Chemo pill vs pump and how to support body for lessening treatment side effects

iron9nadin

Aloha!

I've been recently diagnosed with stage 3, 2"rectal tumor, 2cm into the wall, 7 lymph nodes inflammed, at the top of the rectum. I'm headed in for my 3rd biopsy tomorrow to get pathology results to give us a proper plan moving forward. I turned 40 in March, First noted symptoms April this year, found tumor early June.
(first two biopsy were "too shallow" resulting in "non-cancerous", but she's obviously there and growing)

Surgeon: due to location and size, recommended chemo/radiation to shrink tumor before surgery.

So far, chemo doc talk: 6mo of dual chemo, (Folfox was mentioned). One part infusion, other part is my choice: pill -every day or pump - few days on and then off for a bit. I'll know more of the plan on Aug 7. There is a choice for me, and I'd like some personal feedback from folks who've gone through it to help my decison. My guess, the pump offers a high dose and then time off to let immune system build back up before the next high dose. Might feel like **** for a bit and then have a stretch of more function before next treatment. For the pill, is it a dose that kicks you down and feel like **** every day for the whole time.

How did the PILL or PUMP version effect your day to day function and immune system?

How is best to suppport immune system during treatment to offset the negative side effects in the day to day and long term. I'm doing juicing (gerson therapy), some protein sources, supplements and no fiber to prevent blockage.

Thanks so much!

SnapDragon2

What does your bloodwork look like?

What supplements are you taking right now?

For me, pills are way better than the ole ball and chain pump. The pump was such a pain in every way.

brneyedgirl

I did oral (Zolax). Now I'm doing the take home bubble. I call it my buddy. On on my 3 chemo of FolFuri (?) I'm sure there will be more side effects I will have 8 cycles total. Oral consisted of early rise breakfast at 5am. Pills thereafter, to be taken 12 hrs apart. Side effects dizziness, light nausea, neuropathy in feet, hands & tongue. They added benadryl to my infusion which helped with tongue. Still have Neuropathy in feet which affects my balance. Some constipation and also diarrhea. Taste buds were affected, some of my favorite foods I couldn't eat. After treatment ended my taste buds went back to normal.

Now I started next chemo treatment. My consists of Monda bloodwork, meet with Dr or nurse to go over labs. Tuesday go in for infusion about 3 hrs. Sometimes they add hydration at this time sometimes not. They send me home with my bubble buddy which I carry in fanny pack under all clothing. Made the mistake of wearing it on outside 1st time boy what a mistake that was

Got it caught on chair, thank God I didn't break hose. We would have had a mess. We were sent home with hazmat kit in case it leaked. Wear the bubble for 48 hrs. Thursday go back to disconnect & more hydration. So far been feeling good. But that could always change.

I feel I had more side effects with oral. And Neuropathy has not gone away, which is no fun

Sorry for being lengthy. But thought I'd share what I could remember. Best of luck

Axel7

I can echo brneyedgirs comments, for the most part.
I did chemo first 16 weeks 8 treatments.
then 5 weeks radiation with a chemo pill,
10 weeks off then surgery to install the bag. neuropathy was mostly gone at this point but came back post surgery.

"How did the PILL or PUMP version effect your day to day function and immune system?"

during chemo I had the pump for the first 2 treatments, it went into alarm so much that they switched me to the "bulb" which was trouble free. after each treatment, they would give me some sort of immune booster shot.
during radiation I also took a chemo pill on the days of the treatment, daily for 5 weeks. no booster shot during this.
stayed home on the day of and the 2 days following chemo. other days I was in the office working as normal. during flue season. I was around people regularly. I never got sick. now I have not had the flue or a cold of any sort since maybe 2019. In short under chemo my life was pretty much normal just a few precautions needed.

During chemo developed neuropathy, I wore gloves most of the time outside. the bulb is like managing an old Walkman with wired headphones. and it was only a couple days every 2 weeks.

