Hi Everyone!

My husband is currently going through treatment for recurrant bowel cancer. His treatment is combined chemotherapy Oxaliplatin and Capecitabine. He gets the Oxy infusion once every three weeks at the start of his cycles. He has had 4 cycles already but this last cycle- No4 has completely floored him. He more or less sailed through the first 3 and just wondere what could have caused this. They upped his dosage of both the Oxy and Capecitabine at the beginning of the 3 rd cycle he was on 4 and 4 Capecitabine and they upped that to 5. On the Wednesday after his last Oxy infusion the previous Friday be began to feel really ill as he would put it `like ****`.

His mobility (walking) has started to suffer in that he can't walk a distance just now and he was beginning to conquer that again in that he was at least being able to come into the supermarket with me to do a shop while being guided along with the trolly and generally being able to go places i.e. doctor appointments etc without me and now it's back to where we were again just after his first operation where he was trying to regain his strengh and mobility and me having to accompany him again.

 He has been very tired as well although with this week being his week of no treatment he hasn't been going for afternoon naps which has been doing and usually never does. He feels dizzy also when standing for a period of time and his speech sounds a bit laboured as if it is slow and sounds as though he is `drunk` his voice also sounds a bit `raspy` as if he has a sore throat and a blocked nose. I had to phone the hospital's emergency cancer number the 2nd Friday after his infusion because he felt so bad and was told to take his temperature incase he had any sign of infection (i know over 37.5 is an indication) but it was within the 30-37.5 so was ok. I did a lateral flow test to test for covid as well but that came back negative he actually went last Saturday and got his winter booster covid and flu vaccination the oncologist said it was very important that he gets that.

He has also suffered from blurred vision and the nurse at the hospital told us to make an appointment with the optician which we did and he is now wearing glasses permanently just now. His appetite has reduced slightly also. He is eating, but only in little amounts. He has just no get up and go as if he doesn't want to do much of anything and it's the walking that's getting him because he gets frustrated that he can't walk far and he's back to negotiating stairs again where this was picking up as well.

All this has just happened since his last chemo cycle and now he is saying he doesn't know if he can continue which is really worrying me. He goes to the GP tomorrow to get bloods taken before we see the oncologist again on Thursday. Even if he continues with a lower dose of chemo this would put my mind at rest. He also went for a CT scan 2 weeks ago I am assuming this is to find out if the treatment is shrinking what is there so this is praying on his mind a little too I think. We were a little bit in limbo last time because they weren't actually sure if cycle 4 was his last or not as they were not going to give us blood forms away with us to have his regular bloods done on his week off treatment and I asked and the wee chemo nurse said he wasn't down for it but gave us a form in any case and as it turned out he was still to get his bloods done. Other than feeling how he is his mind is still really active and he still has all his faculties about him as they say it's just this sudden tiredness and reduced mobility which is frustrating him.

Are these normal side effects of this treatment.

Thanks

Vicky