Folfox7 2 down 10 to go

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Tom M.
Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

So far I have been blessed I guess. I get tired at the clinic during my treatment and a little tired for the 2days with my bag buddy. Other than that the only side effect I get is the prickly feeling on fingertips and throth. Blood counts remain good. All in all I feel pretty good. I am attacking this all with a very positive attitude. Faith, hope, and trust. I will update after each treatment. 

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  • SophDan2
    SophDan2 Member Posts: 150 Member
    #4
    Good attitude Tom

    It is good to look at this treatment with a positive attitude. I made it trough all 12 treatments of my Folfox5FU treatments over a 6 month period. You want to make sure that you keep track (diary helps) of how you are feeling during the treatment and the days in between treatments, as the effects are definitely cumulative. It is so important to communicate with your oncology doctor and nurse about how you felt in between treatments. I had the oxy reduced for treatments 10 and 11 and eliminated it for #12.

    Make sure that you eat the best food that you can, even though you won't feel like it and everything tastes like aluminum foil. What I found was by eating very healthy meals (work with colors), as the chemo wore off in my system, my body was positioned to rebound by rebuilding the healthy cells (Red/White etc...).

    I know that it is different for everybody, but it worked for me. I have been clean 17 months now!

    Stay positive!

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 CSN Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited May 2019 #5
    I hope it continues like that

    I hope it continues like that. It's rare but not impossible. Good luck!!

    Jan

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #6
    4 down 8 to go

    Completed #4 on folfox7. So far so good. Side effects are mild. I get tired at the clinic and after they remove my 2 day bag buddy. Neuropathy is slight as long as I remember no to drink anything cold. Seems to improve greatly during my full off week. Blood work always comes back great. Cea is down to 3.7 from 9.8 a month ago. I remain very positive through all this. Over all I feel pretty good. I keep people laughing when I go for my treatment day. Keeping the faith. We are not in this alone. Not only do I pray for a positive outcome, I pray for all of you as well. God bless.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit CSN Member Posts: 5,805 Member
    edited June 2019 #7
    Great news, Tom

    It really is good to hear from you, and know that, on the whole, you are doing well with treatment.  REALLY happy to see the CEA # going down. Such a good sign. 

    Keep on keeping on.  You'll be celebrating your last chemo before you know it. 

    Tru

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 78
    #8
    CEA question

    Not to hijack the tread but I’m wondering whether there is a certain CEA number that represents “Good” or if when looking at CEA numbers the important thing is that’s it’s going down or staying stable ???

    I’m positive the dr explained this to me way back ....when I sat in a daze at those early meetings and I keep forgetting to ask him in our recent visits due to other questions....and frankly it didn’t feel like a priority to me before and I now begin to understand its potential importance based on the threads in this group.

    Thank you 

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 CSN Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #9
    Awesome

    Keep the countdown going.  I'm glad that the side effects are bearable and you seem to be tolerable the treatments well.  Thanks for the update.

    Kim

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #10

    Reached the half way mark. Only 6 treatments to go. Handling all of it very well. Side effects very mild. I miss ice cold drinks. Oh well, I have to give to get. Blood counts remaining very good. Cea  continues to drop, it was 2.6 this time. Onc seems pleased. Keeping everything as is. I'm in this to win. I fully intend to be a long term survivor. God bless you my friends.

  • suzycruise76
    suzycruise76 Member Posts: 163
    #11
    Tom M. said:

    Reached the half way mark. Only 6 treatments to go. Handling all of it very well. Side effects very mild. I miss ice cold drinks. Oh well, I have to give to get. Blood counts remaining very good. Cea  continues to drop, it was 2.6 this time. Onc seems pleased. Keeping everything as is. I'm in this to win. I fully intend to be a long term survivor. God bless you my friends.

    Tom,

    I love your attitude,I have the same. Yes,we are in it to win it Smile!

    Wish you all the best,

    Suzy

  • myAZmountain
    myAZmountain CSN Member Posts: 417 Member
    #12
    Hang in there!

    So glad to hear you are tolerating the dreaded FOLFOX well--do you have a scan scheduled now? Congrats on the CEA number too! Hope the next rounds are easy on you--and don't forget you can ask for dosage to be reduced if things get rough. Prayers and hugs!

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #13
    suzycruise76 said:

    Tom,

    I love your attitude,I have the same. Yes,we are in it to win it Smile!

    Wish you all the best,

    Suzy

    Thank you Suzy. 

    Thank you Suzy. 

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #14
    myAZmountain said:

    Hang in there!

    So glad to hear you are tolerating the dreaded FOLFOX well--do you have a scan scheduled now? Congrats on the CEA number too! Hope the next rounds are easy on you--and don't forget you can ask for dosage to be reduced if things get rough. Prayers and hugs!

    No scan lined up as of yet. I

    No scan lined up as of yet. I do what they say and what I can. The infusion clinic nurses are my angles. I feel very confident about the whole process. I have from day one.

  • Steelkiwi686
    Steelkiwi686 Member Posts: 78
    #15
    Half way

    So glad to see you’re doing well. I am enjoying seeing how you are making out.

