Hi:

How long is chemo session in hospital? My dad starts Monday and is having all week.

Thanks,
Chris

It depends on if he is getting hydration and anti nasuea meds before and after the chemo. My chemo days were long ones and lasted about 4 hours.

How long is a train?

It depends on many things but I'll bet from check in to pulling out the needle you're looking at 4 to 6 hours. I took all sorts of things to keep me occupied like the newspaper, magazines with plenty of Sudoku, DVD player with at least 3 or 4 DVD's, etc. Whatever he likes. Depending upon who was next to me I would talk to them but those only worked for my first 2 as the 3rd is pretty much a blur.

Boston: Please update your father's information

1. It's good that your father got a PEG tube. When I did chemo (3 drug regimen), my mouth become extremely sore, I could swallow liguids orally only, but a PEG tube could be very useful in extreme cases especially with radiation.

2. If found that my initial reaction to the chemo was the strongest. With each treatment my body became accustomed to the cheo and the reaction wasn't as strong. I did lose my taste buds, lost appetite (probably became nothing tasted good), and I had a lot of fatigue. These are the most common complaints from patients, but there are other side effects that the doctor help with medication.

3. It's best to eat in small increments. Nothing hot or cold. Water tasted wrong, so I switched to Vitamen Water for hydration. It's pretty good and doesn't have a lot of sugar. Some things that worked for me was chicken broth and other cream soups, Carnation Instant Breakfast, pudding, apple sauce and yogert. I found my mouth so sore that I couldn't even eat Tapioca as the rice in it hurt my mouth. So stay smooth and creamy. Keep in mind that it's very important to maintain weight while in treatment so don't worry about fats, etc.

4. White Blood cells and platelets are affected by chemo. You're father will have blood tests, probably every 2 weeks, to check on levels. Eating protein helps. I would ask to speak to a nutritionist who could recommend foods that will help. My treatment was very agressive so I received a shot after every treatment which builds white bloods cells. Personally the shot caused more pain than the chemo. In some patients, it cause a lot of flat bone pain (such an in you chest.). So try to maintain as high a white blood cell count as possible to avoid the shot.

Hopefully, because you dad is receiving a mild drug, side effects won't be do bad. Remember I was taking 3 drugs simulaneously.

5. Depending on the chemo drug, your father may also receive intravenously some pain, nausea, hydration, etc. medicine. This will help him through the 1st 2-3 days of chemo. But the time in the chemo center will take longer. Most centers are set up to be very comfortable for the patients, some even provide TV, magazines, books, juice, coffee, etc. The nurses are great.


Please post what he will be receiving and for how long. No radiation?

Hope this helps
Sandy S.

Hi Sandy:

I am waiting for additional info on my dad. To the best of my knowledge it it stage 4 SCC on base of tongue with some lmphnodes on rt side. He has some loss of kidney function, no dialysis, just controlled by meds and diet. They are giving him Cetuximab every day for a week and will check kidney function at end of wk. He will be getting radiation treatment at the same time. Drs. are positive, they tell us his cancer is curable.

Thanks,
Chris

Chris, ask the chemo doc about all the side effects. I seem to remember something about kidney problems with my type of chemo, cisplatin.

You get kidney problems with Erbitux too. I was checked out quite regular to be sure. I was only in chemo and rads one time for about 4 hrs. That was the 1st time. after that it was maybe 2 hrs to 2 1/2.

I should add that I never had to wait to get a chair for chemo either. That's a big plus.

Boston: You father's lymph nodes. What were the size and the SUV count.

BTW: Most chemo drugs can have a impact on your kidneys. Check to see if they are giving you father some saline solution (each bag takes about an hour) which helps prevent kidney problems. If not, you may ask if it would be appropriate. I took cisplatin which is known to have kidney side effects, and I had two bags of saline solution for given the drug.

BTW: A typical, just when you want to find something, you can't. I cannot find the formal name for the saline solution, but the doctor should know it.

Also, make sure your father drinks ALOT. This also really helps rid the body of the drugs, and will help the kidneys.

So long for now.
Sandy S.

My chemos were always at least 6 hours, then back the next day to get flushed out--2 hours.