WEIRD

don09

Hi everyone, I am on my third day of chemo (F5U pump) radiation daily.  I have been given by my doctors so much literature about the chemo end of things, things to watch for, things to expect side effects and tips on how to manage them.  I must admit leading up to my start date I had much anxiety and I thought it would be the most grusome chemotherapy anyone would have to take.  To my surprise, and not to complain I have had no side effects at all, and I am extremely shocked. Logic tells me I should be feeling something, since Im not, the only logical explanation is Im either extremely lucky or its not working.  I realize that I wont start feeling the effects of the radiation until Im about 3 weeks in so I'm not surprised that hasnt kicked in yet.  I guess my question to all of you who had F5U/Mitomycin have you escaped the side effects such as myself?

Special thanks to all of you have supported me on this forum, you have all been such a tremendous help, I appreciate all of you so much.

eihtak

don09....

So happy to hear that you are off to a good start. As Martha said, side effects vary with each individual, and some have been fortunate to have only minimal discomfort while still others have been miserable. This is not an indication that the drugs are or are not working......just that we are all different. However minimal the negative effects are right now, keep in mind that they are cumulative and so later this week (maybe even after the pump is off) or during the next course, you may feel a bit worse.

Take advantage of your "good feeling" but don't over due and then suffer for it later. Eat, drink, and get up and outside while you feel up to it, and I will have my fingers crossed that this is how all continues for you.

Thank you for the update, I was hoping we'd hear how things went.....keep us posted.

katheryn 

don09

eihtak said:

don09....

So happy to hear that you are off to a good start. As Martha said, side effects vary with each individual, and some have been fortunate to have only minimal discomfort while still others have been miserable. This is not an indication that the drugs are or are not working......just that we are all different. However minimal the negative effects are right now, keep in mind that they are cumulative and so later this week (maybe even after the pump is off) or during the next course, you may feel a bit worse.

Take advantage of your "good feeling" but don't over due and then suffer for it later. Eat, drink, and get up and outside while you feel up to it, and I will have my fingers crossed that this is how all continues for you.

Thank you for the update, I was hoping we'd hear how things went.....keep us posted.

katheryn 

Thanks

Thanks Katheryn, I will be keeping my fingers crossed too! I will definetly keep you posted, thanks again for your response.

mp327

don09

I can understand why this is puzzling you.  We have all heard horrible things about chemo side effects.  I think how a person reacts to it can depend on several things, but it's all individual.  I will tell you that as time goes on, you may begin to have some side effects.  I really felt fairly good during the first week.  Things went downhill after that.  All I can say is make the most of the days when you are feeling good and be prepared in the event things go south.  Stay well-hydrated--it's really important.  I wish you all the best as you continue this journey.

Martha 

sephie

chemo side effects

i did not have chemo side effects until late.  but had radiation effects after day 7...early...everyone is different....sephie

Salsify

Treatment side effects

don09, I did not have trouble with my first round of chemo, either. The last round was not quite as easy but not as horrible as I had expected, though I was more run down by then, and the butt burns were bad by then. And the smell of chemo urine was nauseating. I was over halfway through the radiation before the skin issues started - no one had suggested getting boxer type briefs until the the blistering etc in my inguinal fold started, but they really helped. Or at least did not aggravate the way elastic at leg openings did. The "peri bottle" for squirting to dilute urine & to rinse was invaluable. The radiation treatments were over just in time - I do not know how much longer I could have stood it. The week after they ended I got worse, but a couple of weeks after it started getting better. I started having a protein drink for breakfast (I was never much of a breakfast person on workdays before) because I figured my body needed protein to heal. My doctor puts his patients in the hospital for the chemo, and that is the only time I did not go to work in my office, but my boss let me work schedule around medical stuff. I wish I could have taken more time off, but the bills go on no matter what. I hope you have the most managable possible reactions to treatment, and that it is as successful as mine has been (so far - it will take a couple of years till I believe it might stay gone...). It is about a year since I started treatment, it ended on Dec 14, 2015. THAT date I remember! Good luck!