Kidney Issues during Folfox

Hi All-

 

This is my first post. I am a 39 year old mother of 3 young kids diagnosed with stage IIIC colon cancer. I have had surgury and I am currently half my through my 12 round Folfox treatment.

I started experiencing mid back pain and the doctor said it might be an issue with my kidneys.  I am having a CT scan done soon.  Has anyone else had kidney issues during their Folfox treatment? 

Thank you for your support.

 

 

Comments

  • Real Tar Heel
    Real Tar Heel Member Posts: 307 Member
    edited August 2020 #2
    I was super attenuated to any

    I was super attenuated to any possible organ trouble during my FOLFOX treatments. I often thought, oh no, there's a pain in my side, that's it for me! Fortunately it never meant anything. Did the doctor actually examine you for other possibilities before suggesting the diagnosis or did he/she just pull that out of thin air?

    I just experienced a lesson in this. I had a recurrence and I was feeling pains in my stomach, chest, headaches, etc. After I spoke with my doctor today, they all just disappeared. It was stress. I'd never had a stress reaction like that before. Of course now the stakes are high so it's to be expected. Most of the time, there are no physical symptoms that manifest from tumors. I don't have any pain in my liver despite the fact I know there are some tumors floating around there.

    Our bodies are going through a lot. Our brains are going through a lot. Chemo is hard on the organs, no getting around that. But I would hope they take a good look at you before adding stress on you with a "diagnosis."

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    Welcome to the forum

    I do like your handle - I presume it is All I do is yoga

    Tar Heel is right, stress alone can cause a whole heap of pain.  Scar tissue from surgery. A strain from yoga - which I presume is all you do. 

    I hope you are keeping hydrated. Lots of water to flush that nasty chemo from the body - including the kidneys. 

    I had allot of things go crazy during chemo, but nothing to do with my kidneys.  

    I hope the CT scan is clear. 

    If it is chemo related - that FOLFOX combo is wicked on the body, then you might want to talk to your Oncologist about doing less than 12 rounds. I myself had 9, and it seemed to do the trick (along with radiation, surgery and allot of hard work on my part). 

    Be sure and come back and let us know how you are doing.  We're all in this together. 

    Tru

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    edited August 2020 #4
    Back pain

    Chemo is like an instant aging machine.  I had terrible back pain that turned out to be pretty much back pain (and leg pain).  The doctors pretend that they have never heard of it, but if you read the side effects of the drugs it is a common side effect.  (you can search the term and see old posts: an example) The CT may or may not give you more information, but the chemo reallly throws your body off as does the surgery.  I hope it turns out to be nothing serious.

  • Allidoisyoga
    Allidoisyoga Member Posts: 37
    edited August 2020 #5
    Thank you

    Hello all-

     

    Thank you for your comments and support... I really appreciate it. 

    Yes, I am under a ton of stress from the chemo and steroids.  I feel like I am constantly in high alert mode. Yes, the pain could be from many different things.... and yes.. I love yoga! I definitely could have just strained a muscle from yoga or chasing the kids around. 


    I would love to only have 9 rounds.  But they found cancer in 19 lymph nodes.... which... I was told was a very very very advanced stage IIIC  cancer.

     

    Thank you for your support! I will come back to update!!

     

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Worry

    It seems like after you get a diagnosis you always wonder about every pain and ache.  Fatigue can cause much pain in the back, but it is good that they are doing a scan just to make sure.  This can rule out other things as well.  I'm sorry that you found yourself here at such a young age, but you have found an amazing group that can answer a lot of your questions and help you get through this.  No question is ever off the discussion board either as we have had a lot of experience in different problems.  Wishing you the best, and let us know how the scan goes.

    Kim

  • Allidoisyoga
    Allidoisyoga Member Posts: 37
    Thank you

    Thank you for your kind words.

    I had my CT this morning.  No results back but I will let everyone know.  I really believe stress is a factor as well... on top of the steroids I am recieving which is amplifying everything.  

    Thank you for your support!

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member

    Thank you

    Thank you for your kind words.

    I had my CT this morning.  No results back but I will let everyone know.  I really believe stress is a factor as well... on top of the steroids I am recieving which is amplifying everything.  

    Thank you for your support!

    No fun

    None of this is any fun, but you are among people who generally understand.  Sometimes this forum can be a refuge from a world that does not understand, even though they try.  Good luck!

  • Allidoisyoga
    Allidoisyoga Member Posts: 37
    edited August 2020 #9
    Update

    Update from CT is kidneys are good. Yay.

     

    I have been having pain in 2 spots... in my back and over my sternum. My oncologist said that those were the 2 spots that new bone marrow gets produced... so it makes sense that I am sore there. 

    Thank you all for listening and reassuring me.