Sick THINKING about chemo...

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Cb75
Posts: 1216
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby Cb75 » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:02 am

I've been on chemo for 10 months, it looks like chemo for life....its working, but I suffer from anticipatory nausea. I have chemo on Tuesday, and I am about to throw up just thinking about it. I've tried drugs, conventional and otherwise, meditation, hypnosis, etc., it doesn't work....does anyone have any recommendations on what works for them? Its such a mental thing, but I'm suffering. The treatments are working, I feel great otherwise.

cb <3
39y female Stage IV
diagnosed April 2012
sigmoid resect May 2012
liver resect Aug 2012
Folfox Oct 2012
lungs Sep 2013
R and L laser lung resection Nov 2013/Feb 2014
FOLFIRI and Avastin Apr 2014 ongoing...

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Mastan
Posts: 433
Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:12 am
Location: Albuquerque, NM

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby Mastan » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:26 am

Hi Carm,

I get bummed thinking about having to do another cycle every two weeks so I try not to think about it by keeping busy with work. I used feel sick just looking at the fanny pack for the pump but that feeling seems to have dissipated over time. I believe that somehow you have not fully accepted it as a way of life, which results in anxiety. You have done it enough to where there should not be any big surprises so just march on keeping as much a normal life as you can manage.

Mark
Dx 6/2010 rectal CA

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singingholly
Posts: 1133
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 3:37 am
Location: Northern Italy

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby singingholly » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:49 am

Anticipatory nausea is something powerful, and I i think it's one of the proudest flag we show that we don't want to be in that position, in that condition. Proud and unuseful!!! :?
I'm trying to work on this with my yoga mental tools, I'll let you know if it works! Meanwhile I drink and smell lemon...
Dec2011 sigm IIIst res T3N1(2/18)M0 Xelox
Oct2012 5liv.mets Dec 2012 liv.res
Jan2013 1liv.met Folfiri+avastin
Jul2013 liv.res Folfiri+/av
Feb2014 10+2lu.mets & 1abd node Folfoxiri+SBRT
Sep2014 Res rx l. BUT spot on diaph:SBRT
Dec2014 3+6lu.mets.Immuno

KWT
Posts: 3214
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:22 pm

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby KWT » Sun Feb 15, 2015 11:23 am

Carmen, sorry you have this to deal with this on top of everything else.

JJ2212
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 3:54 pm
Location: Montréal, QC

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby JJ2212 » Sun Feb 15, 2015 12:05 pm

I don't know that this would work for you if you've already tried meditation and hypnosis, but visualisation worked for me. The night before chemo as well as during the infusion, I would visualise chemo as this bright shining green light glowing through my body, eating up all the tiny red cancer cells. This helped my mind focus on the infusion as a positive experience. Afterwards I still complained about the side effects, but the actual infusion wasn't bad at all.

I have to do the same thing when taking my Stivarga pills that i'm on now. The side effects suck so I have to visualise when taking the pills in order not to be afraid of them.

Good luck finding something that works for you.

Janie
Rectal cancer dx 04/13 @ 42, MSS, KRAS positive
T3N2M1 (1 lung met)
5 weeks xeloda+radiation finished 07/13
APR 9/13 (permanent colostomy), 27/31 nodes positive :-(
12 rounds of FOLFOX 04/14
Lung met growth 11/14
26 cycles Regorafenib (Stivarga) from 11/15 to 01/17
New lung met and chest/neck lymph nodes 01/17
1 cycle Folfiri

hdridin'fool
Posts: 74
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 12:53 am

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby hdridin'fool » Sun Feb 15, 2015 2:14 pm

I have been on chemo for over a year. It is tearing me down. I just insisted on a break. The onc agreed 2 weeks may help me feel a little better and improve my attitude. In the meantime, I have to decide whether I want to start Stivarga in place irontechcan. Neither seem like real great options other than Folfiri is keep my tumors in check but makes me miserable. Stivarga looks to be a second tier or third tier drug with just as many negatives as the irinotecan.

I have to pick between the devil I know and the devil I don't. Not an easy decision.
62 /male.
Dx 11/15/2013. Stage IV mets liver & lungs.
3 dx Folfox.
6 dx Folfox w/Avastin: Tumor growth lungs and liver.
13 doses of Folfiri w/Avastin
Chemoemobolization Aug/14. PET shows halt in growth and reduced activity.

