Hi . I have personally not had folfox but I think it is usually given on a day visit to the chemo unit and then through a pump that you take home with you? Do you live in the UK? If not it may be different in say the US? All chemo carries risks - there are quite a few side effects but I think the real danger is the chance of chemo induced sepsis. I was given a chemo card which listed the red flag symptons and was told to show it if I ever went to A & E/Emergency Room and also I was given a 24 hour help desk number. Im not medically trained so I’ve attached a link to Folfox below
I had FOLFOX - 6 x 2 weekly cycles. I went to chemotherapy outpatient ward on day one of cycle for main infusion and was then attached to a pump (which fits into a bum bag) and sent home. The pump infuses over 46 hours then (here in UK) you either go back to hospital to have it disconnected and flushed or a District Nurse will come to your home and do it.
As Kareno62 says all chemo carries risks and there can be quite a few side effects but no one knows if or how they'll be affected as everyone is different. Mine actually weren't as bad as I expected and certainly manageable. I was also given a card which listed the red flag symptoms to watch out for, I was given a 24 hours emergency number and also told if I had to go to to A&E to tell them I was having chemo they could isolate me to protect from infections.
Please ask if you want any further info on having FOLFOX.
i think u u are right about the pump to take home...i have had chemo induce asepsis twice last bout february..but i have since been put on a defensive anti biotic by an infectios disease specialist...so fare no more
confused by your 6 x 2..how many does in a month?....sounds like 6 is number of cycles..how bad was diareah could you control it? my dr calls it terrible
My FOLFOX cycles were over 2 weeks. First day infusion as outpatient and fitted with pump and sent home. Day 2 & 3 pump infusion ay home then disconnect and flush of PICC line. Days 4 to 14 recovery, then next cycle. I felt pretty rubbish the first week of each cycle but much better during the 2nd week. I kept a diary and there was definitely a pattern.
I had a LAR and have a temporary stoma. I didn't have a problem with diarrhoea or constipation, my output into stoma bag was more liquid some days but not an issue at all and I didn't need anything to help control output - maybe I was lucky.
