Start my next round tomorrow - Update

VickiCO
VickiCO Member Posts: 917
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Now that surgery is nearly 7 weeks out, they are starting my mop-up chemo tomorrow morning (3/23). I am lucky - 5 days in a row, then 3 weeks off, repeat for a total of 4 times. I am getting a Bolus of 5FU and leucevorin. Also a drip of anti-nausea and probably antibiotics...not sure yet. Anyway, I only have to do this 4 times and then they say I am finished. I feel good that they can't find any cancer anywhere, but I am still a bit nervous about the chemo. I am just starting to feel good, you know?

Wish me luck...Vicki
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Comments

  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #2
    YOU'RE GOING TO DO GREAT!
    Vicki -

    Sounds like you have the good package; I had to do one day a week x 6 mo. Since you will be spreading your treatment out over a period of days, I would suspect that you will get lower dosages each day versus one big fat bolus on one day.

    Chemo treats everyone differently and tends to have a cumulative effect - it builds up in your system, so you may feel fine early on in your treatment regime and then have problems with the meds later on in your cycle.

    I do recommend that you get yourself into an exercise regime now as it will help you a lot with fatigue later on in your treatment. Drink lots of water and remember, the meds are killing those pesky hang-on cells that could make you sick down the road, so it's a necessary step in staying well!

    - SB
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #3
    will remember you in prayer Vicki
    I'll remember you in prayer this week. I'm hoping my white cells are back to normal so I can have round three on Wednesday. I go every 2 weeks, get a bolus that day and wear home a fanny pack for 46 hours.

    I think you'll get a steroid instead of antibiotic. The steroid or bendaryl type drug helps prevent reactions.

    ♥ ♥ ♥
    Diane
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #4
    spongebob said:

    YOU'RE GOING TO DO GREAT!
    Vicki -

    Sounds like you have the good package; I had to do one day a week x 6 mo. Since you will be spreading your treatment out over a period of days, I would suspect that you will get lower dosages each day versus one big fat bolus on one day.

    Chemo treats everyone differently and tends to have a cumulative effect - it builds up in your system, so you may feel fine early on in your treatment regime and then have problems with the meds later on in your cycle.

    I do recommend that you get yourself into an exercise regime now as it will help you a lot with fatigue later on in your treatment. Drink lots of water and remember, the meds are killing those pesky hang-on cells that could make you sick down the road, so it's a necessary step in staying well!

    - SB

    Thanks SpongeBob
    yes, I started my walking routine again. I made it almost a mile yesterday...I used to power walk 3-5 miles, 4 times a week before I got the beast. I can't bike yet...that darned seat, you know? LOL!

    When I went through the radiation/chemo before surgery, the thing that got me the worst was the extreme exhaustion. I am hoping that most of it was from the radiation, and I can keep on top of this.

    Vicki
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #5
    dianetavegia said:

    will remember you in prayer Vicki
    I'll remember you in prayer this week. I'm hoping my white cells are back to normal so I can have round three on Wednesday. I go every 2 weeks, get a bolus that day and wear home a fanny pack for 46 hours.

    I think you'll get a steroid instead of antibiotic. The steroid or bendaryl type drug helps prevent reactions.

    ♥ ♥ ♥
    Diane

    Thanks Diane
    Prayer is good. Prayer took away my tumor! Along with some very good doctors and treatments.

    yes, I meant steroids...chemo brain in advance!

    Vicki
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #6
    What Great News
    Vicki that is so awesome. I know you said you are doing so well after surgery and that is great. You are lucky with only the four times. I'm hoping that all goes well for you this week. Are you not having that oxi chemo? If not, you are lucky. I'm not looking forward to having that at all. Good luck to you and let us know how you are feeling.

    Hugs!
    Kim
  • kimby
    kimby Member Posts: 797
    #7
    Wishing you Luck, as requested!
    So, go mop it up, girl! You can do this. I know it's frustrating just when you're feeling good again but it will go so much quicker than you think. Keep Smiling

    Kimby
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #8
    Go, Vicki!
    You can do it, Vicki! Come here anytime you need a little hand holding.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #9
    tootsie1 said:

    Go, Vicki!
    You can do it, Vicki! Come here anytime you need a little hand holding.

