemo (carboplatin) started on 6-16-08. Recurrence 4/09 in lungs.
**** Stephanie passed away 12.15.09.... RIP our dear friend****
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 | Elin,
Zofran, which worked beautifully for me in the past, didn't do anything for the nausea I got from Cisplatin. I ended up on a combination of Emend and Aloxi which worked well.
As far as the 'heavy load of drugs' goes, yes, it is. But Cisplatin is nasty, nasty toxic stuff. The nausea didn't hit me until around 48 hours after it was administered and lasted days in the first couple of weeks. After they switched my drugs, I didn't have any trouble with it.
Stage IV SCC lt lateral tongue, surgery 5/19/08 (partial gloss/upper neck dissection left side/radial free flap reconstruction) IMRT w/weekly Cisplatin & Erbitux 6/30/08, PEG 1 6/12/08 - out 7/14 (in abdominal wall, not stomach), PEG 2 7/23/08 - out 11/20/08, Tx done 8/18/08
Second SCC tumor, Stage 1, rt mobile tongue, removed 10/18/2016, right neck dissection 12/9/2016
Third SCC tumor, diagnosed, 4/19/2108, rt submandibular mass, HPV-, IMRT w/ weekly Cisplatin, 5/9 - 6/25/2018, PEG 3 5/31/2018
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 114 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 114 | That's the same combination I have been given. Although I have dropped the compazine because it makes me feel like I'm crawling out of my skin. David is right the Emend can be a wonder drug, you take it the day of chemo and then 2 days following. Expensive but it works great. But I would say the regimen you've been given is the same that many of us have been given...zofran, decadron, compazine, etc. Even taking all three I find that I'm queasy all the time.
-Steve
Age 41 - Stage 2 SCC tongue Dx 2/06. Cisplatin x3, IMRT x35. Mets to neck node discovered 7/07. RND 40 nodes removed, margins not clear. Cisplatin, Taxotere, 5-FU Fall 07, then IMXT/Erbitux for 7 wks. Inoperable mets to both lungs and pleura Dx Oct'08. 4 cycles Carboplatin, Erbitux, 5-FU so far.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 18 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 18 | Thanks, guys and gals. I've copied hubby Ron on all of these so he can make better decisions with his doc.
What gets me in all this is how much we ALL need to be proactive. The doctors are always looking for case studies to see if what they learned works. That's not always in the best interest of the patient. I'm starting to get "righteous" which spells bad news for anyone who gets in the way of my "Mom Mode" (I don't have kids, but I know what it means). I want the best care, the most effective care. I'm not ready to start in the blog, but I am blogging with my computer. I need to vent somewhere...
Elin, artist and Wife to Ron, neck lump 8/08
Ron, age 68, Dx 11/23/08, T2N2bMx BOT Stage IV, treatments begin January. cisplatin x 3 and rads 35x, one chemo down and rads x4 as of 1/20.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | We all vented at various times. That's partly why we're here because believe me we understand. Come on, hit me with your best shot!!
You may also have to use your "tough Love" mode when that time comes. My wife developed her's quite nicely.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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