Life after chemo

Hi Kelly

First how was he diagnosed? What PSA Gleason and stage is he ? Is he having any other treatment like hormone therapy, or radiotherapy.

Also ( I tell this to everyone starting chemotherapy) make sure you take his temperature in the morning last thing at night, above 38 or below 36 centigrade get in touch with the hospital, I’am sure you will have been told this, but does not harm to remind people.

stay safe.

Joe

Hey Joe 

brett was diagnosed some years ago with prostate and had it removed last year 

it become apparent about 3 months that the cancer had travelled to his pelvic bone and metastatic 

his Gleason is 3 + 4 and he is also taking hormone tablets which have brought his PSA down to 0.02 

his consultant is also talking about cyber knife after chemo 

will it now just be treatment after treatment ? Or does it stop for a while ? 
hope you’re well ? 
kelly

Hi Kelly

do not know much about the cyber knife, his Gleason and PSA are in the healthy bracket, I should imagine the chemotherapy is to attack any cancer cells that may be anywhere else in the body. 
like me once it’s in the bones I’ve never heard of it being removed it can be halted though, like I mentioned I take Alca D it helps strengthen the bones. Since I’ve took it mine have improved, maybe slightly but anything is a plus for us.

My health is like a yo-yo, because of my back ( I have two slipped discs  which I had an epidural injection over a year ago ) I’am waiting to have another, or something else. 
My wife who is my carer bless her, worries about the slightest niggle I have, if I walk to much or I’am stood up to long, like you she wants me here as long as possible, which I’am hoping your husband and I both do.

stay safe.

Joe

joeven how did you get alca d. Is this prescribed or a self funded supplement. How long will you be on it for?

  what is the plan with cyber knife, is this on the pelvis bone? How dies that work, do you know. I've been told I can only have radiotherapy twice in one area, presumably because of inadvertent damage

There's a possibility I'll be having Zoledronic acid to strengthen my bones. The cancer has gone to my ribs. Similarly they thought surgery would cure, unfortunately not.

Hi 

so from what I can gather cyber knife can be used multi times as it is more concentrated on the cancer cells as opposed to normal cells 

Brett had his first chemo yesterday and felt fine but has woken this morning not feeling great mainly nausea he has his anti sickness pills 

any other suggestions to ease the sickness ? 
is it bad that I feel slightly glad the weather isn’t great so the pubs won’t be as full as expected

Hi Joe 

I asked about Alca D at the chemist but they don’t seem to know about it 

bretts nurse said it’s ok for him to take calcium supplements but would prefer for him to be tested first after his first treatment 

he has woke this morning feeling pretty nauseous after chemo yesterday we are completely new to this so don’t know what to expect 

any suggestions for nausea ? Or diet ? 
sorry to hear about your slipped discs that on top of everything must be a nightmare 

stay well 

kelly

I went off some foods, kept it plain.  Drank ginger beer, green tea with ginger (I’d already gone off tea and never really enjoyed dairy products).  
I used to enjoy jelly as a treat, I’d make jelly in small ramekins. Kept in the fridge they’d be cooling and refreshing. I’d also keep a bottle of tap water in the fridge, again cool and it seemed to taste nicer once stood overnight. Our water is hard so probably why.

Hi

At first it was advised by the hospital, then given to me by the doctor, I take two a day, have done for a few years now, it helps stop them becoming to brittle. They might only help a tiny bit but anything is better than nothing 

Hi Kelly
Diet is plenty of oily fish, white meat, fruit for a drink I recommend pomegranate juice, or green tea, it has Been known both of these drinks fight against prostate cancer.

A few things he may loose his taste buds, things might taste like metal, it’s common and wears off after the chemotherapy finishes.

people have different side effects, mine were brown nails, fatigue, tiredness, loss of hair and taste, very hot flushes, another what they call chemo brain, where you become forgetful, but most get better after he finishes the course.

Remember temperature it’s very important, also the full force of the chemotherapy usually hits two days after being given it. So he might be a little worse Sunday/Monday, the first session is always the worst. I hated the injection into the stomach, one thing my wife couldn’t do but it’s quick and after all the injections I had not that bad.

Stay safe

Joe

Hi,

I didn't have chemo but my Brother-in-Law had chemo for gullet cancer the same year I had my Radiotherapy for prostate cancer.  He couldn't take wearing the cold cap to try and avoid hair loss but did use the caffeine shampoo you see advertised - whether that helped who can say but he didn't lose all his hair and when his hair grew back it grew back dark instead of white so he looked a decade younger!  He was told to suck pineapple chunks to try and keep his taste buds alive so as he had chemo through the summer my sister froze pineapple chunks and took them to the hospital for him to suck through his chemo sessions.  He didn't seem to lose much of his sense of taste but then wasn't eating too much either mainly plain soups but I think that was as much because of the nature of his cancer as the chemo.