It struck me as intriguing that I felt surprisingly great on days 3 and 4 following each of the initial three rounds. One might assume that after two days of intensive infusions, one would not be in the best shape. Keep this observation in mind as we delve into the experiences of rounds 4, 5, and 6.
During this round, I encountered some side effects, including low-grade nightly headaches and a mild upset stomach persisting from days 3 through 5. Thankfully, Ondansetron proved to be a reliable ally, ensuring I never succumbed to nausea.
On day 11, an unexpected visitor arrived—morning chest congestion, which persisted throughout the entire round. Each morning began with the task of clearing greenish-yellow phlegm from my lungs. Before the onset of round 3, a chest x-ray was conducted to rule out pneumonia or other respiratory issues. While the x-ray returned clear, it did note the presence of atelectasis in my right lower lobe—a partial collapse of the lung. While my oncologist didn’t express concern over this finding, it did raise some questions in my mind.
This 28-day cycle brought with it heightened fatigue compared to round 1. By fatigue, I mean needing a brief nap around lunchtime on a few days. Additionally, I noticed frequent bouts of lightheadedness upon standing, possibly influenced by the lung issue.
Finally, on days 6 through 9, I found it challenging to concentrate for long periods of time. Such cognitive challenges are recognized side effects of the administered chemotherapy.