Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

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tminor5
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:46 am

Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby tminor5 » Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:00 pm

My DH had his first Chemo round. The pump went on Monday and came off today. He had a tiny bit of the cold water thing, where it bothered him, and then it went away. He really hasn't had another effects (as of yet, anyway, knock on wood). Is that odd? He has been drinking LOTS of water. To the point where even at night he gets up a minimum of 1 time up to 3 times to go to the bathroom. He has also drank 2 glasses a day of Gatorade, the canister powder stuff you add yourself. I was just curious if that is odd or not? Wondering what we are doing so we can keep doing it. He really has to work (he can take the pump on/start day off-PTO issues nothing to do with his work itself, they are being awesome) while doing Chemo so this first time has been nice. So IDK I guess maybe I just want to hear that there are other people who have done Chemo with little to no side effects?

Thank you
Trisha
DH DX at 46  pT4a,pN1a CEA 1.6
5/25/18 ER bowel obstruction
5/26/18 Colonoscopy couldn't insert stint
5/27/18 Surgery removed 18", not seen on any near by organs, colostomy due to infection
6/25/18 1st FOLFOX (12 cycles)
11/26/18 Last chemo
12/17/18 Colonoscopy clear
3/29/19 Colostomy takedown (temp illeo because of scaring)
5/23/19 Scan (sm node lung believe scar tissue)
6/20-7/25-8/9-8/20-9/5-9/26 Colon stretch for illeo takedown
10/3/19 Scan (node same)
10/25/19 Ileo takedown

weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby weisssoccermom » Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:28 pm

Trish,
If you mean.....is it odd that the neuropathy only lasted a short while...then NO that is not odd! The effects of the oxi will likely continue to intensify with each successive cycle. Initially, the effects may only last a day....not odd at all. The next cycle, your DH may notice that the effects last longer and/or are more intense. With each successive cycle, the side effects (ie neuropathy/cold sensation) tend to last longer and become worse.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

tminor5
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:46 am

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby tminor5 » Wed Jun 27, 2018 1:36 pm

I actually meant is it odd he really didn't have any side effects. Besides that one sip after that cold drinks didn't bother him. He had no other issues. No issues with cold on the skin or anything.
DH DX at 46  pT4a,pN1a CEA 1.6
5/25/18 ER bowel obstruction
5/26/18 Colonoscopy couldn't insert stint
5/27/18 Surgery removed 18", not seen on any near by organs, colostomy due to infection
6/25/18 1st FOLFOX (12 cycles)
11/26/18 Last chemo
12/17/18 Colonoscopy clear
3/29/19 Colostomy takedown (temp illeo because of scaring)
5/23/19 Scan (sm node lung believe scar tissue)
6/20-7/25-8/9-8/20-9/5-9/26 Colon stretch for illeo takedown
10/3/19 Scan (node same)
10/25/19 Ileo takedown

weisssoccermom
Posts: 5988
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 2:32 pm
Location: Pacific NW

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby weisssoccermom » Wed Jun 27, 2018 4:05 pm

No it is not odd. He may have only a fleeting bit of side effects this time and that's great. It is not at all uncommon to have just a small episode of neuropathy. Just keep watching it and keep a log of how long the side effects last and how severe they may become. You will want to tell your onc if the side effects become severe or last a long time....particularly as his cycles continue.
Dx 6/22/2006 IIA rectal cancer
6 wks rad/Xeloda -finished 9/06
1st attempt transanal excision 11/06
11/17/06 XELOX 1 cycle
5 months Xeloda only Dec '06 - April '07
10+ blood clots, 1 DVT 1/07
transanal excision 4/20/07 path-NO CANCER CELLS!
NED now and forever!
Perform random acts of kindness

Stewsbetty
Posts: 170
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2016 7:08 am

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby Stewsbetty » Thu Jun 28, 2018 4:54 am

My first cycle was a breeze. Other than a little cold sensitivity and first bite once I sailed through it. Second cycle not so much. Make sure he still stays on top of his meds cause if nausea or excessive diarrhea starts things can go downhill quickly. I ended up hospitalized for 5 days second cycle before we could get the nausea and diarrhea under control. I was very confused since the first cycle had gone so easily but I really needed to be aggressive with the anti diarrheals and anti emetics. Plus they lowered my dose after that. Do hope your DH continues to sail through though! And drinking lots of water is great for him!

