Re: Checking In - Thoughts on Taking a Week Off

[Guest guest]

Hi Joe, that's what my brother did when he landed in the hospital with

Xeloda/ Oxil plus radiation. After being in hospital, he did finish his

protocol,

waited a month and just had a PET which showed NED. Will wonders ever

cease!!! He feels wonderful

Betty

Younger brother in KY. age-62

10/01 CC; resection; TMN stage: pT3N2MX (Stage III) 5FU/Lev-6 months

9/03 PET showed recurrent met (left para-aortic malignant lymph nodes);

Xeloda/Oxiplatin infusions and 25 radiation treatments

Hospitalized 2/04--8 days severe hand/foot syndrome & diahrrea- 30 lb weight

loss; colonscopy-clear. Infection.

Finished treatment after hospitalization.

On cancer Vacation @ present; Waiting one month before another PET

May 10 PET done

Results show NED!

Thank you God!

[Guest guest]

Hey Joe, I'm wishy-washy about Darryl taking some

time off from treatments, but as for today, I'm all

for it. He's only has 2 weeks worth and the Avastin

this week has kicked him in the butt. His morale is

so low, been in bed for the past 3 days, I could go

on. He'll get 2 weeks off so he can attend a

battalion reunion that we couldn't go to last time

because of the first diagnosis. He won't miss this

one if he can help it. I actually looking forward to

him getting back some strength but I'll admit I didn't

like the idea at first. You're right, 1 or 2 weeks

break can't make much difference. Take care,

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I have had some issues with my digestive track as well. The biggest

problem I had was constipation. I finally figured out that shifting

to a mostly liquid diet (lots of soup) and Colace capsules in the

evening allowed me to go through the recovery from each chemo

session with significantly fewer problems.

I have lost about 40 pounds since I started chemo, but I had plenty

of weight to lose anyway. Chemo has certainly improved my diet. I

haven't had a steak in over six months. Chicken and fish are the

mainstays of my diet now, along with salads and fruit.

-joe-

> Hello All,

> Had some stomach problems (lost 15 lbs in 3 weeks) with

> treatments 3 and 4 of FOLFOX, so the doc is switching me over to

> FOLFIRI with Avastin. Think I may have posted that before.

> Good news is this - I've had this extra week off to get the GI

> thing back on track (which it is, for the most part), and its been

> great - I'm eating good and most of the oxaliplatin side effects

are

> gone (I've actually had drinks with ice!). I guess my point is

> this - if you really get down on chemo and the side effects are

> starting to pile on, you might consider asking for a week off. I

> don't think it'll have much of an effect in the long run, and

it'll

> do wonders for your attitude.

>

> regards - Joe

[Guest guest]

Joe...you are right,but we have a question. Nick had the oxy and avastin

with

bad side effects. They switched him to Exloda 1650 mg 2X a day. Supposed to

be

2 weeks on one week off. First go round ok. 2nd go round nausea and pain on

right side of chest and lower back bad. Nausea under control..Had mouth

sores,cleared up,has slight rash. Dr(Onc.) said pain probably wouldn't get

worse.

But now sometimes he can hardly raise right arm...We asked about RFA/or other

radiation,resection,what they saw on x-rays,we got originals and brought them

to

the hospital where he had an E/R visit....Has anyone else had bouts of pain?

Like

you he dropped almost 40 pounds since Dec. 1st., He still has a bared

port,and we

have had the nurses from Xeloda call and his AvMed Policy now has an oncology

support. He is 73 but never had trouble like this,while not athletic always

active.

Last time we had onc. visit he did a new blood panel,said if cea markers were

up

again he might go with Erbutix(?)..He has not had a colonoscopy for over two

years

and when I asked,it was shrugged off. His PCP is a kind and knowledgeable man

but sees few patients and is hard to get hold of.. We are waiting from a

response

from AvMed to see what they reccomend. Glad your news was good. We are lucky

because they are paying for the Xeloda. Nick & Jane