Triplet therapy (chemo) starting in 2 weeks!! Please help us prepare x

Hi CCG , firstly hope you have a lovely wedding and honeymoon.  Apart from your dad’s anxiety, before having chemo you seem to have most things in hand.  My hospital invited me in for a look around the chemo ward and to explain what goes on.  It’s all very simple but like all things, concerning until you have tried it once.  The chemo session was somewhat of an anticlimax for me and I felt fine for 3 days, then woke up on day 4 feeling completely spaced out. Taste went but not much else. Gradually from day 5 I started to feel ok.  In terms of preparation, just make sure he has contact details to talk to the team if anything occurs.  You will obviously be worried about him, but sounds like you have it under control.  Have a fab holiday, going anywhere nice? Best wishes, David.

Hello CCG 

Well lots of good news in one post. I am pleased to see Dad's treatment has been sorted out and I wish you all the best for a great wedding and honeymoon.

I have managed to sidestep Chemotherapy so far but here's three links to information you may find useful:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/stories-and-media/booklets/understanding-chemotherapy

and

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/types-of-treatment/chemotherapy/side-effects-of-chemotherapy

and

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/treatment/types-of-treatment/chemotherapy

As Triplet Therapy is so new (introduced last year) as yet there are no specific information booklets on it.

I am sure Dad will be in good hands whilst you are away - it's time to look after yourself for once. 

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi CCG, hope all goes well for your wedding and honeymoon. My husband is having the same chemo and is doing well, my advice is get something in for constipation and just listen to everything they say follow their advice. Always have the emergency numbers to hand and if he feels sick take the tablets before he is sick but we were told this chemo is normally not a problem.

Tell him all the best for the treatment and listen to his body and rest when needed.

hi there 

have they not offered a a meeting with others to go through whats gonna happen ? 

( my hospital did kinda like a welcome meeting if u want } 

side effects vary loss of hair ur taste goes funny,  fatigue too many to mention !! 

they will monitor him closely bloods etc 

i found taking frozen pineapple kept my mouth from feeling yacky while having the chemo .

being positive and keeping as fit as u can before will help too 

also i've read that cbd oil also helps to lessen the side effects too 

Thanks for the helpful reply anubis 

anubis said:

i've read that cbd oil also helps to lessen the side effects too 

Can I just remind everyone that the online Community Guidelines DO allow discussion of CBD oil but Macmillan DO NOT advocate for alternative therapies.

Just a gentle reminder and not to anyone specific.

Thanks for your understanding - Brian.

Have a lovely wedding and honeymoon.

I have attached my experiences last year which I hope you can get a couple of tips from for your dad.

CHEMOTHERAPY -WHAT WE LEARNT ON OUR JOURNEY

Basically you can live a normal life provided you are sensible and avoid any unnecessary risk. Quality of Life is both physical and mental which means getting out for exercise and interacting with other people. Chemotherapy was no where near as bad as we had expected.

Before You Start

Make sure you have a thermometer and a blood pressure machine (preferably one with a cuff and that records irregular heartbeat). An oximeter (the thing your doctor sticks on your finger to measure oxygen levels) is an optional extra. Get to know what is normal for your body.

Make sure you are up to date with all your vaccinations for covid and flu before you start, if you are in the season. If you are called for vaccination during treatment check with your doctor as to timing. The safest time would be in the third week of the cycle and on a personal note we did not have the two at the same time or during the whole of the treatment due to the compromised immune system.

You will be given a bag of medication prior to the start of chemotherapy and told what to take when. The protocol varies with different health authorities but generally you will be told to take a steroid tablet or syrup the day before the first infusion as well as on the morning of your appointment. How long you will take it afterwards can vary.

Organise transport. The docetaxel is dissolved in alcohol and can take you over the legal limit to drive – on two occasions my husband was as pi***d as a newt on the way home when the infusion was pushed through too quickly for him.

If you are concerned about losing your hair then ask for a ‘cold cap’ during treatment as this can reduce it. If you are not concerned then take control and either have a short haircut or shave it off.

During Treatment

Take something with you to do as well as a snack and drink as the session can last for two to three hours.

