Me vs chemo round two

Recap of round one. Chemo ate my lunch. Mouth sores; no taste buds; pain in legs, back, and sternum; could not eat and lost 9 lbs in three days. Fever, chills and headaches. Injection site was fried and not reusable due to vein damage. Things gradually improved the middle of second week and were better the third week. As I told my onco it is a good thing I have a short memory or there would be no second round. :)

Round two:
Had a port put in the morning of my infusion. No issues that day or the next. I think the operation drugs were still working on me.
Third day woke up with pain just like the week before. I took a pain drug for this and it helped but made me feel loopy.
Fourth day diarrhea and general pain throughout. Ditto on day five. Night sweats something awful.
Today, day five, Feeling better and strength is returning. But I feel like I have been in brawl. Getting used to the port in my chest. Doesn't hurt just noticeable.
All in all this week was much better than the first. I actually think the diarrhea helps clear this stuff out of the body. I have also noticed that the shoulder pain and chest pain seem to be less. Could that be the chemo killing off those B****d cancer cells? Can only hope.

Don

Hi Don,
During my Chemo treatment I experienced much of the same symptoms you have. I had pain in my bones throughout my body. It felt as though my bone marrow was placed in burning campfire embers. The addition of Neupogen also increased bone pain but Claritin helped alleviate it and by the time of my fourth infusion, I either got used to the pain or it subsided. There is no way of knowing. In addition, I asked my oncologist to include a PSA test before each infusion so we could monitor how effective chemo was. This was a smart choice because as soon as my PSA began to rise again my oncologist prescribed Zytiga.

Thanks Don,

The link is posted as follows: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2758517/
Hopefully I will be one of the lucky ones that derives a benefit from it. Also, there is chatter that Chemo can resensitize your body to second line Hormone Therapy so I think there is reason to be hopeful that you will benefit from Chemo too.

Take care.

Hello Don826,

You're the boxer right now, right in the middle of his boxing match ... with the chemo treatments jabbing right at you right now, keep jabbing right back ... keep swingin' ... those chemo treatments are bound to be attacking those renegade cancer cells with a KNOCKOUT punch, over time !

In the middle of the boxing match, you've got to do everything you can to keep fighting --- mentally AND physically. Sounds like you are really slugging back, with everything you've got. Every fighter in the ring needs encouragement ... I'm sending you mine right now !

It was exactly two summers ago that I embarked on the newly approved "early chemo plan" approved by the F.D.A. --- which moved TAXOTERE chemotherapy up the line to become an upfront treatment for advanced cases. I jumped on the plan, the minute it was presented to me --- added a tremendous medical oncologist to my team and started chemo that same week.

My local oncologist has been a lifeline ever since, and has worked small miracles in my case, just when I needed them the most. He worked with great care and compassion and supported me every step of the way, through all those chemo treatments ... we have built a tremendous bond over time, and he also treats my father, who is also a prostate cancer patient.

Over time, I have found the words to express to my oncologist the depth of personal gratitude I have to him, for the care, compassion, and medical expertise he has shown in my case. It's hard to find the words when you are thanking someone who is fighting for your life.

It's been two years ago now, since I started the chemo treatments --- I have kept up a full schedule and have kept following my teaching career through all of my treatments --- my chemo treatments helped knock my PSA down to the lowest level I had ever seen --- and then I went on ZYTIGA after my chemo treatments were over.

This past week, my PSA levels registered in the undetectable levels ... less than 0.05. I am filled with humble and sincere gratitude for that --- and I believe that undergoing the chemo treatments helped carry me forward to this point.

Since then, I've agreed to be a "chemo comrade" for other friends of mine who have decided to pursue a series of chemo treatments for prostate cancer. It's an unbelievable bond of brotherhood that we share together ... and it helps to have a "brother" who understands what it is like to go through the treatments. We've got a compassionate "Band of Brothers" right here ... tremendous outpouring of care and concern ... I see a tremendous outpouring of care and concern and outreach here each time I check in ...

Just wanted to reach out with a note of encouragement --- realizing you're the boxer in the middle of your boxing match right now in the center of the boxing ring ---- it's daunting sometimes, fighting your way through a series of chemo treatments --- slugging and punching your way through --- it takes everything you've got, sometimes ... but somehow, you just keep slugging away and pretty soon, you've got an entire round of treatments under your belt ...

Wishing you continued success, endurance, patience, determination, and resilience during your course of treatments, Don826 !

Handshake from across the miles, from your fellow "Chemo Comrade" ~

CYCLONE FAN ~ Iowa State University

Cyclone, thanks for the encouragement. Right after I posted this I was once again delivered a blow by the chemo. Got an infection along with raging fever and almost no WBC. Neupogen (sp?) was given and WBC bounced right back. Feeling well for last two days but tire easily. Round three next week. Halfway mark. I am hoping for a durable response to the treatment. My onco says Zytiga after chemo. Sounds like you have a good oncologist.

Mal,
When I was first diagnosed (4/2008) I asked about chemo but it was not recommended for PCa at that time. Several large studies since have indicated early administration of chemo is helpful. I guess the way I look at is all of the current crop of anti androgen drugs are aimed at destroying the bodies ability to produce a substance that feeds the cancerous cells. As the energy source shrinks so to do the cancer cell. To a point. At some point the cancer cells adapt and have less and less of a need for the androgen. Chemo actually attacks the cancer cell. If you are getting good results on the androgen therapy the addition of the chemo may be all you need to polish off the tougher cancer cells. Also chemo is systemic unlike surgery or radiation.

My stats are very similar to yours. My PSA was higher.

Wishing you continuing good results whatever you choose to do.

Don

My father also had second cycle of chemo last week. he has lost all his hair. For fist two days after chemo he was restless but now he is fine. he feels lot of weakness and fatigues. he sweats also lot. he has also lost weight by 2 kgs. still 4 cycles of chemo left i guess. my oncologist said we cn upto 8 cycles of docetaxal instead of six :(

Hello Jannnett,

Mindful of your father, as he continues his treatments ...

In answer to your question ... the chemo treatments brought my PSA down to low decimals ... after a few months, my oncologist and I saw my PSA starting to rise a bit ...

He is very proactive in his approach ... so, to keep the "beast locked up in its cage" we started on ZYTIGA.

We also worked with three different types of ADT hormone shots, to knock down my testosterone level --- we tried LUPRON shots, then FIRMAGON shots, and now I'm on ZOLADEX shots --- which, along with ZYTIGA, have knocked my testosterone level down below 10, at long last. Before that, my testosterone level was showing "spikes and flares" which caused my PSA to climb.

Thinking back over everything, I finished up chemo treatments right before Thanksgiving time in the fall of 2014. My oncologist watched everything very carefully, in the months following the chemo treatments. When we saw evidence that my PSA was beginning to rise, then I went on ZYTIGA in August of 2015, a full year after my chemo treatments had first started in August of 2014.

I have been on ZYTIGA continuously, ever since.

One way of looking at things ... the ADT hormone shots fought back the PSA best for the first year after I was diagnosed ... the chemo treatments battled the beast for me in my second year since diagnosis ... and now ZYTIGA has helped battle back against the PSA beast now that I'm in the third year of my battle.

Last week, my PSA registered below 0.05, for which I was thankful ... the sequence of treatments listed above has carried me forward to this point ... ADT shots, then chemo treatments, followed by ZYTIGA.

Hope this helps answer your question, Jannnett !

Sent with my best,

CYCLONE FAN ~ Iowa State University