Is this my new normal?

lizard44 · June 2015

I had my first chemo infusion last week: four and a half or five hours of Oxaliplatin, Avastin & Fusilev in the infusion center, followed by 46 hours of 5FU via an ambulatory pump at home. I have 10 days off and get the second infusion on Monday. While I was on the pump and for a couple of days afterwards I looked pretty healthy, with fairly good color, relatively speaking. Then I began to fade, and now I'm sort of a pasty grey color. I look like death warmed over, and not even warmed to lukewarm at that. I don't normally wear make-up but am considering using blush or something. Problem is, with my poor eyesight I'm afraid I'll look like the little old ladies I made fun of in my youth who often put their rouge on too heavily and looked as though they were wearing clown make-up. I think Karma is coming back at me! But seriously- is this skin pallor normal for chemo patients and does it get better or worse as treatment progresses?

Grace

Trubrit · June 2015

Chemo Yellow

I called it Chemo Yellow. I was that colour throughout my treatment. There was no hiding the 'sick' look for me.

I don't wear make-up and didn't want to add more chemicals to sink into my body, so I just lived with it.

I didn't wear a hat when I was rocking the bald look, either.

Au Natural!

Be sure and mention this to your Oncologist on your next visit, just in case its not just the Chemo Yellow.

Sue - Trubrit

NewHere · June 2015

I Have Missed That Part

So far I have avoided using rouge or make-up myself, mostly because I would have to borrow my wife's and she has a color pallete that simply will not work for me

Kidding aside, the second session I had some skin rashes, but they have not returned since. I have been out in the sun since then and actually have a bit of a tan in the last week. A bit off from normal, and someone mentioned "chemo tan" on the boards at one time. Though prior to that, I thought I looked pale. (I am the type that thinks about going outside and gets tan normally.)

So far in terms of getting better or worse, for the most part I seem to be fairly random from treatment to treatment in what crops up. The things that are increasing, for me, is the tired feeling post disconnect and numbness in fingers on one hand. But not too bad.

It is strange, but people (who do not know I have had cancer and am on chemo ) who have not seen me in the last few months say I look healthy and "better." Go figure.

ron50 · June 2015

G'day Grace

Honestly If color and how I appeared was anything to go on I would probably have been pronounced dead decades ago. With cancer is a matter of getting thru stages, diagnoses , treatment and then survival. Face one hurdle at a time and you will get there. Someone on another chat asked the other day asked when survival starts from. In my oppinion it starts the moment you are born and never gets easy. Hugs and best wishes for your treatment, Ron.

lizard44 · June 2015

ron50 said:
G'day Grace
Honestly If color and how I appeared was anything to go on I would probably have been pronounced dead decades ago. With cancer is a matter of getting thru stages, diagnoses , treatment and then survival. Face one hurdle at a time and you will get there. Someone on another chat asked the other day asked when survival starts from. In my oppinion it starts the moment you are born and never gets easy. Hugs and best wishes for your treatment, Ron.

Thanks, Ron

I agree with you about facing one hurdle at a time, and goodness knows, you've had many, many hurdles to deal with, as have so many others here. My journey is just beginning, and you are all an inspiration.

The skin color isn't so much a hurdle; it's a bit of a shock when I pass a mirror and see this pale, specter-like creature looking back at me. With my struggle to keep my weight above 80 lbs, and the lack of color I was beginning to get concerned that if I don't get a handle on this between now and October somebody might mistake me for a Halloween decoration!

lp1964 · June 2015

Dear Friend,

The gray color could also be the sign of bad circulation. See if it changes with a little exercise that raises your heart rate. With the chemo you are gettig you also have to watch your hand and feet and keep them moisterized. With such a low weight, have your oncologist double check the dose you are getting and make sure its not to much. If you shoud get too sick don't hasitate to ask to ower the dose. I did.

