FOLFOX6

mdfrfire

I am starting my first chemo session on dec 17 for stage 3 colon cancer. Does anyone who has gone through this treatment have any advice on what to expect? It would really help to settle my nerves. Thank you. 

maglets

welcome

welcome to our forum this loyal band of brothers and sisters....you will hopeully find lots of info love and reassurance here. Lots and lots of us have done folfox.....you could start by typing the word folfox there on your first page into the search line....then put in oxaliplatin and search for that......hopefully some old threads will pop up that discuss this chemo.  One of the most frightening things that i found about chemo was getting started.....it has such a bad name and you just do not know what to expect but I predict you might be surprised by your first go round....hopefully you will be thinking......"is that it?""" I did it......

the oxalyplatin has all sorts of quirky reactions with cold....your hands go numb and t your throat feels tight....if you could tell us a little bit about yourself that would be great.....are you deep cold snow country???? we are here to help///welcome

 

maggie

mdfrfire

maglets said:

welcome

welcome to our forum this loyal band of brothers and sisters....you will hopeully find lots of info love and reassurance here. Lots and lots of us have done folfox.....you could start by typing the word folfox there on your first page into the search line....then put in oxaliplatin and search for that......hopefully some old threads will pop up that discuss this chemo.  One of the most frightening things that i found about chemo was getting started.....it has such a bad name and you just do not know what to expect but I predict you might be surprised by your first go round....hopefully you will be thinking......"is that it?""" I did it......

the oxalyplatin has all sorts of quirky reactions with cold....your hands go numb and t your throat feels tight....if you could tell us a little bit about yourself that would be great.....are you deep cold snow country???? we are here to help///welcome

 

maggie

Hi Maggie. Thanks for your

Hi Maggie. Thanks for your reply. I'm actually in sunny Miami. It doesn't feel like Christmas season at all. I'm am 45 and a firefighter/paramedic. i have always been a healthy person. I eat right and go to the gym 4-5 times a week. So when we got the news it devasted us. I am married to a beautiful woman for 5 years now. She has been my rock since the surgery and diagnosis. I look forward to sharing my journwit and speaking with people who have gone and are going through this ordeal. 

maglets

mdfrfire said:

Hi Maggie. Thanks for your

Hi Maggie. Thanks for your reply. I'm actually in sunny Miami. It doesn't feel like Christmas season at all. I'm am 45 and a firefighter/paramedic. i have always been a healthy person. I eat right and go to the gym 4-5 times a week. So when we got the news it devasted us. I am married to a beautiful woman for 5 years now. She has been my rock since the surgery and diagnosis. I look forward to sharing my journwit and speaking with people who have gone and are going through this ordeal. 

great

okay great that gives us a good place to start so you will not have to worry about the cold except when you open the fridge and the freezer aisle at the grocery store.  Being fit is also going to be a big advantage.....sometimes on chemo you feel tired or nauseated but I found if you walk around the block you won't feel worse and you might feel better.  And you are young.....you poor thing....I just bet this has rocked your whole world..More advice will come in for you like no cold drinks....no ice in your bevvies...oxy is a tricky little drug but seriously everyone is different and lots of our members continued with their work during their treatments.  I am Canadian and we are in the midst of an Arctic blast of cold air....it is about -20 and snowing like blases.  I have done the oxy and I have done the 5fu ...I think you are going to do just fine.....

stay in touch.....click on another memeber's name when you are signed in and that will take you to their page.....there you can read about their history with surgeries, chemo etc.....maggie

oh by the way have you had colon surgery yet?????

mdfrfire

maglets said:

great

okay great that gives us a good place to start so you will not have to worry about the cold except when you open the fridge and the freezer aisle at the grocery store.  Being fit is also going to be a big advantage.....sometimes on chemo you feel tired or nauseated but I found if you walk around the block you won't feel worse and you might feel better.  And you are young.....you poor thing....I just bet this has rocked your whole world..More advice will come in for you like no cold drinks....no ice in your bevvies...oxy is a tricky little drug but seriously everyone is different and lots of our members continued with their work during their treatments.  I am Canadian and we are in the midst of an Arctic blast of cold air....it is about -20 and snowing like blases.  I have done the oxy and I have done the 5fu ...I think you are going to do just fine.....

stay in touch.....click on another memeber's name when you are signed in and that will take you to their page.....there you can read about their history with surgeries, chemo etc.....maggie

oh by the way have you had colon surgery yet?????

Thank you Maggie for your

Thank you Maggie for your advice. It was very useful. Sorry to her about the horrible weather. Please stay warm and safe. I had surgery on nov 14. Doc too 2 ft of my sigmoid colon and surrounding lymph nodes. They were only able to get 4 lymph nodes in surrounding area. I don't know why. unfortunately 3 out of 4 were positive for cancer. So staging is difficult. It's either 3A or 3C. Most likely c.

Trubrit

The good, the bad and the ugly

Welcome to the forum, though we are sad that it means you have this dreaded disease.

