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#199470 11-19-2019 10:51 PM
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Paan Offline OP
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Hi,I am going to start radiation and chemo my question is I was told by my chemo dr that I will be getting low dose once a week so how bad are side effects for low dose, I have read some posts here about the higher dose.thankyou

Paan #199473 11-20-2019 03:18 AM
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"OCF across the pond"
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It depends on several things. Firstly, what chemo drug is it as there are many. The most common for OC patients is cisplatin, followed by carboplatin. There are other drugs though.
Secondly, it depends on you too as everyone is individual.

Did your ENT not go through the side effects with you?


F 39 x-smoker no alcohol
05/20/19 T4aN1/N2bM0 SCC a whopper of a tumour at 8cm long & 4cm wide
Pembro pre & post surgery
RIG
Glossectomy ND RFFR 08/13/19
RT x33
2x cispltin
So far, no evidence of disease
Now an author of a recipe book for mouth cancer patients
Dizz_zzey #199483 11-20-2019 01:31 PM
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Paan Offline OP
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Thankyou diz,the chemo dr told me that there will be very little side effects like nausea and now I will ask which drug as they didnt tell me

Paan #199486 11-20-2019 03:15 PM
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chemo can make you very very tired. my husband either sat up all night or slept all day. I don't remember nausea being a problem but they can give you something for that if it is.


Spouse of 58 yr old with BOT cancer
Stage 4a HPV16 positive
3 chemo treatments cisplantin
35 radiation treatments 7000 cGy
former smoker/chewed tobacco for 38 yrs.
1/2020 diagnosed with cancer near TMJ
4/2020 chemo 5 days every 2 weeks
6/2020 proton therapy
9/21/2020 cancer free
Paan #199488 11-20-2019 08:08 PM
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My dad had 1 low dose of Cisplatin chemo last year, along with 30 rads. He was supposed to have 5-7 doses, one per week during his rads to sensitize the cancer cells to the radiation. They weigh you before each cycle and use that to measure your dosage. He felt fairly nauseous the day after his infusion. It took a long time, like all day, to get the fluids and infusion. They go really slow the first time, and monitor you closely. Our hospital had comfy reclining chairs and private cubicles to sit back and watch tv, and snacks while you're being infused. They gave my dad an anti-nausea drug called Ondansetron through his IV between the hydration and the chemo, and they gave him some anti-nausea pills called Decadron to take home. It's important to be hydrated before your chemo and to stay hydrated afterwards, so you can flush the drugs out of your kidneys. Dad had changes in taste, which I guess is fairly common. His hair didn't thin or fall out but it did grow slightly darker than it was before over the last year. He hasn't said so, but I think it affected his hearing a bit. He had a very uncomfortable belly for a week or so later, which is also somewhat common. They told us to be sure to call with any new symptoms, because they can treat any symptom you might experience, and can even adjust their plan if things are not going well. I know other people who felt like chemo was not taxing at all. I know one person who had a lot of side effects. Dad felt so icky he decided not to continue his chemo. They said one dose was better than none, but they were persistent that he should try to continue.

I would definitely ask your medical oncologist about what side effects you might expect, as every person is different, and I imagine there are differences with drug and dose as well. They gave my dad a several page print out with a bunch of scary possibilities. Having to consider these things, and the radiation side effects was really nerve-wracking, but its better to be prepared and to have an understanding of what could happen than to be surprised by something later.


Last edited by Vicky1; 11-20-2019 08:28 PM.

Dad was diagnosed 2/28/18 w Stage 4, N0 Verrucous carcinoma (VC) an uncommon variant of SSC
Mandibulectomy and free-flap reconstruction 5/30/18
Diagnosis changed to SSC.
Began treatment of 30 rads and 5 Cisplatin Cycles on 7/18/18
Decided not to do any more Cisplatin after the first one.
Finished treatment on 8/31/18.
3.19 Abscess & Recurrence wide mouth resection
4.16.19 Scapular Flap Reconstruction surgery
9.6.19 Clear CT!
8.6.20 Clear CT!
Paan #199508 11-24-2019 01:46 AM
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my ear noise is louder, yet to find out I become infertile or not . during treatment , I had body spasm , also contracted an old contagious disease

good luck


Last edited by Michael Young; 11-24-2019 01:47 AM.

T4aN2cM0 left tongue SCC 10/17
Moderately differentiated SCC
PEG, Trachy, glossectomy, en bloc neck dissection and reconstruction 11/17
Perineural invasion present
Radiation (IMRT) and Chemo ( 2xcispltn) completed 2/18
PET - NED 05/18
CT - NED 07/18, 10/18
CT - NED 02/19, 06/19
MRI H&N, X-ray chest - NED 10/19
MRI H&N NED 05/20
CT - NED 10/20
MRI - NED 04/21
CT - NED 10/21
CT - NED 4/22.10/22
CBCT - NED 10/22

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