Chemo reactions/ how bad is it????

vicki_howard
vicki_howard Member Posts: 15
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Hi Ladies,
My mom was in ICU Wed until today. She had a blood clot in her lung and was on a vent for 30 hrs. She ate Sun and Monday and is more coherant. They cancelled her operation but are going to give chemo today. Yikes, what can I expect? Is it really bad?? Can they give her too much??
Praying for a Cure,
Vicki

Comments

  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #2
    chemo
    It is not unusual for some people to have several rounds of chemo prior to surgery. There is also a poster on here who had blood clots in her lung when she was diagnosed. I forget her name.

    The carbo/taxol regimen is usually once every 3 weeks for a total of 6 doses. Mom will probably have her pre meds to help combat nausea and reduce the risk of allergic reaction. If she is recv'ng carbo/taxol she will need anti nausea meds for at least 3 days after chemo. If she gets a neulasta injection 24hrs after chemo she may have added body aches. I had very little nausea from this regimen but I did get fatigued. For me, there first week was sluggish. After that week I was up scrubbing my floors and other household chores. I was 41 at time of diagnosis and in excellent physical shape. Oh...she will probably lose her hair/start losing her hair within 3 weeks of the first dose. I was wearing 'head gear' when I went for my next round. The hair, for me, came out in clumps over a matter of 3 days. It started at about day 14.
  • vicki_howard
    vicki_howard Member Posts: 15
    #3
    nancy591 said:

    chemo
    It is not unusual for some people to have several rounds of chemo prior to surgery. There is also a poster on here who had blood clots in her lung when she was diagnosed. I forget her name.

    The carbo/taxol regimen is usually once every 3 weeks for a total of 6 doses. Mom will probably have her pre meds to help combat nausea and reduce the risk of allergic reaction. If she is recv'ng carbo/taxol she will need anti nausea meds for at least 3 days after chemo. If she gets a neulasta injection 24hrs after chemo she may have added body aches. I had very little nausea from this regimen but I did get fatigued. For me, there first week was sluggish. After that week I was up scrubbing my floors and other household chores. I was 41 at time of diagnosis and in excellent physical shape. Oh...she will probably lose her hair/start losing her hair within 3 weeks of the first dose. I was wearing 'head gear' when I went for my next round. The hair, for me, came out in clumps over a matter of 3 days. It started at about day 14.

    thanks Nancy
    I do appreciate the info. I will need to buy her a wig or hats within 2 weeks. I forgot about that. She has such pretty thick hair too. Ugh. she also got a picc. she was moved out of ICU. She is 68, married 47 yrs. your beautiful nancy. i cut my hair from 25 inches to about 3 right before first chemo round. I like it now-thicker. God bless you.
    Vicki
  • Barbara53
    Barbara53 Member Posts: 652
    #4
    vicki_howard said:

    thanks Nancy
    I do appreciate the info. I will need to buy her a wig or hats within 2 weeks. I forgot about that. She has such pretty thick hair too. Ugh. she also got a picc. she was moved out of ICU. She is 68, married 47 yrs. your beautiful nancy. i cut my hair from 25 inches to about 3 right before first chemo round. I like it now-thicker. God bless you.
    Vicki

    chemo formulas
    Hi Vicki,
    I helped my 78-year-old mother through chemo last year, and she's still fighting. Since your mother has a double diagnosis, do you know what kind of chemo she is going to get? I would imagine that they would target the more aggressive type.

    I know how you feel worrying if they will give your frail, sick mother too much chemo. My mom was in bad shape after round 3 of carbo/taxol, and my veterinarian brother met with the oncologist about adjusting the dosage. We learned that there are sophisticated formulas used for that, which factor in everything and err on the side of safety.

    Hopefully the tumors will respond to the chemo and shrink down, which will make your mother feel better and tell the medical team where to go next. Good luck with this day!
  • vicki_howard
    vicki_howard Member Posts: 15
    #5
    Barbara53 said:

    chemo formulas
    Hi Vicki,
    I helped my 78-year-old mother through chemo last year, and she's still fighting. Since your mother has a double diagnosis, do you know what kind of chemo she is going to get? I would imagine that they would target the more aggressive type.

