Anyone with tinnitus from using platinum based chemo?

[Aussie000]

My mother has stage4 ovca and her oncologist took her off taxol/carboplatin because she developed tinnitus, he put her onto Doxil & Gemzar and the Doxil/Caelyx was just awful and she got all the horrible side effects so she stopped with the Caelyx and is now just on Gemzar which is working well but he has pretty much said that this is the end of the line for treatment.

My question is has anyone else developed tinnitus and if so did you ever go back to platinum because that is all that is left that works? the doctor never said that this is an option and I didn't want to upset mum any further at this stage by asking in case he says no.

Also, has anyone found an effective pain relief for mouth ulcers, baking soda doesn't help at all which the doctors recommend and we haven't found any suitable drugs. I have heard that Alum powder is helpful for any ladies living in the US but we can't get it out here in Australia.

Thanks.

[Aussie000]

Thanks for the reply, i'll let mum know that her tinnitus might ease over time. I hope you are on the road to recovery and that one day this awful disease will be just a distant memory for you. :)

Carolyn

[coogeegirl]

Hi I am another Aussie here in Sydney, I developed tinnitus with my first line treatment of Carbo/Taxol and can relate to what has happened to your mother, since I have finished chemo it is not as bad but it is certainly still there particularly at night, but I have learn't to live with it.

I send every good wish to your moter

Jenny

[Aussie000]

G'day Cobber! Thanks for responding - you seem to be having less side effects with the caelex, I hope you don't have swollen blistered hands and feet and constant headaches. I hope the caelyx is working for you. She's tried the Difflam but it only gave slight relief for 10 minutes, she's also been sucking on ice cubes which numbs the mouth too, i'll let her know about the warm salty water thanks.

She's only been on Gemzar without caelyx for 2 weeks but said she's feeling better than she was on Caelyx. Her ca125 went from 9 to 8 after 1 round of Gemzar, she has chemo fortnightly until next month, If you are suffering from nausea mum had 2 sessions of japanese acupuncture which stopped it.

I hope you get well and hugs to you from Sydney, :) Mum is on the Gold Coast and travels to Brisbane Mater for treatment, this disease takes up so much of mum's time and the time is so precious and it's wasted on chemo sessions, doctors appointments, blood tests etc, we all feel so helpless.

[Helmar]

G'day Mate... :-)... I'm down in Melbourne. I'm on Caelyx at present and the one side affect I get from that, are mouth ulcers. The clinic where I have my chemo gave me a bottle of Difflam. That's not bad, as it numbs the sores and allows you to eat without too much pain, but I've found a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of sea-salt crystals is really good. It seems to halt the growth of the ulcers, and doesn't let them get so sore. I've tried both the green and pink Difflam, and found the pink one to be the best.
I hope  your Mum will soon be feeling better. Is she managing Gemzar o.k.? I had a terrible time with my bloods while on Gemzar to the point where I needed transfusions for both red cells and platelets. I hope your Mum is doing better.
Wishing you all the best...hugs from down south...Helen...