started chemo and have questions

iluvmms

Well, I had my first chemo day yesterday. I am getting oxaliplatin, leucovorin, 5-fu (pump for 44 hours), today I go back for the Leucovorin. No real side effect yet except the cold sensitive thing. Does this all sound right? They said maybe only 2 cycles. I go every other week. Does anyone know waht a cycle is? I am in Florida, and Surgeon in Miami said he wanted me to have 2 cycles and then wait 4 weeks then have liver resection??? I go to Moffitt for a second opinion next week.

nudgie

Hello
and welcome to the family. I am assuming you are on the FLOFOX Regime of treatment which consists of 5FU, leucovorin and Oxy given every other week for a total of 12 treatments and/or 6 months, but depending upon what stage and tumor you have been DX with an individual care team will have a patient take a few cycles of treatment and have surgery and then re-start treatment after surgery.

I had emergency surgery so all my treatments and surgeries were after the prime surgery to remove the tumor.

My treatment day would begin on a Friday and end on a Sunday, that way I did not miss much work.

a) Arrive a hospital around 8:00am have bloodwork drawn from port to check for blood counts.
b) If counts were good, I would be given a 20/30 minute IV Infusion of magnesium and calcium
c) After that infusion, I would then get my pre-meds of a steriod and nausea pill (Decadron and Zofran)
d) Then I would begin my 4 hour chemo infusion
e) After that, I would receive a 5FU IV push and
f) Then get hooked-up to the 5FU pump for 46/48 hours
g) Then have the pump removed on Sunday

Repeat the above every other week which was also dependent upon blood couts.

Keep in mind that side effects of chemo will affect everyone differently due to our DNA. Some folks will have a lot of side effects while others have no or few. I considered myself few side effects until round 6 and then had an allergic reaction (hives).

In addition, some Oncologists will reduct the Oxy drug due to the neuorpathy in hands and feet or strong reactions to the drug. My Onc reduced it by 20% which he indicated was industry standard.

Don't ever hesitate to ask any question here on the board to your care team. You have to take charge of your health. You are the only one that knows and understands your own body.

mommyof2kds

A cycle is every 2 weeks.
A cycle is every 2 weeks. Hope your side effects are mild, mine are not too bad, fatigue is the worst with 2 little kids, makes it hard.. Hang in there.., Petrina