Fluid hydration and blood tranfusion during chemo and radiation post surgery

pam716
pam716 Member Posts: 24
in Esophageal Cancer #1
My father is currently going through 5 weeks of 5fu .5 continous infusion and 5 day a week radiation post MIE. He is on week 2. For those of you who had the surgery and post chemo-radiation How did you manage to get enough fluids in with the decreased stomach size? This week he also saw a decrease in his red blood cells and his internist had already started him on iron pills. Is it unusual to see a drop so early in the course of treatment? If you had anemia during treatment we you given iron infusions or a transfusion?
The oncologist did not seem too concerned at this point but of course any change for us is worrisome because this is the first time he has had chemo.

Comments

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #2
    IV Hydration was helpful for me
    Pam,

    I had chemotherapy after Ivor Lewis surgery. Drinking enough liquid to keep me from getting dehydrated was a constant challenge. After ending up in the emergency room for dehydration, my oncologist and I worked out a process that worked for me.

    I got my infusion of cisplatin and epirubicin every three weeks on a Monday and I was on 5 FU 24/7 using a personal IV pump. The process we followed was Infusion on Monday followed by IV Hydration, then IV Hydration on Wednesday of that week and Monday of the next week if I was still feeling very fatigued. That seemed to make a big difference.

    It was very difficult for me to get an appropriate amount of hydration from drinking with my modified digestive system. I think for people who have chemotherapy post surgery IV hydration should be a standard practice.


    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • JReed
    JReed Member Posts: 428
    #3
    paul61 said:

    IV Hydration was helpful for me
    Pam,

    I had chemotherapy after Ivor Lewis surgery. Drinking enough liquid to keep me from getting dehydrated was a constant challenge. After ending up in the emergency room for dehydration, my oncologist and I worked out a process that worked for me.

    I got my infusion of cisplatin and epirubicin every three weeks on a Monday and I was on 5 FU 24/7 using a personal IV pump. The process we followed was Infusion on Monday followed by IV Hydration, then IV Hydration on Wednesday of that week and Monday of the next week if I was still feeling very fatigued. That seemed to make a big difference.

    It was very difficult for me to get an appropriate amount of hydration from drinking with my modified digestive system. I think for people who have chemotherapy post surgery IV hydration should be a standard practice.


    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!

    Hydration after surgery
    Once again, Paul - thank you for sharing this information. We're not there (yet) but good info to tuck away.
  • oriontj
    oriontj Member Posts: 375
    #4
    IV hydration
    During my husband's inital chemo and radiation combined..he had Thursday and Friday IV hydration each week. This was the greatest help with keeping him hydrated. No anemia or transfusions were needed.

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