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jud

I have been reading these messages and have decided to drop in. I am very nervous about talking to people. I have had colon cancer and surgery to remove it they removed some of my colon and also some of my small intesteins. Lymnotes negative. I start chemo 3-3-04. I have had a port put in also. I am very nervous about starting chemo. They told me I should not loose my hair,Is this correct? Well I hope to hear from some of you real soon. Thanks alot for taking the time to listen. Jud

tired

jud i too had colon cancer w/matasis. they did a resection.i went through radiation first then chemo.i did not lose my hair from chemo.dont be afraid its unpleasant but neccesary. im am dealing with serious fatique after all this. my last chemo was one year ago.ask your dr.about fatique.

kerry

Jud,

Don't be nervous about talking to anyone here. We have all been through what you have been through and some of us a lot more. We talk about everything and anything! Sorry about your colon cancer. I was diagnosed in December 2003 and had my surgery and they removed 1/3 of my colon. I had 2 positive nodes and took chemo for 6 months. You are off to the right start by having a port put in. It sure saves the veins and it is a lot easier. About the chemo, everyone reacts a little differently and it also depends on what drugs you will be given. Most people do not lose hair although it may thin out some - so don't be shocked when you brush your hair and you get a little more in your brush than you did before. The most common problem is diarrhea and nausea, but let your doctor know about your side effects and he/she can give you some meds to help you. Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration and try to eat healthy foods. And always remember we are all here for you - so whenever you have questions, fears, sadness or just want to vent anger - you've found the right place. You'll get lots of good advice, hear lots of stories similar to yours, in fact you'll hear a little bit of everything.

Take care and good luck. God bless you and you will be in our prayers.

Kerry

kangatoo

kerry said:

Jud,

Don't be nervous about talking to anyone here. We have all been through what you have been through and some of us a lot more. We talk about everything and anything! Sorry about your colon cancer. I was diagnosed in December 2003 and had my surgery and they removed 1/3 of my colon. I had 2 positive nodes and took chemo for 6 months. You are off to the right start by having a port put in. It sure saves the veins and it is a lot easier. About the chemo, everyone reacts a little differently and it also depends on what drugs you will be given. Most people do not lose hair although it may thin out some - so don't be shocked when you brush your hair and you get a little more in your brush than you did before. The most common problem is diarrhea and nausea, but let your doctor know about your side effects and he/she can give you some meds to help you. Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration and try to eat healthy foods. And always remember we are all here for you - so whenever you have questions, fears, sadness or just want to vent anger - you've found the right place. You'll get lots of good advice, hear lots of stories similar to yours, in fact you'll hear a little bit of everything.

Take care and good luck. God bless you and you will be in our prayers.

Kerry

Hiya Jud--as Kerry and tired have said--we are all different with our side effects--chemo has no bounds on us and some suffer more than others.Almost all side effects have a relevantcy to the chemo so you Must always tell your onc./nurses ANYTHING you think is out of the ordinary.My hair became thinner and a little patchy even tho I was told I probably would not lose my hair.I am a male so I just shaved it off with a number 2 cut.I was surprised that my wife loved the new look and got great comments from my friends.
As Kerry said-do not be afraid to come and talk to us here--about anything!We have all been there-done that--great bunch here!
cheers and best wishes, kanga n Jen

StacyGleaso

Hi Jud...Welcome!

I went through chemo and radiation without any side effects. Seriously...if you didn't know I was "sick" you would have never known by just looking at me. I never missed a day of work throughout my whole ordeal, with the exception of recovery from surgery.

If you need anything, we are all here for you. No question is too dumb, and you could always e-mail people directly here in the event you don't want to post a message, question, or concern.

I was stage 4, and that was two and one half years ago...today I am fine. You can get through this...

Stacy

2bhealed

Hey jud,

Welcome to our little corner of insanity. Don't be afraid to post here. Come with questions or news or just a bit of blarney. It's all good.

peace, emily who is never shy to tell people to drink their veggies!

jsabol

Hi Jud,
As others have said, each person is different. I'm starting round 2 of 4 course of chemo, just had a port put in (and love it, although the bump on the chest is a little weird, and I'm a nurse).
I felt so nervous before my first chemo. The surgery didn't scare me, but I couldn't calm myself before the first chemo. A little dose of Ativan was very helpful, and once the first treatment was in, my nerves calmed down.
My primary side effect has been FATIGUE, and just had a procrit injection as my hematocrit had dropped. No nausea, lots of weird food cravings...like pumpkin pie, roasted root vegetables, cashews!...no hair loss.
Please don't hesitate to post here, or click on the little envelope icon to respond directly to someone.
I found this site shortly after my surgery this past December, and it has been a real refuge for me. Hang in there, we are all on the same boat, (except for Sponge Bob, who is on a real boat in the Navy!) Keep in touch, Judy

jud

tired said:

jud i too had colon cancer w/matasis. they did a resection.i went through radiation first then chemo.i did not lose my hair from chemo.dont be afraid its unpleasant but neccesary. im am dealing with serious fatique after all this. my last chemo was one year ago.ask your dr.about fatique.

Thanks for your reply........
Judy

pattieb

Welcome Jud
I can't say anything more than what has already been said. Good luck with your chemo and come back real soon. Again welcome to the semicolon club.
Pattie