runny nose. sore feet, & CT now scheduled

lisa42
lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Does anyone else have a constant runny nose while on chemo? I do have allergies and take a daily antihistamine (and had the allergy shots 3x/wk a few yrs ago). Fall/winter has always been my worst allergy time, but it's been horrible the past two years. Since I've been on chemo in the fall and winter two years in a row, it's hard to tell if it's just the allergies or if the chemo has made it worse. No infection- I'm talking watery liquid coming out of my nose like a runny faucet. I must use 20 tissues a day, almost every day- no kidding. I know I'm not sick- I've been checked out by Dr. several times on this- he comes up w/ nothing. I have read that one of the chemo meds (forgot which one) can cause "excessive nasal fluids", but I've not heard anyone else complain of this. I figure with my already existing allergies and sensitive sinuses, I'm probably extra prone to this side effect, but wonder if I'm alone in this. It sure gets old- I can hardly ever get through a conversation with someone or through the checkout line in a store without having to get a tissue out of my purse and deal with the drippy nose.

Other than that, I'm doing okay now. The hand/foot problem from Xeloda is rearing its ugly head big time right now. No peeling skin, but very, very sensitive skin. I can barely walk, but I know what it's from and that it won't last for more than another day or two, as has been its pattern.

I go for chemo today in about three hours- hope I can get it. I forgot to go get my bloodwork done yesterday, like I normally do on the day before chemo. My insurance won't pay for them to draw it in the office- so stupid! The nurses there have checked numerous times w/ the insurance company & they still say I have to physically go to a lab and have the blood drawn- no drawing it out of the port. I hate that! I've forgotten only one other time & they just went ahead and drew it at the office anyhow for me from the port- I guess they just didn't get to bill it to the insurance. Hopefully, they'll do the same for me again today.
Today's supposed to be my last chemo before my next scan. I have a CT scan scheduled on March 31st- two weeks from today. I haven't had a scan since the day before Thanksgiving. That one showed "everything stable". Stable is definitely good, but I'm hoping for even better than that!

Take care everyone-
Lisa

Comments

  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    runny nose
    yep, I believe I am supporting the Puffs company single handedly! I have had constant runny nose ever since I began with chemo, continues with the Avastin. It's not as bad now as it was when I was on full chemo, but it is a constant thing and has nothing to do with allergies. I continue to take my allergy meds since I have indoor allergies, but I find that the saline spray helps with the dryness and soreness that comes with the constant running and blowing of the nose. I only use Puffs Ultra cause I can't stand the lotion ones and I find Puffs is the only one that I can use a single tissue at a time without having to run to wash my hands.
    mary
  • rrob
    rrob Member Posts: 158
    Runny nose and scans
    Lisa,

    When I was doing my chemo, my nose ran constantly. I had to carry tissues all the time. I mentioned it to my chemo nurse and she said lots of patients complained about their runny noses, so I think it must be another chemo side effect. I've been off chemo since last June and there are still times that my nose is still a problem--it will run and I don't even realize it! Gross! Good luck on your scans. I'll be thinking of you and praying for good results. I have my next scans tomorrow, so I'm a little on the anxious side right now. I get my results on April 1, so hopefully, your results and my results will be great and we can have a celebration!

    Rebecca
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    rrob said:

    Runny nose and scans
    Lisa,

    When I was doing my chemo, my nose ran constantly. I had to carry tissues all the time. I mentioned it to my chemo nurse and she said lots of patients complained about their runny noses, so I think it must be another chemo side effect. I've been off chemo since last June and there are still times that my nose is still a problem--it will run and I don't even realize it! Gross! Good luck on your scans. I'll be thinking of you and praying for good results. I have my next scans tomorrow, so I'm a little on the anxious side right now. I get my results on April 1, so hopefully, your results and my results will be great and we can have a celebration!

    Rebecca

    runny nose
    Hi Lisa.....yes my nose is like a tap ,constant drip and it's sore and irritated in the nose lots of the time too.

    I am blood tomorrow and oxy on Thurs Round 3.....good luck with being able to get your chemo Lisa....hope that works

    mags
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    thanks for feedback
    Hi,

    I'm quickly reading the posts so far- thanks for your feedback & I hope your scans go well!
    I leave in about 10 min. for the oncology office to get chemo (hopefully I'll get it- I'll let you know later how it went).

