First Chemo Today

Hi there, I am a fellow stage-IIer, alos T2N0M0 and started chemo at about the same time last year. Had 6 months of Folfox.

I was on the other end of the feel good spectrum. I opted out of one of the nausea drugs which Monica referred to. I asked to be taken off of decadron, so I threw up badly for 3 days after every treatment. I thought throwing up was easy but steroids, I didn't want to deal with.

So I got peace of mind by throwing up and got a lot of sympathy from my family and friends who saw me with double-lined waste baskets all around my house :-)

I was quite amazed how much my oncologist let me do my own thing.

I am so glad you're feeling so grand!!!

Enjoy!
Ying

Mickeyw said:

Hi Monica.
I'll get ready for bad TV tonight then. I have already about decided to hang in the recliner tonight and tomorrow night because of the pump that has to run for 48 hours with the 5FU. The worst nighttime TV is the colon cleansing commercial. I chuckle that someone can try to convince me to fight cancer with enemas. I don't doubt that cleansing the colon is a good idea, but I got a good cleaning Dec 14th before the colonoscopy and then another Dec 20th before the surgery.
Thanks for you input, very informative.

I wish someone could convince you to fight cancer by not eating ice cream though.

Besides being full of sugar (even the aspartame laden ones are toxic) it is mucus forming which is not good for the colon. Cancer feeds on sugar.

I hope you rethink that one. How 'bout a blueberry (cancer fighting antioxidants) smoothie with flax oil (cancer fighting) and protein powder with some green powder added in for extra good measure! Better than ice cream any day!

peace, emily who did plenty of coffee enemas in her day and remains cancer free after 5 1/2 years

Mickeyw said:

Hi Monica.
I'll get ready for bad TV tonight then. I have already about decided to hang in the recliner tonight and tomorrow night because of the pump that has to run for 48 hours with the 5FU. The worst nighttime TV is the colon cleansing commercial. I chuckle that someone can try to convince me to fight cancer with enemas. I don't doubt that cleansing the colon is a good idea, but I got a good cleaning Dec 14th before the colonoscopy and then another Dec 20th before the surgery.
Thanks for you input, very informative.

The pump made so much noice that I finally put it in a drawer next to my bead and almost closed the drawer. Also, slept with a pillow over it to drowned out the sound. The clicking sound it makes sounds like a camera taking a picture. I kept dreaming I was a model for the colon calander 2008.
On a more serious note, let us know how things are going. jams

Hi Mickey

It's great that you feel well but some of that is likely the steroid euphoria. The side effects of the oxaliplatin are cumulative. The first few treatments you may not notice so much and they don't last that long. Usually I felt the worse on the day they removed the pump and for several days after that.
As far as diet there is good evidence, especially for gastrointestinal cancers that there is a relationship. In addition, it is pretty well accepted that mutations that can lead to cancer, develop in people on a daily basis but that our immune systems can usually handle them and prevent the cancer from developing. Cancer cells also metabolize faster than most other cells and thus things that are absorbed quickly, like sugar, help to "feed" those cells. Whole grains, and fruits and vegetables have fiber and antioxidants which help moderate the action of the bowel and help the immune system. As much reading and asking questions that you can do on this may affect your long-term survival.

Here's hoping that the rest of your treatments go well.

****

JADot said:

Hi Mickey,

The thing that really helped me through chemo and feeling great was exercise. Mild exercise has so many benefits, oxygen to alkalinize, burns up blood sugar, serotonin, it goes on and on. I had very bad nuropathy so I used to walk with a bank robbers mask :-) In the summer I was also able to swim in my own unheated pool, which in N. California, is not warm at all. I remember my first swim while on chemo, I thought I was just the healthiest, happiest and the coolest person on earth. It did so much to remind me the joy of living and why we fight the beast.

Oh, another thing - plan a heck of a gift for yourself to mark the end of chemo. Start shopping now!

Cheers,
Ying

Hi Mickey. I just started the same Folfox chemo last month and doing okay. I'm 10 years older than you but feel that I can handle what ever it brings. Let's just think of it as an adventure because each week is different. Love my naps also! {and ice cream} Take care!