chemo held

dn220
dn220 Member Posts: 79 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Well went for treatment today and since I had been to ER last week then to office for fluids had to see my doc. Usually dont see her but every month. Well she held my chemo this week til next week, said I needed a "break". she also said that they consider the duration and severity of the side effects as how well the chemo is working and that mine should be doing the job. Has anyone else been told this? Gosh, if being sick from chemo is the case, then I should be cured. Still going thru about 70 colostomy bags a month! Ran out this onth before they came in. Those bags can only be washed out so many times before it gets ridiculous. She said there is nothing else they can give me for the diarrhea so she is decreasing my dose by 5% next week. This is the 3rd decrease. She also said the sweating is not from the drugs, that is probably from my hormones or I should say lack of. Before colon cancer I was on hormone patch due to hysterectomy but they stopped them when second cancer popped up. Does anyone else have bad sweats with folfox?
deb

Comments

  • Moesimo
    Moesimo Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #2
    I received only 4 out of 12 post op treatments of 5fu and leukovorin. I was so sick i had to be hospitalized and was on TPN IV nutrition for about 3 weeks. I had had a hyst. 10 years earlier but kept my ovaries, had terrible night sweats that i think were hormonal. They did get better.

    It sounds like you do need a break from the chemo. Hang in there and let your body heal. You will get through this. If I can help at all with the ostomy, just email me.

    Maureen
  • cjf2006
    cjf2006 Member Posts: 83
    #3
    I had night sweats particularly. I'd get drenched and then chilled. I had some night sweats when going through menopause, but that has been a very long time ago. I also had a low-grade fever with it. I was taken off folfox after 8 treatments because the neuropathy was getting bad. I also got a nasty intestinal infection. So, yes, you get breaks , or taken off the stuff, when it makes you too sick, even though the folfox was working. My CEA dropped from over 600 to 19 in just a few months. It's never been that low since.
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #4
    When i was first diagnosed i did the FOLFOX after resection and had to stop the oxaliplatin after 3 treatments from the neuropathy. I have since had CPT-11 and Avastin and i tend to sweat alot while the drugs are going through my system. I flush as well, which is very noticable and sometimes extends all the way to my chest. I do know it gets better, so i don't worry about it. I also had a full hyst with my last surgery for a recurrence on my right ovary, but who knows which one causes the hot flashes! I do know that i don't have hot flashes nearly as bad when i am away from the chemo as i do when i am in the middle of it.
  • JMARIE66
    JMARIE66 Member Posts: 55
    #5
    Deb-My husband is constantly sweating!! He gets ready for work in the am and is dripping by the time he is walking out the door. His pillow is wet allot from sweating too!! It seems he cannot control his body tempature. Even if he is cold-he is sweating. This does seem worse right after treatment. He did take a few breaks from chemo-2times because his body needed the break and once for vacation. Make sure your doctor checked your potassium levels. This seemed to be his problem and once taking potassium pill, diareha not so bad. He just finished his last chemo last week, so still dealing w/the side effects~this last one hit him pretty bad~and hoping to be done! You will get through this!!!
  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    #6
    Hi Deb: As I have said before, I did 5 out of 8 folfox treatments. I did finish the 8 treatments with the full amount of 5fu. I finished radiation with 5fu just barely. My oxaliplatin was reduced three times. My doctors - oncologist, surgeon, radiation onocologist, primary care - put great emphasis on that fact that they don't know who much chemo is enough, they know the maximum that makes a difference. No one wants to volunteer for the trial "less is more" but they are collecting data from people like me. The risk to my health of trying to finish the oxaliplatin was greater than the reward in my oncologist's view. I wasn't given an option. I am currently ned and have been for a year plus. I also had a number of breaks. Many people don't finish "all the chemo" it doesn't mean it isn't working, my doctors were of the opinion that the amount I had was more than enough. Hang in there.

    Pam

Discussion Boards