[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Yes...believe me I know it's rough. I know because I'm going through my own trials still within the first 7 to 8 days after my second infusion on 4/28. Now I know what folks on the the forums state about it being cumulative; the side effects are manageable, but definitely worse than after the first infusion. 

Just like me you have to play it by ear; stomach issues can be the worst. Careful about what you eat or not eat, having to balance between nausea and constipation, and just a sour stomach in general. 

Well, two infusions down and two to go... As everyone has assured me here though, they've been through it and not only did they survive, but they are now doing well. I'm looking forward to the doing well part as I'm sure you are too. Stay committed and keep the faith...

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Ale...I know I mentioned eating crackers (saltine, ritz, animal, oyster, etc.) to allay that feeling of nausea. And probably you had so much going on in your head that it probably slipped your mind. In any case that worked for me...

When I had to take Zofran (which I try to avoid), it worked for me within a minute. However, now that you have taken it, you absolutely have to concern yourself with possible constipation (that's why I stayed away from the Zofran). Especially with the foods you eat to prevent nausea; they can block you up solid, believe me. So, if you want to prevent trying to pass a watermelon, I recommend you also be taking stool softeners and Mira lax. 

I'm on the sixth day after my second infusion and so far this time I have only had to take one half of a Zofran (yes, you can take a half pill) as compared to the three Zofran I took after the first infusion. I am finding with this infusion that I can only eat a little bit at a time every three hours or so. Apparently that seems to work best for me...

Good luck on your stomach issues; you'll just have to figure it out as you go...

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Yes, my medical team told me that with chemotherapy your defenses against infection/viruses/other nasty stuff are compromised to a degree. Basically they told me to stay away from sick people, wear a mask, wash hands, blah, blah, blah. The usual precautions... That's why my annual spring fishing trips (three of them) all got cancelled this year...the chances of getting cut, pierced, and or stabbed are very high and I couldn't take that chance while on chemotherapy. I figure there's always next year... I'm stIill upset about that though...😞😞😭 

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Yes, what they infuse you with (for me it is Carboplatin/Alimta) is some absolutely nasty stuff. The metaphor I like to use is now you know how a rat feels when it's poisoned. True to what LexieCat stated it pretty much flushes out of your system within 48 hrs., but just enough stays in your body till the next infusion to do what is intended. And the "intended" is to kill short life cells such as cancer cells. Unfortunately however, those drugs may also kill good short life cells in your body as well; hair cells, red blood cells, white blood cells, etc. The good part though is that if faulty cancer cells are completely eliminated with chemotherapy, they cannot regenerate on their own. Our healthy cells however can regenerate because the healthy pattern will always remain for making duplicate healthy cells. 

I was told too that infusions were cumulative in that the poisons in your body built up to some degree over the course of all the infusions a person receives. Given that, I inquired further... I then asked the question if the vast majority of the cancer drugs (poison) in your system flushes out in the first 48 hrs. then what is left in the system to continue killing cancer cells till the next infusion? The answer I got from my medical team was interesting; apparently any short term cell to include cancer cells in your body becomes so attuned to the cancer drugs that if any miniscule bit of those drugs even get near them they basically commit suicide. 

So that goes to show how powerful (and poisonous) those drugs are. LexieCat is absolutely right though; as for myself I drink lots of liquids (water, Gatorade, apple juice) at least the first 6 to 8 days after infusion to help the kidneys and liver flush the poison out of my system. The innards you save will be your own!  

 

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

No...can't say as I've noticed any type of "heaviness" in any particular part of my body. I will say that once the fatigue sets in you'll feel pretty much heavy all over. When that happens just moving seems to be tough, although it's not as bad as it seems if you do. Your energy levels will be down and your stamina will suck, but you'll be fine when the bad days are over. And that happens quick enough...

Just take it easy and you'll be fine...ask any questions or express any concerns you like anytime...😆

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Glad to help anytime...we're here for each other. Oh, and one more thing, ice cream bars and dreamsicles work as a food group too!! Well, maybe not but they settle your stomach as well!!😆😆😆 

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

OK, Ale your're on your way! It's a very good idea to keep a few notes and or make a mental checklist of when those side effects hit you. That way you will know for the most part most likely how you'll be affected after every infusion. I'll give you a little rundown of my side effects on my four course recurrent 21 day chemotherapy schedule. Keep in mind though that it can be different for everyone.

24 hrs. to about 7 days inclusive after infusion-just a run down feeling of fatigue, a condition of which cannot be cured by sleeping more. My medical team told me that it is good if a person stays at least somewhat active throughout chemotherapy, but during this time it's tough to feel like doing anything. Normally I'll go for a walk up to five miles a day, but I tried that during this period and after two miles I thought I was going to die! So, let your body be your guide, but do what you can and rest when you need to. On the 8th day till next infusion I actually feel pretty good and can do most anything I normally did before.

