Middle of the road

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SophDan2
SophDan2 Member Posts: 150 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Well, I am at the middle of the road with my FOLFOX 5FU treatment. Went yesterday for the port hook up and now I'm home with a pump until Friday afternoon. I was hoping that those of you in front of me can share your thoughts about the side effects.

I am now starting to feel a bit of neuropathy in my fingers, along with the extreme sensitivity to cold. In addition, I am now experiencing a bit of dizziness when I wake up, which lessens through out the day, but I still feel it when I walk my dog, for instance. Has anyone experienced these same feelings after #6 treatment?

My main concern is the neuropathy, as I want to make sure that it does not get to the point of being a lifelong effect.

Thanks all!

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  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    #2
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    Dizzy

    I lost my balance completely toward the end of treatment. I had to use a walker. So yes, being dizzy is another side effect. Still, be sure to report it to your Oncologist. I listed everything I experienced during treatment,,, no matter how insignificant the Oncologist may have thought it was. 

    Tru

  • NHMike
    NHMike Member Posts: 213 Member
    #3
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    Good to see you again and

    Good to see you again and thanks for the progress report. I'm looking forward to that stuff in November or December (not really). My motto is track everything and tell the docs when you meet with them.

  • bobby66
    bobby66 Member Posts: 69
    #4
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    My  husband is hooked until

    My  husband is hooked until friday also. He also experiences the cold sensitivity and looses his balance a little bit. He is in his 9th treatment and he says everytime it gets a little bit worse. He gets medicine for the nausea if is too bad, which he hardly drinks. I try to make him eat so he won't feel too sick. He drinks a lot of water which we think it helps to wash out all the chemo from his system and yes he tells his doctor every time he meets with her what he feels and how bad. Hope you feel better.  

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #5
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    I'm not familiar with the

    I'm not familiar with the Folfox as a take home chemo, my take home bottle was 5FU. I started to get the neuropathy about halfway through. I think for most people it goes away permanently but I'm not positive on that. For me it was gone before I got my next treatment so I wasn't worried about it going away. I didn't have any other issues other than fatigue, which I've had with every chemo I've been on. I'm on number four right now. Good luck and push through it! 

    Jan

  • mozart13
    mozart13 Member Posts: 118
    edited August 2017 #6
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    All of the above

    plus more, finished 7th treatment, permanent neuropathy since 3rd folfox, so far delay 4 weeks, each time 1 week, low blood work, on grastofill injections after each treatment to boost blood results, and still they are low.

    My oncologist told me on 3rd round that I had excellent response to chemo, whatever that means.

    Each round is harder and harder, no nausea so far, gaining weight.

    My oxylaplatin dose was dropped to 90%, than 60%, that helped initially with neuropathy, but now its back.

    On Tuesday I start chemo, Friday is hardest day to get through, but thats part of package, so much for the package.

  • Phoenix_66
    Phoenix_66 Member Posts: 118
    edited August 2017 #7
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    Neuropathy

    I have had 13 treatments of Folfox and 10 of Folfuri over the past 11 years and have had problems with mild neuropathy each time.  I just currently finished my third round of Folfox this recurrence and began having those issues again.  My wife did some research and found an all natural "essential oils" to help and it does seem to lessen the fingertip and toe issues of neuropathy.  Make sure to keep your onc informed of all your side effects though as neuropathy can sometimes become permanent.

  • SophDan2
    SophDan2 Member Posts: 150 Member
    edited August 2017 #8
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    Thanks for the feedback all!

    Thanks for the feedback all!

  • ron50
    ron50 Member Posts: 1,723 Member
    edited August 2017 #9
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    Be sure to tell your onc about the dizziness

        When I had 5fu twenty years ago the oncologist advised me to immediately report any problem with dizzines. he said that there was a rare side effect of 5fu that related to the cerrabellum and could lead to permanent damage to that area of the brain if not checked immediately..It was considered quite rare but the oncs at that time took it very seriously so please get it checked, Ron.

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #10
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    JanJan63 said:

    I'm not familiar with the

    I'm not familiar with the Folfox as a take home chemo, my take home bottle was 5FU. I started to get the neuropathy about halfway through. I think for most people it goes away permanently but I'm not positive on that. For me it was gone before I got my next treatment so I wasn't worried about it going away. I didn't have any other issues other than fatigue, which I've had with every chemo I've been on. I'm on number four right now. Good luck and push through it! 

    Jan

    With Folfox, the take-home portion is 5FU

    You have the oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and a 5FU push in the clinic, but the take-home is just the 5FU, same as you had, Jan.  5FU has a very short half-life, so to keep active chemo in your system, it needs to be infused over the longer term.

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