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Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 4:45 pm
by NHMike
Tdubz wrote:8th treatment is a wrap! No chest pains either this round so that's good. Oxi was reduced to 80% for rounds 7 and 8 due to neuropathy. while it was better with the reduction, side effects still lasted into the next treatment. I'm thinking it will get reduced again for #9. I felt more nauseous this go around on days 1-3, but I guess that's to be expected at this point in treatment. Days 4 and 5 seem to be better than previous. Got my first cea results back since starting chemo and the results were 0.7! Super excited about that!


Super CEA number. Please keep us up-to-date.

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:49 pm
by benben
TDUBZ,

How you doing buddy?
Haven't seen you around in a while and wanted to check in.

You should be around last treatment by now. How r things going?

Hope all is well with you :)

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 8:57 am
by Tdubz
hey benben, I had forgotten my password so I haven’t been able to log in lol. Round 12 is on Monday and I can’t wait to be done! Oxy is down to 40% now and I’m hoping they just drop it all together for this last round. Hands and feet tingle all the time, finger tips are numb, I get shooting sensations that go up and down my arms and legs, and it’s getting difficult to write, lucky for me I mostly type at work. Neuropathy has been drastically worse with the previous treatment as most of these side effects just started then. Besides that, everything else has been getting better. I haven’t had many chest pains lately, but that’s because I mainly lay in bed during chemo week. If I get up and try to be active, they will start again. Luckily I am fine on off treatment weeks. Just have an elevated hr, but no pains during that week. All other symptoms have been mild these past few rounds. Fatigue has stayed about the same. I played laser tag and min golf with the kids yesterday and that wore me out lol, and I’m going to test my energy level again today by going to a college football game. I’ll have a scan at the end of October, which will be my first scan since starting chemo, so that will be a nerve racking wait but hopefully that will go by fast because I’ll be returning to work full time again.

How’s everything been going on your end? Did you stop at 8 or keep going?

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 9:39 am
by benben
Tdubz wrote:hey benben, I had forgotten my password so I haven’t been able to log in lol. Round 12 is on Monday and I can’t wait to be done! Oxy is down to 40% now and I’m hoping they just drop it all together for this last round. Hands and feet tingle all the time, finger tips are numb, I get shooting sensations that go up and down my arms and legs, and it’s getting difficult to write, lucky for me I mostly type at work. Neuropathy has been drastically worse with the previous treatment as most of these side effects just started then. Besides that, everything else has been getting better. I haven’t had many chest pains lately, but that’s because I mainly lay in bed during chemo week. If I get up and try to be active, they will start again. Luckily I am fine on off treatment weeks. Just have an elevated hr, but no pains during that week. All other symptoms have been mild these past few rounds. Fatigue has stayed about the same. I played laser tag and min golf with the kids yesterday and that wore me out lol, and I’m going to test my energy level again today by going to a college football game. I’ll have a scan at the end of October, which will be my first scan since starting chemo, so that will be a nerve racking wait but hopefully that will go by fast because I’ll be returning to work full time again.

How’s everything been going on your end? Did you stop at 8 or keep going?


Hey, glad to hear from you. Also glad to hear you're still enjoying life with your kids. Laser tag can be quite fun with little ones :).
Sounds like you did pretty well with OXI. My ONC pulled me off OXI after 7 treatments as he was concerned that neuropathy might be permanent if I continued.
Also looked like a zombie going into his clinic and was always wearing a mask and scaring some of his new patients. LOL. But I also suffered Neutropenia and then Thrombocytopenia.
Neutropenia came on after session 1, Thrombocytopenia came on after injectsion of growth factors granix, then zarxio. So I had a list of complications and the removal of OXI diminished the neuropathy a lot and the White blood cells came up. RBC was still just slightly below normal last session, but platelets were back in the normal range - even though slightly morphed in size.

I can tell you once OXI is done the side effects start to fade after a couple weeks, at least they did for me. The 5FU still causes tingling in hands and feet, but I have almost zero cold sensitivity (just sometimes with my feet if AC is blowing on them directly. Got one in the kitchen that does that.) I am still chugging along with 5FU and leucovorin and treatment 11 for me is Tuesday.
I feel loads better off the OXI. Energy is up and just the overall general feeling of well being has increased. Not to mention I'm transforming from zombie looking to more and more like my old self.

Enjoy that college football game. Who you watching?
May your last treatment see you well and on your way to recovery and NED!

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 9:52 am
by Tdubz
Forgot about the cold sensitivity. That was one of the best things about the oxi being lowered. Even with it being 40%, I had minimal cold sensitivity and could drink cold drinks that whole round.

I’ll be going to Texas vs Kansas st tonight. Should be a good game. Haven’t been to one in a few years so it should be a lot of fun.

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 11:16 am
by benben
How'd the game go?

I wish you well on your last treatment tomorrow. Make sure to knock that bell off the wall! :D

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 2:11 pm
by Tdubz
It was great, double over time and the longhorns won. Wore me out but it was worth it.thanks for the well wishes!

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:30 pm
by Tdubz
So the doc was concerned about the neurapthy and with my young age, decided it wasn’t worth doing the last round, so I am officially done! It’s been a long journey and I know there’s always a chance it could come back but at least for now I’m going to enjoy my time away from chemo.

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:38 pm
by benben
Tdubz wrote:So the doc was concerned about the neurapthy and with my young age, decided it wasn’t worth doing the last round, so I am officially done! It’s been a long journey and I know there’s always a chance it could come back but at least for now I’m going to enjoy my time away from chemo.



WOOT! now it's time to heal, than have a little party!
My ONC told me to expect gradual healing from chemo for around 6 months.
Having dropped OXI myself after round 7, I now only have hand/foot from the 5FU - but its mild.
Just tingling in toes and hands anytime there is pressure put on the tissue, but its also mild.
Can feel it a bit when typing, playing guitar, and walking/running on the feet.

Probably you'll have a CT Scan in next couple weeks and officially enter into NEDVILLE.

Congrats!

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:22 pm
by Tdubz
Got my scan results back this week and I am cancer free!

Re: what should I expect on the first day of chemo?

Posted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:36 pm
by Robino1
Tdubz wrote:Got my scan results back this week and I am cancer free!


* doing the happy dance for ya*!!!

Congratulations!!