24 hrs. to about the 6th night after infusion-a bit of an upset stomach during the day which can easily become nausea as it gets later in the evening. My medical team stressed that I had to keep eating with the emphasis on protein throughout chemotherapy. Once again that's tough when your innards don't feel right. The key is to eat smaller mini meals throughout the day with an emphasis on nutritious food. And I would recommend highly to stay away from spicy food during this period. Sure it might taste good, but it will make you suffer in the end. I'm sure they gave you anti-nausea meds (perhaps Zofran or Compazine, most likely Zofran though), but you want to use them sparingly if at all. The reason I state that is if you do take Zofran they will make you constipated. Now, if that is the case then you will have no choice but to take Mira lax and maybe stool softeners as well. Keep in mind though that Mira lax takes up to three days to work so you might want to start taking it on infusion day in anticipation of having to take Zofran after 24 hrs. or so. One good thing is if you have to take Zofran, it works inside of a minute and quells nausea very well. So, if you want to get around the the whole mess with nausea, nausea meds, etc. then what I did was to have lots of crackers on hand. For me it didn't seem to matter what kind of crackers, oyster, soda, graham, animal, etc. When I started to feel the least bit of nausea, I would just eat a pile of crackers and that seemed to settle my stomach very well. Now, I'm saying you should try this and hopefully it will work as well for you as it did for me, but no guarantees mind you. As I stated earlier, side effects are different for everyone. 

Now I know there are a whole pile of other possible side effects, but I was lucky to have just these two as most other folks have as well. Oh, except for the Deep Vien Thrombosis (DVT) that developed 11 days after my first infusion. I noticed my left leg was starting to swell up and I just knew something wasn't right. Unfortunately, this happened on late Friday and I first told my medical team about it on Monday morning. After immediate tests that day it was determined that I had DVT and that can be  deadly. Fortunately it was caught early enough whereby quickly prescribed blood thinners took care of the problem. I was told after this debacle that cancer and treatment can cause DVT to occur. The big lessons to learn here were if there is any problem at all, even if you think it's  small, make sure you tell someone on your medical team immediately. It might not be much, but you never know. 

I hope the above helps... As for me, I'm just past the 24 hr. mark of my second infusion and true to form the effects are the same as the first time.

All I can say for now though is to stay positive, have a good attitude, and know that you'll get through this. Ya, it's a beyotch, but that's the way it is... Stay in touch! 

 

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Oh...and before each infusion they will check your blood each time. Most important are your red blood cell counts, your white blood cell counts, your platelet counts, and your liver and kidneys function numbers. Depending on your risk factors for low numbers they may check your counts more often than that and most definitely after your first infusion. Everybody reacts differently to chemotherapy and that includes right down to blood and platelet counts.

Now if your counts are low, they may lengthen the days between infusions (usually 21 days) or they may lessen the dosage of chemotherapy given by up to 20 percent per infusion.

As stated chemotherapy is rough stuff...it has to be to do what is intended. There is no doubt about it; we have to be tough too!!!😡😡😡

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Hmmm...so I had to look it up on the paperwork for the dexamethasone which I have. The prescription for me is to take two pills daily the day before, the day of, and the day after infusion. Per the paperwork, "Dexamethasone belongs to a class of drugs known as corticosteroids. It decreases your immune response to various diseases to reduce symptoms such as swelling and allergic type reactions."  

The corticosteroid part is what makes a person agitated and wide awake and it is really given to a patient to reduce any bad reactions their body may have from receiving chemotherapy.

A typical chemotherapy infusion begins with an IV drip of plain fluids first with a bit of Zofran to make sure that the patient is completely hydrated and does not become nauseous when receiving the intended chemotherapy. Hydration is an absolute must in the first three days after infusion as the body expels nearly all the chemotherapy drugs from the body within 48 hours of infusion through bodily wastes snd sweat. The extra hydration aids in the liver and kidneys from being burned out during the expel process from the chemicals which in reality are really rough on the body.

So I asked the next obvious question...if the chemotherapy is nearly out of a person's system in two days, then what is it that kills short life cells in the body to include cancers cells for the next 19 days or so before the next infusion? The answer was most interesting; apparently in that short period of time cancer cells learn how poisonous chemotherapy is and if the mere trace of those drugs get near them, they basically commit suicide. 

It's amazing how this stuff is supposed to work... Now the key in my opinion is that the chemotherapy reaches every last nook and cranny of the body where a cancer cell may hide. A tough job given cancer's persistence, but not an impossible feat.

So we have to be every bit as persistent and more than cancer...tough but definitely doable!!!    

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

You should be fine... Oh yes I was worried as hell about chemotherapy side effects too, but I got through it and you will as well. Just stay ever mindful of your body and the signals it's sending you. If you need to rest, then do so, eat good wholesome foods when you can, and stay away from food and maybe even the smell of it when your stomach says no way... 