The nurses will watch you like a hawk, particularly during the first session. A canula is normally put in the back of the hand to allow the drugs to be fed in to the system. If you feel any discomfort with this then tell them straight away or you can damage the veins in the back of the hand. You will be given an anti-sickness drug before starting, as well as more steroids to help reduce any side effects. If you feel at all unwell during the infusion let the nurses know.

Once you are home take it easyand listen to your body . We found that the side effects followed the same course during each cycle. Keeping a diary helped us plan around the days when he was not so good and do things when he was feeling OK. In his case he had aches and pains plus fatigue on days 3 -5, was improving on days 6-9, and back to doing things for the rest of the 21 day cycle. Paracetamol helped with the pain. He only had slight nausea and this was dealt with by eating small meals regularly. The diary is useful for letting the nurses know how you fare between each cycle.

You will have blood tests before each cycle to check how the body is coping. Don’t worry if things go out of kilter a little bit as there are drugs to sort it out, or they may delay the next session until things get back on track.

We found that ALL body hair started dropping out after a couple of weeks in the first cycle. To deal with this we put a towel over the pillow which could easily be shaken out every day. All hair loss was completed during the second cycle and in hubby’s case he ended up with a Mohican.

I would recommend taking the temperature twice a day and seek urgent help if it goes either up indicating a fever, or down, as sepsis can develop very quickly. We also used the oximeter at the same time. Low oxygen levels can be a sign of infection or if the red bloods drop. An irregular heartbeat can also indicate that maybe the white bloods are dropping. The blood pressure machine was useful as on one occasion he had a sudden bout of hypertension.

Infection Control and Safety

Generally we took covid like precautions by washing hands frequently and using hand sanitiser. We avoided anyone with bugs and wore masks in crowded places.

The chemotherapy drugs remain in the system for 2 to 3 days after each infusion and can be excreted out of every orifice plus the skin during this time. Drinking plenty of water will help flush it out of the system. If you are going to have sex then use a condom to protect your partner. Hugs and cuddles are fine but avoid transfer of fluids by kissing. If you have 2 loos then use a dedicated one and flush twice after use. Clean up any spills and splashes straight away with toilet roll and flush. Use dedicated towels and flannels and shower at least daily. I washed all the clothes hubby had been wearing during this time, plus towels and bed linen after the 3 days separate from my things to get rid of the docetaxel.

Diet

The chemotherapy kills off fast replicating cells such as the cancer, but also hair follicles and the lining cells in the mouth and gut, as well as the gut flora which is essential for digestion. Diet wise you can help restore this by eating little and often of a good balanced diet - something every 2 to 3 hours. Also try and eat softer foods and preferably well cooked. Also don't eat anything with raw egg in it (but generally limit them) or yoghurt unless you pasteurised it for a few minutes at 72C - this applies to anything with a pro-biotic in it as it can cause overgrowth of a limited range of bacteria and yeasts. Salad leaf can have a lot of the bugs you don't want at the moment so make sure it is well washed. Spicy and acidic food and drink can irritate the gut and cause wind, as can caffeine. Avoid alcohol. Fruit should preferably be peeled. Don't eat soft cheese like Brie. It is important to try and keep protein levels in the diet up to help repair the good cells. For the metallic taste try frozen pineapple juice to suck on. Pineapple and kiwi are both good for promoting bowel movements.

Hey David,

Thank you for your response and so great to hear your side effects were minimal. You comment about it being an anticlimax made me chuckle, hopefully dad feels the same. 

We are off to a few of the Greek islands, which I’m sure will have beautiful weather in comparison to our typical British summer we are experiencing!

Take care x

Hey Brian,

Thanks for all the useful links, I will take a read! 
Absolutely, I’m going to use the honeymoon as a mental and physical break from it all :).

Let’s see if I’m able to stay off the forum haha . 

Take care x

Hey Irish Terrier,

Thank-you, I have made a note of these helpful tips and will pass them onto the family. 
Wishing your OH the best of luck with his remaining treatment. 

Take care x

Hey Anubis,

They haven’t, we will go for blood tests the day before so I wonder if they will show us around then. 

Great tip on the pineapple, I have made a note for dad, thank you!

Take care x