Fear of the unknown

Hi SiCoTo

I am sorry to hear that you have some cancerous cysts on your liver and about to start Folfirinox. 

I also had chemo and it is very natural to be scared of the unknown. I was particularly worried about side effects. What I will say though is that what I experienced was very different to what I was scared or and expecting. I had lots of ideas of what chemo would be like and most of it was based around how it is seen in the media and on films.

The chemo was was divided into bays with reclining chairs, it was bright and airy and had a calm atmosphere. Everyone was very welcoming and I felt well looked after. Yes, there are some side effects but I didn't have most of the ones I was warned about. When telling you about the treatments they have to tell you about all the potential effects so they can gain your informed consent. Most side effects I had were managed by medication or changes in dose. You should also be given a 24 hour number that you can call to speak to the nurses for reassurance and to answer any questions.

Here is a link to some info on your particular chemo.

FOLFIRINOX (or FOLFOXIRI) | Macmillan Cancer Support

With chemo everyone's experience can be different so my advice would be to go with the flow, report any side effects to your team and to ensure you get plenty of time to rest and recover. Avoiding infections is important so I would suggest keeping an eye on your temperature so you know what is normal for you- any changes, then give them a call. They normally give you a book to write any information/side effects in and I would recommend you do this as I found that it really helps when you are due a review. Also I found that I had similar effects with each cycle so it can help to know what to expect. 

If talking things through would help then please do give the Support Line a call.

I wish you well with your treatment and if there is anything you want to ask, please do so.

Jane