4 or 6 chemos ?

Hi   I was scheduled for 6 chemo but as I was finding the side effects getting worse my oncologist said I could stop at four as in his words if it was working the chemo would have done its job by then .

This was last April and I then followed it with 3  brachiatherapy .

Hi, I had 6 chemo but after 4 sessions the strength was reduced to 80% because of side effects like numbness in my hands and feet. 

Hi Beepeep

It can depend on different factors.

I had high dose of carboplatin and paclitaxel over 4 cycles. My doses were reduced from the next cycle due to developing neuropathy. Doses and the chemo drugs can be adjusted if needed. I know of some people on here that have just had the carboplatin after having a reaction to paclitaxel. I also have come across ladies on here who have had the paclitaxel changed to a different drug. 

I was also given extra steroids on a tapering dose from the second cycle and also specific medication for certain side effects. 

I am sorry that you have had a rough time during the heatwave. Best thing to do is to talk to your doctor when you have your review. I found it helped to be specific about which symptoms I had on which days and make a not in my book of what these were and if any medication had helped. Don't forget also there is your 24 hour cancer helpline at your hospital that you can ring if you are struggling. Mine were helpful in offering medication and reassurance. 

With my subsequent cycles I found that the side effects followed a similar pattern so it helped to know for eg that when I had the pain in my back and hips - this would start around day 2 and by day 5 it would go. 

I did find the reduction in dosage made it feel much more tolerable. 

Jane

Hi. I had 4 cycles of the Carboplatin/Paclitaxel all at 80% strength. I had already had 4 out of 6 cycles of Cisplatin with my radiotherapy. They were cut short because my bloods were too low and because they knew the 2nd chemo combination as planned too.

Thank you so much for replying and I shall raise with my oncologist next week . 

Many thanks Jane - I am finding myself wanting to ask for a second opinion to my oncologist,  but don’t want to offend him and know he is the only person in my local hospital team . I think I have lost a bit of confidence as until I turned up for brachytherapy , at a bigger teaching hospital, my oncologist considered chemo was not required but then said he changed his mind after speaking to regional colleagues ( most likely the bigger teaching hospital) but felt he might be over treating me. I disagree and think chemo is generally a positive , only because after reading here on this forum other patients with substantial lymph space invasion all seem to proceed to chemo . I have had five chemos now and tempted to call it a day but realise that this decision is not based on any scientific or medical knowledge but more of an emotional response. If I do go ahead with chemo 6, I would want to delay a few days if a heat wave as I just feel I might not cope . 

I would be inclined to have a chat with your CNS and explain how you are feeling. I know my last chemo was during a heatwave and it was pretty unbearable. And that heatwave was not as bad as it has been in the last few days. It must have been really tough to be recovering from a chemo cycle during it. 

in my experience and being on here chemo is offered for higher grades, higher stages and LVSI. Mine was low stage, high grade and LVSI. 

I know that chemo can hit you mentally/emotionally and its not surprising really. 

You could give the Support Line a call and they may be able to talk you through your options and what they might mean. I don't want to give you inaccurate information as we are not medically trained and treatment is so specific to grades and stages etc. 

I hope you are feeling a bit better soon- slightly cooler today

Jane

Thanks so much Jane - really appreciate your advice over these months and hope we can help others by posting too. 
just starting to feel less grim this afternoon ; plenty of internal twinges still on day 7 but know I should be able to manage a walk in the next day or so . Missing Wimbledon ! 

Hi Beepeep 

My oncologist told me they like to do 4 chemo but prefer to do 6, this is if I tolerated the first 4 which I did. After no. 4 I had low magnesium and had to have an infusion and tablets and before no.6 I had low white blood cell count so it was delayed by a week. 

My thought was that after 4 I'd come this far so may as well carry on. 

I'm sorry you're feeling miserable at the moment and I hope you pick up soon.

H 

Thank you so much .