Tdubz wrote:Hey benben,
Try getting a squatty potty, it angles your body for better evacuation. Does it work? I don't know, but my friends got me one and I think it helps.
I'm 5 weeks post surgery. My BM's have decreased quite a bit. I'm usually in the 0-2 range per day now. First one of the day is almost normal, and the second does have a bit more liquid. I am also pretty much back to a normal diet.
my port didn't bruise too much, but one of the other patients I met at chemo today said his bruised quite a bit. It didn't bother the nurse, she still popped it right in. If I remember correctly, when I got the port, they said to expect bruising but if you see like blood pooling under the skin like a blood blister then call your doc.
Soccermom2boys wrote:I was sore for several days after getting my port inserted--it felt like my upper left chest area was used for a punching bag. However, it was never a sharp pain--those are the ones you have to worry about and report. By the time I had my first infusion, five days after getting the port in, I was fine with my port, physically (mentally is another issue). It never gives me any issues as I faithfully get it flushed every five weeks for the past eleven months post-chemo, but I am anxious to hopefully have it removed this summer after another clean CT scan.
Glad to hear overall you are doing well, all things considered. It's a tough road from start to finish and there will be both smooth and bumpy days. Just keep heading forward, the road does eventually come to an end.
benben wrote:Thank you. I'm already looking for port removal and getting back into an exercise routine.
horizon wrote:benben wrote:Thank you. I'm already looking for port removal and getting back into an exercise routine.
I haven't seen this thread until just now. You and I share similar backgrounds and diagnosis. My lymph node involvement was similar and I have no regrets about doing 6 months of chemo. What I asked myself was "Could I live with the regret if I had a recurrence and didn't do everything my doctors suggested?" It's a personal decision but for me it was a clear choice. FYI, during chemo I was eventually able to start hitting the gym again. I avoided certain exercises with the port but it was absolutely doable. They had me keep mine in quite a while after chemo was done as a just in case.
Cathie wrote:just to encourage you I was d'xed Oct 3, 2002 and I'm still here.
cathie
benben wrote:As far as hitting the gym during chemo, were you post surgery or pre when doing chemo? Do you recall how long after surgery/chemo started you hit the gym? I actually canceled my membership at Golds and they were nice enough to refund the money I had given up front for the entire year.
waw4 wrote:benben,
Good luck with your chemo—it's a weird experience to undergo.
Chemo is not customized once a protocol is selected, unless it is modified due to side effects or patient request.
I write to tell you neuropathy from oxaliplatin is no joke and can, though not necessarily, be severe.
So my suggestion is to research the risks of oxaliplatin induce neuropathy so you may weigh the potential risks against the potential rewards of its use.
I tried to mitigate the potential for oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy by doing 9 instead of the usual 12 Folfox 4 treatments, but still got severe neuropathy in both my feet. The neuropathy only began after chemo stopped and it is as bad today as it was then, 6 years ago.
I suggest you research all the drugs involved in your chemo, even the pre-infusion anti-emetics so you'll know how fast they metabolize out of your system and what side-effects they may have.
All drugs in the chemo regimes have side effects and in my opinion, it's best to be aware of them.
Oh, also guard against chemo-induced dry mouth as lack of saliva contributes to dental cavities. I had 5 new cavities when I finished chemo and my onc never once thought to mention this side effect.
Again, good luck with it all!
Regards,
Bill
horizon wrote:benben wrote:As far as hitting the gym during chemo, were you post surgery or pre when doing chemo? Do you recall how long after surgery/chemo started you hit the gym? I actually canceled my membership at Golds and they were nice enough to refund the money I had given up front for the entire year.
I was post surgery. My memory is fuzzy but I think I went 6 weeks before starting chemo and then went back to the gym a few weeks after that. My onc said he would prefer if I went late at night when less people were around. I could only push up baby weights when I started up again but it's what helped keep me sane during that period.
You'd be eligible for a free YMCA membership for a while.
https://www.livestrong.org/what-we-do/p ... t-the-ymca
benben wrote:As for now, I just bought some 40lb dumbbells to try and maintain some muscle mass during the next 6 months. I normally do a lot of dumbbell work on upper body - so between that and some yoga and long walks hopefully I'll pull through with as much grace as can be expected.
She said that was the first she had heard of it ...
... sore issues and they suggest a baking soda/salt water rinse ...
Lee wrote:Hi and welcome,
Good luck with your upcoming chemo. Best advice I can offer, drink a lot of water starting tomorrow. You will lose it within 48 hrs of infusion. Or at least I did. You do not want to get dehydrated, that will put in in the ER real fast.
In time, keep some oven mitts near your refrig. Anytime you need to grab something from freezer, you will want to use those mitts. Your body will tell you when you need to start that. And at some point, all liquids will need to be at room temperature.
I always got an breakfast egg/cheese sandwich on way to infusion. Figured egg would give me protein. Food in my stomach kept nausea at bay. So I would eat several small meals vs 3 meals a day.
Enjoy the weekend, good luck Monday.
Lee
Tdubz wrote:Good luck with your first treatment. I just finished my first treatment last week, and while I didn't feel great for a few days, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Week two has been good too. I've felt great all week. Monday will be round 2 for me.
horizon wrote:Even if you can't during your treatment I'm a big believer in "muscle memory". You'll be surprised how quickly you can get back into fighting shape. When I went back during my treatment I could barely bench with the 40lb dumbbells.
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