Cold Sensitivity

abita

How do you know/test that the cold sensitivity has passed for the cycle? 

Nazareth

my onc told me the way to

my onc told me the way to test is to put hands in freezer for a little bit to see if the needle-like pain hits- if not, and if you can hold cold cans of soda or whatever- and can drink without hte throat feeling like it's on fire- then you shoudl be good to go

abita

Nazareth said:

my onc told me the way to

my onc told me the way to test is to put hands in freezer for a little bit to see if the needle-like pain hits- if not, and if you can hold cold cans of soda or whatever- and can drink without hte throat feeling like it's on fire- then you shoudl be good to go

I was hoping for a bit less

I was hoping for a bit less pain in knowing, but I guess that is too much to ask.

Trubrit

Put your hands in the freezer - Really?

I think I would tell my Onc to go put his head in the freezer. 

I'm sure their is a better way. Like, taking a tiny sip of cold water, or putting your hand on a cold can or something metal. 

Tru

Mikenh

Trubrit said:

Put your hands in the freezer - Really?

I think I would tell my Onc to go put his head in the freezer. 

I'm sure their is a better way. Like, taking a tiny sip of cold water, or putting your hand on a cold can or something metal. 

Tru

Around here, you just walk

Around here, you just walk outside early in the morning or late at night without gloves.

caregiver3

My dh just went through this

My dh just had his first round of FOLFOX, so I am no expert at all!  I've been given lots of advice on this board!  But, My dh couldn't even handle room temp drinks for 6 days after!  On day 7 after, he just took a small sip of room temp water and did ok.  A little later that day he took a small sip of cold apple juice and it didn't bother him, so that's how he knew.  But like I said this is his first round and it was rough on him.  This may not work next round, but thought I would share. 

Tunadog

When I was doing mop up Chemo..

On a follow up visit I asked my Oncologist for a cup of water and he gave me a cup of chilled water.

Yikes! Then he said that I must have cold sensitivity...

I don't think he was thinking when he gave it to me.

He is a great Oncologist and answers all of my questions and inquiries usually the same day.

abita

caregiver3 said:

My dh just went through this

My dh just had his first round of FOLFOX, so I am no expert at all!  I've been given lots of advice on this board!  But, My dh couldn't even handle room temp drinks for 6 days after!  On day 7 after, he just took a small sip of room temp water and did ok.  A little later that day he took a small sip of cold apple juice and it didn't bother him, so that's how he knew.  But like I said this is his first round and it was rough on him.  This may not work next round, but thought I would share. 

Room temperature bothers me

Room temperature bothers me too. I take a sip, hold it in my mouth a second, then swallow. Warms it up enough I guess

Annabelle41415

Nazareth said:

my onc told me the way to

my onc told me the way to test is to put hands in freezer for a little bit to see if the needle-like pain hits- if not, and if you can hold cold cans of soda or whatever- and can drink without hte throat feeling like it's on fire- then you shoudl be good to go

Freezer

Obviously this doctor never experienced the pain associated with the cold sensitivity.  Doctor should be put on this drug so they can answer your question better.  Try a water glass of water, if you can hold it try then adding little ice at a time - not much though.  You can gradually determine it from there. 

Kim

Annabelle41415

Sensitivity

It's hard to determine but you should try it little steps at a time.  I'd add a cube or two of ice and go from there.  Try lightly to touch the glass, if it hurts after one ice cube wait another day and try again.  Don't try to force it.  Eventually you will find out what tests will work for you.  Hard time of year with the cold going through this. 

Kim

Nazareth

Trubrit said:

Put your hands in the freezer - Really?

I think I would tell my Onc to go put his head in the freezer. 

I'm sure their is a better way. Like, taking a tiny sip of cold water, or putting your hand on a cold can or something metal. 

Tru

that's what she recommended

that's what she recommended abotu the can- she was basically statign that while on the oxiplatin, to avoid goign in freezer for htigns with bare hands, then after I was off for awhiel to test by slowly putting htem in freezer- She wasn't suggestign taking ahold of soemthign frozen, morel ike slowly allowing hte cold to hit the hand, not much different htan goign outside in the cold really-  if htere was no pain, or little pain, then thigns shoudl be better- she wasn't suggesting i keep my hands in freezer if the pain occured lol-

Mikenh

The water dispensers at the

The water dispensers at the office dispense hot or cold water. If you wa something in between, you have to mix them.

Trubrit

Nazareth said:

that's what she recommended

that's what she recommended abotu the can- she was basically statign that while on the oxiplatin, to avoid goign in freezer for htigns with bare hands, then after I was off for awhiel to test by slowly putting htem in freezer- She wasn't suggestign taking ahold of soemthign frozen, morel ike slowly allowing hte cold to hit the hand, not much different htan goign outside in the cold really-  if htere was no pain, or little pain, then thigns shoudl be better- she wasn't suggesting i keep my hands in freezer if the pain occured lol-

Well thats good to hear

She now has permission to take her head out of the freezer. 

