prolonged chemo

damama24
damama24 Member Posts: 174 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi my name is Deb and I am wondering if there is anyone out there receiving chemo for 26 cycles like I am
«1

Comments

  • standbyme
    standbyme Member Posts: 41
    #2
    prolonged chemo
    Hi Deb,

    On Tuesday my husband will have his 29th chemo treatment. He is on folfiri with leucovorin and avastin. He has no major side effects, his biggest problem being tiredness. He was diagnosed in the spring of 2006 with rectal cancer and had initial surgery in July, 2006.
    He was staged at stage one and received no further treatment. In April of 2008 a routine chest xray found many small nodules in both lungs. After a biopsy in August 08, he started chemo and has been on ever since. The chemo has reduced the size and amount of nodules but the onc. says he will be on chemo as long as possible.

    Just curious, is your story somewhat the same? What are you on?
  • ittapp
    ittapp Member Posts: 383 Member
    #3
    I have stage IV and my Onc.
    I have stage IV and my Onc. is saying chemo forever, but I am so tired after 10!! I just don't know if it is like this for many days if I can keep it up. I came off of my bag on Friday and I am more exhausted than I have ever been in my life, I hope it gets better. Patti
  • bdee
    bdee Member Posts: 304
    #4
    ittapp said:

    I have stage IV and my Onc.
    I have stage IV and my Onc. is saying chemo forever, but I am so tired after 10!! I just don't know if it is like this for many days if I can keep it up. I came off of my bag on Friday and I am more exhausted than I have ever been in my life, I hope it gets better. Patti

    Stage IV
    My onc also said I would be on chemo for the rest of my life. I'm 55, hoping to live to 100.

    Debbie
  • standbyme
    standbyme Member Posts: 41
    #5
    bdee said:

    Stage IV
    My onc also said I would be on chemo for the rest of my life. I'm 55, hoping to live to 100.

    Debbie

    chemo
    How many treatments have you had Debbie?

    Judy
  • damama24
    damama24 Member Posts: 174 Member
    #6
    standbyme said:

    chemo
    How many treatments have you had Debbie?

    Judy

    prolonged chemo
    I have had four cycles of chemo and geeting ready for the #5 on the 11th. Iwas dx with stage IV with mets to the liver in Aug of 09. I'm 53 and my onc says chemo could last the rest of my life. Don't like to think about that. I hate the fatique more than anything. That and the sensitivity to cold from the oxiliplatin Deb
  • chicoturner
    chicoturner Member Posts: 282
    #7
    Prolonged treatment
    Hi Deb, I just finished my 20th round of Avastin and Irrionotecan. Doc says He doesn't believe cancer will "ever really be gone" as I am stage 4 and it get into the blood, ready to attack at will. But he said if we can hold it back that is great! I am getting ready for scans within next week or so and hope it shows my lungs clear or at least clearing. I have very few side affects from these drugs so am thankful I have something to "hold it back with"! Looking for a lot more years. Jean
  • damama24
    damama24 Member Posts: 174 Member
    #8
    chicoturner said:

    Prolonged treatment
    Hi Deb, I just finished my 20th round of Avastin and Irrionotecan. Doc says He doesn't believe cancer will "ever really be gone" as I am stage 4 and it get into the blood, ready to attack at will. But he said if we can hold it back that is great! I am getting ready for scans within next week or so and hope it shows my lungs clear or at least clearing. I have very few side affects from these drugs so am thankful I have something to "hold it back with"! Looking for a lot more years. Jean

    prolonged chemo
    I am currently receiving oxaliplatin,leucovorin,avastin,5-fluorouracil and a phase one trial drug called apomab. Ihave chemo every two weeks as long as blood work is good for 52 weeks. I have had to delay chemo twice already because of low white cell counts, hope that doesn't keep happening. The scans Ihave had so far show the tumors are shrinking so I will take that as positive news. deb
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #9
    damama24 said:

    prolonged chemo
    I am currently receiving oxaliplatin,leucovorin,avastin,5-fluorouracil and a phase one trial drug called apomab. Ihave chemo every two weeks as long as blood work is good for 52 weeks. I have had to delay chemo twice already because of low white cell counts, hope that doesn't keep happening. The scans Ihave had so far show the tumors are shrinking so I will take that as positive news. deb

    I also...
    SO far am on chemo for life, as I'm not operable. I have Stage 4 cc with mets to the liver, but as long as it keeps me feeling good and I'm here, you never know, it can always shrink to nothing, there's always hope!

