Covid vaccination may increase lifespan for stage 4 cancer patients

Marcia. I had COVID 19 just before chemo for,stage 4 cancer. I’m in my 3 rd week.
I wonder if this counts, or if it’s the anti viral that’s Important
?

@susan38
Susan,
Good luck with everything. And I have no clue myself about most of this process! I start my chemo tomorrow.
How are you going with it after these three weeks?

Hello. 👋 well I guess your first week of chemo is well under way.
I’m in my third week. chemo has so far been kind to me this week.
I had a severe reaction to chemo at the end of the first 5 days, running through to the end of the 2nd week. The evening of the fifth day, whilst discussing Euchre with a couple of friends, I started Dripping perspiration, cold hot shivers, massive temperature rise, stripped off all clothing, lying down on the cold tiled floor in the bathroom, trying desperately to get my temperature down quickly. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. The nausea and pain in my stomach was excruciating.
This lasted about 20-30 minutes and I was about to go to the hospital as I had been warned that I might re act, without being given explicits about what to expect other than a rapid rise in temperature. I started recovering from this “bout” of rapid temp rise just as my friends came to check I was “ok”.my taste buds changed, water tasted foul, couldn’t stand the smell of coffee, (I’m a 4 cup a day coffee freak) or go anywhere near fried food, fish and chips, fried chicken etc, not that I eat fried food, but friend do and sitting with them whilst they ate food, did not turn out so well, as I made many trips to the bathroom. The nausea and diarrhoea was constant and difficult to handle. I had massive headaches for the first week, and a stiff neck and pain running up the left side of my neck to my left ear. My neck got very swollen and sore and tight . I then went through stages of sleep and strange alertness being awake at odd hours and some night time insomnia.My breast hurt and the lymph nodes under my armpits and surrounds hurt with swelling.
I did not want to post my initial experience to you until you had started your first week, as I’m told everyone’s experience is quite different.
so I’m hoping yours will not be an unpleasant as my initial reaction to chemo was. In saying all of this, my third week has been better, and I had anticipated it getting worse.
I’ve learnt what I can eat, without too much nausea and I’ve cut meals down to minimum.
I’ve effectively stuck to advocates and bananas until now.
Today I experimented with some plain rice, about 3 tablespoons, and eggs, and I’ve tolerated these well tonight. Also distinguishing between radiotherapy and chemo reactions. Because the cancer is in my left groin lymph nodes and no primary has yet been found the oncologist and radiotherapist specialist decided to “zap” my entire pelvic region. So I can only put it that my breast and other areas ached due to the chemo and not the radiotherapy treatment.
I wish you well on this journey of yours and hope your experiences will not be as unpleasant as mine. I did not want to post to give you my “bad” reactions as You may not experience any at all. Please let me know how you are getting on. Susan

@susan38
Dear Susan,
Good lord, your chemotherapy has been a freaking nightmare! No wonder you spared me the specifics before I started it this week. Thanks for that.
But has your chemotherapy been daily for three weeks? Mine is just 48 hours then pause ten days.
I think they have different setups for different cases.
How is it they can't find your primary source of the groin area cancer? That in itself is spooky.
So are they just barraging you with full scale chemo artillery, or what?
I'm getting Folfox. It made me nauseous on day 2, this morning.
Threw up plain water. No fun.
I hope your chemo gets easier to bear.
About coffee! Me too. A huge coffee lover who now can't drink it all at once. This is all going to require further adjustment, for sure.
Thank you a lot for sharing your thoughts and experience so vividly,
I feel lucky you wrote.
Marcia