Beth
42yo At diagnosis. Female in BC, Canada
Dx: CC ascending
Right Hemi colectomy 06/16 clear margins
Adenocarcinoma 6cm High Grade
pT3 pN2a Stage 3
10 out of 16 lymph involved
MSI-h, Kras mut, Braf wild
Finished chemo Feb. 2017
PET scan showing active area April 2017
July 2017 CT showing LN mass and spread to other LN
Stage 4
Aug 2017 failed Fofiri
Sept 2017 keytruda scans every 3 months showing shrinkage and stability
November 2018 CT shows only 1 small tumour left
September 2019 clear CT finally NED!!!

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LPL
Posts: 651
Joined: Fri Apr 22, 2016 12:49 am
Location: Europe

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby LPL » Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:03 am

tminor5 wrote:
He has been drinking LOTS of water. To the point where even at night he gets up a minimum of 1 time up to 3 times to go to the bathroom.

My DH also drank LOTS of water and many visits to the bathroom.
I thought it was a good thing that he managed to drink so much water. But it turned out that he had gotten steroid induced hyperglycemia :cry: from the steroids given with the chemo. I hope that is not why your husband is drinking a LOT.
Hopefully there will be only mild side effects of the chemo for your husband.
DH @ 65 DX 4/11/16 CC recto-sigmoid junction
Adenocarcenoma 35x15x9mm G3(biopsi) G1(surgical)
Mets 3 Liver resectable
T4aN1bM1a IVa 2/9 LN
MSS, KRAS-mut G13D
CEA & CA19-9: 5/18 2.5 78 8/17 1.4 48 2/14/17 1.8 29
4 Folfox 6/15-7/30 (b4 liver surgery) 8 after
CT: 8/8 no change 3/27/17 NED->Jan-19 mets to lung NED again Oct-19 :)
:!: Steroid induced hyperglycemia dx after 3chemo
Surgeries 2016: 3/18 Emergency colostomy
5/23 Primary+gallbl+stoma reversal+port 9/1 Liver mets
RFA 2019: Feb & Oct lung mets

tminor5
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:46 am

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby tminor5 » Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:31 am

LPL wrote:
tminor5 wrote:
He has been drinking LOTS of water. To the point where even at night he gets up a minimum of 1 time up to 3 times to go to the bathroom.

My DH also drank LOTS of water and many visits to the bathroom.
I thought it was a good thing that he managed to drink so much water. But it turned out that he had gotten steroid induced hyperglycemia :cry: from the steroids given with the chemo. I hope that is not why your husband is drinking a LOT.
Hopefully there will be only mild side effects of the chemo for your husband.


Luckily he was drinking a lot before chemo. But I will make sure and watch if it becomes more during chemo.
DH DX at 46  pT4a,pN1a CEA 1.6
5/25/18 ER bowel obstruction
5/26/18 Colonoscopy couldn't insert stint
5/27/18 Surgery removed 18", not seen on any near by organs, colostomy due to infection
6/25/18 1st FOLFOX (12 cycles)
11/26/18 Last chemo
12/17/18 Colonoscopy clear
3/29/19 Colostomy takedown (temp illeo because of scaring)
5/23/19 Scan (sm node lung believe scar tissue)
6/20-7/25-8/9-8/20-9/5-9/26 Colon stretch for illeo takedown
10/3/19 Scan (node same)
10/25/19 Ileo takedown

tminor5
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:46 am

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby tminor5 » Thu Jun 28, 2018 7:34 am

Stewsbetty wrote:My first cycle was a breeze. Other than a little cold sensitivity and first bite once I sailed through it. Second cycle not so much. Make sure he still stays on top of his meds cause if nausea or excessive diarrhea starts things can go downhill quickly. I ended up hospitalized for 5 days second cycle before we could get the nausea and diarrhea under control. I was very confused since the first cycle had gone so easily but I really needed to be aggressive with the anti diarrheals and anti emetics. Plus they lowered my dose after that. Do hope your DH continues to sail through though! And drinking lots of water is great for him!

Beth


I have to watch carefully. He has an ostomy now so we have to watch his output. He has to take a stool softener right now so I will make sure and watch even closer. When he rinsed his mouth out last night he had a wave of nausea so he did take a pill. He felt good this morning though. I will tell him to watch closely though.
DH DX at 46  pT4a,pN1a CEA 1.6
5/25/18 ER bowel obstruction
5/26/18 Colonoscopy couldn't insert stint
5/27/18 Surgery removed 18", not seen on any near by organs, colostomy due to infection
6/25/18 1st FOLFOX (12 cycles)
11/26/18 Last chemo
12/17/18 Colonoscopy clear
3/29/19 Colostomy takedown (temp illeo because of scaring)
5/23/19 Scan (sm node lung believe scar tissue)
6/20-7/25-8/9-8/20-9/5-9/26 Colon stretch for illeo takedown
10/3/19 Scan (node same)
10/25/19 Ileo takedown

