Starting 3xBEP Next week

[surfhb]

The only way you will be able to know how your lungs are functioning is with a pulamary lung function test. I’m an active ocean lifeguard, surfer and swimmer. The bleo scared me to death but I was able to look at the numbers and I never dropped one bit. My lungs are actually slightly stronger right now.

I feel staying active during chemo is one of the most important things you can do. Some days you really just don’t feel like doing it but for me it was more mental over physical. I would jog/run or ride my bike to my favorite vegetable juice bar after chemo every day. Get the lungs moving and have a healthy drink after. Try and drink as much water as possible too. I would also request extra hydration IV bags too on the long weeks. It forces you to stay almost an extra hour after chemo is complete and sucks because you want to leave now but I figured it was for the best for my health.

[biwi]

I definitely had hiccups as well, and I had 4xEP. I think they are pretty common.

[Goodday]

Yes, I do get the hour of ivy on long days due to the cisplatin. I do now hear the ringing in my ears, loss of taste and losing appetite. I did myself no favors by eating spicy food last week thinking that I'd be good. Some slight irritation has been a thing now but lesson learned. No queasiness as of yet. All things considered, all is well. I know this particular week I should be dropping in cell counts so wearing a surgical is somewhat of important. Anyone else going through treatment in the first cycle?

One slight oversight by my onc was the mention of a port. I found out about it the week before treatment. I wish I had it installed prior. I should have it installed prior to round 2.

[ColoradoGuy]

Hey Goodday,

I am going through 1st cycle now, on day 5 right now.

So far not too bad. I feel change in appetite, it is hard to start to eat, but once I manage to take a first bite it is easier. I drink A LOT, and go to restroom all the time.

I do some small house work (trash, dishes) it helps me to feel useful. Also I walk for an hour outside, that really helps.

Sorry to hear your doc forgot about port. It is easier with it. Keep us posted on how is it going with you.

[MilanD]

I started 3xBEP on Feb 4th. First week I did get queasy little, took pill and it went away. However ocasionally I got light ringing in ears for 5 seconds and it goes away. Loss of apetite and during long week I felt fatigue. Slept a lot. Therapy 8am-1pm, lunch and then 3 hour nap. Little bit of work and to bed again. Next week (short week) I felt better, bleo put me down just little, but it may be tylenol and benadryl. More days pass long week better I feel. All in all is not as bad as I was worry it would be. But I know this is only first cycle...

[SoManyQuestions]

Regarding bleo and difficulty taking a deep breath.... I just finished BEPx3 last week. I would describe my bleo / lung symptoms similarly (i.e. noticeable difficulty in taking a deep breath). I noticed this towards the end of cycle one and it gradually worsened towards the end of treatment. Another way I would describe it is like the feeling you get when you're trying to breathe in cold water. No symptoms at rest. Towards and of treatment very minimal cardiovascular exercise, such as jogging 1 block, was exhausting.

My understanding is that true bleomycin pulmonary toxicity is very dose dependent, which means it would be ridiculously unlikely for your symptoms to be the concerning type of chronic bleomycin pulmonary toxicity (i.e. pulmonary fibrosis) after only a single dose. This toxicicty takes a higher dose and more than 1 week to develop... assuming you don't have significant risk factors (underlying lung disease, history of smoking, etc.)

Of course... I'd discuss with your doc.

[Goodday]

Yesterday was my last bleo day for this round. I generally have not had a bad incident with bleo after the first day of therapy. Just hiccups here and there. My side effects have subsided with the only new development this past weekend (days 14-15) of hair loss. I was expecting that this weekend just from reading on this forum of when it tends to happen.

My blood work was taken last week since my port will be installed next week, during the middle of my long week. Fun. My wbc and rbc were relatively normal and my blood can coagulate in 9 seconds? So I am not too concerned with those numbers yet. I will be having the same blood work done this week to begin round 2.

While I did get my blood panel results, I was curious to see my beta hcg. I was not concerned with the afp counts (8.1) since my cancer is seminoma. After surgery, my beta hcg dropped from 150-75. I had my murse go over the results and mentioned that my beta hcg jumped to 238. I was told that the elevated jump most likely has to do with the cancer being aggravated with the chemo. One bit of information you should know, is that I had thc infused edibles (with my onc being informed about it) a day or two before my blood test. I have read that this can jumble the hcg number.. Anywho, I see my onc on Thursday for follow-up.

I am wondering if anyone has had this experience before. Has anyone had their hcg jump from a lower level after surgery and during chemo without the use of thc? I'm not panicking about this as this is a 3 round cycle and I am wrapping round 1 this Friday.

I hope everyone undergoing treatment is fairing well.

