Recent blood test results 6 weeks after my final chemotherapy session still showing signs of positive results. Blood work still good, and psa has come down again to 0.16 from 0.29.
I was in hospital last friday night though with swollen legs and breathlessness. I have had the odd occasion during chemotherapy of breathlessness and the odd swelling leg that went the next day, but this time around, swelling legs has been going down and up like a yo yo.Breathlessness has also been up and down. I had all blood tests and xray in hospital and markers were all good so I was sent home just to monitor and keep my legs up as much as possible.
I was in london last week from monday to thursday and did walk up to 7.5 miles in 2 days which we think this could be the reason due to my body still getting over the chemotherapy treatment, not blood clots.
I discussed it with oncology today and they also seem to thing this was the case but to keep an eye on the symptoms if they get worse to go back to a and e. Thankfully, the swelling in the legs do go down over night but do swell up again if I am on my feet for a period. It doesn't help when ive gone back to work this week on a phased return
Regarding being out of breath, the oncologist or assistant (telephone call appointment today) also doesnt think its the medication i have been on has caused the breathlessness. Im not a medically trained, but i know a few people who have had chemotherapy have struggled with breathlessness for up to 12 months after their sessions....
Has anybody else suffered with the breathlessness or swollen legs?
Hopefully being at work on a phased return will help me improve myself being back to fitness and less breathlessness and improve my swollen legs.. i think its a case of trying to get a bit of a happy medium of knowing what I can and cant do while I recover from the harsh treatment of chemotherapy that can give you, but also bare in mind that I was also told that I am at higher risk of blood clots while beimg on ADT.
Gareth
Helo Gareth,
Well the good news is that, as well as having finished chemo, your PSA is continuing to fall. It can take some more time to fall further yet.
I'm sure walking 7.5 miles over 2 days in any city on hard surfaces wouldn't be that good for swollen legs and the temperatures we've been having may well have contributed further. Let's hope this will soon be a thing of the past.
I am well used to being breathless due to losing my right lung to cancer in 2014 and over the years have learnt how to compensate for this. However when I had chemo as part of triplet therapy 2 years ago I did notice I was more breathless than usual. So yes, perhaps it does affect some of us.
It's more difficult regaining fitness after chemo due to being on the other drugs, but if you take it steady and build up exercise without doing yourself in by overdoing it you should soon feel the effects. Of course, being back at work should also help.
I hope you continue to make progress as you recover from the beating that chemo gave you.
Derek.
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