Postby CAGirl » Mon Feb 05, 2018 1:45 pm
Not sure of the difference between Xelox and Folfox nausea-related side effects, but I found that snacking helped a lot during my "on" weeks. Always having something in my stomach staved off the nausea. I forced myself to eat a handful of Cheerios, popcorn or walnuts/almonds when awake, even if not hungry. Also, I took prophylactic Ativan (only 1/2 a pill) the night before my Chemo cycle started, as well as 1/2 a pill each night during. I also took Zofran round-the-clock during the 3-4 days of the cycle. I really think managing/preventing the nausea was the key to not letting it get out of hand. Like pain, it is harder to come back from it once it's gotten bad. My first cycle, I was trying to tough it out, but I found subsequent cycles -- especially down the line -- to be much easier, nausea-wise. And you are feeling more fatigue and other side effects from the cumulative chemo, so it's preferable to get the nausea in control if you are able. My weight remained totally consistent throughout, and my appetite was pretty good. (Also, are you hydrating/drinking as best you can the day before? Are you getting oxaliplatin injections? If so, can you ask for IV fluids, too? I did an hour or so of that with each disconnect and that helped a lot.)
Dx 2/2017, age 45, 2 kids: 6 yrs & 3 yrs
History of Crohn's disease - dx in 1997; in remission, thus no colonoscopy in over 10 years
Anemia dx 11/16: GI doc assured me "the likelihood of colon cancer" was "very low".
Stage 3C - T3N2b
8/64 lymph nodes; clear margins surgery 3/17
12 cycles of Folfox 4/17-9/17
3-month CT scan midway through chemo, no changes
2-3-mo CT scan post chemo 11/17 slightly larger lung nod (incr. from 7mm to 8 or 9mm)
CT scan 3/18 - NED
clear CT scan 1/2019 NED