[Goodday]

Yesterday was my last bleo day for this round. I generally have not had a bad incident with bleo after the first day of therapy. Just hiccups here and there. My side effects have subsided with the only new development this past weekend (days 14-15) of hair loss. I was expecting that this weekend just from reading on this forum of when it tends to happen.

My blood work was taken last week since my port will be installed next week, during the middle of my long week. Fun. My wbc and rbc were relatively normal and my blood can coagulate in 9 seconds? So I am not too concerned with those numbers yet. I will be having the same blood work done this week to begin round 2.

While I did get my blood panel results, I was curious to see my beta hcg. I was not concerned with the afp counts (8.1) since my cancer is seminoma. After surgery, my beta hcg dropped from 150-75. I had my murse go over the results and mentioned that my beta hcg jumped to 238. I was told that the elevated jump most likely has to do with the cancer being aggravated with the chemo. One bit of information you should know, is that I had thc infused edibles (with my onc being informed about it) a day or two before my blood test. I have read that this can jumble the hcg number.. Anywho, I see my onc on Thursday for follow-up.

I am wondering if anyone has had this experience before. Has anyone had their hcg jump from a lower level after surgery and during chemo without the use of thc? I'm not panicking about this as this is a 3 round cycle and I am wrapping round 1 this Friday.

I hope everyone undergoing treatment is fairing well.

[vxmike]

Hiccups during BEP are not uncommon, No idea if it is the Bleo, Cisplatin or etoposide that causes this. Of the three drugs Bleo is actually the least of them in terms of side effects. Very few have any lung problems after taking it. "Shake & bake" is a much- more common reaction, normally a few hours after a bleo- only week. I had that once & got a tylenol before treatment after that & it didn't happen again

I’m on day 4 on my first cycle of BEPx4. Hiccups are my worst side effect thus far. Zero the first day then bad in the first evening after Bleo. Better after day 3 but still present. Not sure if it’s the Bleo or just the cumulative effect.

[wjonw]

Hi All,

I am currently at week 2 of the 2nd cycle and thought i'd share.

My first cycle was overall pretty easy, i felt tired for a day after the treatment but was still able to walk around, get up and eat.

The first week of my second cycle was definitely more intense and the cumulative impact was felt. By this i mean that after day 5 of week 1, i was pretty much exhausted until Monday morning (3 days to recover).

I encourage you to just take it easy if this happens and just listen to your body. For my first cycle, i was so concentrated on eating right and moving a bit. BY the 2nd cycle i was eating pizza and comfort food as it was the only thing i could tolerate. I also switched to gatorade since water was unbearable. Just like you, hiccups are super common but i didnt feel any changes in breathing, just quicker to be tired and lay.

Anyways hope this helps. As i said, im week 2 of 2nd cycle now and feeling much better. Those first weeks are just tough but its all towards getting better!

[Goodday]

Thanks for sharing!

Small update: I got a call from my onc giving me a heads up that my white blood cell count was low. I was surprised because last week, they were within range but I suppose this was a delayed side effect. Anywho, my onc would like to continue treatment on Monday. From the first time I met him and went over treatment options, he did mention this being a possibility. I feel confident with this decision. Has anyone been in a similar position?

[Ryan Bi]

Yes, my son met the same situation as you meet. His first oncologist wanted to begin the cycle 2 treatment one week later, I asked folks here, I got immediately answers, also meantime I contacted Dr.Einhorn, he said with even with low ANC, we should continue cycle 2 in time. We finally could start treatment from 3pm at the first day of cycle 2.

The cells count change very fast, sometimes it raised to double only in Next day.

Just keep yourself far to the crowd, wash your hand, it won't be a trouble.

Good luck to you!

Amy, Ran’s mum

[Goodday]

Thank you. So far, so good. The only change now is that the procedure for the port is pretty much out of the question and will be poked each time.

[dcalandrelli]

I have had some similarities with a blood test. My AFP was normal pre chemo and jumped from 5 to 12 to 19 after chemo. Within a month it was down to 10. I don’t think it’s unheard of for chemo to temporarily raise blood tests as the chemo kills cells.

[MilanD]

Well I am in second cycle long week now. It is harder for me. More fatigue, more side effects, naseutic. My WBC were low but my ANC are alert low (0.44). My Oncologist wanted to delay treatment for week on Monday. He said I should recover within week and continue with treatment. Email Dr Einhorn and he said he would continue with treatment. Contacted my Oncologist but it was 4pm and they would not provide treatment so scheduled for Tue, one day delay Fri scheduled to Mon and BLeo instead of Tue to Wed. As Dr Einhorn predicted my ANC shoot up on Tue to 0.97, which is only low. My onco also want to do Neupogen on 2 week and 3 week of 2nd cycle. Well Dr Einhorn did not recommend Neupogen... Should I request to get treatment on Saturday instead of Monday, I already asked and they told me they are closed. Maybe in hospital?