2nd day on chemo and radiation

tbuchi
tbuchi Member Posts: 11
in Anal Cancer #1

I went in to chemo yesterday and was sent home with a pump so far not many side effects.  A little nausea but got meds to help control that.  My mouth is a little tight but not painful thank goodness for that so far.  I had two days of radation so far I but in couple weeks I will be sore from that.  I bought aquaphor not sure if it will help.  I havent had burning pain yet when able to pee but that will happen in few weeks coming I am sure.  I had history of uti in past.  Does Chemo reaction happen when first get a pump on or afterward.  The Chemo nurse said my blood platelet will drop in about 3 wks.  I am worried that the radiation will be my down fall.  So far able to get up and around but coming weeks I am sure I will be fatigue.  Any suggestion to stay more comfortable for my anal/vulvar area while I am going through radation in these next 6 wks.

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #2
    tbuchi

    Please don't give yourself any side effects until you actually get them!  Everyone's body is affected differently by this treatment and perhaps you'll be one of the lucky ones whose side effects are very minimal.  Your blood counts will drop from the chemo and the nurse is right--they will most likely be at their lowest around day 21 of treatment.  I'm sure your blood counts will be closely monitored, so try not to worry so much about that, as there is little you can do to prevent it.  Instead, focus on protecting yourself from germs that you might pick up when out in public, as your immune system will be compromised.  I washed my hands until I practically scrubbed my skin off, but I never picked up a cold or flu bug.  As for finding some comfort in the treatment area, I found that just soaking in the bathtub in plain lukewarm water gave me the most relief.  It sounds like you are off to a good start and I hope that continues for you!

  • AZedj
    AZedj Member Posts: 20 Member
    #3
    I am 6 months post chemo and

    I am 6 months post chemo and radiation. I never had any side effects from the chemo but I did have a lot of problems with radiation. I am still battleing the side effects of radiation and have not had a pain free bowel movement since week 2 of rad but I am told this is not the normal. I found sitting in the bath tub was of great comfort especially at the end of tx. Sometimes I would take 5-6 tub baths a day.  My rad team had me using biafine cream half way thru and gave me silvadene and vigilon burn dressings at the end of tx. They had the dietary people explain the white diet and I stayed on that untill after tx and then weaned me off it as my bowels tolerated. I felt energetic and was my usual active self until about week 5 and never had the fatigue that so many people have, so who knows how you will feel. I did get hospitalized twice during tx for side effects of rad. Go out and have as much fun as you want and enjoy life now.

  • Marynb
    Marynb Member Posts: 1,118
    #4
    Tbuchi
    I know it is difficult, but I would like to encourage you to think positive. I did not have severe side effects. I never took any drugs, because I did not need them. As my Mom used to say, don't borrow trouble. Be prepared, but do NOT expect the worse. Yes, my white blood counts got low twice and I needed Neupogen shots. Not fun, but not horrible. There are many people on this board who did quite well with the treatment. I lived alone and was able to function just fine. Of course, I did have some discomfort towards the end. I expected to handle the treatment well, and so I did! I really want to encourage you not to think of worse case scenarios. There are lots of those. Believe that you are strong, that your body will handle e treatments well, that you will be healed. In about 8 weeks, this will be behind you and you are going to start feeling stronger and stronger!
  • TraceyUSA
    TraceyUSA Member Posts: 316
    #5
    Take One Day at a Time

    That's some of the best advise I've been given. 

     

    Everyone does not experience the same thing from this treatment.  Take it as it comes and do not look for side effects.

  • docevie
    docevie Member Posts: 1
    #6
    Marynb said:

    Tbuchi
    I know it is difficult, but I would like to encourage you to think positive. I did not have severe side effects. I never took any drugs, because I did not need them. As my Mom used to say, don't borrow trouble. Be prepared, but do NOT expect the worse. Yes, my white blood counts got low twice and I needed Neupogen shots. Not fun, but not horrible. There are many people on this board who did quite well with the treatment. I lived alone and was able to function just fine. Of course, I did have some discomfort towards the end. I expected to handle the treatment well, and so I did! I really want to encourage you not to think of worse case scenarios. There are lots of those. Believe that you are strong, that your body will handle e treatments well, that you will be healed. In about 8 weeks, this will be behind you and you are going to start feeling stronger and stronger!

    starting treatment

    Thanks for your post. I am newly diagnosed and very scared of treatment. I also live alone but have many friends to help me so your post is very encouraging. I think I will read it every day!

