On the Home Stretch

last hurrah
oh Vicki I am so sorry you had to be so sick....maybe it was the last hurrah of chemo! good stuff for hanging in there.

Hugs and thinking of you
Mag

Yea!!!!!!
How about Propel? I HATED gatorade, but even tho Propel is by the same company, it was great for me. And it gave me extra B-complex to boot!!!

Congrats for the 'removal'!!!!

Hugs, Kathi

STARTING CHEMO
Hi my mane is Edgar and i have newly dx with colon ca. I am 43 yrs old and it's hard to cope with all this at once. I'll be starting Chemo in January the 8th and i am kind of worried.
They say i am stage II ca and i have 0 lymphnodes comprimised but i still need chemo for 6 months, i am scared and i don't know if i can deal with the side effects of the chemo.
It's been 3 weeks since my surgery and i still have problems with my bowels. I have alot of diarrhea, bloating, alot of gas and abd discomfort. I really need advice from someone who went throu this before. If you can tell me what you went throu and what to expect it would be very helpful. Also can you tell me about your diet and what can you eat and not eat during a regular day in your life. I really Thank you and wait for your responce
Edgar

OUTSTANDING!
So glad you finished! DANCING (not naked, the curtains are open!)! I know you are feeling great relief! I have a picture on my wall in my office from the last day of my original chemo rounds! I have a bouquet of flowers my daughter brought to me and I even still had hair! I didn't have as much problems with nausea the first time around, so I didn't lose much hair, it only thinned so I just cut it short! Even though I have since gone more rounds of surgery and chemo, I still like that picture and can remember the joy of finishing! It won't be fun for you when you have to go back because you will remember the bad times of this past round, but just remember that you ARE stronger than the beast and you WILL overcome! Enjoy the new year!
mary

VickiCO said:

Hi Edgar
It is very scary to be DX'd and to wonder what is happening and what will happen. I have a bit different route than you do, having completed 6 weeks of 5FU chemo and radiation before surgery for a stage 3 rectal tumor. I will have surgery in about 3-4 weeks, and will then also go on 6 months of chemo again, so I cannot offer any advice about the aftereffects of the surgery yet, but many on this board can. As to side effects from chemo - they are individual. In my case, I had nausea, but it was controlled with meds. I had extreme, unbelievable exhaustion - but suspect that was the radiation combined with chemo. After 3 weeks I could not drive, or some days even walk. There was both constipation and diarrhea, with tricky back-and-forth meds adjustments. And at the end I had neuropathy on my hands, not so much my feet. BUT, others have had much less side effects, so that does not mean you will have these. It depends on what chemo mix you will receive. And how hard you fight! I am a fighter so I tried not to give in.

The key is communication. Talk to your doctors and nurses. Ask questions! Come to this board and talk...there are many very knowledgeable and helpful folks here. And hang in there. Yes, it is scary, but this is a BEATABLE cancer. Keep fighting.

Hope this helps. Vicki

chemo after surgery
Hi Vicki
I too have rectal cancer. I had 30 rounds of radiation with the pump. Then surgery with a temporary iliostomy. Then 4 more months of folfox. The dr at UCSF said that I would have 4 months since I had already had the 6 weeks of chemo. I was DX in aug 2006. 11 our of 15 nodes positive. So, stage IIIc. No so good but at least it wasn't stage Iv. Then back in march I had a reoccurance. But they caught it early so I had 13 rounds of folfiri and now I'm going to start maintance. Good luck to you. Have are you feeling after all the radiation?

EDGAR43 said:

STARTING CHEMO
Hi my mane is Edgar and i have newly dx with colon ca. I am 43 yrs old and it's hard to cope with all this at once. I'll be starting Chemo in January the 8th and i am kind of worried.
They say i am stage II ca and i have 0 lymphnodes comprimised but i still need chemo for 6 months, i am scared and i don't know if i can deal with the side effects of the chemo.
It's been 3 weeks since my surgery and i still have problems with my bowels. I have alot of diarrhea, bloating, alot of gas and abd discomfort. I really need advice from someone who went throu this before. If you can tell me what you went throu and what to expect it would be very helpful. Also can you tell me about your diet and what can you eat and not eat during a regular day in your life. I really Thank you and wait for your responce
Edgar

So Sorry
Hi Edgar,

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this, but you're at the right place. I, too, was Stage II-b with no nodes. After surgery I had a few bowel issues, but here's a secret--boil some rice w/just a teeny smidgen of salt, or even better, no salt. Don't boil the rice all the way; just boil it until you see the water a thick and cloudy. Pour the water into a container, let it cool, and drink. You don't need more than a glass. The starch in the water will bind up your stomach very well. This is an old remedy from Africa when diarrhea strikes, and it really works.

As for the chemo, here's my story. The day I went in for my first treatment, my husband was with me. I was terrified. He then announced to the whole room that this was my first treatment and that I was scared witless. Needless to say, I could have strangled him on the spot. What happened was that everyone chimed in. Those on the same regimen (Folfox5, which is what I'm assuming you're going to get) gave me all sorts of helpful advice, assurance, phone numbers, this website, etc etc. The chemo nurses were awesome. Don't be afraid.

Now I'm not going to tell you exactly what to expect, because everyone is different and everyone has different reactions to the chemo. I'm just going to give you some general rules that really should be followed. Here goes:

1. Stay hydrated, even if you don't feel like putting ANYTHING in your mouth. Dehydration can make everything a lot harder than it needs to be. I speak from experience.

