Brrrrr it's COLD!!! More OXI questions

tnstudent
tnstudent Member Posts: 45
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Sorry to bother so much but I am still learning the ropes with all of this chemo and side effects stuff.

Someone mentioned some Neoprene gloves to wear to help with the cold...Where can I find these? Does anyone else have any recommendations in this area. I would like my husband to be able to do for himself if he wants but right now he is not able to get food out of fridge to cook. He is not able to drive his truck either. It is getting really cold here so trying to help him out. I can't always do these things for him.

I had someone tell me today that their mother could not drink anything hot or cold but only room temperature. So far James can still drink hot coffee, hot chocolate but not the cold. Is this something that will happen in the future not being able to drink hot either? Also, I am having a hard time finding stuff that he can drink at room temperature. He is not big on water but will drink it some. He don't like to drink pop room temp or even tea. He has drank lemonaid room temp. Any suggestions? I know he needs to drink more but he is not drinking much on chemo weeks. We tried Powerade but he is burnt out on that already. Oh and he refuses to drink Ensure drinks as well.

Also, wanted to ask about eating fruit. A friend said that he should never touch fresh fruit but that I should peel these items for him and then give them to him to eat. I had never thought of that. She said because when the fruit it grown they spray insecticides on the fruit peelings and I should peel them so he does not come in contact with the poison. This is something new that I had not heard before. She also said to get all plants out of the house because of the dirt and possible contamination from mold and other germs??? I know she went through several rounds of breast cancer with her mother and these were her suggestions. Just wondering about it though.

Any other advice will be greatly appreciated.

Amy

Comments

  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #2
    Fruits and flowers
    I ate fresh fruit daily all through chemo but a friend said her onc told her not to eat any fresh veggies or fruit. She was very ill all during chemo with very low WBCs etc.

    It's bacteria and not pesticides! Wash the fruits and fresh veggies well.

    About the flowers or gardening/ yard work... the worry is that an open wound might allow bacteria from the soil into an open wound and cause a blood infection.

    My oncologist told me we are more at danger from bacteria within our own body than from fruits or plants.

    Has hubby had his teeth cleaned and a check up already? That should be done before chemo begins because the mouth is a horribly bacteria prone place and dental work shouldn't be done during chemo.

    Very hot drinks might make his teeth ache. I drank sweet tea at room temp on the days cold things bothered me. The throat thing goes away well before the hands and feet neuropathy does.

    I need those gloves! My hands are hurting so badly every day now, inside the house!!!
  • Patti1
    Patti1 Member Posts: 109 Member
    #3
    Oxiliplatin and Cold
    Amy,

    I am so sorry that your loved one is dealing with the side effects of Oxiliplatin.My husband has also had to deal with these side effects.As fas as I know Oxiliplatin's only effect is cold. We purchased a pair of Ove Gloves from As Seen on TV,and they worked great for him.It at least allowed him to take cold things out of the fridge or the freezer, we are in Florida but maybe to open a cold car door etc. they could help you. The effects only seemed to last about 4-5 days after a treatment and then improved. Now trying to drink everything warm was just yuck. We are avid bicycle riders and had used a product in cycling called Cytomax (comes in many different flavors) and is a good hydration source also.You might want to try it,it comes in a can and mixes very easy, its a powder. Hang in there, things do get better. Hubby was daignosed 1/5/06 with Stage IV colorectal, mets to liver and lymph nodes. Last scan 3 months ago NED, next scan 11/5. I will keep you and your family in our prayers

    Patti
  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 Member Posts: 370 Member
    #4
    suggestions
    Hi Amy. I kept a pair of gloves on top of the fridge so I could get stuff out for myself, any old gloves will do. A pair of driving gloves should do the trick for driving. They have gloves in the gardening section at wallmart, kmart, that are grippy on the palms and fingers too, I picked up a pair cheap at big lots. One help for me with the room temp water, get fresh lemons and limes, or oranges, cut in wedges and squeeze and put in the water. Staying hydrated with water is very important for a lot of reasons. I have lots of house plants, and pets in the house too, had no problems because of any of that. Use good handwashing, and the waterless hand sanitizer is good to have around. Try to stay away from people who obviously have colds or the flu. I have seen on here that melons have helped a lot of people with their nausea, and would help with the hydration too. The bacteria in our own houses our bodies are used to,are not as much danger as germs from strange places and people that you don't have an immunity to. I never had any problems with the hot foods or drinks, just stuff that was too cold. Also had no problems with eating fruit. Bananas are especially good in helping to control diareah, as in the brat diet, (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast). It took a while, but I finally got used to the room temp water, kept a gallon of spring water beside the couch,(where I spent a lot of time) and a glass I kept filled all the time. Believe it or not, I now drink my water room temp. even after chemo over I got so used to it.
    Hope some of this info is useful, and that things go ok for you guys.
    Pam
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #5
    PamPam2 said:

