Beginning 6 cycles of CAPOX treatment

Hi D66 and a warm welcome to the board. Yes the thought of chemo can be frightening but sometimes it’s reputation can be worse than the actual experience. There are a lot of side effects but that’s not to say they will get all of them and there’s lots of top tips in the link below and the nurses will keep a close eye on your partner. 
CHEMO TOP TIPS UPDATED 

There are lots of pills and potions to combat the side effects and if say, 1 antisickness med doesn’t work then quite often trying a different one can make all the difference. It’s also not unusual to have a reduction in dosage if the patient is struggling with the side effects.

I had my Capox back in 2017 and worked at my part-time office job throughout. I missed 1 day due to the pain and sensitivity in my arm from the iv but had a picc line fitted which made a huge difference (this is like a permanent cannula in your arm for the duration of the chemo rather than them inserting the cannula at each session.)

Is the oncologist happy for your partner to carry on working? Chemo affects your immune system so if they were to work in a school with lots of germs flying about then they might not advise it - always best to check?

I found the first 2-4 days after the infusion to be the worst but then felt much improved on the days/week off. Having said that the side effects can increase as they have more sessions but everyone is different so approach things with an open mind and take each week as it comes?

I’m glad you’ve found us here - we’re all at different stages of treatment and recovery and happy to help and support you and your partner. If you type Capox in the search box at the top of the screen then you’ll find lots of posts but try not to get too stressed about it - like I say, everyone can have a different experience so take a deep breath and go with the flow

Take care

Karen x

Hi D66, 

Welcome to the forum! 

I  am currently on cycle 3 of 8 of capox. 

For me the worst days are the few days after the infusion, I get neuropathy from the cold and lots of odd tingling nerves which can give cramps in the oddest places (my eyelids have been known to cramp!). 

I would day after the infusion have some gloves and a scarf to cover nose/throat as you can get throat spasms (I've never had these) and keep all food and drink warm for a few days after. My nurse also puts a heat pad on my arm whne having the infusion as it can be painful going in through a cannula.

I am still working full time and only take the infusion day off. I am lucky that I can work from home and I try not to have too heavy a workload on the few days after the infusion. 

The anti nausea tablets work well for me, I haven't been sick or felt too bad. The capacetine tablets irritate my bowels after a few days of taking them, I get cramps but eventually had diarrhoea or anything like that. 

For me the thought of having chemo was far worse than the actual chemo but I think I have been lucky so far with my side effects.

Thank you Karen. This is so re-assuring.  My partner works from home, so at least infection risk is hopefully lessened. I’ll look at those tips too.  At the moment, I am doing the research as they aren’t keen to. Maybe that’s common? Thank you again.

Thank you so much- this is really helpful and I’m less worried now that it doesn’t always have to be too bad. Good luck with your other cycles.