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • luv3jay
    luv3jay Member Posts: 533 Member
    #10
    I'm getting ready to go for
    I'm getting ready to go for treatment #17 tomorrow. It is really hard for me since I hate chemo so much, but it really has *saved my life*, so I can't be but so mad!!

    -Sheri
  • serrana
    serrana Member Posts: 163 Member
    #11
    luv3jay said:

    I'm getting ready to go for
    I'm getting ready to go for treatment #17 tomorrow. It is really hard for me since I hate chemo so much, but it really has *saved my life*, so I can't be but so mad!!

    -Sheri

    chemo for life????????
    Let's hear from everyone who has been told they would be on chemo for life........how long have you been on it? Have you had "holidays"? Lets have a list.
    Serrana
  • donnare
    donnare Member Posts: 266
    #12
    Hi Deb
    My husband is 52, and was dx in May 09, Stage IV with mets to liver (over 11). At this point, he is not a candidate for liver resection or any other targeted therapy for his liver. We hope that changes.

    He was told he would probably be on some type of chemo for the rest of his life. He has completed eight and the fatigue, and neuropathy from the oxi, are starting to get to him too. He has a hard time thinking about being on chemo "forever", especially because we plan on "the rest of his life" being a very long time. So, we cope by taking it one day at a time Deb.

    Be well,
    Donna
  • bigCrandy
    bigCrandy Member Posts: 75
    #13
    serrana said:

    chemo for life????????
    Let's hear from everyone who has been told they would be on chemo for life........how long have you been on it? Have you had "holidays"? Lets have a list.
    Serrana

    count me in
    Hey Serrana, put me on the list. I was diagnosed stage 3C in April 2007. I've gone throught 3 rounds of chemo, total of 30 treatments, I've been on Avastin since June and was told I would probably be on it the rest of my life. I get CT scans every 3 months. God Bless everyone, Randy
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #14
    Starting to lose count...
    I have been on chemo over 5 1/2 years and have had about 200 treatments (give or take a few) For about 10 months that just ended a little over a week ago I was only getter Erbitux every other month but other than that it's been Erbitux and CPT11 for 3+ years, FOLFOX with Avastin, 5FU lucavorin and whatever else they put in there. My treatments were every other week on a pretty much constant basis for the 5 1/2 years, they add up fast. I'm doing OK and am still here.
    Hopefully you won't have to have as many as I did but we are respond differently.
    -p
  • coloCan
    coloCan Member Posts: 1,944 Member
    #15
    PhillieG said:

    Starting to lose count...
    I have been on chemo over 5 1/2 years and have had about 200 treatments (give or take a few) For about 10 months that just ended a little over a week ago I was only getter Erbitux every other month but other than that it's been Erbitux and CPT11 for 3+ years, FOLFOX with Avastin, 5FU lucavorin and whatever else they put in there. My treatments were every other week on a pretty much constant basis for the 5 1/2 years, they add up fast. I'm doing OK and am still here.
    Hopefully you won't have to have as many as I did but we are respond differently.
    -p

    Bless all of you
    Guess I have no right to complain about second round thaT I'm going thru after reading all of the above!!!!!!!Damn are you all so strong!!!!!Steve
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #16
    coloCan said:

    Bless all of you
    Guess I have no right to complain about second round thaT I'm going thru after reading all of the above!!!!!!!Damn are you all so strong!!!!!Steve