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GrouseMan
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: SE Michigan USA

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby GrouseMan » Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:28 am

Its not odd at all. My wife had very few side effects from her Chemo and was on it nearly 4 years straight - No time off! The FOLFOX with Avastin hardly fazed her and she would usually drive herself to work after the infusion, and pump connect. She did develop some neuropathy from the Oxaliplatin, but it wasn't really bad. She always took her nausea meds to be proactive. There is a mental component to nausea and often if you stop the meds it becomes harder to get a handle on it should it reappear. She eventually was on Irinotecan, Erbitux, and Avastin. She found this to be a piece of cake as she put it. Seems the 5-FU was the one component in her chemo cocktails that she attributed to her general lack of wellbeing. When in the last 6 to 8 months took her off that she felt pretty normal except by then she was experiencing a blockage and had a hard time eating very much. Peri mets pressing on her colon resulting in the blockage, and is what eventually caused her to pass away. Lack of nutrition. She retired from her job about 4 months before she passed away. I think working helped her to keep her mind off of the cancer. She surprised a lot of people when she passed away because they didn't know, could not tell. She was a life time runner and was very physically fit to begin with.

Good luck with your journey

GrouseMan
DW 53 dx Jun 2013
CT mets Liver Spleen lung. IVb CEA~110
Jul 2013 Sig Resct
8/13 FolFox,Avastin 12Tx mild sfx, Ongoing 5-FU Avastin every 3 wks.
CEA: good marker
7/7/14 CT Can't see the spleen Mets.
8/16/15 CEA Up, CT new abdominal mets. Iri, 5-FU, Avastin every 2 wks.
1/16 Iri, Erbitux and likely Avastin (Trial) CEA going >.
1/17 CEA up again dropped from Trial, Mets growth 4-6 mm in abdomen
5/2/17 Failed second trial, Hospitalized 15 days 5/11. Home Hospice 5/26, at peace 6/4/2017

justin case
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby justin case » Fri Jun 29, 2018 3:48 pm

I had very little problem with Folfox ,although carrying frozen meat around the grocery store looking for my wife, did sting a bit .
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012

User avatar
GrouseMan
Posts: 888
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: SE Michigan USA

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby GrouseMan » Fri Jun 29, 2018 4:15 pm

Yes - I remember the day my wife had her disconnect from her first round of chemo. She had been starting to train for running again, and wanted to go for a run. I am not a runner but went with her and walked the trials, and afterwards we decided to stop at Mr Frosty's for ice cream. She got an ice cream soda and I a malt. Both of us completely forgot about the cold sensitivity! It wasn't until she was about half way through it that she realized something wasn't right. Then it dawned on us and she just shrugged it off. The thoughtful look on her face was amusing. But she was determined to finish the soda anyway.

YMMV

GrouseMan
DW 53 dx Jun 2013
CT mets Liver Spleen lung. IVb CEA~110
Jul 2013 Sig Resct
8/13 FolFox,Avastin 12Tx mild sfx, Ongoing 5-FU Avastin every 3 wks.
CEA: good marker
7/7/14 CT Can't see the spleen Mets.
8/16/15 CEA Up, CT new abdominal mets. Iri, 5-FU, Avastin every 2 wks.
1/16 Iri, Erbitux and likely Avastin (Trial) CEA going >.
1/17 CEA up again dropped from Trial, Mets growth 4-6 mm in abdomen
5/2/17 Failed second trial, Hospitalized 15 days 5/11. Home Hospice 5/26, at peace 6/4/2017

justin case
Posts: 4269
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:26 am
Location: Katy, Texas

Re: Is it odd? (DH chemo pump)

Postby justin case » Fri Jun 29, 2018 6:30 pm

GrouseMan wrote:Yes - I remember the day my wife had her disconnect from her first round of chemo. She had been starting to train for running again, and wanted to go for a run. I am not a runner but went with her and walked the trials, and afterwards we decided to stop at Mr Frosty's for ice cream. She got an ice cream soda and I a malt. Both of us completely forgot about the cold sensitivity! It wasn't until she was about half way through it that she realized something wasn't right. Then it dawned on us and she just shrugged it off. The thoughtful look on her face was amusing. But she was determined to finish the soda anyway.

YMMV

GrouseMan
!Thoughtful look, that's amusing ! I had no problem with intaking cold things, I had a problem holding them with my fingers for a year !
7/11 diagnosed Stage 2 colon and rectal cancer
chemo/rad
lar/temp ilio
Reversal & port removal
21 round of chemo Folfox 9tx, 5fu 12 tx
Last treatment July 2012


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