    *hugs*
    Gail

    OK Buddy....My Turn.......LOL.....
    as you say.....Its the final countdown........It doesn't matter if it makes you sick as a dog you know that it will end after 4 treatments.....look at everything you have gone through....almost home sweetie and I sure am proud of ya...you are a warrior...I actually enjoyed getting sick cause I knew I was gonna feel better sooner or later and getting sick just made me that much madder and determined to get rid of this mess and move on with my life....if it comes back on me fine...I'll kick its tail again.....and you'll do the same if you had to, but take each day, live it fully then go to bed knowing that there was nothing more that you wanted to do that day that you didn't get to...I am living the rest of my life that way.......and your treatments will be over very quickly...and then its back to normalcy......enjoy your life buddy...you deserve it.....God Bless you....Your almost home..........
  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 Member Posts: 370 Member
    #10
    Hi Vicki
    Hope you tolerate
    Hi Vicki
    Hope you tolerate your chemo treatments well. As you have probably seen on a lot of the posts, the first rounds go easiest, then the tiredness or side effects may start later, or not at all if you are lucky! The chemo gives us all a better chance of killing off any stray cells that may have survived your surgery and previous treatments, and I think is worth it. I took some crocheting with me the first couple of times to occupy myself. Wishing you the best.
    Pam
  • rrob
    rrob Member Posts: 158
    #11
    Chemo wishes
    Vicki,

    Good luck with your chemo. I'll be thinking of you and praying that it goes quickly and that you are one of the lucky ones with little or no side effects. You're already lucky--you're cancer-free!

    Rebecca
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #12
    Annabelle41415 said:

    What Great News
    Vicki that is so awesome. I know you said you are doing so well after surgery and that is great. You are lucky with only the four times. I'm hoping that all goes well for you this week. Are you not having that oxi chemo? If not, you are lucky. I'm not looking forward to having that at all. Good luck to you and let us know how you are feeling.

    Hugs!
    Kim

    Yes, I am lucky
    Kim,

    I do NOT have to have oxi! They determined that if the lymph nodes were clear, we would just do 5FU & leucovorin. I am blessed for sure.

    Thanks, Vicki
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #13
    Thanks Everyone!
    I am off to the chemo center in a couple of hours. I was looking forward to driving myself, but I had a bad diarrhea attack last night that left me sore and bleeding, so hubby stayed home and will take me. It's hard to sit upright today and it's harder to drive while lying sideways! LOL!

    Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts. I know I will be fine, with all of you at my back!

    Vicki
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #14
    VickiCO said:

    Thanks Everyone!
    I am off to the chemo center in a couple of hours. I was looking forward to driving myself, but I had a bad diarrhea attack last night that left me sore and bleeding, so hubby stayed home and will take me. It's hard to sit upright today and it's harder to drive while lying sideways! LOL!

    Thanks for the prayers and good thoughts. I know I will be fine, with all of you at my back!

    Vicki

    sorry to hear that
    Hope your tummy is better by now. I will tell you, I was so wobbly after my treatments that I'm glad I had one of our sons to drive me back and forth.

    Hope today goes well.

    ♥ ♥ ♥
    Diane
  • colon2
    colon2 Member Posts: 183
    #15
    dianetavegia said:

    sorry to hear that
    Hope your tummy is better by now. I will tell you, I was so wobbly after my treatments that I'm glad I had one of our sons to drive me back and forth.

    Hope today goes well.

    ♥ ♥ ♥
    Diane

    Good luck
    I will be thinking of you and sending prayers and good wishes that all goes well. I am going in for my 3rd treatment in a couple of hours, and I'm actually looking forward to it. Another one bites the dust, if you know what i mean. The sooner we get them done, the sooner we can get back to normal. Or whatever normal is gonna be. I know it will be good, whatever it is.
    God Bless You
    Carletta
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #16
    probably on your way
    Look forward to hearing from you how good you're feeling and how happy you are to have one down! I pray this treatment will go well. I am sure you mentioned the diarrhea to your onc nurses since 5FU and Leucovorin can make this even worse. Hope you are feeling better soon.
    mary
  • kmygil
    kmygil Member Posts: 876 Member
    #17
    How are you feeling?
    I'm sorry you had the runny attack, but you do what ya gotta do.... How did the chemo go? I hope you got out of there without any issues. You know we're all praying for you--you're on the home stretch now! Hang in there.

