Hello to the board

Buckwirth
Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
First, hello to all. My name is Blake, and I was DX with stage IV rectal (mets to distant lymph systems) in March/April of this year. My treatment schedule has been folfox w/avastin every other week, and I just finished my 9th treatment.

My blood work has been excellent, always in the normal range for white and red cells, and my CSA is around 1.5 (the high was 35). My current plan is to take a break after chemo to do a little traveling, then to start up radiation, but I am wondering what to expect... I am lucky enough to have a home office, and a patient employer, but I fear that the rigors of daily rads will take it's toll and that I should plan on some short term disability.

Any and all comments will be appreciated!

Comments

  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #2
    Radiation?
    Hey Buck

    It would be good to know what the plan is for your radiation treatment. It could be along the lines of 5 days a week for 5 weeks, which would equal 25-treatments.

    If it is something like this, then you can expect to have radiation start to catch you about Week #3. It will progressively get worse as the treatments continue. Fatigue will be a huge issue. You might become bedridden for a spell and have to sleep a good deal of the day away - Week 4 and 5.

    After treatments stop, the fatigue will continue for a bit and then begin to ease up and you will feel better as for as stamina.

    Radiation is a huge lick to the body and not to be underestimated. So sick time and/or disability to get you through this may come to pass.

    Welcome to the forum!

    -Craig
  • neon356
    neon356 Member Posts: 137 Member
    #3
    Welcome, Blake
    I'm sure you'll check with your Docs, and if they think it's ok to take a break then by all means do it. Radiation does take its toll, especially the extreme fatigue that can come with it. The radiated area will also get "sunburned", which can be painful but tolerable. And just to make sure that you're aware, the radiation will render you sterile, so if that's an issue you might want to consider having semen stored away if you want children in the future. I wasn't informed of the fact and although in retrospect its obvious at the time I didn't think about it. The fact is your body will to a degree suffer from radiation poisoning. There can be bone loss, which can cause tooth problems so check with your dentist to see what can be done to help you with that. If you can get on disability you might want to do that. I worked during the treatment but it wasn't easy.
    My vote is to take the break for a few weeks, you deserve it for all you've been through so far.
    Carl
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #4
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