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NZJay
Posts: 640
Joined: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:00 pm
Location: NZ

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby NZJay » Sun Feb 15, 2015 4:47 pm

Working out was literally the only time I didn't feel nauseous during chemo. So maybe hitting the gym or going for a brisk walk could help.
11-13 Dx CC
SPS T4b(touched stomach organ),N1(3/23),M0(Stage 3B)
11-13: resect + partial gastrect
2-14: 1 Tx Cape + Oxy; renal failure, colitis
4-14: 7 Tx Capecitabine
1-15: clear CT
7-15: clear scope
1-16: clear CT
3-17: clear CT
10-17: clear scope (5 year gap now!)
CEA@dx: 8.4 / 6-15: 4.0 / 10-15: 4.2 / 2-16: 4.9 / 7-16: 4.9 / 11-16: 5.0 / 6-17: 4.5
NED since resection

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elise
Posts: 1519
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:09 pm
Location: Ontario (Canada)

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby elise » Mon Feb 16, 2015 10:28 am

I so hear your pain on this one. I have no advice but I send a ((((HUG))))

Elise
2012
Feb - Stage 2 (T3 N0 M0) CC @ 30
Mar - R hemicolectomy, 18 LN
May-Nov 6 - Chemo (8 Xeloda)
2013
Feb - NED
2014
Feb - NED
May - Stage 4 - 1 liver met @ 32
Jun - Liver resection
Oct - CLEAN SCAN
Aug-Jan - FOLFOX 5 rounds, 5FU X 6
2015
Ap, Oct - NED
2016
Mar - NED

Peabody5422
Posts: 334
Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2011 10:21 am
Facebook Username: debbie.whitaker

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby Peabody5422 » Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:15 pm

Hugs as well. The stuff sucks big time but it does work sometimes.
DX: RC 11/11 T1 N1c MX
Surgery: LAR 12/23/11
Rad & Xeloda: 1/12 - 4/12
Clean CT: 4/12
Reoccur: Lymp 4/14 4 new locations. 2 Aortic, 2 locations Rectum
Chemo to start: 6/14, OXI, Advastin, 5FU
10/14: One tumor left - on Avastin only
Surgeries: 4/15, 7/15 and 8/15 :last tumor w/Illeostomy then Ostomy
NED by 7/15 Surgery

KWT
Posts: 3214
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:22 pm

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby KWT » Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:49 pm

Carmen I hope it went well today.

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vilca11
Posts: 730
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 11:19 am
Location: Moscow, Russia; Baltimore, USA 1992; Vilcabamba, Ecuador 2012

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby vilca11 » Wed Feb 18, 2015 10:30 am

Carm, chemo is a torture by itself, plus you have a mental reaction, so, why not to try psychotropic drugs, the anti-anxiety ones? I am on Lexapro all the way for 10 years, since cancer first hit me. Visualization of the infusion killing cancer cells as was suggested in this thread earlier, also is a good approach to mental reaction.

You said that the treatment is working, but what do you mean by that - the mets disappeared, you are clean, or tumors are reducing/stable, etc? Your signature does not give an update...

Hang in, honey, big hug, Vilca
11/2005 CC stage 1, F,50yo@dx
Mod dif adenocar, MSS, APC, TP53, CEAs1.6-4.8
1/12 1met liver@Vena Cava, RFA, 3oxi,11 5FU
8/13 2 mets same place,SBRT
4/14 2 Xeliri+Avastin
5/14 Nano Knife liver same 2 mets
6/14 2 Xeliri, ADAPT
4/15 PET, 2 same mets,Cryo Liver
5/15 MJ Oil, Herbs, Suppl, ADAPT
10/15 PET, same area, doubled in size, high SUV
10/15 RH, HAI, visceral involv., no LN
2/16 red FF, 50% red dose FUDR, CEA trends up
3/16 CT, PET, MRI L.Lobe all in small tumors
4/16 No acceptable options, going home

Cb75
Posts: 1216
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby Cb75 » Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:04 pm

I've been working on some mental stuff. It seems to have helped this round. I almost feel normal. I'm also medicating better.

@vilca - i've had a great response to chemo, it's put out lymph nodes, some spots are gone, no sign of plura spread and it looks like only one is left.

cb <3
39y female Stage IV
diagnosed April 2012
sigmoid resect May 2012
liver resect Aug 2012
Folfox Oct 2012
lungs Sep 2013
R and L laser lung resection Nov 2013/Feb 2014
FOLFIRI and Avastin Apr 2014 ongoing...

KWT
Posts: 3214
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:22 pm

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby KWT » Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:09 pm

Almost normal is pretty good comparatively. I'm off to get my avastin INTRUSION now. I can already smell that place.

Steph20021
Posts: 553
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2014 4:58 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Sick THINKING about chemo...

Postby Steph20021 » Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:42 pm

Im glad this time wasnt as bad for you. As has been said above I feel like meditation and imagery helps. I just had my 6th folfiri today and i feel nauseated and sleepy. Im cuddling with our dog hank a lot. It seems just when we are feeling good again we get hit again. Blah!
DX 1/31/14 @ 33- SPS-T4a(invades visceral peri), N2a(6/106 LN), M1a(ovary) (Stage 4a) MSS; BRAF V600E
2/1/14-subtotal col, lost R ovary, temp ileo
3/14-9/14- folfox; sepsis
11/14-CT/PET: L ovary met, pelvic met, (?)ghost liver met(?)
12/14-folfiri -13 rds kept me stable from 3/15-6/15
8/15-HIPEC, NED
09/15- cea 0.9
05/16- recurrence in abdo wall and lymph nodes
01/17- pulmonary embolism
02/17- 1 wk radiation to abdo wall
08/16- on folfiri
01/18-folfox
11/18- Beacon trial-encorafenib & cetuximab


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