    I'm relieved to find out others keep the tissue companies in business too & that it's not just me (and that there's hope for this going away someday!)
  • CherylHutch
    CherylHutch Member Posts: 1,375
    lisa42 said:

    thanks for feedback
    Hi,

    I'm quickly reading the posts so far- thanks for your feedback & I hope your scans go well!
    I leave in about 10 min. for the oncology office to get chemo (hopefully I'll get it- I'll let you know later how it went).

    I'm relieved to find out others keep the tissue companies in business too & that it's not just me (and that there's hope for this going away someday!)

    Hey Lisa...
    Add me to the list of people who had a runny nose during chemo ;) It took me the longest time to figure out, "Duh! This is a side affect to the chemo!" I just assumed I was coming down with a cold because, pre-chemo, catching colds or flu bugs was pretty common for me. Then it dawned on me that the runny nose never developed into a cold or any kind of bug.

    Unfortunately, I thought the sniffles would end once the chemo did ;) Granted, they are not nearly as bad as they were while on chemo... but I sort of now have a chronic little sniffle, especially during a temperature change (IE: going from warm apartment to cold air outside... or from cold to warm) :)

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member

    Hey Lisa...
    Add me to the list of people who had a runny nose during chemo ;) It took me the longest time to figure out, "Duh! This is a side affect to the chemo!" I just assumed I was coming down with a cold because, pre-chemo, catching colds or flu bugs was pretty common for me. Then it dawned on me that the runny nose never developed into a cold or any kind of bug.

    Unfortunately, I thought the sniffles would end once the chemo did ;) Granted, they are not nearly as bad as they were while on chemo... but I sort of now have a chronic little sniffle, especially during a temperature change (IE: going from warm apartment to cold air outside... or from cold to warm) :)

    Hugggggs,

    Cheryl

    Yep Faucet.......
    me too, sniff constantly (nervous tick probably) and blot my runny nose all the time.

    On another note, I pray the CT scan is the best one yet.......Good Luck hun and God Bless ya
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    Buzzard said:

    Yep Faucet.......
    me too, sniff constantly (nervous tick probably) and blot my runny nose all the time.

    On another note, I pray the CT scan is the best one yet.......Good Luck hun and God Bless ya

    YES!
    I was just thinking today how my nose has been running so much, and it has been since chemo started! I was so afraid also thinking I was coming down with something, but it never develops into anything, and I don't have allergies at all, so heck yeah on me using alot of tissues!

    Good luck, I hope you get your treatment, I get mine tomorrow, it had to be postponed from last week due to the infection, for this week, I hope I'm able to get mine tomorrow as well..with blood being drawn in the morning.
  • lizbiz
    lizbiz Member Posts: 120
    Shayenne said:

    YES!
    I was just thinking today how my nose has been running so much, and it has been since chemo started! I was so afraid also thinking I was coming down with something, but it never develops into anything, and I don't have allergies at all, so heck yeah on me using alot of tissues!

    Good luck, I hope you get your treatment, I get mine tomorrow, it had to be postponed from last week due to the infection, for this week, I hope I'm able to get mine tomorrow as well..with blood being drawn in the morning.

    Yup!
    My whole face is leaking - nose, eyes, and mouth. I have allergies too, though. Benedryl helps but doesn't completely get rid of it.

    The best way to describe my hands, shins and feet is like an ant hill - all creepy-crawly. It's horrible and makes sleeping very difficult. Luckily, I have both trazadone and Ambien to help with that.

    Stay strong,
    Elizabeth
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Tests
    Lisa: Haven't started chemo yet so I'm sure I'll be looking for that symptom and then knowing it's pretty normal so thank you for starting the thread.

    I hope that they take your blood work (seems silly to only be able to do it in one place) and chemo session goes well for you.

    Good luck on your CT scan and I pray that it comes out better than the last one.

    Kim
  • butterfly23
    butterfly23 Member Posts: 256
    Yup, I have the runny nose
    Yup, I have the runny nose too! I think Sheyanne had mentioned it before, I didn't think it was a chemo side effect, just thought I was coming down with a cold. I should have known, I've had chemo over a year now, I think if it was a cold, it would have happened by now!!!:)
    Good Luck to you!
    Karyn
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member

    Yup, I have the runny nose
    Yup, I have the runny nose too! I think Sheyanne had mentioned it before, I didn't think it was a chemo side effect, just thought I was coming down with a cold. I should have known, I've had chemo over a year now, I think if it was a cold, it would have happened by now!!!:)
    Good Luck to you!
    Karyn

    me too
    I had runny nose too. Do any of you have mild hair loss? I thought maybe the runny nose was related to loosing nose hairs! Mine was almost uncontrollable. Would drip out unexpectedly and sometimes embarrassing.

