Starting 1xBEP today; any advice or experience?

[highfive]

Hello everyone!

I'm stage 1A: Seminoma: 60%, Embryo 35%, Yolk/Tera: 5% and I'm starting adjuvant chemo 1xBEP today. 3 days first week and then 1 day the following two. Was wondering if anyone here who has gone through this had any advice or recommendations for dealing with 1xBEP? and can share their experience on how did it went? Also, I'm planning on working while going through chemo, anyone here work while doing 1xBEP?
Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to getting this over with

[JeskiM69]

Since I was doing 3xBEP I went ahead and did FMLA for 10 weeks. So I didn't work through any of my chemo. However I could say that if you are capable of working remotely (like doing computer work) then you should be able to work most of that cycle.

The coming weekend may be kinda rough. This coming Friday and maybe next Monday too.

On your Bleo only weeks the Bleo may knock you back for about 24-48 hours.

Bottom line is that some guys have a very rough 1st cycle compared to the second or third cycles. In my case Cycle 1 was easy and each cycle after it got quite a bit worse. You really don't know how it will go till you do it. So best be prepared for anything.

For me I was fine until Friday evening. Then nausea made me pretty uncomfortable. I slept through most of Saturday, had zero appetite, very fatigued and nauseated. Sunday afternoon I started feeling better. 1st Bleo only day I got the shake and bake and felt like I had the flu the next day.

Beware of any hiccups. Some guys get them in the 1st cycle. If you do tell the nurses, they can give you something. Any fever over 100.5 you will need to call in or go to a hospital to make sure it's not an infection.

Eat/drink whatever you can tolerate. Even before this week is far gone you will likely have some food aversions.

That's all I can think of of the top of my head for now. I am sure others will chime in/add on.

- Matt

[Davepet]

Hello everyone!

I'm stage 1A: Seminoma: 60%, Embryo 35%, Yolk/Tera: 5% and I'm starting adjuvant chemo 1xBEP today. 3 days first week and then 1 day the following two.

Where are you located? Typically 1xBEP would be 5 days the first week, not 3, followed by 1 day/week the next 2 weeks.

Dave

[MilanD]

I did not went through that yet. But I would say eat as much as you can, preferably vegetables and light stuff and drink a lot = Gallon water during therapy to save your kidneys. But I am not expert. Also ask for 5 days + 2 days in next two weeks rather than 3 days intense.

[highfive]

Since I was doing 3xBEP I went ahead and did FMLA for 10 weeks. So I didn't work through any of my chemo. However I could say that if you are capable of working remotely (like doing computer work) then you should be able to work most of that cycle.

The coming weekend may be kinda rough. This coming Friday and maybe next Monday too.

On your Bleo only weeks the Bleo may knock you back for about 24-48 hours.

Bottom line is that some guys have a very rough 1st cycle compared to the second or third cycles. In my case Cycle 1 was easy and each cycle after it got quite a bit worse. You really don't know how it will go till you do it. So best be prepared for anything.

For me I was fine until Friday evening. Then nausea made me pretty uncomfortable. I slept through most of Saturday, had zero appetite, very fatigued and nauseated. Sunday afternoon I started feeling better. 1st Bleo only day I got the shake and bake and felt like I had the flu the next day.

Beware of any hiccups. Some guys get them in the 1st cycle. If you do tell the nurses, they can give you something. Any fever over 100.5 you will need to call in or go to a hospital to make sure it's not an infection.

Eat/drink whatever you can tolerate. Even before this week is far gone you will likely have some food aversions.

That's all I can think of of the top of my head for now. I am sure others will chime in/add on.

- Matt

Thank you so much for the information! Glad you gave me a heads up for this coming weekend, I was actually anticipating feeling terrible the first day which is not the case for me at all since I'm feeling normal but the more cases I read the more I see that they seem to have symptoms like you said on that first weekend or after that first week. Glad I have that heads up to prepare myself ahead of time just in case.

I unfortunately don't have working remotely as an option but was able to go to work after chemo. I wonder if I'm gonna be able to keep this up for the reminder of the chemo, guess will depend how my body feels in the upcoming days/week.

You mention nausea as one of your side effects that you got, I'm curious if you got medications for it and if it helped/worked? My doctor gave me I believe is called Ondansetron and told me to take it if I ever feel nauseous. I hope is a good prescription.

