Chemotherapy

abridoux

Hi everyone,

I am currently under treatment with oxaliplatin and 5-Fu, every 2 weeks.

As soon as I recover from an injection I get another one, therefore I am constantly feeling more or less unwell and my mind keeps putting me anxious and nauseous.

The treatment is tough and requires a lot of patience.

Often I feel I won't make it until the end.

I am new in town and need to make some friends to relieve stress after work.

I live in College Station/Bryan TX.

MandiePandie

Im sorry the treatment is making you feel so unwell for a lot of the time. Have you talked with your oncologist about this? Also are you seeing a palliative care doctor in addition to your oncologist? They usually can help with treatment for anxiety whether that is medications or refering you to other services like therapy.

Ive never been good at making friends so no advice there but posting here or in a facebook support group has always helped me when Im feeling low.

StonedCamaro

I'm in DFW. Doing the Oxiplatin infusion every 21 days and a 14 day Xeloda pills regimen. Did my 2nd round of the Oxi and it has been very hard!!!! It's now 10 days post infusion and I still feel horrible. Don't understand how I'm going to make it 4 months of this. And panic sets in thinking of the next one...which I've never had panic attacks before.

Where ya from originally? I'm new to this site and don't know if we can DM, but hit me up😊

SandiaBuddy

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1693297#Comment_1693297

Please understand that everyone reacts to these chemicals differently and that doses and regimes can be modified. They get particularly flexible when you mention quitting entirely. I never did make it to the full dose of Capecitibine (Xeloda). Thank goodness I had the ability to adjust the dosage as needed. Oxaliplatin, for some, is horrible. If it is too much to bear, discuss cutting the dosage with your oncologist--or alternatives to taking it at all. Good luck.

JoanMar

Hi there,

just finished up TNT/ 16 weeks of FOLFOX (oxi, 5FU, Leucovorin) you can do it, the OXI is difficult, keep your oncologist informed with your side effects, especially numbness fingers/toes. I got through the 8 treatments and am noticing more issues with peripheral neuropathy now, but am hopeful this too will resolve. My advice is to stick with it, rest, do everything they tell you to, and take advantage to all the help your treatment center can provide, nutrition, integrative medicine, try some mild yoga, and stay well hydrated. Best, joan

StonedCamaro

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1693760#Comment_1693760

So glad to hear you made it through your 16 wks. Hopefully the neuropathy will subside completely, in time.

Thanks for your kindness 😊

runruh

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/324731/chemotherapy

Wow you are working on that regimen? I had a ton of sick leave so I was able to not work; I just couldn't imagine. Like others have said you can get the doses adjusted; any way you cut it it is a soul crushing hell. Should call it that instead of chemo.

Soundings

For anybody taking Oxiplatin, I’m not sure if you are icing, but it’s worthwhile to look into to help prevent some of its side effects.

It helps prevent cold sensitivities, and might be able to help prevent neuropathy (that is not proven yet). https://paltown.org/icing/ has more info on it.

My wife has mittens and slippers that have ice packs that slip into them. She does this during the oxiplatin infusion.

JoanMar

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1693922#Comment_1693922

StonedCamaro

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1693942#Comment_1693942

Actually I do the opposite. We use warmed blankets on my arm that is taking the infusion. The cold makes my muscles cramp and tense up, but I will look into it.

Thank you for your advice!☺️

Soundings

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1693949#Comment_1693949

It seems like all the nurses have learned to keep people warm during oxiplatin, but there has been some evidence that icing hands and feet can definitely work with lessening cold sensitivity and possibly neuropathy. We do a ear, blanket plus the icing. Some nurses and centers are, pardon the pun, warming up to the idea. There’s a whole Colontown FB group that talks about neuropathy and icing. My wife’s onc had mentioned it to us in the beginning, which is what led us to buying the supplies.

Definitely let your onc/nurses know how you’re feeling with the chemo, they can probably change things up a bit (change doses or add things like fluids) for you if they know there’s a problem. My wife has been very lucky to just have fatigue as a symptom to her FOLFOXIRI.

StonedCamaro

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1693922#Comment_1693922

Agreed...soul crushing hell is the waiting room I attend also!!! Definitely want to appreciate every morsel of feeling well after this "treatment" ends. If I can just sit in this to the end.

BoulderSteve

I had a similar regimen... eight two-week cycles of 5FU and Oxiplatin. I had the expected side effects... nausea, sleep issues, cold sensitivity, peripheral neuropathy. My treatment plan included radiation & Xiloda after Folfox was done and then two surgeries to finish everything off.

My personal take on the chemo process was that it got progressively worse. On the first cycle or two, it didn't feel like it was going to be a big deal and I thought I would function normally throughout the treatment. I was pretty messed up by the end, though. Each cycle took longer to recover from. I am currently about a year out of the Folfox side of things and the only lingering non-bowel side effect is neuropathy in the front half of my feet. My fingers regained feeling after a few months and the other chemo symptoms subsided pretty quickly for me - maybe two months or so.

I continued to work through my treatment, but I had a very understanding group of co-workers on my team. I would take about a day and a half off every two weeks for the actual IV day and the beginning of the first home-pump day. Chemo-brain or "brain fog" is very real. I was completely out of it on the days I received treatment. A year past chemo I feel like there are still some noticeable cognitive differences for me. I can't seem to concentrate on an individual task like I used to be able to. I can't read more than a few pages in a book without needing to take a break.

I didn't do anything specific related to heat/cold treatments during the chemo process. I was always wearing a cap and gloves because I was cold and couldn't touch anything colder than room temperature. I had no hair loss associated with the Folfox process. I tried to keep exercising during treatment, but it was almost impossible to motivate myself.

Know that there is an endpoint for the treatment. You will eventually get there and once you're past it, you can reflect back in amazement that you made it through. Good luck with your treatment plan!

SnapDragon2

Avoid folic acid, it is snuck into just about all shelf foods. It is poison to YOU while on chemo.

Icing constricts the capilaries to help protect them from neuropathy. Hands and feet do not need the chemo :)

IV vitamin C helps with everything during chemo if you are not G6PD deficient.