CEA steadily rising, new chemo Irinotecan

herdizziness
herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Well, as I thought, the CEA is steadily keeping up it's rise, up to 24 this week, so onto Irinotecan every two weeks. New chemo for me. This sure bites, but what is one to do?? Oh, well, onward to fighting it a bit more.
Winter Marie
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Comments

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #2
    New Chemo
    I've been on that along with Erbitux since 2005-06 and maybe that's part of why I'm still here.
    Who knows? Best of luck with it.
    Don't be surprised if you get some stomach cramping. I did/do but it's manageable
    -phil
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #3
    PhillieG said:

    New Chemo
    I've been on that along with Erbitux since 2005-06 and maybe that's part of why I'm still here.
    Who knows? Best of luck with it.
    Don't be surprised if you get some stomach cramping. I did/do but it's manageable
    -phil

    sorry about that
    Hi girl....sorry about that rising number. Never been on that chemo just wanted to say hi....thinking about you Winter Marie....sending a big hug

    mags
  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #4
    My husband is getting it for
    My husband is getting it for the second go a round. For him the side effects are very minimal. His issues (fatigue) are more likely from the 5 Fu. No nausea, diarrhea etc... Hope you will have an easy time too.

    Merry Christmas,

    Chelsea
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    Sorry
    Sorry it's rising. Was so hoping that what you are on is taking care of it. Maybe adding something new will help though like Phil said. My thoughts and prayers are with you for a new plan.

    Kim
  • k44454445
    k44454445 Member Posts: 494
    #6
    i have
    been on it as a part of folfiri.( i have completed 11 out of 12 tx) i have tolerated it really good. the 5fu does drain me & in oct i ended up in the er bc the wbc crashed. my onc said it was bc of 5fu. you should do ok on it. good luck!
    hugs
    judy
  • belindahill
    belindahill Member Posts: 144
    #7
    new chemo
    Hi, I hope you cope well with the side effects. My husbands cancer has had mild progression, he should have started Irinotecan, Avastin and xeloda on the 12th but took a risk and posponed it untill the 3rd of Jan. Have heard that this is a very hard drug to take, hoping it goes well for you, and with good results.
  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
    #8
    maglets said:

    sorry about that
    Hi girl....sorry about that rising number. Never been on that chemo just wanted to say hi....thinking about you Winter Marie....sending a big hug

    mags

    hey girl
    sorry you have to use the big guns but thats the way this rollercoaster rolls.i have been on that plus avastin.for me it sure wasnt as bad as the oxy,my hair did fall out and over time i had bad stomach cramps and mild diareah.for some this drug is very rough but for me i tollerated it ok.good luck and keep us updated on your progress....Godbless....johnnybegood
  • mukamom
    mukamom Member Posts: 402
    #9
    johnnybegood said:

    hey girl
    sorry you have to use the big guns but thats the way this rollercoaster rolls.i have been on that plus avastin.for me it sure wasnt as bad as the oxy,my hair did fall out and over time i had bad stomach cramps and mild diareah.for some this drug is very rough but for me i tollerated it ok.good luck and keep us updated on your progress....Godbless....johnnybegood

    Robert
    did pretty well on it...hair loss, nausea, fatigue. He did manage to swap out a motor in his truck while on it, in the heat of an Alabama summer.
    As an added bonus, it worked!!!

    Hope it will do the same for you.

    Angela
  • Momof2plusteentwins
    Momof2plusteentwins Member Posts: 509 Member
    #10
    mukamom said:

    Robert
    did pretty well on it...hair loss, nausea, fatigue. He did manage to swap out a motor in his truck while on it, in the heat of an Alabama summer.
    As an added bonus, it worked!!!

    Hope it will do the same for you.

