folfiri + avastin - break after treatment #14

Bellen
Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hello everyone - I will be having a one treatment break after my 14th folfiri + avastin.  For those who have been on folfiri, did you have a treatment break and for how long.  I really feel that I need this - having basically every 12 days (after 5Fu bottle comes off) does not give me much time to recoup my system - go back and forth with constipation/diarrhea (also have small intestine stricture which aggravates stomach issues), nose bleeds, bleeding gums, sore mouth, poor appetite, out of breath (had blood transfusion), slight nausea which has improved (think may be due to taking 40 mg pantolac a.m.).  Also have 5 days of WBC shots (spinal, bone pain) so have home nurse 6 days in a row.  Twice, I have had a high fever and chills. Went to ER (5 hrs in our Canadian Emerg - ugh!) - did batch of additional bloodwork, as my temp came down and normal bloodwork did not show infection, low WBC.  Gave me strong antibiotic Rx.  

I get about 3-4 days when I feel pretty good - just before start again.  

Sorry for all the info, but was wondering how long of a break your Onco might have recommended when on folfiri plus avastin.  I was a little disappointed with my CT scan after 12th chemo that reported there was not much change in the larger liver tumours, but some minimal change in small ones. I have multiple liver tumours. After 6th chemo the CT scan said "markedly reduced".  The positive thing about this last scan, my Onco said, was thst nothing new showed.

Did anyone, who was on folfiri, change to a different chemo cocktail afterward a period of time - such as Folfox or other?   Thank you so much for your support and info.  i appreciate all of your input and support.  Best to all.

Comments

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    edited April 2017 #2
    Treatment Break

    Hi all - I had my 14th treatment folfiri, and will be taking a one-treatment break.  Also I am not having 5 days of neupogen WBC shots, which I am very happy about as they cause spinal and sternum bone pain.  It will be interesting to see how long it takes to feel a bit more normal. Because I have the 5Fu bottle on for 2 additional days, it has made chemo every 12 days.  

    My Onco and me feel that I need a break - even had chills and fever that put me at ER last treatment, as well as having all the other side effects.  Looking so forward to this break, because once I get through next few days, hoping I will possibly have few weeks of feeling more "normal".  Over summer, also having a 3 wk treatment, instead of 2 - and a longer period in our summer months.  Onco said he will do a CT scan to check tumours along the way here, and that will determine the breaks.  As long as tumours are stable, he said I could have these breaks.  Knowing the chemo is probably a "forever" treatment, these breaks will be nice to have.  Thanks everyone for your support.  You give everyone hope - something we all need and so appreciate.  Bellen

  • Joan M
    Joan M Member Posts: 409 Member
    edited April 2017 #3
    So happy for you!  It will be

    So happy for you!  It will be good for you to have some time to recoup from all the chemo.  It takes a worse toll on some more than others.   

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #4
    I'm sorry I missed your post

    I'm sorry I missed your post earlier. I don't have anything helpful to add but I would also be wondering if I'd used something for that long and it had done very little. At least they arent' growing bigger but it must be very disappointing.

    Jan

  • Bellen
    Bellen Member Posts: 281 Member
    #5
    2 CT scans so far

    I have had two scans so far.  Mainly looking at multiple lesions in liver.  The colon cancer has never been reported in the scan, only seen with colonoscopy.  Don't undersand why some people's CRC shows up in scans, and mine does not.  I had a colonoscopy in 2014 and was told to come back in 7-10 yrs.  In 2016 ultrasound found all these adenocarcinoma liver lesions metastisizing from CRC - wow, that was quick!  The first CT scan said tumour response was markedly reduced, which I thought was very good.  This one said some had reduced minimally, but my Onco was pleased that nothing new was reported.  This is mainly what my Onco is saying is positive about this second scan.  I will continue on same chemo after my one-chemo break - very much looking forward to it, and don't have to have the WBC shots, so added bonus to maybe feel more normal.  Will report on how I feel after a few weeks.  

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