Guest guest Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 Hi Mark, I had 12 treatments of Folfox and a port in my chest. The port is the best way to go so they do not ruin your veins with the chemo. The surgery is done as an out patient and is pretty easy to endure. You will be a little sore for a few days after it is put in. This way you will only be stuck once with a needle each chemo session. The chemo itself is not that bad. Everyone reacts to the chemo drugs differently so it is difficult to predict how you will react to the drugs. Most do get tired from the chemo. Any type of nausia is controlled with the anti-nausia drugs they give you before the chemo. Some people get diareaha. This can also be controled with drugs. The Oxiplatinum(sp?) can cause tingles in your hands and feet when there is temperature changes to your skin such as reaching into the refrigerator. This sensation usually lastes for a couple of days after the infusion and then gets better. You can avoid this by wearing gloves when touching anything cold. I have livestock to care for and had my chemo in the winter. I wore several pairs of gloves inside of each other since layers are better when I had to feed the livestock since I was outside for a long time. You may also have a tighting in your throat when you drink cold. It is best to drink room temperature drinks for a few days if you have that reaction. I did feel this but mine only lasted a day or two after the infusion. I did notice a change in my taste buds also. Food did not taste as good as normal. All this subsides when chemo treatments are done. Your hair may thin some and you will not loose it all. Mine thinned quite a bit but few noticed it since my hair was thick to begin with. Now I must remind you again. Everyone is different and everyone reacts differntely. You must remember that no matter what this all will go away when the treatments are done. You should drink lots of fluids when on chemo to get the chemo drugs flushed out of your system. That is very important. I know this is a scary time for you right now and you will hear the worst of what happened to others. So many poeple seemed to make it a point to tell me you will this or that.... You may or may not react that way. Just remember you will get through this and there is an end to it. It is just twelve treatments and you will get through it. This group is here to talk to and get answers to lot of your questions. You come here and vent and talk and and someone will always be here to help you. Hope this has helped you some. You are in my Prayers to find the strength in with in yourself. Ingrid > > i finally had my first oncologist appointment today (3 weeks after my > surgery) and they decided on a treatment regimen. > > the regimen will use FOLFOX4 and will be given to me at the cancer > center every 2 weeks, followed by 2 days with a 'fanny-pak' pump > attatched to me. i'm scheduled for 12 treatments. (they are also > implanting a 'porta cath' into my upper chest so i can avoid a new IV > line everytime i go) > > can someone tell me about their experience with this drug? the fanny > pak? the porta cath? > > thank you! > > mark follmer > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 The drug-- FOLFOX's biggest side effect is a reaction to cold. Dress warmly and if you never have worn a scarf you may want to start now so you don't breathe in cold air. Gloves are equally important for both outdoors and in handling cold items. Eating cold foods is not a good idea during chemo week. Cold gives you two reactions the first is a tingly shock like feeling and the other is a feeling like your throat is closing. Neither are serious (your throat does NOT actually close) and sometimes they are not even that severe. My husband had very mild versions of these reactions. Actually what he'd get most is chills and mild achiness within an hour or two. He'd schedule chemo for early in the day come home around 1 or 2 and sleep until dinnertime then he'd take 2 Tylenol and grab a shower and he'd feel fine. The fanny pac is a nuisance but manageable hang it over the shower pole for bathing and on your bedpost overnight. The rest of the time it can run under your shirt and around your waist. The portacath surgery is same day about 45 minutes. It is placed under your skin and may seem awkward at first but soon it will be no big deal and you'll wonder why they didn't do it sooner. They can get blood from it too although they rarely do unless you are having more serious problems. Just tell all medical persons you have it. If there is metal in it you will also need to carry a wallet card to show security should you fly or need to go through a metal detector. As for other side effects ask us or your doctor as there are all kinds of things that have helped us deal with them. Best Wishes as you battle the beast Narice In a message dated 11/21/2005 11:16:31 PM Eastern Standard Time, midwestgolfman@... writes: i finally had my first oncologist appointment today (3 weeks after my surgery) and they decided on a treatment regimen. the regimen will use FOLFOX4 and will be given to me at the cancer center every 2 weeks, followed by 2 days with a 'fanny-pak' pump attached to me. I'm scheduled for 12 treatments. (they are also implanting a 'porta cath' into my upper chest so i can avoid a new IV line everytime i go) can someone tell me about their experience with this drug? the fanny pak? the porta cath? thank you! mark follmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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