You have come to the right place though. Tons of great people here, with all kinds of experiences across the board. 

I too am Stage 3. I have finished treatments and yesterday, five months out, I have another 'all clear'. 

Will you be having a port inserted in the chest? This is a HUGE blessing. Its so easy to access and makes chemo day a real breeze. 

Talking about chemo day, I remember well my first day, and how apprehensive I was. Nothing we can say will take that same feeling from you, other than now and again remembering that someone posted that you'd be surprised, or how easy it would be will hopefully help a little.

I was shocked at what a great feeling there was in the chemo room. When people get talking there's laughter and its really upbeat. I thought it would be all doom and gloom, but it was quite the opposite. I met some wonderful people during chemo. Not everyone is up to having a chat, but you'll get to pick up on the ones that will and the ones that can't. 

For the most part the admisitration of the chemo is quite straight forward. I remember getting a weird taste in my mouth, and it felt like fumes were coming up my throat.  I was warmed not to drink or eat  anything cold becasue it causes the throat to feel like its constricting so I didn't. What I did eat though, those first few chemo sessions, caused my teeth to 'jump' or 'shock'. Hard to describe. Wasn't painful, just a bit of a jolt, but after a few bites it went away. 

If your chemo nurses are anything like mine, you'll fall in love with all of them. Speical people if you ask me. 

I liked to go in to every appointment (usually saw the Oncologist every two visits, and his assistant in-between) with a complete list of whatever I had experienced in the two weeks between sessions. I listed everything from the top of my head to my tippy toes. (I remember my scalp hurt. Hurt to touch, to brush, to lay back against the couch; very sensitive).  Nothing was off the books, I would tell them everything big or little. 

Do remember that everyone experiences thigns in a different way, so what I went through you may not even have any problem with. But as you know, its good to get a bit of knowledge under the belt, that way you're prepared. 

Good luck on the 17th. I'll be thinking of you. And now you're here, we expect you to come back and tell us how things are going. It won't feel like it for a while, but soon you'll be the one sharing your experiences with someone who is new and needs the kind of reassurance that only those of us that have been through it, or had our loved one go through it, can give. 

Blessings!

Annabelle41415

Welcome

Welcome to the board.  You have found a great group of people who are here to help you any way we can.  Almost every subject has come up through this board since we seem to have the most humilitating type of cancer (where everyone talks about poop and butts), so don't be afraid to ask away.  The Oxy can be the most troubling of the chemo.  I've dropped a whole jar of pickles on the floor because of the cold sensitivity.  Being that you are in Miami be aware that the air conditioning can affect you as well.  Don't drink anything cold, you will find that at first it's not too bad but the drug is cummulative so the more you get the longer the effects will last on you.  Like Mags said, it is manageable, but if you don't feel well with anything call your doctor.  Your eyes might twitch, fingers go numb (along with the feet), vision might be blurry, etc, but that is all normal stuff.  Remember, we are here to help you get through this.

Kim

marbleotis

Welcome

Welcome and sorry you are here.  I am a stage 3B signet cell (more aggressive type).  I will be NED( No Evidence of Disease) 2 years this Jan 31.

I had the surgery, then the port inserted then 12 rounds of Oxi and 5FU.  There are side effects, particulary neuropathy - I had it start around #4 and still deal with today.  After #12 I had neuropathy in my hands, feet, teeth, tongue, lips and parts of face.  ALthough it is much better, only hands and feet.  What helped was the addition of a calcium/magnes drip before/after infusion.  ALso what helped is staying as active as possible.  To keep my hands moving I went embroidery-crazy.  Great for the hands.  Keep a journal of any odd side -effects to discuss with your Onc.  Be very careful of anything cold.  Digestive symptoms (nauscious/diarrea) spelling?,  the Onc can help you with.

Chemo is cummulative (builds up), so issues usually occur later in the treatment.  But share any things you may think are odd with your Onc.  Communication is very important.

You have come to the right place.  This forum has helped me tremendously.  Lots of good advice from people at varying stages undergoing various regiments.  Also alot of support, humor and kinship.

You will get through this, you really will!  Please post so we know how you are doing.

chrisdebo

Similar Situation

Mdfrfire,

I too was recently diagnosed with stage IIIB colorectal cancer. My surgery went well. My folfox6 treatments are to begin in a couple of weeks: 12 two day infusions over six months. Right now, I am trying to find some supplemental insurance as I only have Medicare at the time being. I'm 49, also.

 

Chris

Trubrit

chrisdebo said:

Similar Situation

Mdfrfire,

I too was recently diagnosed with stage IIIB colorectal cancer. My surgery went well. My folfox6 treatments are to begin in a couple of weeks: 12 two day infusions over six months. Right now, I am trying to find some supplemental insurance as I only have Medicare at the time being. I'm 49, also.

 

Chris

Welcome to the forum, chris

Seeing this is an old thread, it would be great if you could open a new thread and introduce yourself. We're a great bunch of people, with allot to offer thos who are new and old. 

Sue - trubrit