The long road ahead…chemotherapy

User

Posted 21 Jun 2023 at 12:04

Hi All…

I am a concerned wife - my husband is 64, diagnosed with aggressive Prostate cancer in 2017, had hormone therapy, brachytherapy (as couldn’t have his prostate removed) radiotherapy and more hormone therapy for 2 years. His Prostate cancer returned July 2022, put back on 3 monthly zoladex injections. PSA started rising again in March 2023, recent scan shows cancer now spread to lymph nodes in both side of pelvis and in abdomen, every blood test shows a rise in PSA. Consultant said cancer is aggressive and ‘life limiting’ but didn’t expand on this nor did we ask as we were both a bit shell shocked!
So my husband is now starting 10 rounds of palliative chemotherapy on Friday (docetaxel) - he is absolutely petrified (I’ve never seen him like this), he’s been really good and upbeat throughout all his treatment but this has knocked him for six - I just want to know how others have got on with the docetaxel, what side effects have people had and how you have managed them (I know everyone is different), any hints, tips or advice to manage our way through the next few months would be welcome as we’re struggling (me as a wife who doesn’t know what to say really 😔). Thanks for reading…

User

Posted 22 Jun 2023 at 00:37

Hi Annie,

Really sorry to read you have had this news.

I can’t really help as haven’t had any experience of my husband having chemo but this should bump up your post so others will see it and hopefully help.

What I see on here (and a friend who had chemo for PCa) is that docetaxel is much more tolerable than chemo for many other cancers. There are some that say they haven’t had many (if any) side effects at all. I hope this is the case for your husband.

I often watch PCRI videos on YouTube with Dr Mark Scholz, there are many videos on docetaxel that might be worth a watch and give your husband some reassurance.

Wishing you both the very best x

User

Posted 26 Jun 2023 at 15:07

Thank you so much for your reply, I have watched a few of Dr Scholz's video's and have found them helpful...My husband had his first chemo last Friday, fingers crossed no side effects as of yet but as I said a long road ahead...

User

Posted 27 Jun 2023 at 14:00

Hi Annie,

Very sorry to hear about your husband’s latest results. When my husband was diagnosed 4 year’s ago they thought his cancer had spread to his hip bone and started him on HT and chemo (docetaxel) six sessions. I must admit it was very daunting at the time as we did not know what to expect. I was fortunate to be able to go with Keith for each session. We were amazed that following the chemo treatment his Onco said he did not think it was a cancerous legion but on old injury and that he would now be on a curative path. We will never be 100% sure that was the case, but so far so good following HT and Radiotherapy. I don’t know if it will be of any help to you and your husband but I did document on here how the sessions went. If you are able to click on my avatar it is there for you to read.

I hope your husband’s second treatment goes as well as the first.

With my very best wishes to you both.

Angex

User

Posted 27 Jun 2023 at 15:02

Thank you Ange, that's very kind...Up until today he hasn't had any side effects from his first treatment, so he's been doing everything as normal (even though I told him to take things a bit easier!). Anyway, he's been to work this morning but got sent home as he is so tired, he is upset that he hasn't been able to work a full day but he needs to find his level during treatment, unfortunately he's down for 10 chemo sessions so he's in it for the long haul...We keep going, that's all you can do...

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