#95233 05-11-2009 08:32 AM | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 27 | It all begins today at about noon. First Rad, I originally thought would be getting chemo once every 3 weeks but MD prefers once a week. His thought cuts down on reactions, liver and kidney problems and safeguards hearing. I have received to RX for compazine and one other anti-naiusea medicines. From what I have read on the forum it takes a couple of weeks for the side effects from Rad to kick in? Is it the same for the Chemo, my understanding is that it is more immediate? Thanks to the forum I was able to understand that removal of lymph nodes will probably take place after the cycle. I wish Onocologist had advised that up front. The reccomedation is to put off feeding tube unless I lose 20lbs. Nervous about starting but at the same time looking forward to attacking it. How long does it take after chemo treatment for the nausea to subside?
Age 63, occasional drinker, smoked for 40 years Base of tongue, stage 4,T-2,N2B Cisplatin 1xweek 30 RT ended 6/25 PEG removed 8/23 PET Scan shows scaring but believed no tumors 9/25
| | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 716 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 716 | Rick...Take it one-day-at-a-time...one-day-at-a-time...
7-16-08 age 37@Dx, T3N0M0 SCC 4.778cm tumor, left side of oral tongue, non smoker, casual drinker, I am the 4th in my family to have H&N cancer 8-13-08 left neck dissection and 40% of tongue removed, submandibular salivary gland & 14 nodes clean, no chemo, IMRTx35 11-4-08 Recovering & feeling better | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | Rick, I was getting the weekly chemo concurrent with r.t. and my experience was that I had the chemo on wed, was fine on thur and the nausea hit on fri. And, yes, it started the 1st week. R.t didn't become bad until about the 4th week when I lost my taste and saliva production and swallowing even the smallest pills became impossible. I can't see waiting for the peg, I got mine right before tx started and I'm glad I did. By now, your 1st rt should be done, hope it went well. It's going to be a long 7 weeks so, as Ray says, 1 day at a time.
David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer. And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer. May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.
| | | | 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 | Rick,
Consume a minimum of 3000 calories and 48 oz of water each and every day. Make it a goal and stick to it. I had the 3 doses of Cis and my first dose was a non event but the 2nd was much worse (but I had also had 15 rads by then) and my 3rd dose was really bad (but I also had 30 rads by then) so it's hard to say when or if you will be affected with those weekly baby doses. lol
I was also told that if I needed a ND it would be post Tx so that's a good thing in my book to wait and see if the rad and chemo kills the cancer first rather than perhaps performing surgery that was unnecessary.
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: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 | Rick,
Did your doctor's give you a schedule for taking your anti nausea meds? My husband had the same first dosage as DavidCPA and he took all the meds per the schedule and he did not get any nausea. Everyone is different, but do try to take those anti nausea meds on schedule even if you are feeling fine.
I know several people who didn't need the neck dissection post treatment because the rad and chemo took care of the issue...cross your fingers and hope you will fall into that category! :-)
I'm quite sure you will lose at least 20 pounds. I think it is odd that your doc put that amount to the criteria for the tube. It wasn't nausea that got my husband, rather the inability to eat. He went from 200 to 155 and that all happened towards the end of treatment very rapidly. I wished he had gotten a peg, but our doctor had this belief that starving the patient meant starving the cancer...but, I believe the healing can go more rapidly if there is a tube in place to get much needed protein, meds and fluids.
Margaret ---------- C/G: Husband, 48 (at time of dx) Dx 5/18/07 SCC, BOT, lymph node involvement. T1N2BM0. (Stage 4a, G2/3) Tx 6/18 - 8/3/07, IMRT x 33 Cisplatin x3 (stopped after 1st dose due to hearing issues). Weekly Erbitux started 6/27/07 completed 8/6/07.
| | | | 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 | Margaret,
I guess he also believes in Starve a Cold and Feed a Fever or Feed a Cold and Starve a Fever, which ever?
How is Dan anyway?
Riding his bike yet or is it still snowing up there?
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: 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 | Rick,
Not to steal your thread....I did take my anti nausea meds but after a while nothing seemed to work and the pain left swallowing as a real chore and even if I was able to swallow I would usually get nauseated so I, being the MAN that I am, would lie to my wife when she came home and said " how many cans did you drink today?". Then I would get dehydrated and the BIG C would follow along with more nausea so that's where the PEG would have come in real handy. Sometimes being a MAN gets in the way of progress.
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 2009 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: May 2009 Posts: 27 | First day of chemo is today. (Cisplatin) Prior to this my main h20 intake was from coffee and a beer at night, never have been much of a water drinker. Yesterday had 96 oz of water, is that enough? I am starting to read conflicting info on some of the reading material. I am starting to realize that everyones body reacts different. Most sites say no alcohol, then today one book said to drink a glass of wine or beer to stimulate saliva? The idea of having a barf bucket in the car was a very practical idea. My wife corrected me on my statement about the 20lbs, she said the MD had said 20%. David, good to see you are able to exercise the same as before. My goal is to be sailing by the end of the season and to be skiing this winter. Thanks for the responses.
Age 63, occasional drinker, smoked for 40 years Base of tongue, stage 4,T-2,N2B Cisplatin 1xweek 30 RT ended 6/25 PEG removed 8/23 PET Scan shows scaring but believed no tumors 9/25
| | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | Well, Rick, gear up for battle and go get 'em. I like your attitude.
David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer. And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer. May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.
| | | | 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 | Rick,
For the time being skip the alcohol but your are reading correctly when you said...."I am starting to realize that everyone's body reacts different." That's very true and we always hope everyone has an easy time during Tx.
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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