Onset Of Side Effects

[meatie]

My mother is getting her port thursday (10/9), with chemo following soon after. I am curious as to how soon the side effects of chemo kick in. One hour after infusion? The day after? Or later?

[ANDRETEXAS]

Much depends on the type, strength and duration of the chemotherapy.

[Redtexa5]

And even more on the individual patients reaction to the drugs, everyone is different. I never really had any side effects to speak of, just a bit tired a few days after infusion, but some people have much harder time with the treatments. Its not like you see in the movies, they are really very good at calculating they dose to fit the individual patient these days. The big thing is if you are having any problems call your Oncologist and speak with the infusion nurses they can pretty well keep you going in the right direction. Also, write these questions down and ask them of the nurses and doctors at your next appointment they are the experts and will have a better idea about your mother's health condition than we will. Look, that is what you are paying these people for, they are a resource for you.

[WifeOfMike]

meatie

I see you trying to find answers for your mom, but your questions are vague & it is hard to answer. Most if it depends upon each patient, their age, health, extent of Colon Cancer, etc
You will find answers to a lot of your questions already discussed on our forum. In the search box type in what chemo you are talking about, or what side effect etc.
Much easier for you & more in depth for what you need to know now in this early stage of your mom's treatments
There are no exact one-size fits all treatment, or answers, or statistics that covers anyone
I researched here many times & learned a lot of what I know to help my hubby

I admire your willingness to stand behind your mom, to learn & help
she is a lucky lady
Vicki

[nick49]

Its a difficult question to answer, as everyone else has noted we are all different.
The best thing to do is to start to write down what problems are encountered and on what date...also, don't be afraid to speak with your nurses/health care team...they are very good at providing solutions for a myriad of side effects...most days I rattle as when I am on chemo I can be on over 20 tablets a day...its not as bad as it sounds, but don't ignore anything that you think is way out of the ordinary. I had problems in the early days and ended up with a lot of blood related problems. Thankfully I let my team go and they got on top of it rightaway!

Hope this helps
Nick

[SkiFletch]

The one side effect constant seems to be cold sensitivity with Oxaliplatin. That one comes on quick. Sometimes even during infusion, if not shortly thereafter. Others typically rear their heads within the first 5 days. As a general rule with day 1 being infusion day, side effects tend to peak later day 3 and day 4 with beginning of recovery day 5. An old member here used to be involved in laboratory chemo research refer to it as "Day 5 rats" and that pretty much holds true for us folks too.

[Ontario Guy]

Some effects were almost immediate: I went pale, became cold-sensitive (lots of warm blankets at the infusion clinic), lost my balance easily (particularly annoying because I needed to pee every half-hour or so). After that, I was hyper because of the steroids administered with the antiemetic. As soon as the 5-FU pump was disconnected, I crashed hard.

What drugs will your mother be taking?

OG

[BrownBagger]

Whatever the side effects are, they will be minimized by taking in lots of fluids before, during and after the infusion. I like to drink water with Nuuns tabs in it--they're electrolyte supplements that I buy at my local grocery store. I also find that Green yogurt helps calm my stomach before an infusion and the morning after. Anything with mint or ginger in it will help with nausea. And finally--and this is a tough one to balance--get enough rest, but be sure to get as much exercise as you can. It will help move the chemo through your body more quickly, I think.

After a few rounds, you start to notice some trends. If you get constipated in the days following an infusion, drink metamucil for two or three days leading up to infusion day. If you have the opposite problem (or some combination of the two), find out how much Immodium (or lotomil, or both) it takes to calm your bowels, and then have it on hand for when you need them.

[mstults]

If its folfox, she should feel fairly good while hooked up. Except for the cold sensitivity that has already been mentioned. After disconnect I was pretty tired and slept a lot for 2-3 days. I didn't have a lot o side effects. The neuropathy, if she gets it, will probably be gradual. She most likely won't experience that until rounds 4-5. When looking at the side effects, it should be noted that not all experience them. And they vary from patient to patient. Best thing is like someone said, keep hydrated, and play it by ear. She will need gloves to handle cold things. Exercise keeps that energy level up too.

[orcasres]

Cold sensitivity is quite common and having an extra layer of clothing and gloves along for the first infusion is a good idea. I had my first infursion in mid November and I was very unpleasantly surprised when I touched a car door handle and my granite counters at home. Just was not expecting it to be that cold. I also found swallowing difficult for a short time after each infusion. It went away in a few hours, but it was unnerving at first. Everyone is different, so your mother may not have many side effects at all. It is just a good idea to be prepared for the cold.

Good luck to your mother and you. Lois

[PainInTheAss]

Not only is every patient different, but each infusion can be different. I had really blurry vision the first round of oxi, then the third round I also couldn't talk immediately after disconnect for about an hour or so. Then, another round I couldn't walk immediately after disconnect because my calves and feet cramped up and locked. I had so many weird side effects like that that the nurses had to go look them up on the computer to see if it was a side effect or a reaction. Diarhea typically hits a few days later. My fatigue got progressively worse and lasted longer with each infusion. And my neurapathy became the worst a month or so after my last infusion (it was very mild before that).

The best thing is to write down all symptoms and tell your doctor. Amazingly, Ativan worked for the crampiness and blurry vision. I only lost my voice once. There are so many different combinations of things that can happen, but your onc and the nurses will know how to help.

[sadysue]

My chemo was folfox. I had cold sensitivity the first day and my tongue felt weird but otherwise I was ok, just a little tired. The second day, I felt like Wonder Woman from the steroids - I could conquer the world! By the next day I would crash and stay that way for about a week. I had some other crazy things happen to me and my dosage kept getting cut back after my second treatment but I won't even go into that. Everyone reacts so differently to these drugs.