During radiation, it has a cumulative effect by week 3 I went out of work on short term disability, you are too tired and you start to lose bowel control. I recommend trying to schedule first thing in the morning. unfortunately, for me they could not do that my appointments were all in the afternoon, and remember they want to have a full bladder when you do it. so I would avoid eating all morning and then an hour or so before my appointment, drink lots of water (they will tell you how much) and goto my appoint ment. the problem I found was that they were often behind schedule by the afternoon so I would have to wait and "hold" it in longer.

also, get some clothes that have absolutely no metal anywhere on them and they may let you just keep them on without changing.
during all of this I drove myself to the treatments and was independent, worked, heck during chemo I was attending conference calls keeping up with things. it is the 2 days after chemo that were bad.

you will get through it fine.
I drove the nurses crazy. I told them it was their job to fight the cancer my job is to "show up, suffer, and **** and complain"

good luck.

Axel7

I can echo brneyedgirs comments, for the most part. I did chemo first 16 weeks 8 treatments. then 5 weeks radiation with a chemo pill, 10 weeks off then surgery to install the bag. neuropathy was mostly gone at this point but came back post surgery.

"How did the PILL or PUMP version effect your day to day function and immune system?"

during chemo I had the pump for the first 2 treatments, it went into alarm so much that they switched me to the "bulb" which was trouble free. after each treatment, they would give me some sort of immune booster shot. during radiation I also took a chemo pill on the days of the treatment, daily for 5 weeks. no booster shot during this. stayed home on the day of and the 2 days following chemo. other days I was in the office working as normal. during flue season. I was around people regularly. I never got sick. now I have not had the flue or a cold of any sort since maybe 2019. In short under chemo my life was pretty much normal just a few precautions needed.

During chemo developed neuropathy, I wore gloves most of the time outside. the bulb is like managing an old Walkman with wired headphones. and it was only a couple days every 2 weeks.

During radiation, it has a cumulative effect by week 3 I went out of work on short term disability, you are too tired and you start to lose bowel control. I recommend trying to schedule first thing in the morning. unfortunately, for me they could not do that my appointments were all in the afternoon, and remember they want to have a full bladder when you do it. so I would avoid eating all morning and then an hour or so before my appointment, drink lots of water (they will tell you how much) and goto my appoint ment. the problem I found was that they were often behind schedule by the afternoon so I would have to wait and "hold" it in longer. also, get some clothes that have absolutely no metal anywhere on them and they may let you just keep them on without changing. during all of this I drove myself to the treatments and was independent, worked, heck during chemo I was attending conference calls keeping up with things. it is the 2 days after chemo that were bad.

Axel7

I can echo brneyedgirs comments, for the most part. I did chemo first 16 weeks 8 treatments. then 5 weeks radiation with a chemo pill, 10 weeks off then surgery to install the bag. neuropathy was mostly gone at this point but came back post surgery.

"How did the PILL or PUMP version effect your day to day function and immune system?"

during chemo I had the pump for the first 2 treatments, it went into alarm so much that they switched me to the "bulb" which was trouble free. after each treatment, they would give me some sort of immune booster shot. during radiation I also took a chemo pill on the days of the treatment, daily for 5 weeks. no booster shot during this. stayed home on the day of and the 2 days following chemo. other days I was in the office working as normal. during flue season. I was around people regularly. I never got sick. now I have not had the flue or a cold of any sort since maybe 2019. In short under chemo my life was pretty much normal just a few precautions needed.

During chemo developed neuropathy, I wore gloves most of the time outside. the bulb is like managing an old Walkman with wired headphones. and it was only a couple days every 2 weeks.

During radiation, it has a cumulative effect by week 3 I went out of work on short term disability, you are too tired and you start to lose bowel control. I recommend trying to schedule first thing in the morning. unfortunately, for me they could not do that my appointments were all in the afternoon, and remember they want to have a full bladder when you do it. so I would avoid eating all morning and then an hour or so before my appointment, drink lots of water (they will tell you how much) and goto my appoint ment. the problem I found was that they were often behind schedule by the afternoon so I would have to wait and "hold" it in longer. also, get some clothes that have absolutely no metal anywhere on them and they may let you just keep them on without changing. during all of this I drove myself to the treatments and was independent, worked, heck during chemo I was attending conference calls keeping up with things. it is the 2 days after chemo that were bad.

I drove myself to every appointment.
I remained independent throughout, it was the surgery when I needed someone to pick me up from the hospital but even then I was still able to do most things as normal. just slower.