Did the nurse gave you anything to fight the side effects of the bleo? and do you think will be a good idea to ask the nurse to give me some additional medicine maybe some Tylenol or the like whenever I receive the Bleo to help with the shake/flue like symptoms?

Thanks again for sharing your experience, it was definitely helpful.

[metroman]

1X BEP should be easy to go through, especially if you are young. But everyone I know has different experience with chemo, every responds differently.

As for work I would say you definitely cannot work at the end of 3rd day,(3days cycle has higher GI toxicity relationship, so its better to go with 5 days). After that if you do pick up your health, you need a day or two for Bleo shots.

For some people there is also risk of going neutropenic, hence It all depends on neutrophil counts, fatigue, your willingness to work.

@Jeski
Could you go to work after 10th week? Im currently in my 6th week planning to work after 10th. Im holding my health up after long week, bleo(last shot) has no effect on fatigue or whatsoever, i feel okay to go work right now.

[highfive]

Where are you located? Typically 1xBEP would be 5 days the first week, not 3, followed by 1 day/week the next 2 weeks.

Dave

Hi Dave. I'm in Houston, TX. They offered me 3 days the first week and told me most patient at that center go with that option. She did mention I could go with 5 days if I wanted but since she said most went with three and because I plan to work this first week I figured it'll be better to have thursday/friday with full availability so I can work during the day. Today the first day they gave me 165 mg/m2 of etoposide and 50 mg/m2 of cisplatin; does this sound right? Then Tuesday I'll receive all three of BEP and Wednesday just etoposide with the same amount as before. Followed by 1 day/week the next two weeks of just Bleo.

[highfive]

I did not went through that yet. But I would say eat as much as you can, preferably vegetables and light stuff and drink a lot = Gallon water during therapy to save your kidneys. But I am not expert. Also ask for 5 days + 2 days in next two weeks rather than 3 days intense.

Thanks for the info and the recommendation of food. I'm not much of a water drinker as it is but I'm definitely gonna be drinking a lot during chemo since I see that's been suggested a lot. My nurses also mentioned it as well. Thanks again.

[highfive]

1X BEP should be easy to go through, especially if you are young. But everyone I know has different experience with chemo, every responds differently.

As for work I would say you definitely cannot work at the end of 3rd day,(3days cycle has higher GI toxicity relationship, so its better to go with 5 days). After that if you do pick up your health, you need a day or two for Bleo shots.

For some people there is also risk of going neutropenic, hence It all depends on neutrophil counts, fatigue, your willingness to work.

@Jeski
Could you go to work after 10th week? Im currently in my 6th week planning to work after 10th. Im holding my health up after long week, bleo(last shot) has no effect on fatigue or whatsoever, i feel okay to go work right now.

Thanks for the info including what to expect in terms of working since I haven't been able to find much info/experience about that. So here I was thinking on going to work on Thursday and Friday but I guess it likely won't be doable and I'll need to lower those expectations. Guess I'll see what happens. Thanks again!

[highfive]

So first day completed!!

So far, so good. I'm feeling normal now but I know this is just the first day and things will get much worse as the days goes by. Was able to work today after chemo. I'll see how the rest of this first week goes. Thanks everyone for your inputs, it's been very helpful.

[metroman]

are you working remotely!?

[MilanD]

@Highfield

Good luck with chemo. Three weeks go fast and wish you least complications possible. Keep us posted will may go through same as you soon.

[highfive]

are you working remotely!?

Nope. I have access to work building and my office on after hours so was able and allowed to do a 4-11:30.

[highfive]

@Highfield

Good luck with chemo. Three weeks go fast and wish you least complications possible. Keep us posted will may go through same as you soon.

Thank you!! I'm currently receiving day 2 treatment. And yeah, I will try to give updates along the way. Good luck in your decision making, i know it ain't easy.

[JeskiM69]

@highfive: Regarding Nausea. I was given Zofran (Ondansetron) in a tiny tablet form. You put it on your tongue and it dissolves in 15 seconds or so. I only took it when I dealt with nausea. In the first cycle I started taking it towards the end of Day 3. For the next several days I stayed on it. I was taking it every 8 hours. I does not eradicate nausea completely; but it does eradicate any puking episodes. I was able to tolerate the nausea all through chemo....just there was nothing to make it completely go away.

@metroman: Yes, I went back to work five days after my last Bleo. My FMLA included the week prior to chemo because I had a ton of other appointments to deal with and it was obvious that I was barely going to any work that week. However I will say that looking back at it, I should have held back going back to work for an extra week.

- Matt