Chemo side effects

Hi I had awful side effects from chemo.so much so my oncologist stopped it I had 6 of 12.

Hi Wispie

I think you should maybe run that by your chemo team just to be safe ! Or our helpline staff might be able to assist you in separating what is within the realms of normal and when you seek further guidance !

0808 808 0000

Hope you feel a bit better soon !

Court 

Hi Wispie,

il sorry to hear you are getting so many side effects.

I, too felt very strange on capox!

Either really flushed & hot or a weird  pale colour & cold. 
Also, strange muscle spasms, my hands & legs would spasm & my face at one stage was to the point that it stuck & I looked like a frightened rabbit! (My cheeks & nose were stuck up!)

luckily I only had 4 rounds in total & after speaking with the oncologist she increased my infusion time to over 4 hours & also reduced my oxaliplatin dose slightly! Which definitely helped

I also suffered a throat spasm leaving the hospital after an infusion (before my dose was reduced)

I cried at the drop of a hat & was also very irritable! (My poor POOR partner!!!)

It’s really worth speaking to your oncologist as there are things they can do..

I really hope things improve for you & keep remembering ‘This too shall pass’

Suzy

Hi Wispie

I had 4 cycles of 'OxiCap' and experienced varying symptoms with each round.  I had extreme muscle spasms with the first 2 rounds Oxi - throat spasms and facial spasms to the point where I couldn't open my eyes.  I would also get really, really hot and flushed for the last 40 mins of the treatment.  The chemo nurses were great and had warned me it might happen but it was still really scary and really unpleasant. 

As other people have suggested I would definitely discuss your symptoms with your Oncologist; I did and had the next two doses over 4 hours instead of 2 hours which was much more tolerable, although I still had less exaggerated symptoms.  My first two rounds were in Feb/March so quite cold outside and I couldn't go out without my face going into spasm and couldn't touch anything slightly cold, even my laptop, for about a week but IT DOES GET BETTER! 

I had really bad diarrhoea with my first round of Capacetine (dodgy spelling sorry!) so again my Oncologist reduced the dose and I was fine after that.  

I didn't experience too much nausea, but for the first couple of days of the Capacetine I would get a 'wave' of nausea a couple of times a day which came with a massive feeling of overwhelment and I would just burst into tears.  I felt weepy pretty much all the time and progressively more tired with each cycle of chemo. 

There have been times when I felt like the treatment, including surgery and after effects would never end and I would never feel well again! 

My chemo ended at the end of June and I had surgery 8 weeks ago.  The chemo feels like a distant memory now and I have recovered well from the surgery and planning to return to work next week.  I have even come to terms with having what I hope is a temporary stoma.

Please try and remember that your current side effects are all temporary and better days are ahead - you will feel better eventually.

All the very best 

Melly

Wow Melly,

your experience really echoes with mine! The spasms, the fatigue, emotional overwhelm, nausea, neuropathy…. (The list goes on) I also suffered extreme brain fog & my brain function definitely isn’t at it was. I feel I can no longer multi-task & am just so much more forgetful now. But you’re right! It doesn’t last forever & definitely improves  I was VERY lucky to get away stoma free  & wish you all the very best on a reversal

Suzy