Definitely not too early for fatigue - I get it the day after I start taking Xeloda in my cycle. Hang in there. One of the COlon Clubbers suggested accupuncture to help with the fatigue or at least maintain rather than compounding the fatigue.

Great news! Congrats!

I recall finding a study that showed that even light exercise really helped the adjuvant chemo work better and lowered recurrence rates for colorectal cancer. I recall the amount of exercise was walking 2-3 miles per hour for six hours per week during chemo and continuing after chemo ended (or doing...

I had posted about a possible infection in my port. One of my oncologists looked at it today and it looked like the early signs of an infection but definitely treatable with Keflex since it was caught early. I'm much happier with the port than I would have been with a PICC line, even considering the...

Hi all - has anyone had a port-a-cath infection? If so, did it start with redness and did the port-a-cath get tender/sore? I've called my doc but thought I'd toss the question out to Colon Clubbers too.

Hi Ivona,

If you like clams, mussels, and oysters they are actually higher in heme iron than beef. Just an FYI.

It has been a lifesaver for me too Bayqueen and I feel like I am still at the beginning of this journey but see that I am further down the path than I sometimes realize. It is important to hear the good news too because if all we see posted are the tough times we start to lose the hope that is impor...

One more thing - yogurt helps minimize the gas as does Beano - those things can really help to get through the night too!

Best of luck adapting. It is doable.

Mine is close to where you'r is - close to the G but more to the left breast side. My surgeon does lots of ports and she placed it there because I can still wear relatively low cut dresses and the port doesn't show. It got more comfortable with time - about 2-3 weeks. Sometimes it is the anatomy of ...

I have a temporary ileo since March 31 and I can get through the night now. My "magic" formula is to eat a Rice Krispie treat right before bed (say 10 pm or 11pm) and empty the pouch then. I also change to a night bag at that time - it is by Hollister and is called a "high output"...

Over the counter Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste are gentle and helpful for mine. I refill a travel size bottle of the mouthwash to use throughout the day no matter where I am. There are also over the counter saliva stimulants that help. I also have Sjogren's Syndrome (auto-immune disorder that att...

Update - I had to have fluids given after this last round of Oxaliplatin (and I'm now taking Xeloda instead of 5FU). They also gave me Kytril with the fluids and it helped immensely with the nausea. It apparently works for about 24 hours when given intravenously. I still take Emend - it helps more w...

Hi Karma, I thought I'd give you some perspective from someone currently living with the bag and also someone who is phsycially active and doesn't have children. My boyfriend has been EXTREMELY accepting and supportive of my ostomy. He just cares that I live. He says the bag is just a bag - it is me...

JMR, Please remember that the survival statistics take years to be updated and many are not based on the protocol for treatment that many of us have had/are having/that you described your husband will be having. There are good survival statistics from many of the clinical trials that resulted in the...

Mike, You are doing the right thing to ask questions and arm yourself with information to make your own choices. I'm lucky - I have docs that send me copies of studies and really tell me about side effects and how to minimize them. I understand from my docs and multiple studies that rectal cancer ha...