Hi Eric. Well, looks like the HK contingent is up tonight and answering this one. I did the rad/chemo with the Cisplatin also, first time in October/November of 2002, second time in April/May of 2003.
The big thing with Cisplatin is making sure you drink lots of fluid, and that they hydrate you before and afterward because it can cause kidney damage if you aren't careful about fluid intake. Just need to keep the old system flushed. In my case we did about 7mg (I think) once a week, but the whole routine would take about 6 hours. Did IMRT in the morning about 8:30, then chemo all day, then the second IMRT about 4:30.
Firt they did blood test, checking normal stuff they check for during chemo, then ran a half bag of saline, then some anti nausia med, another med of something I don't remember, then the Cisplatin, then another half bag of saline. They measured urine output and fluid intake.
I didn't realy have any nausea as I have mentioned before, I would get real hungry the night of the treatment and next day would have a bout with stomach acid, have to do the Tums routine. First go around I had 7 treatments and didn't have any hearing issues. Second go around about 4 sessions in I started getting ringing in the right ear, strange sensations there. Doc discontinued the Cisplatin at that point, he thought by then I had enough to do the job anyway. Got the usual side effect of tingling in the feet and legs when I moved my head vertically, like when I nodded, that still goes on very mildly every once in a while. Right ear is still sensitive to sound a little, but recent check by audiologist says hearing and function is normal.
Like Karen, for a few months afterward I would have bouts of depression, and that lasted for about 3 months. One of my other posts mentioned my dealings with sperm count, which is 0 at this point, caused by the chemo. Figure 3 to 5 years for that to get back to normal if at all.
No hair loss either, I too had tiredness, but that can also be caused by the rad or the combination of the two.
All in all, on the second go around, since they were just doing my neck with rad, I didn't have any major issues, just the to be expected tiredness, etc. Did loose about 15 pounds, but was able to run around HK on MTR, bus, ferry and make the trip back home to Dongguan every weekend and run around there. On the nicer days I'd walk home from the treatments, about a 15 minute walk, all down hill.
Hope this all helps. I know the sound "chemo" is a scary thing, but in this case if you get the same sort of deal I had it's not as bad as some treatments, but then everyone is different and reacts differently.
Bob
