Anyone have experience with irinotecan

Kochie

hi, my husband has bowel cancer 2009. then thyroid cancer in 2012. Around same time they found spots on his lungs. So he has secondary lung cancer (bowel mets ) treated with avastin and capecitibine. Then he developed a tumour in his right arm (bone) and rib. The chemo worked on Lung tumours but not on bone. So. Now he has had radiotherapy on his right arm and rib and on Tuesday he commenced I. V irinotecan  His oncologist has said if he doesn't tolerate this then we are running out of options. Today he has developed diarrhoea and is very fatigued and Nauseous. He has tablets for the diarrhoea and nausea but I wondered if anyone else here has had experoece with Irinotecan and whether the symptoms might settle after a few days?  He will be having the infusion every two weeks if he can tolerate it. thanks in advance. 

 

LindaK.

I ran to the can

Hello, that's what my husband's nurses called Irinotecan.  My husband previously had issues with constipation so for him Irinotecan balanced him out.  He would sometimes get diarrhea with 24 hours of coming home from the infusion but the regimen of Immodium they suggested always worked for him.  He also had some nausea the first day or two but was also manageable with zofran.  I hope this treatment helps your husband.

Linda

traci43

I had irinotecan

For me the diarrhea was uncontrolled and I became dehydrated.  My onc lowered the dose and that helped somewhat, just shortened the time with diarrhea.  Lomotil or Immodium was no help for me although it's helped others.  Has he tried Oxyiliplatin? usually you get that with 5-FU (infusion form of Xeloda which is the pill form) as first line or Irinotecan with 5-FU, depending on where you live.  I had Oxy instead of Irinotecan for about half of my infusions (26 of 56) then switched to Irinotecan due to oxy side effects (neuropathy).  Best of luck to him, Traci

lizard44

Irinotecan

I'm currently  receiving infusions of irinotecan along with Erbitux, and since the Erbitux is known ro cause constipation, they seem to balance  each other out.  I have found that I get  a bout of diarrhea if I'm particuary stressed, or if I eat certain foods, but  Imodium taken at the first sign  does a very good job of holding it in check. I also take a probiotic and that seems to help also.  I haven't had the nausea issue, but  get an anti-nausea and an anti-diarrhea  drug before the erbitux and irinotecan infusions begin. I've also found that avoiding beverages with caffeine, high fiber foods, raw fruits and veggies (with the exception of bananas and avocadoes), fried foods and spicy foods seem to help. My chemo sessions are scheduled for early mornings, and I avoid eating breakfast on those days,   once I get home , I'm usually asleep  before I get a chance to eat but am usually famished the next day and ready to eat anything in sight.

I hope your husband is able to tolerate the treatment and that his  diarrhea and nausea subside.

Grace

Bellen

Chemo

Hello - Starting chemo tomorrow - folfiri - chemo cocktail with irinotecan and adding avastin.  I will report my symptoms and anything that I find helpful. Having every 2 wks.  My Onco said he was going to scale back the first chemo to see how I react.  Wishing your husband the best.  I have just recently been diagnosed with colorectal cancer with mets to my liver.  The cancer was first diagnosed by an ultrasound of my liver which showed some "spots".  

nateswife

Don't eat on chemo day

Irinotecan in me causes stomach cramping- like the cramping of diarrhea. I don't get diarrhea anymore, but had it bad the first 2 rounds. A dose of atropine before, during and after chemo helps diminish the cramping. Also, I've found that not eating breakfast or lunch the day of chemo helps A LOT with alleviating the cramping. I'm pretty sure that without atropine and if I ate, I'd have diarrhea every time.

Bellen

Irinotecan

Hello - Had my first fulfiri Friday - believe they gave me an anti-cramping shot twice during the IV to help.  The day of chemo, everything I ate or drank caused a bm, so I didn't eat during chemo, and also on 2 hr ride home did not eat - just to be safe - in case I needed a washroom.