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User

Posted 01 Oct 2017 at 16:57

All the best.

User

Posted 01 Oct 2017 at 18:10

Hi skellyboy (auto spell checker changes your name into something quite funny) , just wanted to share my experience of the injections you have. I had the same, first one no problem, second one ok but about 12 hours later I started to get a pain in my spine. This got worse and worse and it turned into what I can only imagine is like having contractions (apologies to any ladies who think I am wrong), I ended up with shooting pain in my spine every 20 seconds, I was gripping the chair so tight when they came eventually I was in complete agony. My temperature then exceeded 100 which meant a&e and the iv you described from your first cycle. I had no infection as it turned out just a severe reaction to the injections that sent my temperature through the roof.
I am sure you will be fine but I did not associate the pain with the injections until I saw my onco who said it is a side effect for some. It was over 2 years ago but I still remember the trip to the hospital where I could not get pain free at all. Needless to say I then had no more injections and reduced chemo the next time.
The reduced chemo worried me however it did the job and my tumour in my chest lymph shrunk from 3.5cm to 0.5cm ( normal size) the reduction in chemo was minimal.
Still here now, still running ultramarathons so believe you will get through it all and do what you used to on the other side if not whilst you are still on chemo.
Take care

Dream like you have forever, live like you only have today Avatar is me doing the 600 mile Camino de Santiago May 2019

User

Posted 01 Oct 2017 at 20:35

Hello Skellyboy,

Sounds like you and I are going down exactly the same road at the same time and I have shared a number of your problems, ending up in hospital after first Chemo due to temp, constipation like nothing I have ever known. Like you my second session was easier and my third is due on 9th October. I too am having the GCSF injections although mine are being done by a rather lovely district nurse, (perhaps they don't trust me with needles!!).

I will be interested to follow your progress and compare notes.

Hope things carry on in a positive way for you.

Ian

Edited by member 02 Oct 2017 at 21:17 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 22 Oct 2017 at 16:04

chemo update

Had my third cycle of chemo on Friday. It's going well although the salty taste in my mouth is worse than it was before. I've been drinking lots of fluids to keep the constipation at bay as that was what landed me in hospital after cycle 1. I'm continuing with the 7 day course of injections after the chemo, to keep my white blood cell count up as this clearly helped me last time. I know that the consultant doesn't want to lower the dosage of Docetaxel unless he has to.

We have two grandchildren aged 4 and 2 who we haven't seen in ages but this morning we had a web chat with them, which was great. Only it lasted an hour and a half and absolutely wore me out! The kids get so excited that our son has his work cut out to keep them under control.

So it's onwards and upwards. Three down and three to go.

All the best to those of you on the journey.

Brian

User

Posted 22 Oct 2017 at 19:29

Hi Brian,
Thanks for posting,
Looks like you are getting through it, well done

I also am having early chemo plus Prostap for Recurrent Prostate Cancer, [DX Feb 2011]
I have had two Chemo so far and it puts me into urine retention for about a week during which I use a catheter,
I only do five injections starting on day four after chemo,

Barry

User

Posted 02 Nov 2017 at 11:30

Another stay in hospital

In the early hours of Tuesday morning I woke up shivering all over and couldn't get back to sleep. Because I was shaking so much and felt unbelievably weak, my wife rang the hospital. Meanwhile, my temperature was yo-yoing about. After a couple of conversations with the hospital, I was told to head straight to A&E. To their credit, they processed me through their system really quickly. I had blood tests, chest x-ray, ecg, urine sample, which all came back negative.

Only last Friday did I complete my 7 days of G-CSF injections following my last chemo, so my white cell count was artificially high, making diagnosis tricky. They kept me in overnight for observation and as I had no more shakes and my bloods came back normal, I was allowed home yesterday afternoon.

The diagnosis was given as "pyrexia (fever) with no obvious cause". I've got 7 days of oral antibiotics to take, although there doesn't seem to be any obvious infection. I've been told that it may just have been a delayed reaction to the chemo, even though I'm now 3 cycles into my treatment.

I felt absolutely fine during the days leading up to this incident. Which proves that every day is different and potentially challenging.

Brian

User

Posted 03 Nov 2017 at 08:18

Morning Brian,
Glad to see that you are all ok now and out of hospital, good to see how quick they reacted to your problems
Has your PSA now dropped ?.
I had my third Chemo yesterday Psa has dropped from a high of 4.6 to a low of 0.06 ,they also took a Psa test yesterday
I will find out what that reads in a couple of weeks.

Good luck with your next session

Barry

User

Posted 03 Nov 2017 at 15:53

Hi Brian,
One thing I forgot to mention ,
I also take 10mg CETIRZINE antihistimine for three days starting the day before chemo and for two days after chemo
I take then in the evening

Barry

Edited by member 03 Nov 2017 at 15:54 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 07 Nov 2017 at 17:21

Hi Barry

My last PSA reading was 0.9, down from 33 when my treatment started. However, I may get a more up to date reading when I go for my 4th cycle of chemo on Friday.

