Starting Doxil Thurs. WHEN do I use the ice packs, Eucerin cream, & Instant Ocean soaks?

lindaprocopio
lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I've read the posts on Doxil recommending Eucerin cream (original), ice packs on the palms and bottom of feet, and cool Instant Ocean foot baths. I did my shopping and have all my Doxil "stuff", but I couldn't find a post that said WHEN you use this stuff. Should I bring my ice packs to chemo on Thursday and 'chill' my hands and feet during the infusion? Do you use the Eucerin right away before any sore areas emerge? How about the foot soaks? Is that for after the hand/foot sores appear?

I want to get 'in front' of any Doxil-related skin and mouth problems that I can, as my skin has always been sensitive and I'm a life-long rash/hives kinda girl.

Any other hints for me? Should I start shopping for caftans and moo-moos? Can I still dig in my garden until the hand sores start, or is that just inviting trouble?

I'm so happy to have a treatment decision made and to be back in chemo since I really couldn't safely be 'out of treatment' as long as I spent shopping around for a 2nd opinion. How sicvk is it to be happy to be going back into chemo? It's just scary to not be treated when you have active cancer.

Comments

  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
    You are soooooo right about that, Linda.
    It was scary for me when my initial treatment was finished - one of the reasons I jumped at the chance to do a year of Taxol. Doing nothing - waiting for it to come back or spread - is just the hardest thing in the world.

    Good luck with your new regimen! Sounds like you have all the ammo in place and are ready to kick butt.

    Carlene
  • clamryn
    clamryn Member Posts: 508
    #3
    Just finished with Doxil
    Hi Linda, I just finished up my Doxil about 4 weeks ago. I had 8 infusions. I developed the hand/foot syndrome. I would just do the ice packs whenever I thought about it. When I would go in for my treatments, they would give me an ice pack while I was there. I would put hand lotion on everytime I would walk into my kitchen or bathroom because that is where I would have it handy. My hands got it the worst. My feet are just fine now. I had one night where it was itching like crazy and I called the exchange. They told me to take 2 Benedryl and of course more ice packs. The benedryl knocked me out and I was okay the next morning. That is the only time I had a flair up with it. That is the only thing that I had a problem with on the Doxil. Otherwise I did great on it. I had my Pet/Ct Scan on Monday and I will find out next week how that went. I could have found out the results today but the nurse would be the one to tell me. I would rather wait for my doctor's appointment to hear it from him. Good Luck with the Doxil. I think you will do just fine.

    Linda
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #4
    Doxil
    Hi Linda, I did 7 infusions of Doxil starting last September, and although the side effects were minimal in the beginning, the accumulated toxins in my body eventuallly caused blistering and peeling on my feet. I also had some rashes on my trunk and under my breasts. My hands were itchy and red once in a while, but icing did help.

    The ice packs are to keep your body temp down, and so from the time of infusion, they will probably use them in the chemo room. (I had packs that wrapped my wrists and ankels, and I slept on a large one for good measure during infusion.) I found i had fewer side effects,l if I did my best to keep the body cooling going (only ice coffee and cold drinks and soups) for the first three days. I never ate anything super hot at all and stuck to room temp food (it really did get old!) for the duration of using Doxil. THe cream is for when you start to get dry and keeping creamed up so you don't get there can help, although once the peeling starts, there is not any cream out there that will take care of that. I was also careful about any tight clothing (no bras) or pressure on any part of my body for any length of time. I did wear loose clothing as much as possible. I found out after I got blisters on my feet that the rubbing between my toes from my sandals is exactly where the blisters started. THe best shoes are the fur lined crocs, no pressure anywhere. THat may be an extreme measure for some, but I do wish someone would have told me about the crocs, it would have saved a lot of pain later.

    I didn't start getting bad symptoms until December, after I did some traveling (and a lot of walking) and in restrospect could have prevented some of the blistering, if I would have just stayed home. ANyway, the soaking comes in if you end up getting blisters, or if your feet get red and itchy.

    Do you know what dosage you will get? I started out with 40mg (the medium dose) for four infusions and then it was lowered to 30mg for three doses. The cancer did not grow, but it did not die either. The last 2 infusions I had carboplatin added in and the CA125 dived down low enough to take a chemo break over the summer. (I had carbo only for an additional 2 doses when the blisters got so bad I could hardly walk.)

