Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

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MKC70
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat May 20, 2017 8:39 pm

Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby MKC70 » Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:06 pm

Finished radiation and oral chemo pill Tuesday. I had to go in earlier on Monday for IV fluids due to a heart rate of 140. Knew it was because my body was in overdrive with a lot of fatigue and dehydration. Now it is Thursday and I feel blah once again with no energy whatsoever. I could barely get ready this morning to do anything. I know this is probably a silly question, but is my fatigue, nausea going to continue to increase or will it slowly dissipate since I am done. I do know side effects can last months, but just trying to figure out how to have a happy medium here. One minute I can eat, the next not. I have an ileostomy, so that doesnt help the nausea. I do have zofran and started taking that (I havent had nausea until this week). I am trying so hard to hydrate and drink protein drinks. Any suggestions, words of advice. Ugh. Thank you for your time

Aqx99
Posts: 403
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Facebook Username: aqx99
Location: Pfafftown, NC

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby Aqx99 » Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:17 pm

In my experience, the fatigue from the radiation continued after I was done. Radiation keeps working for a while after the treatments are complete. Hopefully the nausea will subside now that you are done with the chemo. Keep your medical team informed of all your side effects, there are things they can do to help you.
Anne, 40
Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer
T3N1bM0
2/21/17 Dx, Age 39
2/21/17 CEA 0.9
3/23/17 - 5/2/17 Chemoradiation, 28 treatments
6/14/17 Robotic LAR w/temp loop ileostomy, ovaries & fallopian tubes removed, 2/21 lymph nodes positive
7/24/17 - 12/18/17 CapeOx, 6 Cycles
7/24/17 Dx w/ovarian cancer
9/6/17 CA 125 11.1
11/27/17 CEA 2.6
12/5/17 CT NED
12/13/17 CEA 2.9
1/11/18 CA 125 8.6
1/23/18 Reversal
3/21/18 CT enlarged thymus
4/6/18 PET NED
7/10/18 CT NED
7/11/18 CEA 2.6
9/18 Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

MKC70
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat May 20, 2017 8:39 pm

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby MKC70 » Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:00 pm

Thank you so much

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

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby NHMike » Fri Feb 09, 2018 2:14 pm

It took about 1.5 to 2 weeks for the radiation/xeloda stuff to clear out for me.
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

retiredteacher
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:34 pm

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby retiredteacher » Sat Feb 10, 2018 4:42 pm

My two weeks after completion were pretty bad. Energy levels bounced back slowly in the weeks that followed. Stay hydrated, take your multis and eat healthy as much as you can. It gets better.
RC F 63 9/17
Adeno 7 cm MSS G2 PET
T3N0M0
2.5K Cap/RT x 25
"Near complete response" PET 1/18
CEA 0.5 10/17, 0.6 10/18
MRI 2/18 yT2N0 12 cm fr AV 3 cm
LAR 2/18 yT1N0M0 0/21 G1 0.3 cm
CAPEOX 3/18, reduced to 80% at cycle 3
Completed 4 cycles; stopped, gut issues, liver enzymes
CT/ colonoscopy 11/18 NED
4/19 NED Sacral fractures/osteoporosis
"Caregiver" to the Iron Man
Hubby CRC Stage 3 2004 NED, Small Cell Lung Cancer Limited 2011 NED, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer 2019 NED October 2019

MKC70
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat May 20, 2017 8:39 pm

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby MKC70 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:31 pm

Oh boy... I hope so. I occasionally have bouts with nausea, but nothing crazy. Im just a trying to understand all this. Takes EVERYTHING I have to do anything, even the basics. I am wondering if my WBC is extremely low and maybe need a shot of Neulasta. I would have these when I did my actual chemo infusions. I have an appt on Monday, so we will see. I am trying to eat mini meals, drink water etc. I will stay positive though.....it WILL get better. :) Thank yu so much for your words.

retiredteacher
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:34 pm

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby retiredteacher » Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:10 pm

Pedialyte is also good for hydration and might make you feel better. My GP had me get on B12 afterward - found a liquid at CVS and that seemed to help a lot. This week found a product called Recticare - it's a lidocaine butt cream and I wish I had known about it back when I was doing the radiation and immediately afterward. Controlling diarrhea is also important - if that is a problem. The nurse told me, "Remember it took you five weeks to get this sick. It's going to take some time to straighten out." Hang in there!
RC F 63 9/17
Adeno 7 cm MSS G2 PET
T3N0M0
2.5K Cap/RT x 25
"Near complete response" PET 1/18
CEA 0.5 10/17, 0.6 10/18
MRI 2/18 yT2N0 12 cm fr AV 3 cm
LAR 2/18 yT1N0M0 0/21 G1 0.3 cm
CAPEOX 3/18, reduced to 80% at cycle 3
Completed 4 cycles; stopped, gut issues, liver enzymes
CT/ colonoscopy 11/18 NED
4/19 NED Sacral fractures/osteoporosis
"Caregiver" to the Iron Man
Hubby CRC Stage 3 2004 NED, Small Cell Lung Cancer Limited 2011 NED, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer 2019 NED October 2019

MKC70
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat May 20, 2017 8:39 pm

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby MKC70 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:39 pm

Thank you so much for the reply. What you said makes a lot of sense, and I needed that. :) Have a good night.

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chrisca
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:35 pm
Location: Portland, Oregon

Re: Fatigue/Nausea after finishing up with radiation and Xeloda

Postby chrisca » Sun Feb 11, 2018 3:39 pm

After chemoradiation, you'll heal but recovery can take a month or more to feel significantly better. But your body is healing now that the punishment is over, even if you can't feel it. Nutrition and exercise as you can tolerate it will help a lot. Try cannabis to reduce nausea and improve appetite. Do not mix it with opiates though. Also, have your B12 and folic acid (homocysteine is usually tested for this) checked as the treatment can kill off cells in the small bowel that absorb these nutrients. You may need supplementation to counteract this.

There are other drugs besides cannabis to reduce nausea. I just didn't like the side effects of those. For my treatment I used about 7 drops of tincture of cannabis mixed with juice before bed. That's all I needed for relief, and only a few times did I take it during the day if symptoms were especially bad. That dose didn't produce a high. Check with your employer if your job requires drug testing.
Male, false negative colonoscopy age 48
DX: 12/2010 rectal cancer age 51
Stage T3N0M0 2 cm from anal verge
neoadjuvant rad/chemo Xeloda
Rectal resection (open surgery) straight anastomosis
Xeloda round 2
ileostomy reversal 11/2011
Successful adhesion X-lap 8/2013
Ongoing LAR syndrome but NED 10 years


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