  • Jo Joy
    Jo Joy Member Posts: 40
    #7
    Keep your spirit up, your butt in water, and try and laugh often

    Your body responds to what your mind believes. Protect your body against those negative thoughts. I worked fulltime thru treatment. I didn't have many options to do anything different. Right after I was diagnosed, I started interviewing for my dream job. I was hired after 3 separate panel interviews, gave a month's notice at my old job (I had to do that 2 weeks after I notified them that I had a potentially life threatening disease that required that I work an altered schedule so I could get treatment everyday), and I was required to start the new job on day 20 of radiation. Yep, at the end of treatment and less than a week after the second round of chemo. I used prayer, long soak baths, and aquaphor to combat pain and never had to take a pain pill. I did have a few days of exhaustion but they happened on the weekends or on holidays.  Oh yeah, my last day of radiation was 5 days before Christmas in 2012. I believed that I would be healed and that treatment was not going to determine or control my destiny. I surrounded myself with only supportive and positive people. I watched comedies and comedians whenever possible, ate high calorie, high protein diet when the diarrhea really set in after that last chemo.  It took me about a week to figure out exactly how to control that with Imodium. Another lifesaver was a portable bidet I ordered on Amazon and soft Viva towels to pat dry.

    So I am blessed and grateful. I still love my dream job and want to stay 15 more years there.  It is just over a year now since the worst part and I got the results 2 weeks ago that my follow-up PET scan is clear.  Keep in mind that is what you are doing this for, to get that report that you are cancer free. There are things I contend with because I went thru cancertreatment, but I have an amazing life and I get to keep living it.

     

    Other cancer types don't have the good outcomes that we do.  I just lost a friend who died on her 52nd birthday from a 6 year battle with stage 4 colon cancer. You will get thru this and you don't have to do this without people who care about you and know what you are going through.Lean on us when you need to.

     

    Joy

     

     

  • Marynb
    Marynb Member Posts: 1,118
    #8
    Jo Joy said:

    Keep your spirit up, your butt in water, and try and laugh often

    Your body responds to what your mind believes. Protect your body against those negative thoughts. I worked fulltime thru treatment. I didn't have many options to do anything different. Right after I was diagnosed, I started interviewing for my dream job. I was hired after 3 separate panel interviews, gave a month's notice at my old job (I had to do that 2 weeks after I notified them that I had a potentially life threatening disease that required that I work an altered schedule so I could get treatment everyday), and I was required to start the new job on day 20 of radiation. Yep, at the end of treatment and less than a week after the second round of chemo. I used prayer, long soak baths, and aquaphor to combat pain and never had to take a pain pill. I did have a few days of exhaustion but they happened on the weekends or on holidays.  Oh yeah, my last day of radiation was 5 days before Christmas in 2012. I believed that I would be healed and that treatment was not going to determine or control my destiny. I surrounded myself with only supportive and positive people. I watched comedies and comedians whenever possible, ate high calorie, high protein diet when the diarrhea really set in after that last chemo.  It took me about a week to figure out exactly how to control that with Imodium. Another lifesaver was a portable bidet I ordered on Amazon and soft Viva towels to pat dry.

    So I am blessed and grateful. I still love my dream job and want to stay 15 more years there.  It is just over a year now since the worst part and I got the results 2 weeks ago that my follow-up PET scan is clear.  Keep in mind that is what you are doing this for, to get that report that you are cancer free. There are things I contend with because I went thru cancertreatment, but I have an amazing life and I get to keep living it.

     

    Other cancer types don't have the good outcomes that we do.  I just lost a friend who died on her 52nd birthday from a 6 year battle with stage 4 colon cancer. You will get thru this and you don't have to do this without people who care about you and know what you are going through.Lean on us when you need to.

     

    Joy

     

     

    Joy
    I am so glad that everything is going well for you. You have an amazing spirit and faith and that is the best medicine! Stay well.

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