And before you know it the really rough patch is over. Stay in touch...

[My updates (22 Years old, NSCLC)]

Hey Ale, I have been following your thread and I know of your issues. Whereas, I'm sure you feel this has all hit you from straight out of the blue, you have to know too that you have some advantages in beating this thing flat out. You're young and you have a wellspring of energy that most of us can barely remember. That and I would trade my 64 yr. old immune system with yours in a heartbeat!! And one last thing...you will probably live long enough to see not just treatments for but actual cures for cancer.

As for now though, I too am in the midst of a four course chemotherapy treatment plan of Carboplatin/Alimta. My first infusion was on 4/5 and some of the side effects from day two through day seven after infusion were kind of rough. The nausea was manageable only with anti-nausea meds (Zofran) on three of those evenings, but you want to watch taking those meds as they will definitely give you constipation. I found that if you keep your eating to small amounts, eat only bland foods, and liberally eat crackers (saltines, graham, animal, etc.) when you start to get even just a little queasy, there's a lot less chance of getting sick. The other problem I had during this period was pretty hard core fatigue. Now there is really literally nothing you can do about that except just give your body a rest and just plain relax. Have faith that your body will come back...from day seven to day eight was like night and day in my energy levels. My energy came back just like that; it was amazing. But know that even after the worst of the side effects are over, that does not mean they are all over. The remaining two weeks before the next infusion consists of other side effects that are not as prominent, but can even be possibly more deadly. I've had somewhat of a bloody nose lately and I'm told that there is a much greater chance of infection of any open wounds that may occur during this period.

The above just shows that while chemotherapy is no walk in the park, it is survivable. You'll do fine and with your above stated advantages, probably better than me... Stay positive and in the fight!!

[Introduction...3.5 cm Right Lower Lobe mass]

I've been following your thread as our diagnosis is quite similar... I had an annual CT last December and they noted a suspicious 1.8 cm. X 1.2 cm. nodule in my RLL. More scans and a biopsy indicated it was an adenocarcinoma. So, on 2/25 I had a VATS procedure  to have the RLL removed. While that was quite successful, they unfortunately found two affected lymph nodes and removed them as well. So, after all tests were done I went from 1a to 3a in a hurry. Currently, I'm in a course of adjuvant chemotherapy, four courses started 4/5 three weeks apart with Carbo/Alimta to perhaps kill any stray rogue cells looking to set up shop elsewhere. Just to let you know here that the chemotherapy hasn't been too bad for me but it does affect everyone differently; just tired (they call it fatigue) a lot and a few small stomach issues (stay away from spicy foods). I still try to get at least a 4 miles walk in daily, weather permitting. But you got to play it by ear...what works for me may not work for you. I know I was told by medical that even some movement helps with chemotherapy side effects...

Well, even though its been a rush, so far so good I guess. I'm here to tell you that whatever post surgical pain you feel will get better, it's just going to take a good amount of time is all. And the lobectomy overall wasn't  the worst...I had a lot more issues post surgery when I had my prostate removed. I usually always slept on my right side and that won't happen for some months yet for sure. As to your lung volume, that will come back over time so you won't hardly notice a difference unless you're really exerting yourself. I do lots of walking and breathing exercises to expand lung volume and capacity and that really does help.  

Stay in touch and keep us informed of your progress...this website is great in that we're all pulling for each other! Take care...

[Introduction...3.5 cm Right Lower Lobe mass]

All I ever really got so far was from the Dr. In radiology quickly explaining the TNM and the corresponding numbers 1 to 3 that go with those letters. Direct from my Tumor Board I was told that I was a T1 N2 M0. From her perspective that was good in that it showed a very treatable disease.

And so far so good through seemingly endless scans no other masses found anywhere. 

That dosen't mean that I'm not freaking out though... cancer has been depicted as such a killer for so long that how can I but think they're looking to stamp me with an expiration date...soon. To be honest my first thoughts were to acquire an estate plan and I even went so far as to buy a headstone and burial plots for both me and the significant other as well. 

Then again maybe those are things I should have done long ago... After all I am 64 already and just living gets Dicier the older a person gets...

[Introduction...3.5 cm Right Lower Lobe mass]

To be honest I've never actually seen even one scan of me yet...and I think after deliberation I prefer it that way. What do I know what those scans say? I'll just leave it up to the professionals to inerpret... That's their job along with knowledgeably informing a patient and laying out the best plan of attack.

My only problem with this is when the team waits seemingly like forever to tell a person what the scans indicate. Scansxiety is a real thing!! I told my Oncologist that yesterday and she was taken aback as to the relevance of the term. All I can think is what do these Dr.'s think that we are thinking? 

Of courose we want to know as soon as possible...sheesh!!