My curiosity concerns the effects of FOLFOX-7 over time, and what people's experience has been with delayed nausea and changes in taste/appetite in the days following treatments. I'm six days on from completing my 7th cycle, and have gone through a few different approaches to nausea management to date. I'm convinced that - though the treatments seem to be getting easier - the delayed or lingering nausea seems to extend a little further out each time. Also, the past two cycles I'm really noticing changes in how food tastes. I can't say I notice a metallic taste, but there's something like the feeling you get when you burn your mouth or tongue, but without the pain. I find I crave warm savory foods, and salads. My appetite goes from longer periods of mild nausea with no interest in food to suddenly being ravenously hungry for the types of food I mentioned.
If there's a question in here, I guess it's that I'm curious whether people's experience with these types of symptoms tends to ebb and flow, level off, or continue to escalate, or taper off.
My nausea regimen to date:
- Infusion meds same each cycle: Fosaprepitant(Emend for IV),Decadron,Zofran IV
Take-home meds by cycle:
- 1&2: Ondansetron(Zofran)&Lorazepam(Ativan) oral as needed (first treatments, no basis for comparison, but requested alternatives)
3: Emend oral, Ondanestron&Ativan oral as needed (getting worse)
4: Granisetron patch (yes,really), Ondanestron&Ativan oral as needed (still sucks)
5&6: Dexamethasone day 2, 3, 4 & 5, Ondanestron&Ativan oral as needed (seemed to extend the recovery period by few days, and side effects not worth it, and still nauseous)
7: Ondanestron&Ativan oral as needed (maybe I'm just getting used to it, but this seems acceptable)
Thanks all,
Mark
PS - It may have been mentioned here before, but I do highly recommend The Cancer Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz. Educational, and delicious (the recipes, not the book).