    I would think digging in your garden is one of the things you do for joy, find a way to do it that you can weed, plant or whatever you do so you don't have to hold a shovel or rake for hours on end.

    Some people have minimal side effects and I sure hope you are one of them!!!

    Are you going to be participating in the trial for this one?

    kathleen

    PS I also got very bad mouth blisters after my second infusion but a product called "Oral Impact" (a funny tasting drink) helped to build my immune system. I drank it for 3 days prior to infusion and then continued for 5 moroe days. I had no mouth sores or blisters whatsoever. It really worked for me. My doctor learned about it at a conference from a doctor in Switzerland who stumbled onto the idea. It is normally used to boost very weak patient's immune systems before surgery. It was a bit pricey but so worth it. I googled it and found that you can buy it in the US also. If anyone reading this tries it and has any success, I would love to hear about it, as my doctor is quite excited about his find, and always asks me, "Did you tell your cancer buddies?"
  • Mwee
    Mwee Member Posts: 1,338
    #5
    ice packs
    Hi Linda,

    The "doxil" nurses would call me before and after my treatments and they told me to use the ice packs during the treatments and continue icing for five days afterwards. I would also ice when whenever I would get that burning type feeling in my feet ..... usually at night. I developed the foot necropathy. I idea behind the icing is to limit the blood flow to the feet and hands. Creme your feet and hands often. I did not get blisters or peeling. I wore loose clothing and went without underwear whenever possible. I can totally relate to it being much more scary to NOT be treated when you have active cancer... I'm still waiting ( I've missed two chemos now and soon to miss my third ) while my insurance company gets around to paying my doctor and my treatments are held hostage!
    (((HUGS))) Maria
  • msfanciful
    msfanciful Member Posts: 559
    #6
    Hi Linda,
    I did Doxil also,
    Hi Linda,

    I did Doxil also, about 6 courses of it along with carbo and avastin.

    I did in fact develop the hand and foot syndrome and would ice my feet the next couple of days after the treatment.

    For me my gum tissues also took a hit, which was excruciating at times. Of course there were mouthrinses geared for this very type of condition too.

    I feel really bizarre too, knowing that this cancer is in me (although in remission now), it is stage iv, so I know what that means, so if treatment is an option...I'm always ready to sign up. LOL!

    Take care and have a great weekend.


    Sharon
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    #7
    msfanciful said:

    Hi Linda,
    I did Doxil also,
    Hi Linda,

    I did Doxil also, about 6 courses of it along with carbo and avastin.

    I did in fact develop the hand and foot syndrome and would ice my feet the next couple of days after the treatment.

    For me my gum tissues also took a hit, which was excruciating at times. Of course there were mouthrinses geared for this very type of condition too.

    I feel really bizarre too, knowing that this cancer is in me (although in remission now), it is stage iv, so I know what that means, so if treatment is an option...I'm always ready to sign up. LOL!

    Take care and have a great weekend.


    Sharon

    Thanks, everyone. No hand/foot syndrome this 1st round!
    It's been 8 days since my 1st Doxil infusion, and although my fingertips feel a little 'burn-y' as I tyoe here and my lower palm itches now as it rests on my keyboard, thanks to you all I came through the 1st infusion with my hands and feet and mouth all good. I see my chemo oncologist next Thursday for labs and to see if I need Nuepogen before my next infusion. If I do, he'll probably set me up for Nuelasta for the subsequemt rounds.

    Without this Board, I know I would be having a lot more problems with this, so I am very very grateful. They really downplay potential side effects at the hospital I go to and never really prepare you like they should. & I can't afford to have to stop a chemo because of side effects I could have prevented. So thank you so much!

    My 1st infusion was 40 mg. The bag of drugs said 70 mg, but I was told the dosage was 40 mg. The papers I got from Doxil suggest 50 mg every 28 days for a minimum of 4 rounds, so maybe they will boost me up the next round and just wanted to see how I did on this lower dose this 1st round.

    Again, thank you all so much. This makes me feel ESPECIALLY bad about Bonnie. It was her archived post I printed out and used to shop for all my Doxil self-care products. (((Bonnie)))

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