Hi, I'm one week into my first cycle of oxaliplatin and capecitabine, following removal of a tumour from my bowel, and am doing pretty well.
One side effect I am getting is a sensitivity to the cold, particularly on my bottom. Is this normal / common? Sitting on the toilet in particular makes it really uncomfortable.
Hi David2305,
Thank you for getting in touch with us. My name is Kelly and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists. I hope that you are finding the online community a helpful and supportive environment.
It’s good to hear that you are doing well after your surgery. Starting any new treatment such as chemotherapy can be a nervous time.
I’m aware that you are having sensitivity to the cold after your first cycle of chemotherapy. This is a known side effect with the drug oxaliplatin you are having. It can happen from your first cycle and can affect people in different ways. You are more likely to experience it within the first 7 days.
It commonly presents as a tingling and/or burning sensation in the hands, arms or feet. This is due to nerve endings in these areas being affected with exposure to cold environments or objects. Some people can experience uncomfortable sensations in the throat and chest, especially if consuming cold food and drinks.
Although any information you read about oxaliplatin focuses on commonly reported areas of cold sensitivity, this doesn’t mean it can’t be experienced in other areas where skin is exposed. This includes areas such as the bum and sitting on a cold toilet seat.
You are unlikely to find specific guidance about how to manage this. However, when I was exploring ways that could potentially help and be both a safe and hygienic option I did find information about disposable paper toilet seat covers. These can be placed over a toilet seat which may provide a barrier and reduce the coldness to the skin. This is just a suggestion to think about and to discuss with your bowel cancer team. Without being directly involved with your care to assess any symptoms fully we are unable to recommend specifically any medical products here.
It would be a good idea to talk this over with your consultant, named bowel cancer nurse specialist or the chemotherapy unit you are going too.
As they are directly involved with your care, they do rely on patients making them aware of any side effects they are experiencing so they can try and support with the best way to manage them.
I wondered if it may help to look at our bowel cancer forum too. Sometimes the support and advice from others with similar experiences can be invaluable too.
I hope this is helpful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in touch as needed.
Best wishes
Kelly (Cancer Information Nurse Specialist)
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.
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