First time user

NHMike said:

Hello Barry,

Hello Barry,

I've heard many comment on sensitivity to cold. Could you describe how that manifests itself? Do you feel chilled all the time or do lower temperatures make you feel funny?

 

thanks,

mike

Hi ike,

It starts within the first hour of my treatment, for the 4 treatments that I have had. When I touch something cold, such as anything in the refridgerator or freezer, it feels like an electric shock. Over the days following thr treatment days it does lessen in it's severity, but is appears that with each treatment it last longer. It is not a pleasant feeling and a constant reminder that you are on chemo. I also ride a motorcycle; the other night I went for a ride and by the time I got to my destination my hands were in serioud pain from the cool air (64 degrees).

Again, ot a pleasant feeling!

beaumontdave said:

Barry Welcome! Sounds like

Barry Welcome! Sounds like your well informed about a lot of things, so I'll just share my experience with Folfox[including 5fu]. I couldn'd drink anything cold, felt it first at my epiglotis[the punching bag in your throat]. Contacting cold water was like being shocked electrically on my hands or feet. I fatiqued quicker, especially in hot weather. I did all twelve treatments and felt the effects of neuropathy lingering for about a year and a half. I worked all through treatment, even with the pump on my hip running to the port on my chest. I went a little slower and took more breaks, but I got through it. I share my experience as one end of the spectrum of possible reactions to chemo, I know many had a very rough time with it, and some suffer permanent damage, so your cautious approach to how many rounds you do, is smart. The effects on me started after the first treatment and stayed constant until well after the last. The other thing that happened and I really didn't connect the two things at the time, was an increase in the "floaters" in my eyes. That about covers my experience, I hope yours is even better/easier..................................................Dave

I have experienced the floaters with my eyes too, but not too much at this point. I will be sitting, and I think I see something move like a bug or a mouse, but I now realize that it was my eyes being effected by the chemo.

MommaAos said:

My daughter

My daughter has stage 3a colon cancer.  She just finished her 2nd infusion and has lots of hand pain. Im so fearful of the future side effects. How are you doing ? I need encouragement 

Hi Momma,

The side affects were pretty much the same for the 1st 4 treatments; sensitivity to cold, nausea, tiredness, food not tasting good and so on. Most of the affects lasted the first 7 to 8 days after the treatment date. After yesterday's treatment will will continue until tomorrow via pump, I felt the neuropathy set in right away (sounds like that what your daughter experienced). Today those feelings have lessened, however, the sensitivity to cold still remains, which is really the constant reminder to the chemo. Let your daughter know that the time does move along qicker than you think, and a positive attitude to what she is fighting is so so important.

I am a camper; to use an analogy, it is like while on treatment you are sitting in front of the campfire, but you know that in the woods behind you there is a black bear waiting for te fire to go out. The campfire is that positive attitude, don'tlet the fire go out!