    Go You! :)

    I have now been on Folfox for about a year with treatment every two weeks. I'm still going strong although disappointed I unexpectedly did not get to finish at 6 mos.  I’m mostly over that now and keep a mind set of just managing like chronic disease as JanJan says. It has helped my mind set to see things that way.  As long as the chemo is working for me, which it presently is then I am at this moment happily ready to just keep marching and doing what I’m told by my oncologist and team.

    Couldn’t agree more with the nurses as angels comparison.  I absolutely love the nurses and have so much respect for their professionalism.  That thought was sealed when i had an allergic reaction and couldn’t breathe and they jumped-in and the incident was over soon. It may have been routine for them but not for me!

    Anyway I feel you will be ringing that bell soon and I hope we get a picture of you smiling as you do it. 

    Wishing you the best. 

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #16
    I'm always happy and grateful

    I'm always happy and grateful to read all the positive comments on this site. We all have a special bond to one another. I pray for a good out come for all of us. All of my new friends here are in my thoughts and prayers. I cannot tell you all enough how much you mean to me. We really don't have a cancer support group where I live. This is it for me. My family and you are it. These last 2 years for us have sent us many changes in our life. God bless you all.

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 CSN Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #17
    Treatment

    Half-way already is great.  It just seems like you posted this initial post a couple weeks ago.  Glad that things are going well.  So glad that we are able to lift your spirits and give you some encouragement.  There was no support group by me either so this was it.  This group helped me so much with my fears, questions and concerns.  It's hard to ask people that haven't gone through it to try and understand how you are feeling so that's why it's great that we have such a wonderful group.  God Bless you too and hope your treatment continues to go well.

    Kim

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #18
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Treatment

    Half-way already is great.  It just seems like you posted this initial post a couple weeks ago.  Glad that things are going well.  So glad that we are able to lift your spirits and give you some encouragement.  There was no support group by me either so this was it.  This group helped me so much with my fears, questions and concerns.  It's hard to ask people that haven't gone through it to try and understand how you are feeling so that's why it's great that we have such a wonderful group.  God Bless you too and hope your treatment continues to go well.

    Kim

    Thanks Kim. You and Tru were

    Thanks Kim. You and Tru were my first friends here. Everyone here always has great words of encouragement. On my treatment days I keep the nurses laughing.  I have no intention of this bump in the road of my life getting to me. Just over a year ago we lost one of our sons in a accident. That being said it kinda put things into perspective for me. I have no fear of what I am going through now. We have 10 other children and I will deal with all of this by leading by example. I will keep all of you posted as the treatments continue.   God bless you all.

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit CSN Member Posts: 5,805 Member
    #19
    Tom M. said:

    Thanks Kim. You and Tru were

    Thanks Kim. You and Tru were my first friends here. Everyone here always has great words of encouragement. On my treatment days I keep the nurses laughing.  I have no intention of this bump in the road of my life getting to me. Just over a year ago we lost one of our sons in a accident. That being said it kinda put things into perspective for me. I have no fear of what I am going through now. We have 10 other children and I will deal with all of this by leading by example. I will keep all of you posted as the treatments continue.   God bless you all.

    Dearest Tom

    It hurts my heart to hear that you have lost a child to an accident.  

    I fear the pain of losing a child is one of the hardest things to deal with. 

    Bless you! 

    Tru

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 CSN Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited July 2019 #20
    Tom M. said:

    Thanks Kim. You and Tru were

    Thanks Kim. You and Tru were my first friends here. Everyone here always has great words of encouragement. On my treatment days I keep the nurses laughing.  I have no intention of this bump in the road of my life getting to me. Just over a year ago we lost one of our sons in a accident. That being said it kinda put things into perspective for me. I have no fear of what I am going through now. We have 10 other children and I will deal with all of this by leading by example. I will keep all of you posted as the treatments continue.   God bless you all.

    Sorry

    So sorry for your loss.  You have been through so much and losing a child has to be devestating.  This board is always in my prayers.  Prayers along with this board helped me.  Keep up the great work getting through this. 

    Kim

  • Tom M.
    Tom M. Member Posts: 223 Member
    #21
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Sorry

    So sorry for your loss.  You have been through so much and losing a child has to be devestating.  This board is always in my prayers.  Prayers along with this board helped me.  Keep up the great work getting through this. 

    Kim

    Thank you for your kind word

    Thank you for your kind word's Tru and Kim. We deal day to day with it all. Some better than others. Treatment 7 is this week. I will post the update. Take care my friends.

    E 

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 CSN Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    edited July 2019 #22
    Neuropathy

    Just wondered how your neuropathy is feeling.  Going on 7 treatment round you are doing amazing.  Remember, if something doesn't feel right, let your doctor know.  Keep up the awesome strength you show on this board and during treatment.  You will be finished before you know it.  Good luck in #7 this week.

    Kim

  • ellend
    ellend Member Posts: 109 Member
    #23
    Glad to hear things are going well

    I'm glad to hear things are going well and hope it continues.

    I had 8 rounds of Folfox back in 2016 - mop up chemo. I have some minor lingering neuropathy in my feet, but it isn't that bad, just a bit tingly. It is annoying when it is cold. I got very fatigued near the end of the treatments and they had to discontinue one component because my red blood count and platelets were getting very low. However, I didn't really have any serious issues. I hope that will be true for you as well.

    Ellen

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