    Angela

    Winter Marie
    Sorry about the rise in CEA, I hope this new combination works for you.
    Sandy :)
  • JayhawkDan
    JayhawkDan Member Posts: 205
    #11
    I've been on it as part of
    I've been on it as part of folfiri since the start of this "journey" in February. So it's difficult to determine what drug is causing which side effects. I've had 18 rounds with it and will continue for the foreseeable future (as long as it works). But what others have said is about right. Diahrea -- constipation -- sometimes at the same time, sort of. Didn't lose my hair, but it thinned, got kinda lifeless, then came back pretty strong, but different...sort of wavy. My barber of 24 years who has become one of my bests friends, said that technically they call it "oughtabeen" hair. "Oh," I said, taking it hook, line and sinker. "Yeah," he said, "it oughtabeen on a dog's ****." Laughed my **** off. He's one of the few people that isn't uncomfortable when I joke about my cancer and fate. Keep us posted on how you're tolerating the I-run-to-the-can, as they call it. Christmas hugs, Dan
  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #12
    Hi Marie, Sorry you cea is
    Hi Marie, Sorry you cea is rising. I was on Irenotecan not too bad.. diarehea and constipation depending on what they are giving you along with it.. like steriods. and such...
    Irenotecn will make you loose hair.. I lost most of mine..
    the Side effects occurr over time.. don't expect them to all him immediatelhy.
    Are you on any other drugs along with the Irenotecan?

    Good Luck Marie, hang in there.. 2013 will be a better year for us all.. (that's my story and I am sticking to it.. )
  • Dyanclark
    Dyanclark Member Posts: 296
    #13
    Irinotecan
    My husband had his first Irinotecan Tuesday, he had pills for nausea and we have immodium on hand. He is using about 1/2 immodium a day. He is not doing half as bad as I was afraid of, sleeps good and he is eating pretty good not a lot. He will go every 3 weeks for drip and is also taking 6 Xeloda pills a day along with Erbitux. Keep us informed on how you are doing.
    Dyan & George
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #14
    Dang.
    Really wish you didn't have to do this, Winter Marie. Just have to hope that this one will do the trick, kick cancer out on its **** once and for all. Hugs~AA
  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #15
    Momof2plusteentwins said:

    Winter Marie
    Sorry about the rise in CEA, I hope this new combination works for you.
    Sandy :)

    Winter
    Really bummed about your CEA, but glad there is another weapon in your arsenal. Hope it is not too tough to tolerate well.

    Luv,

    Wolfen
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #16
    Rhino in a tea can
    It sure helped out when I first started on it. My WBC count had been pretty low but it stabilized when I started on it. I'll pray that you have great results on it, Winter!

    Hugs,

    Doc
  • pete43lost_at_sea
    pete43lost_at_sea Member Posts: 3,900 Member
    #17
    24 is that your age or cea score
    dear winter,
    I pray whatever you try works for you, so I really hope this helps.
    hugs,
    Pete
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #18
    wolfen said:

    Winter
    Really bummed about your CEA, but glad there is another weapon in your arsenal. Hope it is not too tough to tolerate well.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

    Winter,  are you getting

    Winter,  are you getting Folfiri with avastin ..... or irinotican with avastin?   Are they leaving the 5FU out of the mix.   I did folfiri and tolerated it quite well,  had fatigue mostly as the side effect.     Make sure you have loperamide on hand just in case you need it.   I've heard you can get early onset of diarrhea   or  a late onset after a few days it hits....as we all know everyone is different  and you'll just have to see how your tummy responds.    Hope you have minimal side effects and tolerate it well.   I'll be back on it in Jan. as far as I know......I got a calendar with my appt.s from onc. and I have a treatment scheduled on it.

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #19
    (((WM)))

    It was a 2'fer for me...one one hand, it nearly killed me...with the other, it undoubtedly dried things up in there:)

    You'll probably swallow it whole...and ask for seconds:)

    Wink

     

  • Varmint5
    Varmint5 Member Posts: 384 Member
    #20
    Hang in there

    Winter Marie, I am so sorry to hear your CEA is rising, but glad you are going to be getting Irinotecan. It is kicking cancer's butt for my daughter and I hope it works as well for you. You can beat this back down again. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers!

    Sandy

  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #21
    Thank you all

    For your words of encouragement.  Wink 

    So far I had diarhea right after getting home, then it went away within an hour.  This is day 4 and am as of last night the second bout of diarhea, but not bad at all.  I feel no different, not tired or anything.  Hopefully this will keep up and I will do well on this new chemo.

    Presently I am just on Irinotecan for the time being, I'm worried about hair loss, but if it goes, it goes, as long as I stay!!  LOL.

    Winter Marie

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