Folfox # 5 is Kicking. My. Butt

hands & feet
I was concerned about neuropathy at the beginning of my wife's chemo...based on what I found at the NIH library of Medicine web site she started taking a balanced calcium and magnesium supplement at about the RDA level... she has made it until the 12th treatment before the tingling stated to become an issue...maybe something to discuss with your onc.

sometimes they will stop with the oxaliplatin for a bit if the tingling/neuropathy becomes and issue

the chemo will make you weak..and staying in bed for days on end will add to it...

good luck

Dear Pluckey
While I have no experience with your treatment I can say that not eating, drinking and being in bed for 3 days will certainly make you weak.

As you try to overcome it do it in small doses and often...little bites of food, sips of drink and sitting up for a bit before trying to walk.

You probably should alert your onc about your reactions soonest. There will be some answer in their bag of tricks to help make the next treatment easier to tolerate.

Feel better soon.

Marie who loves kitties

You must eat. Hydration is
You must eat. Hydration is also extremely important to help you feel less aches. At number 5 I was eating Bananas, gatoraid, and ginger root for the first 4-5 days after chemo. Greek Yoghurt, and probiotics helped also. Then I could eat more normal.

The cold did not go away for about a eighteen months after chemo. I could drink cold drinks about 9 months after, but the touch sensation took 18 months. The numbness and tingling took some time to fade away. I did lose some touch feel in my feet and little fingers in both hands.

Best Always, mike

Peggy:)
It's chemo, dear Peg:)

If it will make you feel any better:)......this is exactly what the oxy did to me. I would be sick about the first five days and then it would get a little bit better. I would do infusion on Friday...miss Monday and Tuesday at work...then be back Wed and work out the rest of the week.

I actually found the Oxy more workable than the Irinotecan...that stuff clobbered me nearly 30 days out of the month and left my life useless during those treatments.

Ask your onc about "The Mags" - Magnesium Sulfate by IV. This might help your neuropathy and the cold sensations in your throat. You'll know pretty quickly if you're going to respond favorably to it or not....one drink of cool ice water will let you know.

Will help knock off some of the bad tingling in your fingers and toes too.....stay with gloves for the cold stuff though......it will still hurt to grab something cold for more than a couple of seconds, but it can get better if that works for you....still cold but you can go longer.

I still get some tingling but recovered for the most part - I was lucky and quit treatments at #8.

If you need to rest - you rest - you need to sleep - you sleep. If you can move any, just do what you can....the first few days will always be rough for you - the key is do you get better before the next infusion cycle.

As mentioned, dosage can be reduced - and infusion time lengthened - these will help facilitate the administration and tolerance of the chemo better for you, if needed.

I know you're not afraid to ask:)

Hang in there - that evening at the pizza grotto seems like such a dream now, doesn't it? That was some good pizza:)

If I could change anything about that trip, I would not have let myself be talked into going to the hotel - we would have just stayed and visited with you - that's what I wanted to do. I'm glad for the time we did spend together though - and your mom was sure nice for letting us stay in their condo.

I loved that you could go downstairs and flip the light on for a cab - and in seconds, one would roll up for you.

I know things are rough right now - so hoping you'll get back to another clear period with this fight. You're doing all the right things to get there:)

Love/Craig

Momof2plusteentwins said:

So sorry
So sorry to hear that chemo is kicking your butt. I start Folfox next week, really scared reading all the bad stuff. Hope you feel better this week
Sandy

Folfox is cumulative
Everyone is different so as each of us start our first chemo treatment we wonder how it will go for us....we do not know what to expect. The first few treatments go well. The chemo nurses are great and you will be OK. Stay Hydrated, take one chemo treatment at a time, and visualize or think of the chemo working for you..... When you feel the effects think of those cancer cells really 'feeling" the effects.

But Folfox effects are cumulative....
Treatment #5 I also had a problem with the Oxy effects. When cold wind hit my cheek and eye....eye slammed shut and jaw locked up.....delayed 6th treatment due to low blood levels. Good news is once chemo resumed the next few treatments were fine.

WISHING BOTH OF YOU THE BEST ...
NB

lesvanb said:

My Oxy infusions were over 8 hrs
with calcium and magnesium before hand. Really helped with Oxy side effects. I could tell immediately when that was sped up as some nurses were tempted to do. Also took glutamine per my naturopath on off days. That helped too.

hugs, Leslie

calcium magnesium
I received both right after my lovely 3 blue pills of decadron. Calcium and magnesium do help, mine was iv. I had one treatment at a different facility and I didn't get them. Could certainly tell.

All my best to you. Hang on....stay hydrated, and eat lots of little meals. I may have missed it, but what are your anti naseau meds?

Jamie