Father starting chemo soon, any advice?

sunflowerdaughter
sunflowerdaughter Member Posts: 1 *
edited July 31 in Colorectal Cancer #1

My father is 67 and recently diagnosed with colon cancer after finding a partial obstruction due to a tumor. He already had the resection but 4 lymph nodes showed some cancer so now he will be getting a port next week and starting folfox soon every other week for 6 months. Any advice on what to do to keep side effects to a minimum? Any foods to avoid or to eat?

I am worried about keeping his spirits up because he already seems defeated. Any advice is welcome!

Comments

  • iron9nadin
    iron9nadin Member Posts: 6 Member
    #2

    I'm in a similar boat. Port implant scheduled for next Wed. Dual chemo after that. Does he have just the infusions? I'm curious how it's going, as I'll be there soon.

    My tumor is also partially blocking. With the immune system gonna take hit from the chemo, I'm choosing to streamline the best foods in for highest micro-nutrient load. I'm doing no sugar(feeds cancer), no dairy (creates inflammation), no fiber( blockage risk), no processed foods or meats(feeds cancer).... doesn't leave much to desire. We recently looked into the Gerson Therapy and got a cold press juicer (we got an old used Norwalk). My thought is through supplements and juiced veggies, to boost the immune system to re-ignite natural healing cells and counteract side effects from treatment.

    Best of luck on the journey.

  • smithdoor
    smithdoor Member Posts: 17 Member
    edited July 31 #3

    I did my diet here .

    I think most will go what to lost and eat thing others will try a totally green diet.

    I did a low fat diet and had treats or how ever put.

    I avoid alcohol and hight fructose corn syrup keep my sugar nc salt intake low and use stevia.

    If look post there is a low salt season salt to help taste. It uses salt of food and just season part a little add just help mixing

    1-1) Season Salt made.PDF

    Dave

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 76 Member
    #4

    hello sunflowerdaughter and others in the same situation

    I’m no doctor but I am a colon cancer survivor.

    I just celebrated 5 years in remission from stage 4 on Aug 15 (NED) after receiving chemo every two weeeks for a year. I still can’t believe it. I come by to read sometimes but it’s very hard.

    Regarding diet, my best advice is for your dad to eat whatever he can eat while he can eat it. The 5Fu with oxi and avastin and neulasta was an appetite killer, especially as time passes. It can become very difficult to eat because one can lose their sense of taste and you may be surprised how hard it is to actually eat between that and mouth sores etc.

    Its hard!!!

    For myself that led to losing a large amount of weight that I needed.

    So fill the cabinets with the things dad enjoys eating !!! That may change as time passes but whatever he decides he wants, let him eat it. N He can clean the diet up once he gets through the chemo.

    I stuck to comfort foods. My absolute favorite at one point when I was weighing around 90 pounds and couldn’t force other food down was strawberry milk! Lol want to put a smile on someone’s face -get the strawberry milk lol I believe it helped me enormously just for the calories plus it was yummy and I desperately needed yummy


    Seriously let dad decide what he wants and be happy if he eats it. He’s the patient, he should be in charge and in my view it’s added pressure to begin a whole new diet

    Opinions will vary but I wanted to weigh in on this

    Sent with best wishes and love to you and yours

  • jamyers97
    jamyers97 Member Posts: 2 *
    #5

    Not really any advice on diet or other actions to reduce side effects, but some advice based on my wife's situation which was very similar. The problematic drug in folfox is the Oxaliplatin which can cause severe neuropathy. My wife received only 5 treatments with Oxy then began to complain to her doctor about the neuropathy. He was very cautious and discontinued it. In retrospect she should have continued with more treatments. Very few people are able to stick it out for 12 but we should have gone on for 8 - 9. After 12 rounds of chemo, her CT scans were clear for the next 2 1/2 years until metastasis showed up on her CT scan in her lymph nodes. We switched oncologists at that time to go to a colorectal specialist and she told us that the cancer was probably never really gone and that we should have gotten a cancer tumor DNA test which can detect residual cancer cells that do not show up on a CT or PET scan.

    So to summarize. Stick with the Oxaliplatin for as long as possible and if after 12 treatments the CT scan is clear, insist on a CTDNA test.

    Good luck and God bless!

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 76 Member
    #6
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1717697#Comment_1717697
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1717634#Comment_1717634
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1717697#Comment_1717697

    I agree 100 % with this advice!

    The goal should be to do whatever you can to continue the oxaliplatin for as many treatments as possible.
    I had at least 14 (or 16) infusions that included the oxaliplatin. It was rough but definitely worth it.

    I do have neuropathy to this day but it continues to lessen and doesn’t keep me from doing what I want to do. I take gabapentin.

    God Bless.

  • destryrides
    destryrides Member Posts: 2 *
    #7

    I`m 84. Was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer and began a 6 month program of chemo, every other week. After 7 treatments, I believe I might be developing IBS. Will opt for one more treatment but if my symptoms get worse, am considering stopping the chemo. Anyone out there who is reading now, have some advice? Would appreciate.

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 76 Member
    #8

    hello destryrides

    I’m sorry you are having difficulty. My advice is number 1 speak to your doctor about the symptoms you are having. He may prescribe something that can help. I took diphenoxylate 4 times a day to combat diarrhea.
    frankly I still had diarrhea continually but I think it helped make it less.
    This is one of the many side effects that I had during treatment. I believe it’s common (if that is what you are referring to) my butt was on fire!

    The side effects are cumulative so it gets worse before it gets better but it is worth it

    I didn’t dare leave the house without proper planning - not that I was going anywhere but dr appointments but yes I was tied to the bathroom.

    Personally, in my opinion only, I believe one should listen to their doctor and if your doctor feels it is safe to continue, then you should.

    It’s not fun , as in it can be really bad a times , but making it through the treatment is very important for your future so if you can manage -continue!

    You’re more than halfway there. Please try to get relief for symptoms from your oncologists and nurses. That is what they are there for.
    Like many decisions surrounding chemo this is your decision to make but I hope you will march on unless medical team advises otherwise.

    **another thing that helped me was starting infusions of fluids to combat dehydration. That was a huge help and made me feel so much better-stronger


    You’re not alone.
    I hope this helps.

    There is life with cancer and where there is life there is hope.

  • smithdoor
    smithdoor Member Posts: 17 Member
    #9
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1718251#Comment_1718251

    A low fat diet

    Avoid high fructose corn syrup

    Keep sugar very low

    Salt lower

    Use STEVIA

    Cough drops help try to avoid magic works great but does number on taste

    FYI I have had 106 rounds of chemo since 2009 . I have stage 4 colan cancer since 2009

    Dave

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