Chemotherapy Journey

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Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:37 am

Today is 2nd treatment out of 6 for 3 months. My days off was good I felt wonderful of course after the side affects wore off around 4th day.

Did anyone else experience major abdominal sharp pain that’s comes like a hurricane and then goes away, maybe 2-3 minutes? Anything to avoid it. Seems to happen only at night when I am trying to sleep.

It’s pretty scary. Makes you think something horrible is going to happen.

Also WBC was 1500 from 2700. Doc said he wants me to put in neulasta patch Friday when I take off pump to help bring it up.

Happy New Year!!

Riki
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

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

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby NHMike » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:21 am

The only pain that I have had is the sharp need to urinate and I think that this is caused by the bag sitting on a ureter or my bladder if I'm not sleeping at the right angle (as in when I'm not sleeping in my own bed). Peeing relieves it immediately. I have an illeostomy so maybe that makes things a lot easier with elimination issues - I've never had any constipation or other issues outside of having to deal with the bag itself.

My WBC and RBC dropped like a rock form the Xeloda in Neo-Adjuvant and I would assume that they are lower now after my first round of Adjuvant Chemo. So we're both starting around the same time though I'm on CapeOx instead of Folfox so our cycles are different length.
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

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:40 am

It’s hard to sleep with pump and noise and overall just getting the treatment. I had a rough night last night sleeping, just couldnt sleep much. So much races through your mind at night. Not to mention the 10 times pee trip to the bathroom. Lol

The sharp pain I get is random it feels like a major shock in the entire middle body stomach and chest. Then I am fine. It’s sucks, cancer sucks.

Yeah I am doing folfox, pump home with 5fu, added avastin yesterday. I was there for 5 hours.

Keep on NHmike we got this. Rough ride 2018 but let’s get cured. Need nedville
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

jlnewell
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:20 pm
Facebook Username: jlnewell
Location: Dewey, OK

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby jlnewell » Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:42 am

My wife also having problems with low WBC, RBC , NEU, PLT and everything else. She started chemo on Oct 18 supposed to be every 12 days chemo then pump for 48 hrs. She had first 2 treatments then her blood counts were too low to proceed. Waited 2 weeks started again, Dr. started Neulasta and got blood levels into normal range for first time in a year. Problem was it also increased the spleen size by almost 20% and caused discomfort - Dr. stopped neulasta and now back to not being able to have chemo because of low counts about 1/2 the time. Neulasta works great but at what price? Speaking of price it is ridiculously expensive. We haven't actually heard from anyone who has encountered spleen enlargement but it is a caution by the drug company. I hope it works well for you and would be interested in your progress. My wife did experience a pain similar to yours but it was after the neulasta so probably not relevant.

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:45 am

Dr wants me to go to ER to get checked. So we are headed there now. Guess it’s not normal to have midsection shocks I don’t know
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

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

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby NHMike » Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:52 am

Rikimaroo wrote:Dr wants me to go to ER to get checked. So we are headed there now. Guess it’s not normal to have midsection shocks I don’t know


It doesn't sound normal to me. Glad you're getting it checked.
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

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Thu Jan 04, 2018 5:41 pm

Went to ER did ct scan and everything check out fine, just the 5fu doing its thing.

Funny they did white blood cell count and I was 3.63 yesterday and today I am 8.70 which is Perfect. That happened overnight. So I guess no need for patch I will say something.
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

User avatar
susie0915
Posts: 945
Joined: Wed Aug 02, 2017 8:17 am
Facebook Username: Susan DeGrazia Hostetter
Location: Michigan

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby susie0915 » Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:01 pm

Glad everything is okay.
58 yrs old Dx @ 55
5/15 DX T3N0MO
6/15 5 wks chemo/rad
7/15 sigmoidoscopy/only scar tissue left
8/15 PET scan NED
9/15 LAR
0/24 nodes
10/15 blockage. surgery,early ileo rev, c-diff inf :(
12/15 6 rds of xelox
5/16 CT lung scarring/inflammation
9/16 clear colonoscopy
4/17 C 4mm lung nod
10/17 pel/abd CT NED
11/17 CEA<.5
1/18 CT/Lung no change in 4mm nodule
5/18 CEA<.5, CT pel/abd/lung NED
11/18 CEA .6
5/19 CT NED, CEA <.5
10/19 Clear colonscopy
11/19 CEA <.5

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:48 pm

The pain really sucks though. Just the unfortunate side effects of fighting cancer. Ugh!!! Thanks for the well wishes my friends. :shock:
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

AppleTree
Posts: 267
Joined: Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:16 am

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby AppleTree » Thu Jan 04, 2018 10:23 pm

Take care, glad you got checked, at the very least for your peace of mind!

I get the neulasta shot. I call it the new nasty shot. It really makes my bones and jaw hurts, gives me a pounding headache. DR told me to take ativan and oxicodone for 3 days and try to sleep it off. And...get someone to drive me to hospital for hydration. Hydration helps everything. I like being able to blink my eyes! Neulasta sometimes gives me a quick wrap around pain, like someone is putting a heavy rock on my chest while squeezing my lower ribs very hard.

I need the shot because my WBC count plummets. But I usually get chemo every 3 weeks because so does my platlets count and there is nothing they can do about that.