I dropped so many cartons of yogurt. Such a messy food to celan up. 

Tru

abita

Annabelle41415 said:

Freezer

Obviously this doctor never experienced the pain associated with the cold sensitivity.  Doctor should be put on this drug so they can answer your question better.  Try a water glass of water, if you can hold it try then adding little ice at a time - not much though.  You can gradually determine it from there. 

Kim

Thanks, that is a great

Thanks, that is a great solution.

Nazareth

Trubrit said:

Well thats good to hear

She now has permission to take her head out of the freezer. 

I dropped so many cartons of yogurt. Such a messy food to celan up. 

Tru

i haven't gotten to hte point

i haven't gotten to hte point of dropping things yet from cold/pain, but drivign in morning is a bit painful- gotta use my gloves till the steerign wheel warms up some- the pain i woudl describe as 100 tiny bees stinging my fingers- mostly the finger tips- or small needles beign stuck into them- not extremely painful but enough to get my attention in good shape-

I imagine it's goign to get worse though as hte treatments continue- Haven't had the throat pain/spasms yet from cold drinks- but a wierd thing that happened was when i ate stuff my back teeth/jaw hurt and got hte same meedle liek senstation- but after a few bites it went away-

abita

Nazareth said:

i haven't gotten to hte point

i haven't gotten to hte point of dropping things yet from cold/pain, but drivign in morning is a bit painful- gotta use my gloves till the steerign wheel warms up some- the pain i woudl describe as 100 tiny bees stinging my fingers- mostly the finger tips- or small needles beign stuck into them- not extremely painful but enough to get my attention in good shape-

I imagine it's goign to get worse though as hte treatments continue- Haven't had the throat pain/spasms yet from cold drinks- but a wierd thing that happened was when i ate stuff my back teeth/jaw hurt and got hte same meedle liek senstation- but after a few bites it went away-

I had the jaw thing happen

I had the jaw thing happen twice. Was not expecting that. 

abita

WOW! I had my first outing

WOW! I had my first outing where I walked to the subway, and it happens to be very cold out. Clearly, my gloves are only okay for short walks. 10 minute walk, the pain, oh my goodness. I thought it was bad inside when I accidentally touched something a bit cold, this was insane pain. Yikes!

Nazareth

just had my second round of

just had my second round of oxaliplatin and 5 FU today (beign hooked up to pump now for 2 days) and wow- the pain in hands was 10 times worse than my first round- Also cramping up all over- yuck- anyways- the cold pain quite3 a phenomenon- my first cold pain lasted oly aqbout 5 days or so, then htigns were fine- we'll see how long it lasts thuis time- Also did they tell you to wear a scarf? I was told that today- breath into the scarf to help prvent the throat pain- but so far I haven't had the thoat pain

Mikenh

Nazareth said:

just had my second round of

just had my second round of oxaliplatin and 5 FU today (beign hooked up to pump now for 2 days) and wow- the pain in hands was 10 times worse than my first round- Also cramping up all over- yuck- anyways- the cold pain quite3 a phenomenon- my first cold pain lasted oly aqbout 5 days or so, then htigns were fine- we'll see how long it lasts thuis time- Also did they tell you to wear a scarf? I was told that today- breath into the scarf to help prvent the throat pain- but so far I haven't had the thoat pain

We're expecting temperatures

We're expecting temperatures in the low single digits this week and I'm starting Oxaliplatin next week so some of these stories are scary to me. I had been expecting part three of treatment to be easy compared to parts 1 and 2. But I don't know whether that's true or not anymore. For those on Adjuvant Chemo now, how would you rank the three phases of treatment?

abita

Nazareth said:

just had my second round of

just had my second round of oxaliplatin and 5 FU today (beign hooked up to pump now for 2 days) and wow- the pain in hands was 10 times worse than my first round- Also cramping up all over- yuck- anyways- the cold pain quite3 a phenomenon- my first cold pain lasted oly aqbout 5 days or so, then htigns were fine- we'll see how long it lasts thuis time- Also did they tell you to wear a scarf? I was told that today- breath into the scarf to help prvent the throat pain- but so far I haven't had the thoat pain

he did tell me to wear a

he did tell me to wear a scarf. It was definitely worse for the second round for me. 

Trubrit

Mikenh said:

We're expecting temperatures

We're expecting temperatures in the low single digits this week and I'm starting Oxaliplatin next week so some of these stories are scary to me. I had been expecting part three of treatment to be easy compared to parts 1 and 2. But I don't know whether that's true or not anymore. For those on Adjuvant Chemo now, how would you rank the three phases of treatment?

Not to be a Debbie downer but....

Its chemo. It doesn't get any easier. 

I have come across a few people over the years, who have sailed through the Oxaliplatin, but not too many. 

Just be prepared. 

Saying that, I've not done Adjuvant Chemo, so maybe I'm wrong. I wouldn't mind being wrong. 

Tru