cemo

My Onc didn't like to do to many scans too close together, and I didnt get scanned at all during  treatments. 

sometimes 'patience is a virtue' as they say.

My Chemo took around four hours, and then home with the pump for 46 hours.

good luck!

Sue - Trubrit 

Easyflip said:

They drip

It in slow cuz that poison will kill you if they inject it in all at once! I used to sit there for 4 hours, I got the Benedryl early and it would knock me out so I'd sleep for most of it. I also took a 2 day pump home. I envisioned it as a cleansing fire racing through my system taking out the cancer cells like lava. I told myself it's harshness meant it was working! However, I understand what you're going through, despite my romantic imagery it totally sucked lol Hang in there!

Easyflip/Richard

My in chair drip takes about 2 1/2 hours and then I take the bottle home. I've just had one follow up treatment so far, seven more to go. I took a book for it and ended up there all day while they cleaned out my port due to lack of blood draw.

I'm not liking the prickly feeling in my mouth when I drink something cold or the same feeling when I touch comething cold but I haven't had nausea so far, knock on wood. Definitely weak some days, though, like yesterday. I feel like the straw man in the Wizard of Oz some days.

Yolllmbs said:

4-6 hours

generally 4 but sometimes 6 then home with the 46 hour bottle. I've had 10 of 12 Folfox treatments. I meet with my oncologist every treatment before they start. In fact, there is some talk that I'm done. We will make that decision Tuesday. Janjan, I was told from the beginning room temperature drinks and keep hands and feet warm to minimize neuropathy. 

Yolanda

Thanks Yolanda. It's weird, isn't it? It feels like grabbing a thistle. The other day I was walking my dog and my hand was exposed and it got all prickly. It wasn't even cold out, just cool. I'm still not used to it and keep forgetting to make sure I wear gloves.

Mine is about the same duration every two weeks.  I start with 30 mins for anti nausea, followed by Fusilev for 2 hours (used to be combined with Oxaliplatin before I stopped due to side effects), followed by Avastin for 30 mins, then the 5-FU pump for two days.  I've had 13 treatments so far and am still weighing stopping it all since I'm currently NED (from stage IV).  I never had surgery, but the chemo and/or everything else I was doing on my own shrunk the tumors from 9cm down to undetectable.  I've gotten used to the 4 hour cancer center visits, but am still not used to the home pump as I like to sleep on my stomach and can't with a needle in my chest.  Hang in there.

Annabelle41415 said:

Scans

As Sue "trubit" stated my onc didn't want to scan during treatment also and did weekly CBC and montly complete labs.  Sometmes scans can be not very accurate as the chemo/radiation has to work before making a final decision.   My treatment was about 4 1/2 hours and then pump for 2 days at home.  I'm sure that your doctor will scan when necessary and if he doesn't within 6 months then ask him for one.  Good luck and hope you get through this with much success.

Kim

My wife's was about 4 hrs.  Seemed a whole day to me.  Once they "hooked" her up to her port and the chemo started flowing it was time to walk.   She would grab her I.V. stand and walk laps around the "ward." for one hour.  Of course, I accompanied her on the walks.  Then it was home with the pump for 48 hrs. 

No scans during treatment.  Did check her CEA about three times during chemo treatment along with the weekly cbc blood work.  Matter of fact her first scan wasn't done until the one year mark after surgery, which was four months after adjuvent chemo.