Feeling blah

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Phil64
Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I'm in the middle of FOLFOXIRI 3 of 6. Was at UMHS from 7:30am to 4:30pm yesterday. Disconnect is tomorrow. I'm beginning to get a sense of the pattern of side effects.  Nausea/vomiting, followed by constipation, followed bi diabetes, then more comstipation. And exhaustion, disseyness throughout. Also jaw hurting, teethe hurting, skin hurting for a period, cold sensitivity, inability to concentrate, some insomnia, head ache, runny sinuses...  Weirdest side effect - hallucination like dreams after neulasat shot. 

It is very hard to work at all during this crap so I have not been doing a lot.

Eating and drinking is tough too. Ate one piece of toast this morning and a 1/2 bannana. Blah. 

And the most depressing update...  CEA went from 18 (pre treatment 1) to 11 (pre treatment 2) to 12 (pre treatment 3 yesterday). Onc said that is stabilized but I worry it may mean this chemo isn't working. :-(

I am trying to remain optimistic. 

Thank you for reading my post.

hugs to you today.

phil

Comments

  • esk2poo
    esk2poo Member Posts: 25
    #2
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    Wow

    Phil,

    I don't post much but have been following your story. If anyone deserves to feel blah during treatment, you have the full access pass. You have been through so much and still fighting. Don't beat yourself up over the way you feel. Do what you can on the good days.

     

    I have also seen peoples CEA rise during treatment so don't put much stock into that.

    hoping you get through this with some good news at the end of the pile of crap you have to go through.

    Good luck,

    Allen

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #3
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    I am sorry to hear about your

    I am sorry to hear about your side effects. That is a chemo cocktail that I have yet to try but have done the drugs seperately and I know all too well how tuff FOLFIRI is and FOLFOX was no picnic either. I commend you for doing it because franky it scares the heck out of me. I will keep you in my prayers.

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    #4
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    Sorry Phil

    Well that sucks, hang in there and stay optimistic. CEA is a shaky indicator, they don't even use it with me. Stay tough

     

    Easyflip/Richard

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,459 Member
    #5
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    Sorry you're going through

    Sorry you're going through all of that Phil.  I've heard that CEAs going up and down slightly is very normal.  18 to 12 is a great thing!  I hope you get some relief.  Saying don't worry to a cancer patient is like saying don't breath for an hour.  Just do the best that you can.  What is your doctor giving you for the nausaea?  I took Ativan and it was good in that it prevented nausea and helped me relax and sleep. Are stool softenors off limits?  Try to do things like dress warm, always wear gloves (I rarely took mine off, I got a good pair of cotton gloves, I looked like I had a 1920s fix with my white gloves on).  Anything you can do to offer get comfortable.  The drugs treat the cancer but then you have to do things to treat the side effects, it's a terrible cycle.  You've made it half way!!!

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #6
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    Helen321 said:

    Sorry you're going through

    Sorry you're going through all of that Phil.  I've heard that CEAs going up and down slightly is very normal.  18 to 12 is a great thing!  I hope you get some relief.  Saying don't worry to a cancer patient is like saying don't breath for an hour.  Just do the best that you can.  What is your doctor giving you for the nausaea?  I took Ativan and it was good in that it prevented nausea and helped me relax and sleep. Are stool softenors off limits?  Try to do things like dress warm, always wear gloves (I rarely took mine off, I got a good pair of cotton gloves, I looked like I had a 1920s fix with my white gloves on).  Anything you can do to offer get comfortable.  The drugs treat the cancer but then you have to do things to treat the side effects, it's a terrible cycle.  You've made it half way!!!

    Hang in there.   Hope the

    Hang in there.   Hope the CEA, is just your body adjusting, it's happendd to me. 

  • Cathleen Mary
    Cathleen Mary Member Posts: 827 Member
    #7
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    Nana b said:

    Hang in there.   Hope the

    Hang in there.   Hope the CEA, is just your body adjusting, it's happendd to me. 

    Phil, you have every reason

    Phil, you have every reason to feel blah.  That is a pretty awful regimen. Try not ( easier said than done) to worry about a 1point CEA rise. Mine goes up and down. I hope food becomes desirable in the next day or so.  It is an up and down journey for sure.

    Wishing you relief.

    CM

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #8
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    Cathleen Mary said:

    Phil, you have every reason

    Phil, you have every reason to feel blah.  That is a pretty awful regimen. Try not ( easier said than done) to worry about a 1point CEA rise. Mine goes up and down. I hope food becomes desirable in the next day or so.  It is an up and down journey for sure.

    Wishing you relief.

    CM

    I'm so sorry you're feeling

    I'm so sorry you're feeling like that. Sending you a hug.

  • YoVita
    YoVita Member Posts: 590 Member
    #9
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    Hugs back at you!

    Sorry to hear about what you're going through.  You're one tough guy!  Halfway there.  I hope the side effects get more tolerable and your appetite comes back.  Thinking of you.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #10
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    Sending warm thoughts

    its a tough road, Phil. I am sorry it's hard, even though it's expected, that doesn't make it easy. 

    May the treatments be over soon, and succesful. 

    Warm thoughts from the land of green. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #11
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    Trubrit said:

    Sending warm thoughts

    its a tough road, Phil. I am sorry it's hard, even though it's expected, that doesn't make it easy. 

    May the treatments be over soon, and succesful. 

    Warm thoughts from the land of green. 

    Sue - Trubrit

    phil

    I understand, phil......no magic words today.....just an understanding. 

    craig

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #12
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    Praying

    Prayers being said.  May God Bless you and continue to heal you.  It's hard when we get news we don't want and have to work also.  Thinking about you.

    Kim

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