    suggestions
    Hi Amy. I kept a pair of gloves on top of the fridge so I could get stuff out for myself, any old gloves will do. A pair of driving gloves should do the trick for driving. They have gloves in the gardening section at wallmart, kmart, that are grippy on the palms and fingers too, I picked up a pair cheap at big lots. One help for me with the room temp water, get fresh lemons and limes, or oranges, cut in wedges and squeeze and put in the water. Staying hydrated with water is very important for a lot of reasons. I have lots of house plants, and pets in the house too, had no problems because of any of that. Use good handwashing, and the waterless hand sanitizer is good to have around. Try to stay away from people who obviously have colds or the flu. I have seen on here that melons have helped a lot of people with their nausea, and would help with the hydration too. The bacteria in our own houses our bodies are used to,are not as much danger as germs from strange places and people that you don't have an immunity to. I never had any problems with the hot foods or drinks, just stuff that was too cold. Also had no problems with eating fruit. Bananas are especially good in helping to control diareah, as in the brat diet, (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast). It took a while, but I finally got used to the room temp water, kept a gallon of spring water beside the couch,(where I spent a lot of time) and a glass I kept filled all the time. Believe it or not, I now drink my water room temp. even after chemo over I got so used to it.
    Hope some of this info is useful, and that things go ok for you guys.
    Pam

    Try Sunkist Orange at room temp...Great drink
    as for cold you can buy hand warmers at walmart (I think they are called "Hot Hands") Hunters use them when they are in the elements, They work great. They stay warm for about 10 hrs and are relatively cheap....I was on oxal and never had any trouble with hot, only cold...I never worried about germs and ate whatever I could when I could. I just took it head on and let the chips fall where they may. They fell pretty good for me. So far NED...

    try Ocean Spray Crangrape and then the Sunkist Orange...They were besides coffee my beverages of choice...and chili about the 3-4th day after chemo...MMMM spicy was great...
  • AceSFO
    AceSFO Member Posts: 229
    #6
    Neoprene Gloves
    Hi, Amy,

    That was me who mentioned those. If you have an REI or other well-stocked camping and outdoor gear store near you I'd try that. We have Ove-Gloves too, but the neoprene was nice because the palms are rubberized making it harder for things to slip out of his hands. We just kept them next to the fridge. Amazon might have them too - they seem to have everything these days.

    Good luck!!

    Adrian
  • Patteee
    Patteee Member Posts: 945
    #7
    Hi Amy and Welcome I
    Hi Amy and Welcome

    I couldn't drink anything cold, too hot, or even room temp. Basically a cup of coffee in the mic for about 20 sec. Room temp water? I would feel like I had something stuck in my throat- like an aspirin that I didn't get totally swallowed. So I would drink a ton of water, course it made it worse. It was my oncologist who suggested that even that was too cold, that I was feeling was the oxy. I had a couple of pairs of gloves- a leather pair for driving/ refrig time and a lightweight knit pair I wore all the time. Then I had a pair of huge wool mittens I would wear over those when I went outside, Minnesota here! Also to keep something on his feet all the time. I learned the hard way that even walking across the cold bathroom tiles was a no-no. Also had to either wear socks in the shower or let the water warm up the tub first. I also struggled with too hot of a shower- would send me over the edge with feet and hand numbness.

    Try- sunkist orange and/or sunkist grape. It was great room temp (I actually put mine in the sun so it would be a bit toasty). Also try Ensure or Boost, warm it up in the mic, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on the top.
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #8
    Patteee said:

    Hi Amy and Welcome I
    Hi Amy and Welcome

    I couldn't drink anything cold, too hot, or even room temp. Basically a cup of coffee in the mic for about 20 sec. Room temp water? I would feel like I had something stuck in my throat- like an aspirin that I didn't get totally swallowed. So I would drink a ton of water, course it made it worse. It was my oncologist who suggested that even that was too cold, that I was feeling was the oxy. I had a couple of pairs of gloves- a leather pair for driving/ refrig time and a lightweight knit pair I wore all the time. Then I had a pair of huge wool mittens I would wear over those when I went outside, Minnesota here! Also to keep something on his feet all the time. I learned the hard way that even walking across the cold bathroom tiles was a no-no. Also had to either wear socks in the shower or let the water warm up the tub first. I also struggled with too hot of a shower- would send me over the edge with feet and hand numbness.