Funny you should mention Cetirazine. I'm a hay fever sufferer and I've been taking Cetirazine all year round for some years. Not sure if it helps the hay fever much but at least I feel as if I'm being proactive.

I'm trying to stay out of hospital as much as possible, as it must be a hotbed for bugs and viruses, especially at this time of year. On Sunday I've got to try and enjoy my birthday and joy of joys, Christmas Day is just 3 days after my last cycle of chemo! Bad luck or what?

Hope all is well with you

Brian

User

Posted 07 Nov 2017 at 18:49

Brian,

Sorry to hitch a ride on your Chemo thread.

I am on my 2nd session of Chemo. I had 8 Cycles earlier this year which reduced my bone mets by 90% and my lung mets by 70%. I then had a 5 month Chemo holiday which was great, but unfortunately the blighters took advantage and returned, hence my return to the Chemo bus. I have just had my 3rd Chemo cycle of this session today (Chemo cycle No 11 in total) and my PSA is back down again to a much more manageable 2.4.

I am fortunate that I have very few side effects with the Chemo and I continue to work part time to keep my brain active although i tend to take the purder week of 7 TO 10 days post Chemo off as this is the most likely infection risk days according to my Oncologist.

My profile gives a better breakdown of my progress. I took the flue jab this year and I am also being encouraged to take the pneumonia jab also this year.

All the best Brian and I will follow your progress with interest and hopefully you can stay clear of those hospital visits as you go forward

Regards

Dave

Edited by member 08 Nov 2017 at 06:03 | Reason: Not specified

"Incurable cancer does not mean it is untreatable and does not mean it is terminal either"

User

Posted 18 Nov 2017 at 17:04

treatment update

Had my 4th cycle of chemo last Friday (10th November) but I still can't seem to keep away from the hospital.

This time I seem to have been hit by extreme physical and mental fatigue. I was coping ok until last Wednesday when I was doing stuff in the garden. I was not out there long but when I came in, I just sat on the sofa staring into space. My wife took my temperature and told me it was slightly raised but when she saw me behaving like a zombie and not responding to her questions, she called the hospital. By this time I had 'come round' but after answering all their questions, they asked me to come to the cancer suite for an assessment. Long story short, all my obbs were fine but after taking bloods, they told me that one of the 'markers' may indicate infection, so once again I was given a short course of oral antibiotics to take home with me, just as a precaution.

Despite injecting myself for 7 days after each cycle and keeping away from public places, this is becoming very taxing. As well as having to cope with the fatigue, I've also had no appetite and an insipid aftertaste with all the food I try to eat. Oh, and added to this there's the indigestion and trapped wind. I knew that this journey wasn't going to be a walk in the park but sometimes one feels totally isolated from the real world. The only time that I feel any camaraderie with my fellow patients is when I have my treatment. It's so unfair on my wife who is trying to cope as best she can, when I never know what I'm going to be able to eat from one day to the next.

I'm pleased to report that today has actually shown an improvement, but I'm still only 9 days in and I've still got 2 cycles to go before I am finished.

I'm afraid that this isn't a very positive report but maybe one or two of you can empathise.

Brian

User

Posted 19 Nov 2017 at 11:25

Hi Brian,

Thank you for update,

I feel for you as I also get some of your symptom , this is not a walk in the park , my forth one is this Thursday, I am there all day and to be honest I enjoy the whole day out.

Barry

User

Posted 06 Dec 2017 at 10:53

treatment update

Just to let you know that I had my last dose of chemo last Friday. I was meant to have 6 cycles but after a meeting with my consultant, he told me that it was not necessary for me to have the final cycle, as it wouldn't make much difference one way or the other. My chemo has only ever been complimentary to my hormone treatment. My final cycle would have been 3 days before Christmas, so at least I can now look forward to the festive season. I shall see the consultant on 20th December, when I should have an update on my PSA and what will happen going forward.

My side effects have followed a similar pattern this week. Felt fine over the weekend but now have no energy, no appetite, a bit of constipation and feeling 'stuffed'. Of course, I'm still injecting myself until Friday and my dietitian has put me on a course of high protein drinks, of which I'm already feeling the benefit. I think that putting on weight is helping me through this cycle, as I feel a lot stronger than I did before.

It's a great feeling to know that I'm having no more chemo and that every day that passes is a day nearer to me feeling 'normal' again.

I'll try and post another message once I've seen the consultant.

Brian

User

Posted 07 Dec 2017 at 12:41

Thanks for the interesting updates and responses. Some advice for me to consider when starting chemo in January. Time now for both of us to enjoy the festive season.

Michael

User

Posted 07 Dec 2017 at 19:32

Hi Brian
Thank you for the update,
I am getting number five next week but I will ask for number six as the trial results in America show best results with six cycles
of chemo

Barry

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