    I've
    Had my 14th, and going on 15th treatment this coming Wednesday, and though it has helped shrink my liver tumors, it looks like I'm inoperable until they shrink more, but I haven't had any "Holidays", the only breaks I got was due to healing from surgeries, then right back on the chemo, if I have something coming up, that I want to feel good for, I just ask her to skip that week of chemo, and she will, and though the chemo was really hard on me at first, I have been having a really good few weeks, even after this chemo treatment, where I didn't get the fatigue I used to have, like my body is adapting to it, and I feel great, with alot of energy, so knock on wood, I hope I keep feeling like this, I really push myself to get out and do things, even if I don't feel like it, because it does make me feel better, and hopefully you all who are on chemo for life, will start feeling like your body gets used to it, where it feels like it's just a routine thing, like changing a colostomy bag for me heehee...

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • jillpls
    jillpls Member Posts: 238
    #17
    amazing group of survivors
    You all are an amazing group of fighters. I can't imagine being on chemo forever but I know that's what I'm facing. I go back on it probably next week after a two month break. Glad to hear it's doable.
  • bdee
    bdee Member Posts: 304
    #18
    Long term chemo
    I have been told I will have chemo for the rest of my life with no breaks. I am 55 and am hoping to live for five or more years. Sorry, I didn't realize I had answered this before. I have had a total of 22 treatments. I did have a five week break when I was taking Oxy and it was killing me. I couldn't eat or keep anything down. In four months I lost 65 pounds. When I told the doctor I would rather let the cancer kill me than the chemo, he took me off the oxy. Now I'm just on 5FU and Avastin. I feel pretty bad for three days, then I start perking up. The week I'm off I feel pretty good and even can babysit my granddaughter. Then chemo week again and another week of being too tired or sick to do anything.

    Debbie
  • DennyJo58
    DennyJo58 Member Posts: 4
    #19
    One of the lucky ones I guess
    Hi, guess I was one of the lucky ones. Stage 4 Colorectal, but had 24 hr chemo and intense radiation for 3 months. Surgery with a temporay bag, surgery and then another 6 months of chemo. After a full year of it all and several hospital stays I am done. I have had a one year clean check up. But am constantly worrying that it has moved somewhere else. So right now trying to get past that. Doctor says you are not in remission until you are clean for 5 years. But, god bless you all, you are so strong and keeping the spirit high. That is what I will start doing now and think optimisticly from now on. Thanks
    Denise
  • ittapp
    ittapp Member Posts: 383 Member
    #20
    DennyJo58 said:

    One of the lucky ones I guess
    Hi, guess I was one of the lucky ones. Stage 4 Colorectal, but had 24 hr chemo and intense radiation for 3 months. Surgery with a temporay bag, surgery and then another 6 months of chemo. After a full year of it all and several hospital stays I am done. I have had a one year clean check up. But am constantly worrying that it has moved somewhere else. So right now trying to get past that. Doctor says you are not in remission until you are clean for 5 years. But, god bless you all, you are so strong and keeping the spirit high. That is what I will start doing now and think optimisticly from now on. Thanks
    Denise

    Denise, where did your
    Denise, where did your cancer spread? your story is inspiring. Patti
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #21
    I've had a lot more than
    I've had a lot more than that-chemo,remission-chemo,remission.As soon as the pet/ct scans show me clear,in a few months another'tumour of the month' pops up. My doctors say I will probably have to be on some form of chemo off and on for the rest of my life.I was diagnosed stage IV metastatic in 2005 and most of my major organs that I can live without,have been removed,I even had half my liver removed( the only organ that grows back)
    I am in the hands of God.I take each day as it comes,am grateful for every sunrise.I just had endoscopy ERCP to biopsy a new tumour in my main bile duct.good news/ bad news-it was cancer but it was colon cancer and they think they got it all out.I start a new round of chemo in 10 days.-worse news would have been if it was a new cancer( like pancreatic cancer-)
    HANG IN THERE-YOU ARE NOT ALONE
    Lots of people are here to listen and give good advice.
    kate

Discussion Boards