Cancer Treatment Options Forum - February 18th, 2011 - 6 Comments
Anyone who has had chemo for colon cancer please help?
My friend was diagnosed with colon cancer about 6 weeks ago, he’s only 45. He had emergency surgery to remove the tumor and just started chemo this past Wednesday. When I saw him on wed. he was pretty ok, but he has progressively gotten more and more sick the last 5 days. He can hardly move without vomiting. His chemo is every other Wed-Fri, 3 continuous days through an iv pump. I don’t know how far advanced the cancer is (he won’t tell me) but he has to go through chemo for 6 months. After the chemo they gave him a 50/50 chance. Will he always be this sick through the chemo or will he get more used to it? Does the first treatment usually have such severe side effects, or does it vary? Any info on colon cancer, chemo, and chemo side effects would be greatly appreciated.
I had chemo for colon cancer, and for me, the side effects had a cumulative effect. So the more chemo I had, the worse the effects would be. When it’s really bad, the dose is usually reduced.
But he should be having anti-sickness tablets. If the ones he is taking doesn’t work, he should try different ones. I went through many different ones before I found one that works for me.
But my side effects were not this bad after my first one, altho I did know someone who’s first one was terrible, so I think it varies.
I definitely know that chemo causes nausea and vomitting. I am sorry to hear about your friend. There are medications that can treat the nause and vomitting. I am sure that the dr’s will soon prescribe them, if not all ready. It’s call Zofran, if he’s like to request it from his dr. I will pray for the best. Stay strong for him!
It is impossible to tell how he or anyone will respond to chemo. My hope would be that his doctors are able to better combat his symptoms with medications such as compazine or another anti-emetic (helps nausea). He may find that some rounds are better than others or may have a harder time as his body is weakened by the toxins. On a better note, it is sometimes thought that sicker someone gets from chemo, the better it is working. Cancer treatments are all about give and take- in order to kill the bad cells, healthy cells also have to be effected. The hope is that, in time, the healthy cells will repair while the cancer cells cannot. Best wishes to you and your friend.
He must demand that the oncologist give him something to prevent nausea and vomiting. There are drugs that work for most people to prevent these things.
Dam, I can’t believe how many doctors are treating people without prescribing these drugs.
Aloxi, Emend, Zofran, Compazine, Lorazepam and others are very effective. The first 3 are the drugs of choice.
i didn’t have colon cancer, but i am an anal cancer survivor, i also had the continuous chemo with the pump, mine ran from mon to fri. i can say that i was the sickest from the chemo the first round, i would have 3 weeks in between with just a 6 hour chemo once a week in between the week long infusions, i did have an anti nausea drug to take, although i didn’t take it very often, usually towards the end of the week on the week long infusions, you didn’t say whether your friend is going to have any radiation, i had radiation along with the chemo, starting on my 3rd week long infusion, because of the area recieving the radiation, i had a lot of problems with diahrea, and that is the point when i did get really sick, but that like everything else passed and i got through it with the love of friends and family, i’m now 9 months since the end of my treatment, and have gotten through 2 3-month checkups with no sign of my cancer. be there for your friend and don’t underestimate the power of prayer good luck to you and your friend. oh by the way my mother is a 25 year survivor of colon cancer!!!!!
My husband has colon cancer as well with a similar prognosiss, and is going through chemo. If your friend’s insurance will approve EMEND for thenauseaa, this will help him greatly. It isTrulyy a miracle drug. My husband was taking some other drugs for this but they didn’t help. I did some research and found out about Emend. He has not been sick once since he started it. It is very expensive, so hopefully his insurance will cover it. Tell him to ask his doctor and he should check with his insurance. I hope this helps a little at least.