FOLFOX and Avastin - anyone on these?

scouty said:

The drugs you listed are folfox 6 so we are the same. I too am stage IV with mets to the liver and one spot on my lung. I got my port-a-cath the same day as my first chemo treatment. Here is my day there. After sitting down, a nurse takes blood (they did not have to do that the first time). They hook up a needle and tubing from the port to the IV pump (has not hurt either time). Next are 6 anti-nausea pills by mouth. They take 30 minutes before they hook up the first chemo drugs. Oxaplatin and Lev at the same time for 2 hours. Next is the Avastin for an hour and a half. Then a push (a syringe with 5FU that only take a few minutes for the nurse to give). Then they hook up to a "fanny pack". There is a pump with it and the chemo IV bag fits nicely in it. You can wear it as a fanny pack or over your shoulder. It weighs about as much as a normal purse does (unless it is my mother's "beach bag" purse). A nurse comes to my house 46 hours later and unhooks me and checks everything out. I have found that as long as I eat solid foods (I changed to a 5 smaller meal regime after my surgery last fall). I had a perforated colon that became severe perintonitis last November. Durn near died then, but it wasn't my time. My old doctor could not find the cause of the perforation so I got a temp. colostomy bag then. He then found my colorectal tumor the end of February by accident. I have since changed doctors. Where are you located? I am in North Carolina and going to the UNC School of Medicine. Tell hubby to wear a button down shirt to his treatments...I didn't my first time and got to wear the same blouse for 2 solid days (I smelled lovely). Drink lots of water the 24-36 hours before the chemo. Eat the day of it also. Food in my tummy is why I think I have not felt any nausea so far. I drink lukewarm water like a camel the 3-4 days after the treatment (you can't have anything cold to eat of drink after the oxaloplatin for 5 days). I took food with me this last time. I take books to read and a pad of paper to write on. They have water and other drinks at my chemo center as well as peanut butter crackers and cups of soup. There are places close by to pick up lunch too but I liked taking my own. Some sleep and listen to cds with their headphones while there too. My side effects have been minor thus far. The cold stuff gets old, wearing gloves to get something out of the refridgerator of freezer really works but looks silly. I even took a glove to my grocery store with me yesterday. I exercised more right after my chemo this time (mostly walking and mowing my yard some). I think the "keeping the blood flowing" full of as much water as I can helps. I have a hard time going the sleep the first few nights after chemo so I sleep later. I get up when I am ready. I have slept until noon a few times over the weekends right after. I take the day off for chemo and only work a half day the day after. Then I have a weekend and back to full time the following Monday so far. I do tire much quicker. Chemo brain is alive and well too....forgeting a sentence midstream, etc. I now have another excuse to go with age. I am 49 and was healthy until all of this, just had a few very stressful years that got me (I think). I have short burst of headaches but think that is because I am kicking caffeine and sugar (thanks to our resident nutritionist, Emily!!!). Emily recommened the book "Beating Cancer With Nutrition" by Dr. Patrick Quillin. It is an awesome resource. He is the Nutrition Director for the Cancer Centers of America and has been for 10 years.

Can not believe how I have rambled on....will stop for now but am here for you and hubby...hope his experience is as good as mine or even better. You both are in my fondest thoughts.


Lisa P.

scouty said:

sent you an email... hope you get it, if not, let me know. keep being you, but also take care of you as I said in my email. expect mostly good days but there will be a few bad. most of all, keep your sense of humor and your belief in things none of us can control.

lisa p.