    Collectively, we know A LOT more about side effects that some of our docs do!

    Good luck with the upcoming scans.....

    Tara
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    a good reference website
    Hi Tara,

    I don't think the runny nose is related at all to the slight hair loss- it's just a different possible side effect, apparently. My hair slightly thinned, but because I had such a thick mop to begin with, I don't think it's been noticeable to others. I definitely notice it when I wash, brush, and style my hair. It's really thinned on the sides of my temples, but the way I've been styling it seems to cover it up (which is now a bit different from my profile picture- it's a bit longer- I suppose I should update that homely picture of mine- or delete it- LOL!)
    I know the slight hair loss can happen a bit with the 5FU/Xeloda, and also the irinotecan. I don't believe any of the others used to treat colorectal cancer cause hair loss. I imagine there's always a small percentage that may experience it with the others, but most don't, from what I've researched.

    A good website for anyone to check out is called Chemocare.com

    Among other info, they will give a list of all chemodrugs and their possible side effects, how to manage them, etc.
    I still think we probably get a wealth of more info from each other right here on this site, but this other site has all the "officially" listed side effects & is also a pretty good resource.

    Take care,
    Lisa
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    got chemo
    Hi,
    Well, I'm back from getting chemo today. Even though I forgot to get the bloodwork at the lab yesterday, they just ran a CBC from my port there in the office (all my counts were good too, by the way!) So, they went ahead and gave me chemo as planned.

    They decided to move my scan date up a week (so I could keep on the same chemo schedule without interruption, if still needed). The CT scan was originally set for March 31 & now will be on March 24th & I'll see my oncologist 3 days later on March 27. Some of you know me, though- I won't wait until the 27th to find out my results in the Dr. office. I always like to pick up the results (results are always faxed to the oncology office by the morning). I like to pick up the results ahead of time and read over it all so I don't have to wait (I hate to wait!), and I'll have time to formulate any questions I have. I don't like to wait until the Dr. appt to think of questions to ask, because I would inevitably not remembered everything to ask on the spot.

    Anyhow, following chemo today, I'm feeling okay, but am really tired & think I'm going to go take a short nap.

    Take care everyone & thanks for all your input! At least the tissue companies don't have to worry about going bankrupt like so many other companies in today's market with all of us around blowing our noses! :)
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    lisa42 said:

    a good reference website
    Hi Tara,

    I don't think the runny nose is related at all to the slight hair loss- it's just a different possible side effect, apparently. My hair slightly thinned, but because I had such a thick mop to begin with, I don't think it's been noticeable to others. I definitely notice it when I wash, brush, and style my hair. It's really thinned on the sides of my temples, but the way I've been styling it seems to cover it up (which is now a bit different from my profile picture- it's a bit longer- I suppose I should update that homely picture of mine- or delete it- LOL!)
    I know the slight hair loss can happen a bit with the 5FU/Xeloda, and also the irinotecan. I don't believe any of the others used to treat colorectal cancer cause hair loss. I imagine there's always a small percentage that may experience it with the others, but most don't, from what I've researched.

    A good website for anyone to check out is called Chemocare.com

    Among other info, they will give a list of all chemodrugs and their possible side effects, how to manage them, etc.
    I still think we probably get a wealth of more info from each other right here on this site, but this other site has all the "officially" listed side effects & is also a pretty good resource.

    Take care,
    Lisa

    I lived on chemocare.com
    when I first got into the chemo thing! They have a wealth of information! Now I just go every once in a while, usually checking something for a friend!
    mary
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    drip, drip!
    I actually thought maybe the steroids I get before chemo had opened up my sinuses! Never thought it might be the chemo. My nose runs but only once or twice a day. I think most of it drains down my throat, instead!

    I'm losing what I think is a lot of hair, but I have hair down below my shoulder blades so 10 hair can look like 100! We must keep God really busy since He knows how many hairs we have every second of every day! :o)
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member

    drip, drip!
    I actually thought maybe the steroids I get before chemo had opened up my sinuses! Never thought it might be the chemo. My nose runs but only once or twice a day. I think most of it drains down my throat, instead!

    I'm losing what I think is a lot of hair, but I have hair down below my shoulder blades so 10 hair can look like 100! We must keep God really busy since He knows how many hairs we have every second of every day! :o)

    you made me laugh
    Diane,

    You made me laugh with your comment about how we keep God really busy since he knows the number of hairs on our heads!

    Take care- :)