2. Optimize your nutrition. Even if you don't feel like eating, eat something--preferably something useful to your body. I speak from experience.

3. Stay away from cold things. If you're outside, put a scarf over your nose & mouth. Don't touch cold things. Wear gloves if you reach into the refrigerator or freezer. Drink all fluids warm or at room temperature. Wear something on your feet when on tile floors unless you enjoy hopping like a kangaroo. Many humorous things have happened due to the cold sensitivity, but they don't seem amusing at the time (like dropping a 5 lb roast and hollering at the supermarket.)

4. Tell your doctor if any numbness/tingling (neuropathy) persists before each session. The effects are cumulative, so be very aware of what's going on with your body & speak up. If you get serious neuropathy it could be permanent if you take a treatment too early. I speak from experience. Didn't want to delay treatment, so kept silent--bad idea.

5. Know what you're supposed to be getting at each treatment. Ask what bag is being hung every time. It's a precaution you should take, because treatment rooms can get very busy and it's easy for a mistake to be made--not common, but possible. I speak from experience.

6. Exercise as much as possible. It will help with the fatigue, believe it or not. I speak from experience

7. If you get depressed, get on antidepressants. Don't try to macho your way through it; it's hard enough without having to battle the major blues. I speak from experience.

Well, that's my lecture for the day. The best thing you can carry is a sense of humor about things. No, nothing much is funny about this whole thing, but you will find amusement in the unlikeliest situations. Also, you will feel better if you can mentor someone else through this. By your 3rd treatment you will feel like an old pro.

We are all here for you and will keep you in our prayers. Come often, ask questions, be involved in your cure!

Hugs,
Kirsten

kmygil said:

So Sorry
Hi Edgar,

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this, but you're at the right place. I, too, was Stage II-b with no nodes. After surgery I had a few bowel issues, but here's a secret--boil some rice w/just a teeny smidgen of salt, or even better, no salt. Don't boil the rice all the way; just boil it until you see the water a thick and cloudy. Pour the water into a container, let it cool, and drink. You don't need more than a glass. The starch in the water will bind up your stomach very well. This is an old remedy from Africa when diarrhea strikes, and it really works.

As for the chemo, here's my story. The day I went in for my first treatment, my husband was with me. I was terrified. He then announced to the whole room that this was my first treatment and that I was scared witless. Needless to say, I could have strangled him on the spot. What happened was that everyone chimed in. Those on the same regimen (Folfox5, which is what I'm assuming you're going to get) gave me all sorts of helpful advice, assurance, phone numbers, this website, etc etc. The chemo nurses were awesome. Don't be afraid.

Now I'm not going to tell you exactly what to expect, because everyone is different and everyone has different reactions to the chemo. I'm just going to give you some general rules that really should be followed. Here goes:

1. Stay hydrated, even if you don't feel like putting ANYTHING in your mouth. Dehydration can make everything a lot harder than it needs to be. I speak from experience.

2. Optimize your nutrition. Even if you don't feel like eating, eat something--preferably something useful to your body. I speak from experience.

3. Stay away from cold things. If you're outside, put a scarf over your nose & mouth. Don't touch cold things. Wear gloves if you reach into the refrigerator or freezer. Drink all fluids warm or at room temperature. Wear something on your feet when on tile floors unless you enjoy hopping like a kangaroo. Many humorous things have happened due to the cold sensitivity, but they don't seem amusing at the time (like dropping a 5 lb roast and hollering at the supermarket.)

4. Tell your doctor if any numbness/tingling (neuropathy) persists before each session. The effects are cumulative, so be very aware of what's going on with your body & speak up. If you get serious neuropathy it could be permanent if you take a treatment too early. I speak from experience. Didn't want to delay treatment, so kept silent--bad idea.

5. Know what you're supposed to be getting at each treatment. Ask what bag is being hung every time. It's a precaution you should take, because treatment rooms can get very busy and it's easy for a mistake to be made--not common, but possible. I speak from experience.

6. Exercise as much as possible. It will help with the fatigue, believe it or not. I speak from experience

7. If you get depressed, get on antidepressants. Don't try to macho your way through it; it's hard enough without having to battle the major blues. I speak from experience.

Well, that's my lecture for the day. The best thing you can carry is a sense of humor about things. No, nothing much is funny about this whole thing, but you will find amusement in the unlikeliest situations. Also, you will feel better if you can mentor someone else through this. By your 3rd treatment you will feel like an old pro.

We are all here for you and will keep you in our prayers. Come often, ask questions, be involved in your cure!

Hugs,
Kirsten

rice water!
My oncologist said 'What?' when i was talking out using rice water for the diarrhea! He asked me exactly what it was, perhaps using it to pass on to other patients! It totally works! Mother used it when we were little. I never add salt either, it's not like you're drinking a ton of the water anyhow!

Your husband's announcing to the room made me laugh! I am sure you were mortified, but look at all the help you got! We've all been there done that! What an angel he was and probably still is!
mary

msccolon said:

rice water!
My oncologist said 'What?' when i was talking out using rice water for the diarrhea! He asked me exactly what it was, perhaps using it to pass on to other patients! It totally works! Mother used it when we were little. I never add salt either, it's not like you're drinking a ton of the water anyhow!

Your husband's announcing to the room made me laugh! I am sure you were mortified, but look at all the help you got! We've all been there done that! What an angel he was and probably still is!
mary

rice water .....i'll try it !!! thank you
I'll let you know what it does for me and i thank you in advance.
God bless
Edgar