Initial Stage 1 Seminoma Relapse After 4 Years - Guidance on Chemo

Hi MAA13 

I'm not a member of this group but noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.

When I had chemotherapy for breast cancer I wasn't advised to do anything differently ahead of treatment. I tried to eat a balanced diet and continued with moderate exercise.

I was given anti-sickness meds to take home and use as and when but I didn't need them. They also advised gentle exercise would keep fatigue at bay, and it did, and to drink plenty of water.

Hope your treatment goes well and you don't suffer much in the way of side effects.

Thank you for responding. May I ask the duration of your chemo and again if you don’t mind sharing, what symptoms were most prevalent for you?

I assume the anti nausea medication suppressed nausea and vomiting?

My chemo was over 21 weeks int total. The first chemo was 3 cycles every three weeks and the second was weekly for 12 weeks.

With the first chemo I just felt a bit under the weather for about 10 days then felt fine for the remainder of the cycle. I lost my hair after about 4 weeks and my sense of taste was off for the first cycle but okay after that.

With the second chemo I didn't have any side effects and my hair started to grow back towards the end.

I didn't need to take anti sickness meds as I never felt sick.

Hi MAA13

I am sorry to hear your recent results mean you need further treatment.   My experience is different  to your proposed treatment but I am happy to share if it gives you any insight… I have just started my surveillance following surgery and a “single big dose (medics term) of chemo for TC so still quite new to this…

I think being in good health, eating well and having some aerobic fitness helps with any medical stuff.  However I have been told many times by the medical staff that we all react differently to chemo… some folk can have little effects and some find it hard.   I was the latter.    However I am in my 50’s and an oldie for TC so my experience may differ to a younger person. 

I had IV anti sickness and steroids before the infusion and tablet versions to bring away after.  I was fine for a couple of days then in bed for a couple of days when the steroids wore off!  I felt a a bit nauseous for most of a week but was not sick.  I walked each day apart from the couple when I crashed out early on.  I was told keeping moving helps.

my mouth was very sore but that wore off after a week, I used salt water to rinse my mouth.  There are other things to help you with this and the nurses can advise you if needed.   I was also told to take my temperature a couple of times a day as a variance when your immune system is low is something the med team like to know about.  They will tell you about all,of that.

i know someone who had multi cycle treatment  (not for TC) and they generally felt ok after a few days, but the usual caveats… we are all different and there are many types of treatment.

i hope it goes well for you.

chris 

Thank you. I do hope all is favourable with you regarding cancer.

Hi, thank you for the response. I assume your chemo therapy completion was recent. If so, it may be too early to tell but (if not) how long did it take you to return to “normal”? 

Thanks for your well wishes. I am currently NED (no evidence of disease)

Hi

i am 8 ish weeks out now.    Feel ok generally, still some fatigue at the end of a work week so not fully there yet.  I am generally doing less than normal (usually exercise a fair amount) but I am on the end of diagnosis and surgery etc which I think has an effect overall too. 

I think at your age you will smash it!   Be prepared for some time when you feel like doing less and embrace it when you feel you can do more.   Be kind to yourself and listen to your body…. (not my words… I have been told that more than once and it is true )

If you have a dig about on here there are some accounts from TC patients and multi cycle chemo that may give you a bit more insight..

good,luck

Thank you. Here’s to your further favourable results indefinitely.

Hi All,

I will attempt to post after each cycle in the hopes that my experience assists someone else. Cycle one concluded on Friday (today is Sunday for me). Receiving chemo was tolerable and relatively easy. I was and remain tired but beyond a “hangover”, I am fine. Recognise this is the early, better part so whilst optimistic, I do pray it continues.

Most prominent experience is heart burn | reflux which is driven by hunger. I’m hungry most of the time so right now finding the right balance between what to eat to satisfy my hunger and minimise heart burn is the goal. I’ve always maintained a fairly healthy diet so not much has drastically changed but unfortunately I can’t concretely say that eating more fruit or grains or lean meats has proven easier on the heart burn, reflux. I find myself craving a pizza or double burger haha. Any thoughts on foods, meals that have assisted you through chemo, would be appreciated it. 

A lesser issue is painful vains where chemo was administered. I chose to go without the port because mentally, I have a 3 month target that will see the end of this completely. A port for me creates the “just in case” scenario. Again any thoughts on vain pain and recovery would be appreciated.

I don’t offer much wisdom today but will do my best to share any beneficial solves I come across.