Irenotecan and Diarrhea Help

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  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #22
    Private Messages
    I tested it and it says "westie66 does not allow private messages". I think you have to go to preferences and click the box that says "allow private messages".

    Tina
  • plh4gail
    plh4gail Member Posts: 1,238 Member
    #23
    westie66 said:

    Irenotecan and Diarrhea
    Hi Gail and Living by Faith: Luckily I didn't get the vomiting. I am on both Irenotecan and Oxaliplatin so folfoxfiri????. Anyways, many people on this discussion board recommended Lomotil rather than Imodium and halleluia that worked! The nurse was here yesterday, ordered it, pills came, took one, and that worked. Not that I want to take a pill this strong for very long but it worked. I complemented it with the BRAT diet and hopefully I'll know what to do next time - manage it before it happens, not after like I tried to do. I'll talk to the oncologist about changing the dose. I had to do that last year when I too ended up in the hospital for 10 days (with cisplatin).

    Gail - yes, they give you an injection just before they IV in the irenotecan. Obviously didn't work well with me! But if I start preparing the day before foodwise ...

    One question I have is about taking cal/mag for the neuropathy (I'm taking L-glutamine). They do give it with the chemo IV if you ask for it here. But doesn't that contribute to diarrhea? I was taking large doses before chemo started but have stopped for that reason. I have low bone density so should have the calcium as I don't drink milk.

    Thanks!

    Cheryl

    Yes Cheryl....you are
    Yes Cheryl....you are probably just going to have to go easy on the foods you eat and at the first sign of diarrhea take the Lomotil. Thats what I had to do. When I got the radiation/chemo pump last summer ....my diarrhea got so bad I ate the brat diet ( mostly only) for about 3 weeks. I was soooo sick. lost so much weight managed to not get dehydrated. Good luck to you!

    Love and hugs, Gail
  • traci43
    traci43 Member Posts: 773 Member
    #24
    Been there, done that
    4th round of XELIRI, I had diarreha for 10 days! and the woste blister imaginable. The Doctor started Atropine before infusion. I also went from full dose irinotecan every three weeks to half-dose every other week and 3/4 dose of the Xeloda. I ususally have soft stool and bad cramping on days 5 and 11 (odd but that's the way it works!) but no more diarreha. My CEA has been steadily dropping 0.1 ever two weeks and my tumors were about 3/4 the size they were at the start of treatment (12 rounds completed). It's slow going but appears to be working. I suggest asking your doctor about Atropine and/or reduced dose. Good luck, Traci
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #25
    traci43 said:

    Been there, done that
    4th round of XELIRI, I had diarreha for 10 days! and the woste blister imaginable. The Doctor started Atropine before infusion. I also went from full dose irinotecan every three weeks to half-dose every other week and 3/4 dose of the Xeloda. I ususally have soft stool and bad cramping on days 5 and 11 (odd but that's the way it works!) but no more diarreha. My CEA has been steadily dropping 0.1 ever two weeks and my tumors were about 3/4 the size they were at the start of treatment (12 rounds completed). It's slow going but appears to be working. I suggest asking your doctor about Atropine and/or reduced dose. Good luck, Traci

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Lifeisajourney
    Lifeisajourney Member Posts: 216
    #26
    traci43 said:

    Been there, done that
    4th round of XELIRI, I had diarreha for 10 days! and the woste blister imaginable. The Doctor started Atropine before infusion. I also went from full dose irinotecan every three weeks to half-dose every other week and 3/4 dose of the Xeloda. I ususally have soft stool and bad cramping on days 5 and 11 (odd but that's the way it works!) but no more diarreha. My CEA has been steadily dropping 0.1 ever two weeks and my tumors were about 3/4 the size they were at the start of treatment (12 rounds completed). It's slow going but appears to be working. I suggest asking your doctor about Atropine and/or reduced dose. Good luck, Traci

    I have come to the point of liking diaherra
    I know that sounds sick, but firm bowels panic me and since I have diviticulis, soft is better or I aggravate that. I should not say I like diaherra, I like loose bowels....I try to compensate with lots of water...lomotil is alway there if real watery bowels starts I don't hesitate to take them, if I having cramping with loose watery bowels. It was explained that the part of bowel I had removed helped with the watery portion of things and I might always have issues. Also, I will forever have to watch my diet, fiber is not good for me and I watch that. The BRat diet is good. During chemo it is a lot harder to control things and I counted on Lomotil, vaseoline and cream cheese on ritz crackers and noodles with butter. Just my experience, Chemo bowels, are a real problem and mine are not much better now, but I do agree on hydrating, I do drink a lot of water which doesn't help loose bowels.....Good luck. I find it interesting the different drugs that can be used, I hope you find one....Pat
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #27
    Lifeisajourney said:

