Chemotherapy

Cisplatin made my tinnitus worse so they switched me to Carboplatin in week 2 (of 5). I had no ill effects thereafter. Carboplatin only takes 1 hour to infuse as opposed to 5 hours for Cisplatin. I was told that although Cisplatin was normally the first choice they are both pretty effective. 

Hi steady and welcome. Sorry to see you are having problems again. I think you just have to weigh up the information your team give you. 
All platinum drugs can cause tinnitus 

I don’t know if you can predict how much worse it would get  

I got away without chemo as I had no nodal spread but when I asked I was told that radiotherapy was the main treatment anyway and as the chemo served to sensitise the cancer to the radiation it adds a only few percentages points to survival. There are plenty of people here who didn’t complete the whole chemo course. 
Maybe ask how much difference not having it would make? 

Hi Steady

i had 1 cisplatin and 1 carboplatin.  I was told that it makes no difference. It’s just that cisplatin has always been used.  I was treated at The Marsden. Sending you all best wishes.  Lizzie

Hi Steady welcome from me sorry you’re back in the merry go round again. I was due for 3  large cisplatin infusions but i it had 2 as in discussion with my oncologist we decided not to risk another. Session as I had managed without getting any major side effects. In his word why risk it the radiotherapy is the big gun and chemo adds approx 4% to the overall success. A friend going through treatment at the same  time had carbo platin for his last 2 sessions. 
There’s options to be had talk over with oncologist.

Best wishes Hazel 

thank you for your reply

they are only suggesting 2 session of chemo, so something to think about, thank you

thank you for your reply

they are only suggesting 2 session of chemo, so something to think about, thank you

they are only suggesting 2 session of chemo, so something to think about, thank you for your reply

Steady said:

they are only suggesting 2 session of chemo, so something to think about, thank you

It’s quite likely that the total dose is the same though but ask. 
some people have chemo weekly others three times but the whole dose remains the same. 

Hi Steady and sorry to hear that you having to have more treatment. I was initially given cisplatin however did then suffer from mild tinnitus and also some “foot drop” and was then given carboplatin for the final 3 sessions. It was a much shorter session and there is not the same focus on having to pass urine during administration.

Good Luck

- John