Good luck with your treatment,

Laz

JanJan63 · June 2015

lp1964 said:
Dear Friend,
The gray color could also be the sign of bad circulation. See if it changes with a little exercise that raises your heart rate. With the chemo you are gettig you also have to watch your hand and feet and keep them moisterized. With such a low weight, have your oncologist double check the dose you are getting and make sure its not to much. If you shoud get too sick don't hasitate to ask to ower the dose. I did.

Good luck with your treatment,

Laz

I can't say I noticed any

I can't say I noticed any changes that way. But I felt so crappy I didn't really care much anyway so it's possible I didn't notice. I didn't lose my hair from chemo but it's really thinned out lately after my several months in the hospital and I've even lost most of my eyelashes and half of my eyebrows. So now I pencil in the eyebrows which I've never done and I'm worried that I'll look stupid or will smear it later and not know. When I was a kid I had a big doll that I used a thick permanent black marker on to give her darker eyebrows. It looked horrible and now I worry that I'll look like that poor doll.

Jan

lizard44 · June 2015

lp1964 said:
Dear Friend,
The gray color could also be the sign of bad circulation. See if it changes with a little exercise that raises your heart rate. With the chemo you are gettig you also have to watch your hand and feet and keep them moisterized. With such a low weight, have your oncologist double check the dose you are getting and make sure its not to much. If you shoud get too sick don't hasitate to ask to ower the dose. I did.

Good luck with your treatment,

Laz

Hi, Laz

Today I'm back on the pump after my second chemo session yesterday. Just like the first tme, I now have some color. I guess the facial flushing I'm experienced is also part of my new normal. Not sure if it's caused by the chemo itself or the steroid, I'll have to ask next time. If the same thing happens this time when they unhook me as it did last time, my color will fade again to ghostly grey. My oncologist seems to be pretty good at figuring the dosage based on my weight- they weigh me before every session and do a complete CBC- everything looked pretty good yesterday, HCT was just a tiny bit low. I've been moisturizing with whipped shea and emu oil on hands and feet and use avocado oil as a facial moisturizer and they seem to be working well. So far, fatigue has been the only side effect, and that's been manageable--I am discovering that I can do a very good sloth imitation I feel very fortunate- especially after reading about the side effects so many others, like Truebrit have suffered through.

janderson1964 · June 2015

I have always had an off

I have always had an off complection when I was doing chemo regardles of what typ of chemo. It should clear up when you finish chemo. If it turns more yellow or your eyes get yellow have them check your bilirubin and liver enzymes right away to be sure the chemo isn't damaging your liver. As far as "new normal". The term is used a lot. I understand the meaning of it but I always like to say there is nothing normal about cutting poisoning and burning our bodies.

ron50 · June 2015

lizard44 said:
Hi, Laz
Today I'm back on the pump after my second chemo session yesterday. Just like the first tme, I now have some color. I guess the facial flushing I'm experienced is also part of my new normal. Not sure if it's caused by the chemo itself or the steroid, I'll have to ask next time. If the same thing happens this time when they unhook me as it did last time, my color will fade again to ghostly grey. My oncologist seems to be pretty good at figuring the dosage based on my weight- they weigh me before every session and do a complete CBC- everything looked pretty good yesterday, HCT was just a tiny bit low. I've been moisturizing with whipped shea and emu oil on hands and feet and use avocado oil as a facial moisturizer and they seem to be working well. So far, fatigue has been the only side effect, and that's been manageable--I am discovering that I can do a very good sloth imitation I feel very fortunate- especially after reading about the side effects so many others, like Truebrit have suffered through.

I remember

Having a good laugh with my oncologist. I had been to my gp a few days before and he was very happy that my cholesterol was around 3 instead of the 7-12 range it was normally in. I commented to my onc that 5fu must be a really good cholesterol drug. He looked at me for a few minutes then said , Ron, most of your cholesterol is produced in your liver. With the chemo therapy your liver is barely functioning , that is why your cholesterol is so low. I looked at him for a few minutes and said ,'Just once couldn't you have lied to me.' Then we both cracked up. Ron.

Is this my new normal?

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