Cycle 3 today

Hi Sprinter, my husband had 6 rounds of chemo and only had the face flush and head pain on the 1st after that he was fine, he also was give injections for low white blood count once, not prescribed by his team but a different hospital Dr who was panicking because his white blood count was so low and that did cause bone pain, they said it is the bone marrow working overtime trying to make more white blood cells. His team said they would not being prescribing it as they expect it all to recover by the next round.

Hope your treatment goes well

Hi Irish Terrier, I was given the Filgrastim injections from the first cycle, that was the first time I'd been told about them and yes they are to do with replacing white blood cells and the bone pain in the marrow isn't pleasant.

When I had my 3 month review with the consultant a couple of weeks ago I joked that had he told me about them prior to treatment he wouldn't have seen me again, I don't like needles but have got used to doing them 

Thanks for good wishes 

Hello Sprinter,

I also have the hot flush face the day after although not at the time of infusion (just had 4th cycle Wednesday).

I was advised to inject the Filgrastim at bedtime to hopefully be able to get to sleep before legs etc. get painful - and if this doesn't work to also take paracetamol or co codamaol a litttle while before injecting. I found the first cycle of injecting worst with much less pain on subsequent cycles.

That reminds me, first injection for current cycle due tonight! 

All the best,

Derek.

Hi excavator, I been reading your blog this past week or so, very interesting. I mentioned the bone pains at the second cycle but wasn't given any advice, whereas the nurse today mentioned doing it before bedtime and the Loratadine. I do have both cocodamol and paracetamol, however I don't particularly like taking the cocodamol but realise their are times when I should 

Regards

Sprinter

Hello Sprinter . My husband seemed to get every possible side effect from the chemotherapy at some time during his treatment with the exception of an allergic reaction - flushed face during and after each cycle, low white bloods (Filgrastim injections for 4 days each cycle), low red bloods ( Epoetin alpha injections), p****D as a newt on the way home thanks to the alcohol in the infusion, loss of appetite, funny taste and intolerance of certain foods, knackered, bone pain, collapsed veins, hair loss except for a Mohican, itchy skin, slight nausea..... The oncologist report says he tolerated the treatment well - thanks, it didn't feel like it at the time but in hindsight the experts reacted very quickly to the side effects and helped us through it. He was given antihistamines to help with them generally, plus adjusted the Docetxel dose and rate at which it was pushed through. Paracetamol helped with the bone pain but he found that this reduced after a couple of cycles. We did our bit by adopting COVID like precautions so he got away without any infections. Also adjusted eating patterns to ensure he got enough of the right food and exercised when he could.

All the best for the rest of the treatment.

Just an update since having Cycle 3 last Friday.

Since Monday I have felt absolutely drained along with generally feeling off, hard to put a finger on it but just feel yuk and no energy to do anything. Visited my GP surgery this afternoon for my Degarelix injection and felt as though I was going to pass out going up the stairs (should have taken the lift). I'm hoping it starts to clear over the next few days once I've had my last Filgrastim injection this evening.

Oh well onwards and upwards, it can only get better 

Hi I had a reaction the first two cycles of docetaxel , the nurses gave me an antihistamine injection and I was fine so for the last 4 cycles they gave me the injection 30mins before the chemo and had no problems