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Chemo Taxotere/docetaxel

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Posted 10/8/2009 3:25 PM (GMT 0)
Last August I was diganosed with advanced stage 4 prostate cancer with mets to my hip and lymph nodes. I have been on casodes and lupron since. Six months ago my disease advanced to my liver and two other bone mets.

Yesterday I got scan results that showed the cancer while in the same spots has enlarged.

Over all I fee very good, have no outward symptoms and lead an active normal life with no real issues from the cancer to date.

The doctor is telling me to do chemo. Specifically Taxotere/docetaxel every three weeks. He says it is well accepted and does not have the bad side effects of other chemo drugs especially if you are in good physical health. He did say I would probably loose my hair but that is no big deal. I'm concerned about being very sick, unable to function etc.

I would love to hear any experience with this theray that any members can share.

I'm really scared to do chemo but may not have a choice. Please help.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jack

 

Posted 10/8/2009 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
You might want research and read Dr (Snuffy) Myers prostate cancer newsletters and his book that deal with advanced prostate cancer.
Posted 10/8/2009 4:20 PM (GMT 0)
Jack have you spoken to David Emerson? He is a great guy who is very willing to talk about his journey. He has been through Chemo and can give you an excellent blow by blow. His screen name here is FLHW (David E). I can't air his Email address but here is a way to reach him:

www.flhw.org you can contact him directly there.

Also, his blog is at www.prostatecancerat42.blogspot.com

I know many others, but David will get on the phone with you and he is very articulate and knowledgeable.

Tony
Posted 10/8/2009 6:33 PM (GMT 0)

Jack:

It sounds like you've had a pretty rough road so far but there is some light ahead hopefully.  There are a few drugs in the pipeline that hold great promise for guys at your stage.  Arbiterone is about a year away from being accepted and is in the last phase of clinical trials.  It has done wonders fro some individuals.

There used to be a guy who posted on this forum  that was about the same stage as you, he thought the next step would be chemo but went down to M.D. Anderson and they found him a clinical trial that he has had good response to.  I've lost contact with him over the last few months but you might want to look that direction(clinical trials). His trial did consist of some taxotere but he said it was very easy for him to handle.  I don't know who you are seeing as an onc. but hopefully it's somenone well versed in Porstate specific stuff.

Keep the faith.

David 

Posted 10/8/2009 7:59 PM (GMT 0)
Taxotere was not a big deal for me. I felt a bit tired a couple of days after the treatment in the later part of the series (I had six cycles). I had some small taste changes (red wine tasted weird, so I stopped it for a while). Of course I lost a lot of hair, but not all. I had mouth sores, well controlled by the mouth wash they gave me. Nothing else that I can remember. Best of luck in your journey to find the best treatment. Greg
Posted 10/9/2009 6:53 AM (GMT 0)
Jack Z
My husband was also diagnosed last august and has been doing chemo plus a clinical trial. The taxotere chemo did not work for him but it also did not have too bad of side effects. Since its only once every 3 weeks I think thats a big part of it. Now he is on the older style of chemo and a clinical trial - We will know more next week but we need the new drugs now not a year from now.
Posted 10/10/2009 12:05 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks

Sounds like some of you have had a fairly good experience with Taxotere, but I'm still concerned. Someone told me if has potential serious heart issues.

Hair loss is not a concern but being sick to my stomach and wiped out for several days is.

I've combined conventional hormone therapy with some alternative treatments. Of course the alternative guys say do not do Chemo...its posion and can kill you, and the conventional guys say if you don't do Chemo you'll die.

Tough decision.

Any other people out there withn god/bad Taxatere experience to share to help me?

Jack 

Posted 10/11/2009 3:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Jack, I hear your frustration my personal experience with chemo may help you out. Breif history: Diagnosis via psa 10/06-26.6, Biop. 11/06-7 out

of 8 were cancerous prostate at that time was 85% bad, surgery:12/06, radition:05/07-07/07, chemo:08/07-10/07 with frequency at (3)week

intervals. The chemo drug used: Taxotere after I found out that chemo was next inline for me I started shaving my head even mos. before and still shave it today. At the time I was 48 the first (3) treatments were routine I bowled in (3) leagues, mowed my lawn did a major lawn renovation for a freind retaining, wall paver bricks, bushes the whole shot. Dont get me wrong here I had to fight for every inch. My doctor said at the time that I would returned to normal after treatment, I have to say that he was rite it takes awhile for your muscles to get back to normal but the body is magnificant. A tip that will help is water therapy. My gains are steady I can run, lift and ride again so dont get discuraged if you lose physical capacity

its only temparary. By the 4th treatment I thought I had it made but I did notice my body change physical strength diminished everythings affected from head to toe. God is good. Hear I am today cancer free. psa<0.01. I take the quarterly Lupron shot and daily casadex pill which will end 04/10

 

 

 

DEMAC

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