And almost every chemo treatment, I get a yeast infection despite rinsing my mouth faithfully with that baking soda/salt mixture. It goes through my whole system.

BUT...I am through 7 of the 12 treatments!
Diag Feb 5, 2016 Age 45
3 cm tumor 5 cm from verge
Radiation + Xeloda pills - 3000mg 5x week
3/14 - 4/16 - 25 sessions
Shrank just over 50% L nodes 0/13
Remove rectum with temp Ileo 6/17
Reversal 7/20 due to infection
Acute hepatitis August. Chemo cancelled
June to September 2016 - 58 days in hospital

2017
6/16, MRI shadow in lung
Pet - 6.6mm Met in Upper R lobe
7/30 VAT surgery Mass General/Boston
8/24 port
8/30 - 4/28 Folfox. 12 rounds
2018
June CT shows new lung Mets.
July/Oct PETs...CLEAR!

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Sat Jan 06, 2018 2:32 pm

Reason why my WBC went up was because of the steroid they give during the infusion. So dr wanted me to still do neulasta. I have it on now and will be taking it off tonight.

The general nausea, stomach cramps, sensitivity to cold really dampens the journey. I dread getting the pump again on the 16th LOL...:(, will be round 3. Half way there. CEA went down from 638 to 428...so progress
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

User avatar
Bev G
Posts: 5856
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:19 pm
Facebook Username: Bev Golde
Location: Quechee, VT

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Bev G » Sat Jan 06, 2018 7:21 pm

AppleTree wrote:Take care, glad you got checked, at the very least for your peace of mind!

I get the neulasta shot. I call it the new nasty shot. It really makes my bones and jaw hurts, gives me a pounding headache. DR told me to take ativan and oxicodone for 3 days and try to sleep it off. And...get someone to drive me to hospital for hydration. Hydration helps everything. I like being able to blink my eyes! Neulasta sometimes gives me a quick wrap around pain, like someone is putting a heavy rock on my chest while squeezing my lower ribs very hard.

I need the shot because my WBC count plummets. But I usually get chemo every 3 weeks because so does my platlets count and there is nothing they can do about that.

And almost every chemo treatment, I get a yeast infection despite rinsing my mouth faithfully with that baking soda/salt mixture. It goes through my whole system.

BUT...I am through 7 of the 12 treatments!


Hello. Check it out with your doc, but if it's OK with him/her take a Claritin D the day before, the day of, and the day after your chemo. My husband (different cancer) had to get tons of neulasta (up to 6 shots/day) before his stem cell transplant, and this went on for a week or so...the claritin D helped him a lot. Good luck.
58 yo Type1 DM 48 years
12/09 Stage IV 2/22 nodes + liver met, colon resec
3 tx FOLFIRI, liver resec 4/10
9/10 6 mos off chemo, Neg PET&CTC CEA nl
2/11 finished total 10 rounds chemo

9/13 ^17th clean PET/CT NED for now

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Sun Jan 07, 2018 9:27 pm

Anyone else start pooping pellets vs normal poop during chemo? Not sure how long it will last into my days off. Is that normal? Should I take anything?
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

Rikimaroo
Posts: 436
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:48 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Rikimaroo » Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:35 pm

Ate some cherries and blew a gasket so things starting working again. Until next treatment :oops:
RC T3N1M0 12/16
MSS - NRAS Mutation
Chemo Rad, CCR - W&W 5/2017
Recurrence 11/2017
CT Scan 11/2017 Liver Met 5.5cm Stable, Stage IV
LAR/Liver Resect 4/2018
Reversal 10/18
CEA highest 500, lowest .8 throughout process, waiting for latest
Recurrence left vesical/pelvic sidewall - 10/7/2019 resect perm bag,
CEA rise Feb/May 3.7, 8.8, 30, Recurrence in Pelvic
CEA 40 right now, but was 57, so folfiri to beat it back down.
Lots of chemo for the past 4 years.

Soccermom2boys
Posts: 222
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:29 pm

Re: Chemotherapy Journey

Postby Soccermom2boys » Sun Jan 07, 2018 11:42 pm

LOL but yeah, I pooped the pellets so I am taking that as normal. It’s funny because you can so easily swing from diarrhea to constipation. Just do your best to drink as much water/fluids as you can possibly take in each day, I suspect that was partly why I might have had some pellets in the earlier rounds :roll: , I don’t think I was drinking enough for my first four rounds. Had a nasty bout of entiritis which landed me two nights in the big house and lots of IV fluids and from that point on I was obsessed with drinking at least 64 oz of water a day. I actually maintain that practice still and I am a true believer in the benefits of drinking water, was a game changer for me. Good luck, Riki—hang in there, it may not always feel like it, but there is an end in sight.
8/3/15 Went in with a hemorrhoid, came out with a tumor
8/12/15 Biopsy from colonoscopy confirms RC (45 yrs old--zero family history!)
9/21 - 10/29/15 chemorad 28 tx (with Xeloda)
12/17/15 APR with perm colostomy
Pathology report stages me as IIIA (T2N1M0)--1/15 LN detects cancer
2/3/16 chemo port inserted
2/8-6/2/16 8 rounds of Folfox


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