After the weekend I had in Florida following my first treatment of Cisplatin, I voiced complaints about the uncomfortable side effects with my doctors and PA at my next appointment. I explained how nauseous I was and how bad I felt for days following the treatment so they called in the big guns. Intervenes based anti nausea coupled with 3 different pill based anti nausea medications, all which would work alone or combined. I followed the dosage marked for each for the three days following the treatment and had a much better reaction to the Cisplatin than the first. Granted I didn’t feel well, but it was manageable.

I really feel strongly about making sure you “speak up” and share whatever you are feeling with your nurse or doctor or whoever you can get to. Yes chemotherapy is uncomfortable, but if you don’t say something you may never know if it can be better. Don’t assume the doctors and nurses are going to prescribe you every possible drug that could help if they don’t even know you are suffering.

And negotiate! My daughter’s graduation from college was going to be the weekend following a Cisplatin and I knew I wouldn’t be able to make the celebrations so I asked my doctor if I could postpone that treatment one week and she said absolutely. If you don’t ask, you won’t know what’s possible! I also pointed out to my doctor that the week I had an allergic reaction to my treatment, I had gotten a dose of Taxol in me but never got credit for it. I don’t think that’s fair and I am holding out to play that card towards the end of my final days of treatment this summer. I might be able to count that one as my last treatment and get done 1 week early than planned. There’s always a possibility she’ll say yes!