Chemotherapy: 12 of 9
09 February 2015 | Providence Cancer Center - Portland Eastside
Mark / Blustery, Wet & Nasty
Chemotherapy: 12 of 9 (Bonus 3 of 3)
The PSA from a blood draw last Saturday was 16.23. While that's only about a 5% drop from previous, it was good enough to green-light the 12th and final Chemo infusion.
And so it was, Monday, 9 February I was in the infusion room for the last time. If you count the two years of Zometa (bone strengthener) infusions, I've now been visiting that room for more than 2 ½ years!
It's now Friday the 13th, as I write this post. At the moment, I'm feeling "Not-So-Bad" - as the Chemo side effect kicked in Wednesday evening. Today is better than yesterday, so maybe I'm almost over it. We'll see...
BETWEEN THE NEEDLES
As I related previously, the period between #11 and #12 started with about a week of side-effect pain, followed by a week with a nasty chest cold. Nasty enough, to warrant a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia. By the 3rd week, it had settled down to become a mild bronchitis. And, the cough continues. Continuing also, is my significant fatigue and shortness of breath.
LOOKING FORWARD
The end of Chemo is strangely bittersweet. While it's been beating me up a bit for the past 6-7 months, it's also kept the negative ramifications of cancer at bay. I've had fantastic results with my various treatments [Focused Ultrasound (HIFU), Hormones (actually hormone blockers), External Radiation, Antiandrogens, and Chemotherapy]. So, odds are, I'll do very well with the next one (actually that's not logical, but I'm going with it anyway!). But, you never know (that IS logical).
For the next six weeks, there'll be no treatment. Instead, the Chemo drugs will be leaving my system. At the 6 week mark, we'll check the PSA. If it hasn't increased much, we'll do nothing for another 3-6 weeks, repeat. Conversely, if the PSA shoots up, we'll begin my next therapy regimen. That'll be an oral drug known as Xtandi (enzalutamide) taken daily. It's another anti-androgen. It works in the body by preventing the actions of androgens (male hormones). While there are all kinds of possible side-effects, most guys experience little.
Also, next week I'll begin weaning off the steroid Prednisone. Without Prednisone, I'll have no excuse for my gross obesity, which'll be nice. I look forward to having clothes that fit, once again. I can't complain about that!
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Sunday Update:
While not "tip-top", with a handful of Advil, I felt well enough that Debbie and I went to "Beer Friday", our weekly dinner out with a few high school friends. In a way, it was a celebration of the final Chemo treatment. I'd done 12 without serious side-effects: I'd beaten Chemo! Or so I thought: I woke at about 1:00 a.m., feeling as though I'd eaten way, way too much - Which I had, but I always eat way too much so that shouldn't have been a problem. After about 1 ½ hours of tossing & turning, the "fullness" turned into acid reflux. At this point, I got up, took a Zantac, and returned to bed for another 1 and a half hours of discomfort. Then, at about 4:00 a.m. I rushed to the bathroom, vomiting violently. When it was over, I returned to bed, falling asleep at about 5:00.
I awoke about 10:00, mildly nauseous with pain level of "not so good". And, so I remained throughout the day and evening. I'm fine now, but humbled. Chemo won the final round!