    Try- sunkist orange and/or sunkist grape. It was great room temp (I actually put mine in the sun so it would be a bit toasty). Also try Ensure or Boost, warm it up in the mic, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on the top.

    Magnesium and calcium
    The last few times I have gotten oxaliplatin they've given me a calcium and magnesium injection to. It virtually eliminated the cold sensitivity.
  • tnstudent
    tnstudent Member Posts: 45
    #9
    dianetavegia said:

    Fruits and flowers
    I ate fresh fruit daily all through chemo but a friend said her onc told her not to eat any fresh veggies or fruit. She was very ill all during chemo with very low WBCs etc.

    It's bacteria and not pesticides! Wash the fruits and fresh veggies well.

    About the flowers or gardening/ yard work... the worry is that an open wound might allow bacteria from the soil into an open wound and cause a blood infection.

    My oncologist told me we are more at danger from bacteria within our own body than from fruits or plants.

    Has hubby had his teeth cleaned and a check up already? That should be done before chemo begins because the mouth is a horribly bacteria prone place and dental work shouldn't be done during chemo.

    Very hot drinks might make his teeth ache. I drank sweet tea at room temp on the days cold things bothered me. The throat thing goes away well before the hands and feet neuropathy does.

    I need those gloves! My hands are hurting so badly every day now, inside the house!!!

    The thing with the fruit she
    The thing with the fruit she said was for me to peel it for him. Our onc never has said anything about it or anything special for that matter only that he could eat anything he wanted and could tolerate to go for it.

    Thankfully and hopefully yard work is over. I may have to mow and weedeat one more time. We are in TN and it is 34 here right now.

    As for the teeth thing. He does not have dental insurance and we can not afford a dentist visit either. He is the only one with any income and there are 3 adults in the house us and my mother. His income is only 674 a month so doesn't go far after the bills are paid. And the car is broke down and in the shop at the moment. Also, he only has 4 teeth in his head. But to answer your question he has not been to a dentist probably in over 15-20 years.

    Thanks for the suggestions.

    Amy
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #10
    Oxi
    Oh yes I remember the cold drinks. Never did it bother me to drink coffee or hot chocolate during treatments. I was given steroids before infusion so I would be up for days without sleeping and I always drank hot chocolate in the middle of the night to help me sleep and also help my tummy feel more calm. I was told to never eat fresh fruit or vegetables for 10 days after infusion, but I am a huge vegetable person and I couldn't give that up but I did peel things like apples, and vegetables or fruits that had skins. I can't eat the skins so it was recommended that I do that anyway. Be careful of what you eat and only eat what doctor recommends and supplements don't take anything either unless the doctor says it's alright. Good luck!

    Kim
  • tnstudent
    tnstudent Member Posts: 45
    #11
    PamPam2 said:

    suggestions
    Hi Amy. I kept a pair of gloves on top of the fridge so I could get stuff out for myself, any old gloves will do. A pair of driving gloves should do the trick for driving. They have gloves in the gardening section at wallmart, kmart, that are grippy on the palms and fingers too, I picked up a pair cheap at big lots. One help for me with the room temp water, get fresh lemons and limes, or oranges, cut in wedges and squeeze and put in the water. Staying hydrated with water is very important for a lot of reasons. I have lots of house plants, and pets in the house too, had no problems because of any of that. Use good handwashing, and the waterless hand sanitizer is good to have around. Try to stay away from people who obviously have colds or the flu. I have seen on here that melons have helped a lot of people with their nausea, and would help with the hydration too. The bacteria in our own houses our bodies are used to,are not as much danger as germs from strange places and people that you don't have an immunity to. I never had any problems with the hot foods or drinks, just stuff that was too cold. Also had no problems with eating fruit. Bananas are especially good in helping to control diareah, as in the brat diet, (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast). It took a while, but I finally got used to the room temp water, kept a gallon of spring water beside the couch,(where I spent a lot of time) and a glass I kept filled all the time. Believe it or not, I now drink my water room temp. even after chemo over I got so used to it.
    Hope some of this info is useful, and that things go ok for you guys.
    Pam

    Pets
    We have 2 inside dogs. They have been his lifesavers thus far. My little girl is in the picture with her Daddy. She takes care of him. We have been handwashing lots more and using the hand sanitizers. He loves melons well watermelons and cantelopes I will have to try those and see if they help. However he likes them cold so would have to see if he would eat room temp. He loves bananas and that has been his food of choice this week. Not sure if it helps with the diarrhea or not though he is still having it.

