Oxaliplatin Tingling and Sensitivity to Cold

I've never had a reaction like that. I did drink a milkshake after once, and it froze my tongue and lips enough that my speech was slurred making it very hard to talk.
I think you need to discuss this with your onc. Let us know what you find out.
Jo Ann

Hi Cheryl -

What you describe does not really surprise me.

I was "lucky" enough to have my chemo only from July through November and here in DC that means, mostly hot / warm weather. After my first treatment I only had the cold sensitivity when touching something or drinking something. And it only really lasted about 5 days. But after the second treatment (and remember this was August in DC which means 90+ degrees) I went to little shopping center to buy something and I walked on the sidewalk past a store which had AC on but also had the door open. A blast of cool air hit me and my whole face twisted up and my throat did that "constricting thing". It didn't last long, but my point is that this happened on a 90 degree day and there was certainly nothing blowing the cold air on me. So, bundle up when you go out, at least for the first several days. In a colder climate I am sure the effects are even more extreme (since my reaction was just to a single blast of cold air).

By the way - I came to call the headache/body aching thing(which started at the end of my first day) the "chemo flu" - it was gone by day 3 - but it happened like clockwork with every treatment (but never got worse, just the same thing every time).

People do react differently to oxaliplatin - most experience the kind of tingling peripheral neuropathy that you describe. The tips of my fingers tingled if I used them (as in typing) for a day or two (but I still kept typing). I once chopped celery with gloves on! Only had one episode of foot pain - not pleasant, but only lasted two days and never recurred. In my case, however, which is unusual according to my oncologist and also according to what I have observed on this board, I had very acute neuropathy in the arm that received the infusion (no port) for several days and took 2+ weeks to resolve completely. But, after I stopped chemo I had absolutely NO residual neuropathy - except for an incredible coldness in my feet which resolved by March(2006) when the weather started to warm up and didn't recur again this winter.

Take care and come back with questions,
Betsy

Yes, I too had the tingling with the oxi but PLEASE be sure to tell your nurse how much your eye lids, face and gums became involved, to say nothing of the throat...BEFORE you take your next chemo tx. They usually ask before giving you each tx but ALWAYS BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE The severity of the side effects hits us all a bit differently....that's why it's good to give a thorough report on "your" reaction. Let us know how it goes!We'll be here!

Ruth777 said:

Senitvity to cold

Hello Everyone, I'm new to this forum and it looks like a lot of good info shared here. My daughter found it for me after my bad reaction yesterday after my first Oxaliplatin infusion. I had oral 5FU in my first round of chemo during radiation but no infusions that time. I was diagnosed with stage 2B colorectal cancer in February and did the oral chemo and radiation for 6 weeks. Side effects were minimal, mostly senitivity in my fingers to hot so had to wear gloves to do dishes.  Then I had surgery in June which included the ileostomy from hell! None of the bags would stick to my skin except for the ones that

I was allergic to the adhesive!  After 2 months my surgen finally reversed the ileostomy. 

I started my next round of chemo yesterday, oral Zeloda and Oxaliplatin infusion.  Afterwards my daughter an I went to the store and on the way out we decided to get an ice cream!  I knew they said there "MAY" be a sensitivity to cold, but I thought it would take a few days like it did when i started the Zeloda last time. I took a bite of chocolate  immediately my tongue started tinging and it felt like the ice cream was fizzy! It also tasted extremely salty! My daughter tasted it and said it was a little salty, so I got a different flavor but the fizzyness and tingle were still there. I took a couple more bites but just couldn't handle it and told her i was going to take it home for my hubby.  As we sat in the truck so she could eat hers before driving, I ate a piece of chocolate to see if it would taste salty also, it didn't but as I tried to lick the back of my teeth I couldn't controll m tongue. She asked if it was swollen cuz I sounded funny. I looked in thd mirror and said yesth! And my lips were going numb. She called my onchologist office and the nurse what was goinv on and she told me to immediatly go to the ER but on our way there they called back and said to come back to the office so I wouldn't have to wait in ER.

They gave me IV Benadryl and in a few minutes my tongue and lips went back to normal. I think they need to be a little more adamant about warning patients of this cold reaction and tell them what to expect. I was only told I might have a "sensitivity" to cold! Never that I might have a severe reaction to it Like my tongue swelling!  After my reactions, they then told me that I shouldn't stand in front of the freezer to long, and to wear gloves to take things out of the freezer. Also ifni go outside in the cold I need to wear a scarf over my face! 

This morning I have a severe headache and last night and this moring when I first bite down to eat anything my jaws hurt for the first couple of times i chew! 

My daughter also found tjis info that I am going to ask my onchologist about. 

"Too bad no one told you about the treatment (suggested by Oxaliplatin or Eloxatin's manufacturer, Sanofi-Aventis) to reduce side effects such as neuropathy and cold sensitivity. The treatment consists of 1000 mg. Calcium Gluconate and 1000 mg. Magnesium Sulfate both before and after your Oxaliplatin infusion. At first, it didnt' seem to make much of a differance for me. After the second treatment, I noticed significant improvement. I'm told by my various nurses that improvement is cumulative. I believe in being informed. I learned of this particular treatment from a guest physician at an "I Can Cope" class put on by the American Cancer Society. By the way, this is the class from which I learned the most. I was the one who took the information to my physician and requested this treatment to reduce side effects. Sanofi-Aventis said that they sent a flyer recently to all prescribing oncologists about this treatment, but I had to ask for it. If Oxaliplatin is really not for you, !

 look into FOLFIRI as a treatment option, that is if you are using 5FU currently. "

Thank you al for your imput !

Blessings, Ruth

 

Welcome to the forum, Ruth.

May I suggest that you start a brand new thread, just copy and paste what you have written here. 

This is a VERY old thread, and sadly some of our members have passed on. 

I know that those of us who post to the fourm would love to welcome you here, and that would best be done in your own thread. 

I am sorry that you have joined the fight, but now that you have, joining us here will prove to be a good move, 

I look forward to seeing this post in a new thread. 

Sue - Trubrit