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Aching and pain with chemo


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Hi gang! Dad started his first tx of carbo/taxol on Tuesday. He has done GREAT! No sickness what so ever. He got up this morning complaining of aching........mostly in his legs and lower back. My Dad does not complain EVER, so for him to mention this, it must be pretty bad. Can you let me know how much pain you had with chemo and how long it lasted? Is the pain such that he might need a Rx for a pain pill? Did any of you have to take pain meds for the aching? I asked Dad if he wanted me to call his Dr.........his reply was to "wait and see". (He hates to call for ANYTHING.........he feels like he is bothering his Dr. It doesn't bother me to call at all. That's what they are there for)

Thank you in advance! You guys are wonderful. Have a blessed day!

Angie

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I had taxol and carbo. They gave me decadron, benadryl, and a couple other things also. My treatments were also on Tuesdays. The pain started on Thursday or Friday and increased. I took 1 or 2 percocets every 4 - 6 hours for the pain. After the first session, the Dr. had me taper off the decadron - rather than abruptly quiting it - and that may have helped, also. The first time, I felt good on Tues. pm and Wed. Then the nausea started and then the pain. By the way, compazine wasn't very effective for nausea for me. I also took Zofran for that. All in all, I took a lot of meds for about a week the first time and a couple weeks after the third and fourth treatments. Prayers for your dad.

MurielK

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Guest cheri

Angie

My dad is currently taking Carbo/Taxol every three weeks and now has two under his belt. The first one wasn't too bad...he gets his treatments on Wednesdays and on Friday night it hit him. He said it was "flu-like" body aches. He slept a lot and by Sunday night it was pretty much gone. He rec'd his second treatment last Wednesday and the side effects are just now wearing off...were with him about a week this time. His main complaints are achiness/joint pain and no strength. I was really worried about him this past time because he literally had no strength at all. He's much better today and tomorrow is a new day!

Hope your Dad does well.

Cheri

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Hi Angie,

Keith luckily has not experienced any joint or bone pain with his treatments. However, when he received Carboplatin, his doctor warned us that it was a possibility as Carboplatin is supposedly hard on bone marrow. The chemo attacks rapidly replicating cells, good and bad which includes bone marrow. It isn't uncommon and many people do take pain meds for pain associated with treatment. Keith has been on pain meds since his biopsy due to nerve damage from the surgery plus a tumor that is pushing on his collarbone. Your father might consider starting out with a low dosage of Oxycotin 5-10 mg. It is long acting, and at lower doses has less side effects like making people feel out of it and sleeping the day away. That is usually the cause of over medicating.

Ry is right too. Sometimes dehydration can add to the pain and intolerance of chemo. Make sure your father drinks as much fluids throughout the day as he can do comfortably.

Finally, get lots of rest and listen to his body. If his legs are hurting, don't push it, sit and rest. His body needs time to rebuild it's red blood cells and bone marrow.

I am glad that he is tolerating it well otherwise. That truly is a blessing.

I will be praying for your dear father, and for your family. I pray that this chemo combo does miracles for you.

Carleen

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Thanks you! For the next chemo tx I will ask the Dr. about some pain meds for Dad. Right now he has several meds to help him, but nothing for pain. He hasn't needed it until now. He is currently taking Kytril for nausea, compazine for "breakthrough" nausea, Bextra for inflammation, Xanax for anxiety, Combivent inhaler for his breathing, a blood pressure med, and Protonix for his stomach. Up until his LC diagnosis, he took NO MEDS.......I can't tell you how many years it had been since he even had to take an antibiotic. (Probably 15-20 years) He doesn't like taking all of these meds and hates to add another one to it.(the pain pill) I will talk to him about it though. I don't want him to hurt! Thanks again!

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From what I understand this is a known side effect of this chemo combo.

Earl started on Celebrex when he started this chemo and never really had the joint pain.

He started on 200mg twice a day and when the dr. saw he tolerated this he upped him to 400mg twice a day.

Celebrex has also shown some indication that it helps fight cancer. So it looks like a win win solution.

BTW, I had to ask Earl's onc. dr. about it, he didn't offer it.

Ginny

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Angie,

My mom had 4 rounds of taxol/carbo and always after the 2nd or third day she ached really really bad. Shooting pains too in her hands and feet. She did take some kind of pain medication for this. Sometimes even one in the morning and one at night. She told me with the 3rd and 4th treatment these symptoms got worse. Her doctor told her it was because she has more in her system with each treatment. She is now on Iressa and feeling very good. Still weak but getting her strength back. Hope this info helps some. I would not be afraid to ask the doctor for some pain medication to make him comfortable. Yes, that is what they are there for!

Thinking of you and your dad,

Gayle

______________________________

10/03: 76 yr. Mom diagnosed squamous cell nsclc

11/04-1/04: 4 rounds of Taxol/Carbo

1/30/04: CT scan no change in growth/new spot 

2/4/04: Taxotere

2/8/04: Bad reaction, bedridden with Thrush/Diarrhea

2/26/04: Starts 15 days of Iressa

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My husband had his 8th and last treatment Wed. Carbo/taxol every three weeks. Compazine and Zofran for sour stomach first three days. On the fourth day his bones begin to ache for about 2 to 3 days. He takes pain medication for this and also Celebrex. Another side effect has been the lost of all body hair. Do ask your dad's doctor about the Celebrex. Carolyn

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my father is also one of those folks who never complains but he has hydrocodn for pain (i think this is vicodin without aspirin in it)....God bless!

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