    I have come to the point of liking diaherra
    I know that sounds sick, but firm bowels panic me and since I have diviticulis, soft is better or I aggravate that. I should not say I like diaherra, I like loose bowels....I try to compensate with lots of water...lomotil is alway there if real watery bowels starts I don't hesitate to take them, if I having cramping with loose watery bowels. It was explained that the part of bowel I had removed helped with the watery portion of things and I might always have issues. Also, I will forever have to watch my diet, fiber is not good for me and I watch that. The BRat diet is good. During chemo it is a lot harder to control things and I counted on Lomotil, vaseoline and cream cheese on ritz crackers and noodles with butter. Just my experience, Chemo bowels, are a real problem and mine are not much better now, but I do agree on hydrating, I do drink a lot of water which doesn't help loose bowels.....Good luck. I find it interesting the different drugs that can be used, I hope you find one....Pat

    Irenotecan and Diarrhea
    Hi all: I can relate - almost liking diarrhea! I have an incisional hernia from the surgery a year ago and constipation is not something I want or need. I met with my oncology team this morning and we've worked out a management plan for the irenotecan. (1) reduced dose by 20% (because I lost so much weight so fast); (2) go back and forth with the lomotil and the BRAT diet. What this means is that try adding a "white low fibre" food from this list I have (e.g. slice of skinless chicken, piece of cheese, tapioca pudding). If diarrhea comes back, take the lomotil (the dietician suggested one in am and one in pm). Then try adding something else. Absolutely no fibre foods. I can live with this (but avoid dinner parties!). I worried about lack of protein so I need to get some but L-Glutamine is full of protein and I'm doing that for any neuropathy that may happen (I bought the tin whereby you mix one scoop with water or juice and that gives you 5 grams).
    I did end up dehydrated - they couldn't even find a vein to draw my blood this morning and I have a huge huge bruise.
    And a tip to the bum weary! My oncologist nurse says baby diaper rash cream - two brands Penatax and Zincolax or something like that. And I'm off to try this right now!
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #28
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Emails
    Hi Tina and Gracie: OK, will try again but I'm sure I had clicked on the receive emails but maybe forgot to "save" it. Thanks!
    Cheryl
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #29
    westie66 said:

    Emails
    Hi Tina and Gracie: OK, will try again but I'm sure I had clicked on the receive emails but maybe forgot to "save" it. Thanks!
    Cheryl

    Emails
    Hi: Well, I don't know why it isn't working. I just looked at my page and I put in my email address but I don't see a place where it says Accept Emails like it does for Accept Personal Messages. I did a "submit" but not sure what else to do.
    Cheryl
  • menright
    menright Member Posts: 256 Member
    #30
    Opium
    I had a similar issue and eventually I was prescribed an optium extract, while tightly controlled, did the trick.

    Best of Luck

    Mike
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #31
    menright said:

    Opium
    I had a similar issue and eventually I was prescribed an optium extract, while tightly controlled, did the trick.

    Best of Luck

    Mike

    Irenotecan and Diarrhea
    Thanks, Mike. I'll have to ask about that but it may not be available here in Ontario. The lomotil appears to work. I had chemo cycle 2 today and now the neuropathy is rearing it's ugly head (see new discussion thread). They give you a whole bunch of pills and an injection of atropine for the nausea (which hasn't bothered me yet) but not too much for the diarrhea except for lomotil and diet which taken together seem to work. Now on to the neuropathy...
    Cheryl
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #32
    westie66 said:

    Emails
    Hi: Well, I don't know why it isn't working. I just looked at my page and I put in my email address but I don't see a place where it says Accept Emails like it does for Accept Personal Messages. I did a "submit" but not sure what else to do.
    Cheryl

    Emails
    Hi: I checked CSN Email and I did have some emails there. So something is working but not sure what! Can someone send me an email message so I can check again?
    Thanks!
    Cheryl

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