    Thanks for the suggestions.

    Amy
  • tnstudent
    tnstudent Member Posts: 45
    #12
    snommintj said:

    Magnesium and calcium
    The last few times I have gotten oxaliplatin they've given me a calcium and magnesium injection to. It virtually eliminated the cold sensitivity.

    He gets the magnesium and
    He gets the magnesium and calcium before and after the oxaliplatin. Still has the sensitivity and is getting worse with each treatment and the colder weather we are having at the moment.

    There is another guy that gets the same treatment FOLFOX and this week his wife brought him a large chocolate milkshake from McDonalds for him during his chemo. I asked her did the cold not bother him and she said no he does not have any problems whatsoever with drinking cold or even touching cold. Hubby said he was very lucky and it was not fair. LOL This other guy is also on dialysis 3 days a week so wonder if that has anything to do with it or not?
  • tnstudent
    tnstudent Member Posts: 45
    #13
    Buzzard said:

    Try Sunkist Orange at room temp...Great drink
    as for cold you can buy hand warmers at walmart (I think they are called "Hot Hands") Hunters use them when they are in the elements, They work great. They stay warm for about 10 hrs and are relatively cheap....I was on oxal and never had any trouble with hot, only cold...I never worried about germs and ate whatever I could when I could. I just took it head on and let the chips fall where they may. They fell pretty good for me. So far NED...

    try Ocean Spray Crangrape and then the Sunkist Orange...They were besides coffee my beverages of choice...and chili about the 3-4th day after chemo...MMMM spicy was great...

    Buzz,
    It is funny that you
    Buzz,

    It is funny that you should mention Sunkist Orange he does like that and has been drinking it some here lately. He eats whatever he can. However he can't eat anything spicy at all now. He had GERD before surgery but no so much heartburn after surgery. I guess removing the tumor had a lot to do with that because he was completely blocked. However, he is finding that he can no longer eat some things that he could before. For instance, he can't eat curly fries from Arby's because of the spice that they put on them is too spicy and burns his lips. Taco seasoning is too spicy. Other things that you don't think of as spicy burns him now.

    Amy
  • tnstudent
    tnstudent Member Posts: 45
    #14
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Oxi
    Oh yes I remember the cold drinks. Never did it bother me to drink coffee or hot chocolate during treatments. I was given steroids before infusion so I would be up for days without sleeping and I always drank hot chocolate in the middle of the night to help me sleep and also help my tummy feel more calm. I was told to never eat fresh fruit or vegetables for 10 days after infusion, but I am a huge vegetable person and I couldn't give that up but I did peel things like apples, and vegetables or fruits that had skins. I can't eat the skins so it was recommended that I do that anyway. Be careful of what you eat and only eat what doctor recommends and supplements don't take anything either unless the doctor says it's alright. Good luck!

    Kim

    So far he has not had any
    So far he has not had any problems with sleep. As a matter of fact since he has been sick he is sleeping a lot more and most of the time.
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #15
    tnstudent said:

    He gets the magnesium and
    He gets the magnesium and calcium before and after the oxaliplatin. Still has the sensitivity and is getting worse with each treatment and the colder weather we are having at the moment.

    There is another guy that gets the same treatment FOLFOX and this week his wife brought him a large chocolate milkshake from McDonalds for him during his chemo. I asked her did the cold not bother him and she said no he does not have any problems whatsoever with drinking cold or even touching cold. Hubby said he was very lucky and it was not fair. LOL This other guy is also on dialysis 3 days a week so wonder if that has anything to do with it or not?

    skip it
    Oxaliplatin builds up in your system. If he wants to skip a treatment ask your doctor. He may be saturated with it already. I usually skip it a few times during a twelve treatment cycle
  • tnstudent
    tnstudent Member Posts: 45
    #16
    snommintj said:

    skip it
    Oxaliplatin builds up in your system. If he wants to skip a treatment ask your doctor. He may be saturated with it already. I usually skip it a few times during a twelve treatment cycle

    No way
    He is not wanting to skip a treatment at all. He wants to get this show going to get rid of this awful mess. It is not unbearable. It usually only lasts for about 4 or 5 days and then he is good to go for the next week. He makes up for it on his off week.

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