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LAF53
LAF53 Member Posts: 60
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Goodmorning. I was diagnosed having stage 3A colon cancer about 2 months ago. What a shock, I never expected to hear that. I finished my first round of Oxaliplatin/Xeloda chemotherapy without too many side effects. Round 2 starts this Tues with an infusion of the Oxaliplatin. I'm not looking forward to Tues. And I must say I'm for afraid of the side effects than I am of the cancer. I've been reading this discussion board for a while now. I figured it was time to join. Sure hope to get to "know" you guys.

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  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #2
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    Welcome !

    You can learn of most member's experiences, by clicking
    on their name. Most of us have a short biography that explains
    what we've gone through.

    You should take a few minutes and write your own data into
    the "profile page" provided for you, it makes it easier for a
    person to respond, if they can read what you've already
    gone through.

    Do yourself a major favor, and never allow fear to guide you,
    Try to listen to your inner intuition; the basic instinct for survival,
    and choose your path using that, rather than what some physician
    or friend tells you.

    Physicians are human and make mistakes in judgement just like
    anyone else. Putting your life in someone else's hands, does not
    guarantee your safety, or extend your life expectancy.

    So take a day at a time, and explore all your options. Ask anyone
    here about any treatment you have questions about, and you will
    hear from those with experience.

    The fear of doing what the physician says, is as bad as the fear
    of not doing what the physician says, so try not to let "fear" be
    your guide and instead, learn as much as you can about each
    and every option available.

    You'll do fine....

    John
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #3
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    hello
    Hello and welcome to the board-

    Sorry about your diagnosis and that you have reason to be here. I'm stage IV, diagnosed a little over 4 years ago. I know the oxaliplatin can be rough. Ask your onc or nurses if you're being given calcium/magnesium when you're getting the oxi infusion. Supposedly, it can greatly reduce the neuropathy effects of the oxaliplatin. It seems that came out after I got my oxaliplatin 4 years ago, so I never personally got the calcium or magnesium myself, but heard it helps. Also, my nurse practitioner told me about taking alpha lipoic acid and vitamin B-6 to help with the neuropathy. I ended up getting pretty bad neuropathy, but didn't know about doing any of those things until afterwards. It took some time, but it did go away. My hands were pretty bad off & they are now completely normal. Have gloves handy if you go grocery shopping yourself. That was awful for me- I'd have to quickly grab the cold items and practically throw them into the cart cause it hurt. Taking them out of the cart and putting the items onto the conveyer belt for checkout was quite a trick. I then remembered to either take gloves or bring someone with me to the store from then on while I was getting the oxi.

    Lots of people here have lots of experiences for you to draw information from- so keep coming back here when you have questions.

    Take care!
    Lisa
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #4
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    Welcome
    Just wanted to say welcome to the board. We are an amazing group of people here to help you through this journey. If you have any questions, please ask us because nothing is off the table here. Oxy is a hard drug to take with the side effects. Just remember that anything cold will affect you including just going in the produce isle of the grocery store. Be careful not to drink anything cold or go into fridge without gloves. Good luck on your treatment and continue to let us know how you are doing.

    Kim
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    #5
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    Annabelle41415 said:

    Welcome
    Just wanted to say welcome to the board. We are an amazing group of people here to help you through this journey. If you have any questions, please ask us because nothing is off the table here. Oxy is a hard drug to take with the side effects. Just remember that anything cold will affect you including just going in the produce isle of the grocery store. Be careful not to drink anything cold or go into fridge without gloves. Good luck on your treatment and continue to let us know how you are doing.

    Kim

    Welcome aboard.
    Great place
    Welcome aboard.
    Great place for support and information. Hope your treatments go well.
  • springmike2010
    springmike2010 Member Posts: 2
    #6
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    Kenny H. said:

    Welcome aboard.
    Great place
    Welcome aboard.
    Great place for support and information. Hope your treatments go well.

    Neuropathy and other 'gifts' from chemo...
    Hello everyone, new to this discussion board, not new to CSN. Finished up 6 mos of Folfox6 in August and had my Porta-cath removed last Thurs. Glad that is over. Had borderline Stage III so my chemo was 'preventive' so my Onco said. Well I endured. Now the neuropathy is miserable. Taking 900 mg neurontin daily with some relief but my feet feel like thick bricks, toes are tingly to numb. I know it will take time. Question for the Board...since the neuropathy started months ago, I have this strange sensation that seems to 'cycle' every 5 minutes or so, I get a 'buzzing' nerve 'pulsation' starting in my left foot to left hand then to my right foot and hand. Its like my nervous system is trying to 'jump start' with mild jolts. Very strange, hope its a good sign. Wait, better description....I have read it here about the 'jolt' one feels when you move your head downward and feel the 'shock' in your feet. That's the sensation. Any thoughts?
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #7
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    springmike2010 said:

    Neuropathy and other 'gifts' from chemo...
    Hello everyone, new to this discussion board, not new to CSN. Finished up 6 mos of Folfox6 in August and had my Porta-cath removed last Thurs. Glad that is over. Had borderline Stage III so my chemo was 'preventive' so my Onco said. Well I endured. Now the neuropathy is miserable. Taking 900 mg neurontin daily with some relief but my feet feel like thick bricks, toes are tingly to numb. I know it will take time. Question for the Board...since the neuropathy started months ago, I have this strange sensation that seems to 'cycle' every 5 minutes or so, I get a 'buzzing' nerve 'pulsation' starting in my left foot to left hand then to my right foot and hand. Its like my nervous system is trying to 'jump start' with mild jolts. Very strange, hope its a good sign. Wait, better description....I have read it here about the 'jolt' one feels when you move your head downward and feel the 'shock' in your feet. That's the sensation. Any thoughts?

    Hey LAF....
    Welcome..... I have no words of wisdom for you..... this time.... just wanted to say HEY!. Take care.

    Jennie
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #8
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    Hey Hun
    No offense, but we didn't want you here. We didn't want cancer to interrupt another person's life, we didn't want cancer to intrude into a family, no, we didn't want you here at all, we want this cycle to end.
    But...since you are here, since cancer did dare to intrude in your life, we're here for you, like you, those words "You have cancer" were a total shock, somebody's else's life that came to intrude, surely not ours, surely we heard wrong.
    But, it's here, so we deal with it, and deal with it, and deal with it.
    You are not alone, we'll deal with it with you, if one person doesn't have the answer to your question, others will.
    We care, we love, we hurt together, we cry, we celebrate together.
    And as for the side effects, the fear is worse then the actual.
    Our hearts are with you,
    Winter Marie
    (P.S. a name, even just a first or middle name would be nice to know)
  • LAF53
    LAF53 Member Posts: 60
    #9
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    herdizziness said:

    Hey Hun
    No offense, but we didn't want you here. We didn't want cancer to interrupt another person's life, we didn't want cancer to intrude into a family, no, we didn't want you here at all, we want this cycle to end.
    But...since you are here, since cancer did dare to intrude in your life, we're here for you, like you, those words "You have cancer" were a total shock, somebody's else's life that came to intrude, surely not ours, surely we heard wrong.
    But, it's here, so we deal with it, and deal with it, and deal with it.
    You are not alone, we'll deal with it with you, if one person doesn't have the answer to your question, others will.
    We care, we love, we hurt together, we cry, we celebrate together.
    And as for the side effects, the fear is worse then the actual.
    Our hearts are with you,
    Winter Marie
    (P.S. a name, even just a first or middle name would be nice to know)

    thanks
    Thanks for all the replies. It is what it is and I do what I'm told. The support here is wonderful. I will continue here and try to help others myself.
    Lydia

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