dtay Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Can anyone tell me if the side-effects of chemo get worse the more treatments you have (like a build up in the system)? Or does your body rid itself of the toxins before the next dose ? Can your system get used to the chemo ? Sorry to ask so many questions !!! Thanks for help and support Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marym Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Hi, Much of the chemo is gone (drink lots of fluids), but some people do find subsequent chemo's more difficult. My experience was that all my infusions had me feeling pretty much the same, although over 11 cycles, once I vomited. What did seem to build up was my blood's response. By the end of the cycles, it was a guarantee that I would be unable to do week 2 due to low white counts and then week three seemed to have low platelets. Since my first chem, I haven't had difficulty with any other chemo's. Hope it gets easier for your dad. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather_T Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 With my experience I was ok for my first 6 treatments after that my WBC dropped and I was super tired and my body ached worse than it did. I am sure everyone is different with each treatment with how it effects them. Heather_T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ernrol Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 It depends on what type of chemo. I had Carboplatin, Taxol and Tarceva. I had no bad side effects, but the Taxol did build up and cause a little numbness in the fingers and toes. Stay positive, Ernie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary colleen Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 My husband has had 7 of 8 planned treatments of Cisplatin and Gemzar. His blood counts (RBC's, WBC's) have definitely have become more compromised as the treatments progressed. His overall symptoms have also increased over time, partly because of the changes to blood counts, and partly as direct side effects of the drugs. Fatigue, achiness, and shortness of breath have all increased dramatically over the last few treatments. He drinks a large amount of fluid each day, sleeps whenever possible, and looks forward to the final treatment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicysashimi Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 I am in the home stretch here. Treatment #7 and the last one for a while. For me, it got way worse as the treatments wore on. After the first few, I was traveling, hiking, eating(!), you name it. Now, I am 4 days into my last cycle and I feel like Jeff Goldblum's characcter in _The Fly_. I can't sleep, can't really eat. It sucks. Sorry to be such a downer, but everybody has a different reaction. aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtay Posted January 12, 2007 Author Share Posted January 12, 2007 Thanks so much to all of you for your responses -- my Dad is not bad at all 3 days after his first treatment however he is having terrible hiccups !!! They are keeping him awake all night but I think his nurse or Doc has given some pills to relieve them now ! I wasnt aware that hiccups were a side-effect of chemo ---has anyone ever experienced this before ? Bless you all Dawn x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary colleen Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Dawn, Mu husband actually had hiccups as his very first chemo side effect - they began hours withing his first treatment, and persisted for maybe 24 hours after that treatment. Since then, hiccups have been only an occasional bother after chemo treatments. If I recall correctly, the symptom is caused by the chemo drugs irritating the diaghram...and the treatment, if needed, was listed as Thorazine. Thorazine is a major drug with it's own side effects, so I hope that the hiccups subside quickly and don't need to be treated. The following link has a few paragraphs addressing tis issue: www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_ ... tearea=MBC Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicysashimi Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 had them bad too. thoarzine is awful. try Baclofen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marym Posted January 12, 2007 Share Posted January 12, 2007 Hiccups can be dangerous. There is a medicine that can be taken. I would contact the doctor and have a presription called in to the local drug store. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Dawn, DON'T APOLOGIZE! We were all new at this at some point or another! You have come to a great place. I don't know really how to answer your questions, but I can tell you that with my dad it did get worse...not much worse, but still worse. I can also say that he was able to know when it would get bad and fend it off with meds a bit better later on though too. He found that having something in his stomach at all times worked the best to keep away the pukies. Best of luck. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtay Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 Thanks for all your advice and support - truly appreciated. Dawn x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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