Trial of Docetaxel + Xofigo (Radium 223). I Start Monday

I got my last chemo infusion so far on January 27. I have waited to update because I have had strange symptoms which I was not expecting.Because I had already had chemo and a stronger dose And was relatively unaffected, I foolishly thought that my symptoms were due to the radium. That said, I expected them to improve during these last three weeks (as three weeks ago I got chemo while the radium was six weeks ago.) Wrong again. My overall symptoms have gotten worse in the last week, and have brought along some new friends:
Disappearing appetite, foods that don’t taste right, continuing exhaustion, continuing mental fatigue, chills, Elevated pulse rate, especially after exertion, shortness of breath, especially after exertion.Erratic temperature control. May be due to Lupron.

I thought there must be something wrong. Especially when one of the vans on my right arm had a red streak. I’m worried about blood poisoning. It turns out it was only phlebitis. Last Thursday I flashed a fever in the evening. about 102. Friday morning it was 94.8. What was going on? I got an appointment on Friday and was thoroughly checked out. I’m fine, well except Cancer.

It turns out going through chemo a second time is not the same as going through chemo the first time. For me the first time was basically a walk in the park, except for a few days of really bad brain fog and a few strategically scheduled work breaks. Even though my doses are smaller, all of my worsening exhaustion and other symptoms are tied straight back to docetaxil.

Scams have shown some improvement in my bone Mets. This is due to the radium. My PSA has trended higher for the last three or four visits. Not huge jumps but consistent. Second rounds of chemo apparently are also less effective at fighting cancer.

My next infusion/injection will be February 19. Here goes.

Thanks for the update. Some challenging stuff for sure, but you seem to be navigating well. I hope things settle down.

Good luck!

Hi guys, Thanks for the encouragement! I hope this finds you doing ‘well’ in your personal campaigns...

Paul

NKS,
Well your post was sounding promising until the end. I didn't go back to reread the whole thread, but I wonder if they be able to zap the node. Hang in there and there and keep us posted.

Thank you guys. I know that bone Mets get zapped but I didn’t know if lymph nodes could be zapped. If they do I’m all for it. I have been offered Zytiga if the ARV7 test that I took April 2 shows me I’m eligible. If not, it looks like I get Kabazitaxil if I get treated locally.

I’ve been in contact with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, in Buffalo. They’re more likely to offer me a part in a Trial. I’ll be contacted about an interview, whether in person or ‘virtual’. It’s just over an hour west of me.

Duck 2-Hehehehehe

My last infusion was 3/19. I wrote of fatigue, shortness of breath, and coldness. Today is about six weeks later, and the side effects are still with me. I’ve had a few blood tests. They show me as anemic. The last blood test showed that I have very low iron. At the same time I have a protein that carries iron I think the name is ferritin and my numbersAre approximately 100 times normal. Apparently there is a mechanism while undergoing chemotherapy that causes this kind of imbalance. The good news is that my PSA numbers keep trending down. So I continue to enjoy a gift that keeps on giving.

Hello NOTKIDNEYSTONES,

My doctor runs an occasional test for iron deficiency, due to the continuous ADT shots I have been on since diagnosis.

I take a low dose iron supplement. I try to add some iron rich food to my diet --- beef is rich in iron.

An easy way to bolster iron, is good old-fashioned Grape Nuts cereal ---- have a small bowl for breakfast, or mix some crunchy Grape Nuts into some yogurt.

Meanwhile, I hope the side effects you have described are diminishing.

Have you and your doctor mapped out a treatment plan yet? I know you mentioned ZYTIGA or possibly chemotherapy as possibilities.

I was REALLY thankful to read your PSA levels were trending downward. Thankful, very thankful, to hear that news!

I follow all your posts and updates, NOTKIDNEYSTONES.

Keep us updated on how you are faring --- sounds like you and your medical team are looking at some proactive "next steps" --- we are here to support you, every step of the way.

Stay determined --- stay strong!

Cyclone --- # Iowa State University

NKS,
I sure hope this new strategy works. Good luck!

Thanks guys,

At the moment, apparently Trials aren’t accepting new applicants (Blame CV 19). Currently I see Dr Chatta again on 6/25... We’ll see where it goes from there...

Third time‘s the cha....PFFFFFFFT !!!!

I have been traveling to Roswell to go through my screening during the first couple weeks of July. On the 16th I got to spend all day at Roswell. Blood test, cardio pulmonary function, EKG, echocardiogram.During The interview with Dr Chatta he told me that my heart rhythm issue which was initiated while I was taking Ribociclib is still with me. As well as being with me it makes me in eligible for this clinical trial. Apparently QRS and QT are things that people coming up with new drugs look closely at. Kind of sounds like there may be implications for future trials also.