You are most welcome. Yes, my chemo and radiation is daily until the 20/12/25. Unless I get really really ill again and then today, the oncologist said they will either lower the dose or stop for some time, without being explicit as to what time….2 days..2 weeks? My hands and feet were looked at today, examined, the oncologist said she could see the redness in my hands and that was the radiotherapy. But the skin is not peeling yet. That’s a good thing. My vulva is exceptionally sore and has started to blister and itch like crazy. I’m waking up scratching. On examination no thrust or anything awful, no discharge, no infections, (and I shouldn’t have any) I’ve had a very solo life for 30 years now, so again the blistering and itching is a response to the radiation apparently and not the chemo. So I’ve been given a “witches brew” effectively a sorbilene mixed with a % of lidocaine, which I used for the first time tonight. It stung like crazy. ……….. to move on. During the consultation today, the oncologist said that the worse was not over. She has told me that week 4 and 5 are going to be my worse weeks. Apparently the infusions move through the bone marrow and continually circulate through out the blood. She was happy with my white cell count and liver readings, but told me that next week I should expect them to drop. If they drop too much they apparently suspend treatment for a short period of time. So I really hope u can tolerate your treatment with better dignity than I, as I feel I will not.
Writing this as I go is a little like journaling.
It does help clear my thought and I feel less lonely in being able to talk through my fears and doubt. Fears that the effort and pain won’t be worth it, doubt that the treatment will be successful, fears that the radiation burning will be too much for me, doubting my resilience to continue fighting for what might be a better life, albeit possibly a short one.
I can see that our treatment modes are very different.
Please let me know how you are In Your second week.
I no longer drink coffee. Broken a 30 year breakfast ritual. 🥲
I no longer drink milk😢 I’ve not lost weight🥲
However I’m thoroughly enjoying peppermint tea with honey and a slice of lemon. My only mixed drink once a day. Otherwise it’s water, lots of it, every day.
All the best as it can be.
Susan

@susan38
Yes, It is like journaling, sharing this way. You write well and fluidly so I get a strong sense of what you are going through. But you don't complain, really, with all that horrible stuff going on, and yet it must be wrenching, lonely for a solo sort, and take a lot out of you just to make it through each day.
A friend of mine survived pancreatic cancer, endured lots of horrors with chemo, and tells me that he got through just one day at a time. Also he said he tried to look forward to the next phase, this one over, the next ahead.
For you that may be December 20.
I am sorry to hear that you are suffering so much and that there's worse coming.
Like you, I am drinking peppermint tea.
Stay strong if you can, hang on for what may be better later.
Marcia

@maraca
Thanks you for your support, and lovely words.
I add a lemon slice and lots of honey to the peppermint tea. It’s very satisfying.
I'm on a weekend break. Thankfully.
Slept all day.
Feel so lazy, but seriously started To recognise I must
need the sleep. Then I can’t feel the pain.
Having trouble sitting now.
……talk soon

@maraca
Hi, just wondering how u are getting along with your treatment? Is it going well for you?
Susan

@susan38
No, not well. Thanks for asking, Susan. I can't keep anything down since Wednesday, swallow with much difficulty, even sips of water, have almost no strength or energy, all food smells are unappetizing, and I've lost 6 pounds in seven days. I tried to talk to the oncology team on Friday when I drove over for my last radiation session, the 28th round, and all three of the doctors were away. A nurse said to take Tylenol for the swallowing trouble, that's it.
Meantime I am disappearing by the day. It's like the doctors put you in the treatment oven, set the damn timer, and go "alright then! Be back when you're done!"
I'm seriously wondering if they give a flying fart.
Can't get anyone on the phone either.
Anyway, to answer your question, I am sick and not getting better yet.
How have you got this far? How can you manage?
Marcia

@maraca gee, I’m so sorry to hear u are not well. Im surprised u have lost weight, I have not, even though I’m not eating very well, I still keep down a few tablespoons of rice, and occasionally the advocado and banana. I tried chewing a handful of peanuts two days ago to bock me from diarrhoea, but since most of my teeth have gone, eating the peanuts was difficult, (I will crush a teaspoonful of them next time) something I think u would not be able to do with your mouth or throat in that condition. I’m now in my 4 th week and have been told I will be worse this week, and next.
I’ve lost my pubic hair (definitely no Brazilian on the horizon) but only a few brush loads of head hair.
The main thing is to look after yourself. I was too ill to drive anywhere. I sleep most of the day and the night. No housework, cooking, or outings, mainly bedroom, loo, back to bed, and this is the cycle of my life. I do talk on the phone to some friends, sometimes an hour or more and they support me via conversation even though I am mumbling my words, can’t articulate well, repeat my sentences and know my brain and cognitive functioning is being affected by the treatment. I truly hope u are not experiencing the same. Some of my friends really cannot grasp the severity of the pain and anguish, the exhaustion, the letting go of all dignity in trying to clean up after my ablution disasters, especially when I can’t make it several feet to the ensuite in time. I want to tell you that your troubles will pass as drs tell me this. But I wonder if it is believable. Some ice cubes on the lips help somewhat when I can’t keep hydrated or swallow anything. Please take care the best u can and keep in touch with Mayo connect. If you must vent do so, as most using this brilliant site will understand. There is no judgement here, just help from the mentors and others experiencing similar circumstances.