    Hugs,
    Kirsten
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #18
    Thnaks everyone..today was OK
    So far, so good. I know it's day 1, but my new Smart Port really worked well! After all the trouble with the last one, it was a relief for both me and the nurses!

    God works his ways...today he seated me next to a wonderful lady who is following my path, just a few months behind. Our DX and treatments are identical - we even have the same doctors! She was full of hope when I told her my results - complete response to chemo/radiation. It made me feel good to encourage her. She said the doctors told her she was responding really well, but I think she didn't believe it was possible until she met me...so i have a purpose now! Share my story.

    So, no nausea so far, but I know, the effects may not show up for a few days. Had to laugh at my onc today. He is youngish (mid 30's) and very polite. But today he looked at me and said "Girl, you kicked a$$ on cancer!" It was so out of character, and a great response. Gotta love him....

    He said I need to get off the stool softener that caused my attack last night. He suggested Miralax every day - 1/2 dose - as long as I am on the Fentynal (which causes the constipation in the first place) We will try it. These painful and bloody diarrhea attacks are taking a toll.

    Vicki
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member
    #19
    VickiCO said:

    Thnaks everyone..today was OK
    So far, so good. I know it's day 1, but my new Smart Port really worked well! After all the trouble with the last one, it was a relief for both me and the nurses!

    God works his ways...today he seated me next to a wonderful lady who is following my path, just a few months behind. Our DX and treatments are identical - we even have the same doctors! She was full of hope when I told her my results - complete response to chemo/radiation. It made me feel good to encourage her. She said the doctors told her she was responding really well, but I think she didn't believe it was possible until she met me...so i have a purpose now! Share my story.

    So, no nausea so far, but I know, the effects may not show up for a few days. Had to laugh at my onc today. He is youngish (mid 30's) and very polite. But today he looked at me and said "Girl, you kicked a$$ on cancer!" It was so out of character, and a great response. Gotta love him....

    He said I need to get off the stool softener that caused my attack last night. He suggested Miralax every day - 1/2 dose - as long as I am on the Fentynal (which causes the constipation in the first place) We will try it. These painful and bloody diarrhea attacks are taking a toll.

    Vicki

    good stuff
    good stuff Vicki....got that first one behind you....so to speak!

    Isn't it wonderful when you meet someone in infusion that you can help, or just share that time with. No matter how great the professional, they just don't know the way another cancer patient knows.

    Best luck with the rest of the week,
    ~Mags~
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #20
    Day 2 and wondering how you're holding up?
    Hi Vicki, praying today was uneventful and that treatment doesn't wipe you out! Hope your tummy issues are much better, too.

    Praying for a forever healing and blessings galore on you and yours!
    Diane
  • VickiCO
    VickiCO Member Posts: 917
    #21
    dianetavegia said:

    Day 2 and wondering how you're holding up?
    Hi Vicki, praying today was uneventful and that treatment doesn't wipe you out! Hope your tummy issues are much better, too.

    Praying for a forever healing and blessings galore on you and yours!
    Diane

    Thanks Diane
    Day two - I woke up with nausea.By the time I went to chemo (2pm) it had settled. They gave me Kytril by push. Kytril seems to be my best aid for nausea. I am home and a bit tired tonight...but that's to be expected.

    I am having bad pains in my hip joints (have had it for a few weeks) Today the nurses said it's residual chemo. Apparently it settles in large joints. I finish this mop-up in June. They said it would clear up probably by fall! Yikes. Unfortunately I am allergic to almost all anti-inflammatory drugs, and the Fentynal isn't touching it. So, I just flip one way and then the other to try to relieve the pains. I am close to being able to sit up properly without pain in the rectum surgery site, and I think that will help as well.

    Thanks for the prayers. These are minor complaints compared to many of our friends here. And I am tough enough to get over it!

    Vicki

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