    I know how you feel worrying if they will give your frail, sick mother too much chemo. My mom was in bad shape after round 3 of carbo/taxol, and my veterinarian brother met with the oncologist about adjusting the dosage. We learned that there are sophisticated formulas used for that, which factor in everything and err on the side of safety.

    Hopefully the tumors will respond to the chemo and shrink down, which will make your mother feel better and tell the medical team where to go next. Good luck with this day!

    thank you barbara
    it is the carbo/taxo combo. she also was given morphine first. she is receiving chemo, at least a proactive response. i so want to spend so much more time with her. God Willing, I pray she can go home and experience a lot more of Life. She thanks each nurse after each proceedure. she is recieving oxygen also.
    thanks my friends.
    Vicki
  • azgrandma
    azgrandma Member Posts: 609 Member
    #6
    vicki_howard said:

    thank you barbara
    it is the carbo/taxo combo. she also was given morphine first. she is receiving chemo, at least a proactive response. i so want to spend so much more time with her. God Willing, I pray she can go home and experience a lot more of Life. She thanks each nurse after each proceedure. she is recieving oxygen also.
    thanks my friends.
    Vicki

    I will pray
    With God all things are possible I am praying honey
  • Barbara53
    Barbara53 Member Posts: 652
    #7
    vicki_howard said:

    thank you barbara
    it is the carbo/taxo combo. she also was given morphine first. she is receiving chemo, at least a proactive response. i so want to spend so much more time with her. God Willing, I pray she can go home and experience a lot more of Life. She thanks each nurse after each proceedure. she is recieving oxygen also.
    thanks my friends.
    Vicki

    catch her when she falls
    Hi Vicki,
    That's standard first-line chemo for OVCA, and you'll find several threads from fellow caregiver daughters here on what to expect. There is a 3-day "grace period" after infusion when the patient feels okay, and then a bad period that lasts 5-10 days. No energy, either constipation or diahrrea, and lots of aches and pains. My mother sometimes became temporarily incontinent on days 4-6. Then things get better. It's a serious chemo, so be ready to catch her when she falls.
  • angiedryden
    angiedryden Member Posts: 58
    #8
    Barbara53 said:

    catch her when she falls
    Hi Vicki,
    That's standard first-line chemo for OVCA, and you'll find several threads from fellow caregiver daughters here on what to expect. There is a 3-day "grace period" after infusion when the patient feels okay, and then a bad period that lasts 5-10 days. No energy, either constipation or diahrrea, and lots of aches and pains. My mother sometimes became temporarily incontinent on days 4-6. Then things get better. It's a serious chemo, so be ready to catch her when she falls.

    I understand
    Hi Vicki I am also a daughter of a mom with stage 4 ovarian cancer. I have been staying with her since her surgery which was the 6th of April. She received her power port Tuesday and goes back to the oncologist today to set up her chemo treatments which will probably start next week. Hang in there and I truly do understand what your going through.
  • RandiK
    RandiK Member Posts: 31
    #9
    blood clots
    My Mom was taken to the hosp in January for chest pain and difficulty breathing. After several cat scans the Drs found a 18cm tumor. Well 3 hospitals later she was sent home because she didn't have ins. A week and a half later my Dad loaded her up and took her to the ER at MD Anderson and they found that not only did she have this tumor but she had blood clots in her lungs. They put her on lovenox 2x's a day. Her surgery was at the end of Feb. 2 days before her tumor removal, and total hysterectomy, they went in and put a filter in to make sure no more clots went to her lungs. Her lovenox was then changed to one time a day. During her first chemo treatment the lovenox and taxol caused a bad reaction so now she is on coumadin and her taxol is given over 6 hours.
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #10
    Hi Vicki,
    One thing I have
    Hi Vicki,

    One thing I have discovered, the oncologists have the administering of chemo-meds to their patients down to a science...they will take all things under consideration as they treat your mom.

    Also, the costs of wigs can be just another costly expense, so why not have your mom to sign-up for the "Look Good Feel Better" program that is a free service to all cancer patients. It's wonderful. I am actually a volunteer facilitor, but your mom would receive 2 free wigs, hats, scarves, halos, etc...

    She would also receive a wonderful color-coded (by her skin-tone) makeup bag with gobs and gobs of world-known cosmetics (all donated by the companies and these are not expired product either). The LGFB is affiliated with ACS so, it's worth the look see.

    All in all I do wish the best for you mom.

    Sharon

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