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Homepage – Forum Forums Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Can anyone tell me what follow up chemotherapy after cystectomy will be like

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #8269
    Valeriemayl
    Participant

    i will be undergoing adjuvant chemo with gemcitadine and cisplatin shortly. What should I expect in the way of side effects.

    #19433
    Ieva
    Participant

    “i will be undergoing adjuvant chemo with gemcitadine and cisplatin shortly. What should I expect in the way of side effects.”

    My husband had the same regime post surgery in 2011.
    He took all of the prescribed medications for side effects, including ones for possible breakthrough symptoms. (On the advice of his chemo nurse).
    It was great advice – he did not have any nausea or feelings of unwellness.
    He stayed well hydrated, ate easy to digest meals, rested. We planned activities like travel, visiting family/friends during the “no chemo week”, between cycles.

    Ieva

    #19434
    cheryl9
    Participant

    Hello Valerie

    I see you have just recently joined. My prayers go with you in your journey.

    This is a wonderful site. The information is good and realistic. Not scary like some other sites. The members of this forum are wonderful and full of really good advice.

    Live each day to the fullest whether it is a chemo day or not. Treasure everything around you. When things get tough, take a deep breath and know that it will get better. You just have to wait it out.

    Lots have been where you are so your journey will not be a lonely one. Do not be afraid to ask for help and do not be afraid to cry. Sometimes that is what you need. Just don’t keep crying because that will destroy you faster than cancer can.

    Take care
    Cheryl

    #19435
    marysue
    Participant

    Hi Valerie!

    I’ve not had an RC or done any chemo, only BCG but just want to wish you the best with your treatments. Ieva has given great advice. The only thing I can think of to add is if you haven’t already done so, is have a heart to heart with your medical team about the possible side effects and what the protocol is to combat them should they occur. Some side effects are to be expected but the trick is knowing when those side effects are going overboard for your situation and what you should do about it should that happen. For example with the BCG, while not chemo, it does have its own set of side effects, some which can be severe. I was told to expect flu like symptoms with low grade fever, mild headache, chills, some muscle ache and maybe some bladder irritation that would clear up once treatments were finished. My headaches were of the migraine variety and the muscle aches were so severe that it hurt just to move so I reported it. Painkillers didn’t help much. My uro decided rather than have me quit treatment which I was going to do, he reduced the dosage which while still tough was much more doable and I made it through. So, if problems occur for you I’m sure there will be options on how to deal with it. Unfortunately with cancer treatment, I think we walk into it a bit on the blind side because we are all so unique. With any treatment regime some will have minimal issues while others will have more to deal with. You won’t know until you do it.

    I suggest keeping a medical journal while on treatments to keep track of symptoms, pain etc. so that you can relay an accurate report of anything happening. I did this and found it helpful as my memory wasn’t as sharp while “under the influence of BCG”. It wasn’t mentioned as a side effect for BCG but I did experience some version of “chemo brain”. The book stores actually sell these journals but all I used was a cheap notebook from the dollar store.

    The other thing as leva mentioned is diet. I too, found light foods eaten more frequently better than trying to eat my usual stuff. Soups were especially good as were peppermint and ginger teas. I also stocked up on favourite books, DVDs and just cleared the calendar so I could rest as needed. During my second set of treatments I was working part time and was able to reduce my hours to give me time to recover. I used the time as an excuse to just chill and found when I quit stressing out over what wasn’t getting done I wasn’t experiencing as much side effects.

    I know I couldn’t exactly tell you what to expect but I hope my suggestions help. Again, all the best and keep us informed. (((((HUGS)))))

    #19436
    fleabane
    Participant

    Valeriemayl, each person is different with respect to gem/cis chemotherapy. I am currently in the end of cycle four of six of gem/ cis. I have dehydration which leads me to constipation then nausea. I receive three rounds of hydration during chemo week, and I am still dehydrated. It is my nature. I am using my smartphone to answer your question. Let me know if you need more details of how I combate the side effects. Good luck.

    #19510
    Porterwj@rogers.com
    Participant

    Hi – I had major problems with constipation and fainted, hit my head etc. but Senecot-S and milk of magnesia help.
    Two Senecot at night and two in the morning works but check with your care givers.
    I was also very tired and lost my hair but everyone is different.
    I only had one round of chemo, caught an infection, then had an emergency RC and I start chemo again in a few weeks time.
    Good luck with the treatment.

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