Folfox4 regimen - Dos and Donts

[parvathic]

Dear all:

My mum in India has been diagnosed with Stage C2 and will start Folfox 4 regimen next week. My mother is 65 years old and is little on the fatter side. She does not have any other major illness except for GERD and borderline hypertension/hypercholestrol. Although we have been briefly informed about the side effects to expect, I would love to hear about the following:
1. Most common side effects
2. Diet that helped
3. Diet that did not help
4. Any other tips?

Thanks to all for your input.

Regards
Parvathi

[jhocno197]

While on folfox, if there is anything at all she actually wants to eat, that's what she should eat. Side effects include nausea, fatigue, neuropathy, cold sensitivity, first bite syndrome (when you first bite into something it's extremely unpleasant).

[Lee]

Concur when on chemo if something sounds/feels good to eat, eat it. I found several small meals vs 3 meal in stomach was better for me. She will lose her taste for food while on chemo, butt her taste buds will come back after chemo.

If something does not sound good, do NOT eat or drink it. I am so grateful to my chemo nurse. She noticed I was getting an aversion to water, told me to stop drinking now. If I continued I would never drink it again. She was right. I love it today.

I always got an egg breakfast sandwich on way to chemo. Again food in stomach kept nausea away.

Watch for side effects, they will increase with each infusion. So tell the Onc as you notice them.

Hope this helps some,

Lee

[parvathic]

Thank you so much Lee! These inputs will help me to talk to my mom. Thanks thanks...

[JuicysJoi]

Hello Parvathic. My father had 10 rounds of FOLFOX and quickly became VERY sensitive to cold. He had the misfortune of doing these rounds in the NY winter and the cold air really hurt his teeth. He also developed neuropathy that did not subside once the treatment was discontinued. The side effects increased with each round. The cold sensitivity did subside a few months after he switched to Avastin + 5 FU. I would suggest NO cold foods or drinks, capsaicin cream can help with the neuropathy, and whatever foods she can tolerate. My father said food tasted odd and sometimes metallic during his FOLFOX. He didn't use metal utensils during this time as it exacerbated that taste...he did better eating with plastic utensils and drinking hot liquids and soups. Sensodyne toothpaste it ever travel may help if her teeth begin to hurt. Thick, warm socks help as well as thick gloves for reaching into the freezer ( she will not want to handle cold items while on this treatment) I hope all goes well with the treatments and please keep us updated

[canadiandaughter]

My dad found that food high in flavor and spice were good to him. He loves onion rings! I made butter chicken for him one night and he warmed up the left overs for breakfast. He even got on a clamato juice kick, that was all he would drink. One odd thing about dad that I have yet to see anyone else mention, is that he needs his drinks ice cold!!! That is not the norm! He is diabetic so has bad feeling in hands and feet but has not had any neuropathy from chemo yet that he can tell us. The Canadian cold winters did not give him any grief either.