Hello all… been a hot minute since I participated on a ‘net message board. So far the info here has been pretty helpful and informative, even predictive as I started chemo today.
Back story (excuse?) is I’m in medicine and we tend to wait until something is falling off before getting it checked out. I had a completely normal cologuard test in 2019 after turning 50, then the pandemic hit and the next couple years are a workplace blur. I had a few transitional jobs and wrist surgery so add those to the distractions. In the last year I’ve lived out of my car, hotels, crappy hospital food, and various round the clock schedules. Add to that my mom’s sudden death in January followed by my sister’s emergency hospitalization and surgery for Crohn’s. It was about this time I realized I had some bowel changes and blamed it on all of the above. Stress, right? I saw my doc and after I settled into my awesome job I scheduled colonoscopy consult. But….
Then on 10/6 after laxatives I had basically two episodes over two nights of moderate clotted blood. I figured I overdid the self treatment. No BM again. On 10/11 I threw in the towel due to now 10/10 left lower quadrant pain and went to the ER. Was admitted that night for sigmoid obstruction and was in OR next day for resection. Aside from my sister’s GI disease [likely lifestyle induced colitis to Crohn’s], I am where the family history starts. We have cancer galore but none in the GI tract.
Doing super well on recovery one month out. Exercising well with precautions for abs, walking 2/mi day.
So today first of four rounds of oxaliplatin IV and that rocked me. No jaw pain but salivary glands flood the mouth with introducing of food or drink. Tongue cramping like it wants to fold up. Uvula feels dried out. Spasm at IV site (no redness) and associated pins and needles of forearm. Dizziness, hot flashes, cold flashes, sweating (like menopause again). Some cold to fingertips when I tested water (rolling eyes). Muscles spasm in places I didn’t realize could. Not the usual Charlie horse. I did apply cold gel packs for 20 mins on, 20 mins off to hands and feet. Didn’t bother me. The onc nurse was worried I’d make things worse. Weird anxiety and deja vu type feelings.
Tonight after dinner I start xeloda (4 rounds as well).
Followed the links regarding neuropathic pain as that worries me more than the possibility of going bald. Not being able to hold needles or medical tools because of neuropathy could be a job changing issue.
So, hello. Comments and helps welcome ❤️