does it get worse?

[Deleted User]

Hi i am sure this has been talked about before but i just want to ask. i have just started my oral chemo at home today. so no side effects yet but i know they are coming, but what i want to know is will these side effects get worse during each cycle?

I am doing 8 cycles of 2 weeks on and 1 week off the meds.

i want to prepare me and my family for what is to come and i feel that asking people who have or are experiencing this are the best people to ask.

thanks in advance and sending strength to you all

bibliophile

Which oral chemo are you on? I did capecitabine in my first go-round and can talk about that.

[Deleted User]

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1725088#Comment_1725088

Thats the one. 2000mg twice a day I am currently 6 days into my first cycle.

Difficult here sometimes as English is not their first language and quite a few have little to none at all. So I am searching out those with experience

BTW stage 2 colorectal cancer.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hope you are doing ok

bibliophile

I did the same 8 cycle pattern of capecitabine with IV oxaliplatin in 2023. The side effects were cumulative for me. It might be a little hard to separate which were related to which drug, but I think the worst side effects for the oral were stomach pain if I didn't eat enough when taking the pills and I did get some of the hand-foot syndrome. My hands weren't too painful, but I did lose my fingerprints. My feet were worse. They got really red and painful and I lost some skin off the bottom of my feet by the last round. Those all got better in the rest week, though, and went away really quickly after finishing the chemo. I hope that's helpful. Feel free to ask any other questions you have as well. Best wishes!

[Deleted User]

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1725092#Comment_1725092

I have hand-foot syndrome not bad feet sore and finger joints can get uncomfortable but all very livable with. Also rather sensative to bright lights.

So far thats all.

I hear the fatigue can get quite bad towards the end of the 8th cycle.

Did you find that certain things you would normally do had to stop?

I am doing OK and I will beat this. At nearly 61 I have decided this will not be my endgame

bibliophile

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1725093#Comment_1725093

I didn't let it keep me from doing anything I wanted to. I am 48, so when I did the oral two years ago I still had three kids in high school and two in college. I never let it make me miss a single football game, basketball game, school event, church service, or anything else. So there was some fatigue, and the symptoms I talked about, but I was able to manage it.

[Deleted User]

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1725094#Comment_1725094

You did amazing and an inspiration for sure. My kids are 13 and 14.

bibliophile

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1725095#Comment_1725095

You've got this!!!