Need a little advice/encouragement please

dianetavegia said:

Leucovorin:
Leucovorin is a low dose of folic acid.


Important things to remember about the side effects of Leucovorin:

* The side effects with treatment of Leucovorin are likely attributable to other chemotherapy medications being given in combination with Leucovorin.
* When given in combination with fluorouracil (5-FU) the side effects of fluorouracil may be more severe. (see fluorocuracil).


The following are possible side effects of Leucovorin:

* Allergic reaction: rash, itching, facial flushing. Rarely severe.
* Nausea and vomiting (rare)

How Leucovorin Works:

Leucovorin is a compound similar to folic acid, which is a necessary vitamin. It has been around and in use for many decades. Leucovorin is a medication frequently used in combination with the chemotherapy drugs fluoruracil and methotrexate. Leucovorin is not a chemotherapy drug itself, however it is used in addition to these chemotherapy drugs to enhance anti cancer effects (with fluorouracil)).

Fluorouracil when given alone stays in the body for only a short time. When given in combination with Leucovorin, Leucovorin can enhance the binding of fluorouracil to an enzyme inside of the cancer cells. As a result fluorouracil may stay in the cancer cell longer and exert its anti cancer effect on the cells. Leucovorin has almost no side effects of its own but when used in combination with fluorouracil it can increase the severity of side effects of that drug.

More Info HERE

side effects and depression
Dear Rebecca,

Like you, I was first diagnosed in October 2007. My cancer was stage 3 then, and I've had recurrences at the sacrum and the anastomosis since. I'm hearing what a hard time you're having and trying to think of what I could offer that might help. This has turned into a long reply; I hope there is something here that is useful for you.

What seems most immediately distessing is the cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea. Are you having the 5FU infused or do you take Xeloda? Xeloda can cause all of the digestive distress you describe, and several people I know who have stopped taking Xeloda have felt much better and have been able to continue with their other chemo meds. I don't know whether infused 5FU has similar side effects, but it's worth asking your oncologist.

The best advice I recieved about "complaining." After I sent an email to a friend of mine, on a bad day and much like yours, I apologized for complaining. She wrote back: "Don't ever apologize to another person with cancer for experessing however you're feeling about your cancer!" We all know those feelings well, and acknowledging them is an act of strength, not weakness. Having advanced cancer and the treatments and side effects that go along with it is awful. The only way I know of to get through those feelings and to start feeling good again is to talk about them -- openly, honestly, and with vigor -- with people I love and trust. We're all here for you.

Two of the most helpful things I have heard about having cancer came from my surgeon right after my surgery and diagnosis. I asked whether I would need to take a medical leave from work and she replied:

1. "Having cancer is a full-time job."
2. "Do whatever is most wholesome for you."

Those are exact quotations, I think. I have tried to follow her advice ever since. At first, I wanted to keep my life as normal as possible, so it was important for me to continue working. That was good for me then. As my health declined, at first from side effects of chemo, then from radiation, and finally from the progression of the disease, I decided that I couldn't perform my job adequately and that I would be most able to live each day well if I went on leave. That is good for me now. It was a hard transition to make.

You say that not working is not an option. You may have no other option for income right now or you may have other reasons for seeing no other options, but I am pretty sure that with stage 4 cancer you are eligible for Social Security disability payments. They can take up to 6 months to process, but I think they can be expedited in some circumstances. My knowledge on the topic isn't good -- can anyone else on the board offer specific info about SSDI? I know the drive to keep working -- I did it for too long -- and I know that I am in better health and in a good frame of mind since I have gone on leave. There are other resources to help cancer patients, and some legal protections. Again, I don't know your situation and don't want to pry, but please be sure to check out all the options for income and health coverage that are available. I have some information -- feel free to send a private email if you'd like.

When I was first diagnosed, I tried to "fight" the disease. That's the prevalent metaphor, we see it everywhere, and I thought I wasn't doing all I could do if I didn't "fight." Trouble was I couldn't imagine what that looked like. (For some reason, my imagination went to Wile E. Coyotee and Roadrunner -- I could never figure out which was me and which the cancer, but at least I had that slapstick to keep me entertained.) Instead of fighting the disease, I learned to focus on what I enjoyed, and when I felt (feel) really crappy, I just sent my imagination to that -- climbing mountains, working in my garden, teaching my classes, and so forth. Very concrete images in which I pictured myself active, able, and enjoying myself. That works better for me than imagining that I'm fighting the disease because it keeps my attention focused on what I want, not on what I don't want.

From early on, I have also developed a one sentence "philosophy" that guides my experience of cancer: I cannot change the diagnosis; I can control how I experience the disease. I have some specific techniques that work for me along those lines, so again, feel free to send a private email if you'd like.

My best wishes to you.

John