chemo - no side effects yet

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ScaredButGottaWin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:53 am

chemo - no side effects yet

Postby ScaredButGottaWin » Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:10 am

I just finished my first round of chemo almost 24 hours ago. Irinotecan plus 5-FU bolus, and a 48 hour 5-FU pump.

I keep waiting for some side effects here, but I have had no fatigue/nausea, or any other issues. Just wondering when the fun starts! :?
Colonoscopy Nov ‘17
Peritoneal Mets discovered Dec ‘17 (signet ring cell)
FOLFOXIRI - Jan'18-April '18
HIPEC May '18 (NED!)
FOLFIRI June '18-April '19
Recurrence Jan '20 - peritoneal cavity

michelle c
Posts: 1929
Joined: Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:58 am

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby michelle c » Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:26 am

That's great! I would start to feel "off" usually on the way home from chemo. The next morning, I would feel nauseous (nausea set in overnight) and would continue until I got my 5FU disconnected. The nausea and general yuckiness was quite severe. I would then start to feel better once I was disconnected. It played havoc on my digestive system but I was lucky enough not to have diarrhea except for a couple of times.

It's great that you have no side affects and hope it stays that way or affects you minimally. Best wishes.
May 25 2009 Dx with CC (sigmoid colon) 2 days after my 44th b'day
CEA prior to surgery 4.7
Jun 3 2009 LAR - Stage III 3/10 lymph nodes
Jul 6 - Dec 10 2009 - 12 cycles FOLFIRI
Genetic testing - inconclusive for Lynch
Jul 2012 port removed & hernia repair

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby NHMike » Fri Dec 22, 2017 11:50 am

Some folks have little in the way of side-effects or they take a while to show up. 5FU drops your RBC and WBC but it can take a while before you notice it.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

zephyr
Posts: 363
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2016 7:31 am

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby zephyr » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:01 pm

You *may* have no side effects ever! My brother-in-law went about 8 rounds of 5FU and had no side effects except for an occasional queasy stomach.
Nov-2009 Early stage CRC, routine colonoscopy
2010-2014 F/U colonoscopies, all clear
Jun-2016 CRC during F/U colonoscopy, surgery, Stage 4, KRAS, MSS
Aug-2016-May-2018 Folfox, 5FU, Folfiri & Avastin
Aug/Sep-2018 YAG laser surgeries (Germany), 11 nodules removed
Nov-2018 clean CT scan
Mar-2019 New lung nodules
Apr-2019 Dec-2020 Xeloda/Avastin, SBRT, cont. Xeloda/Avastin
Mar-2021 Forfiri/Avastin
Mar-2022 Ablation & Thoracotomy
Feb-2023 Folfiri & Avastin
Nov-2023 Xeloda & Avastin

ScaredButGottaWin
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Nov 18, 2017 5:53 am

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby ScaredButGottaWin » Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:18 pm

I almost WANT the side effects to know it is working and to start to get this under control! Twisted, I know. Thanks for all the feedback!
Colonoscopy Nov ‘17
Peritoneal Mets discovered Dec ‘17 (signet ring cell)
FOLFOXIRI - Jan'18-April '18
HIPEC May '18 (NED!)
FOLFIRI June '18-April '19
Recurrence Jan '20 - peritoneal cavity

RichieTheK
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon May 29, 2017 11:27 am

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby RichieTheK » Fri Dec 22, 2017 5:32 pm

First I would like to emphasize that the severity of side effects is no indication of how effective the chemotherapy is.

I have been on FOLFIRI for about 40 rounds, with minimal side effects. I get very mild nausea when wearing the 5-FU pump, but this is easily controlled. I have a genetic mutation that allows me to tolerate a higher than normal dose of irinotecan. It's fortunate that neither you nor I experience a common side effect of irinotecan: severe diarrhea.

Be grateful for your lack of side effects. It makes the fight easier for now.
DX 5/13/2016 (Friday the 13th) mRCa Stage 4b
Met Liver, Lungs, Spine
mut KRAS G12V
mut PIK3CA
MSS
5/15/2016 Tumor partially obstructive; colostomy performed
5/2016 FOLFIRI with higher dose of Irinotecan
8/2017 Signs of tumor growth, added Avastin to FOLFIRI
4/16/2018 Primary tumor invading surrounding tissue. Chemo stopped
5/2018 Started radiation.
6/2018 Radiation finished
7/2018 Start FOLFOX
1/2019 FOLFOX canceled due to neuropathy after 14 cycles.
Maintenance, 5FU and Avastin
6/2019 FOLFIRI

ppanamared
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2017 5:47 pm

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby ppanamared » Fri Dec 22, 2017 6:59 pm

Dont worry about feeling it..im 5 rounds in to the same combo as you and my hair is thicker, i feel like superman for the 3 days after it(roids), and I only notice a few hickups the day after. I dont even really notice it and i know it is working because the bloating went away..now the oxy/avastin/fu combo for 6 months that was a wild ride:) You will do great, just dont even think about it and live your life

rachel2017
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 9:17 pm

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby rachel2017 » Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:15 pm

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:I almost WANT the side effects to know it is working and to start to get this under control! Twisted, I know. Thanks for all the feedback!


Doesn't have side effects doesn't mean the chemo doesn't work. You may have general healthy body, so you can be lucky to have very minimal side effects. Wish you have a good luck!
DM 63. 11/16 colonoscopy (high dysplasia)
1/17 laparoscopic,6.5X4X3cm. Stage II. No chemo.
6/17 abdo pain. CEA 52. CT paracolic nodule 1.4X1.9cm
7/17 pet CT. Ascending colon 1.4X1.1cm SUV 2.4; midline scar 0.9cm SUV3.1
KRAS G12D
8/16/-9/26/17 Folfox 4 rounds
10/6/17 CT numorous perio seedings. ascending one 7cm; midline one 5.7cm.
10/16-1/5/2018 Folfox/avastin; 1/12/18 CT reviewed Slight progression
Stop chemo

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby NHMike » Fri Dec 22, 2017 7:43 pm

ScaredButGottaWin wrote:I almost WANT the side effects to know it is working and to start to get this under control! Twisted, I know. Thanks for all the feedback!


CEA tests and/or scans or ease of going to the bathroom might be helpful.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Mortpes
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Oct 09, 2014 10:06 pm

Re: chemo - no side effects yet

Postby Mortpes » Sat Dec 23, 2017 1:59 pm

I use ondansetron 4 mg every 4 hours for first 4 days after infusion. Add prochlorperazine 10mg every 6 hours when additional is needed and at bedtime. I use loperamide 4 mg every 4 hours until control is achieved. I start treating before I really get sick. I am currently attempting to learn how to control late spastic without warning diarrhea. This can come on without warning with the chemo drugs. I have had 15 chemo treatments. One case of neutropenia.


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