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First chemo reaction and next few days … seeking advice

Inquisitiveme
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Hi everyone - first time post here.

I have been diagnosed with S3 colon cancer, for which I had surgery in Feb (right hemicolectomy). That experience was far better than I’d imagined and I’ve been very fortunate to have made a good recovery from that and I’ve remained very positive.

Just started chemo which involved hospital drip 2 days ago (oxaliplatin) then home for tablets x8 a day (capecitabine), for 2 weeks. I will have a week off then the next cycle starts again. 

Whilst in the day centre for the first drip, all went well until the end when I started to quickly feel very unwell and had a bad reaction. That involved facial spasms, affecting my speech and also numbness, extending down my right arm and side. 

It did lessen and I left for home after an hour or so but felt very sick and groggy the rest of the day. Unfortunately I then had a bit of a relapse when I took an anti-sickness tablet and then my chemotherapy meds. That side effect has improved but I am worried it will happen next time. It was quite frightening. Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips for managing it?

I’m 2-3 days on and still feeling queasy (not dared take any more anti-sickness meds) and have low appetite and just can’t really be bothered to do anything (not like me at all). Is this normal? I think I just need a bit of reassurance that it is - then I’ll just get on with it lol. 

Oh and I’ve also still got a really painful chemo arm (forearm) to which I’m just applying heat to relieve - again, any tips to ease would be gratefully received!

Thank you - and apologies for the lengthy post (clearly a newbie!!)

  • Offline

    Hi, We seem to be sharing the same experience, S3, good recovery from surgery, positive outcomes and mop up chemo. I had my first cycle on 31st March, now just a few days before starting cycle 2.  Arm from IV Oxalplatin was awful for the three days, I found just applying heat and rubbing with a gloved hand made the effects wear off quicker. It took two weeks for my arm to feel normal again, lose the pins and needles feeling and bruising and now its all healed up ready for a second round. The nurses recommended using the sickness meds even if you didnt feel queasy so I just took one a day for the first week and never felt sick at all. Not looking forward to the IV again, is far the worst week.  Once the effects of the IV wear off, the pins and needles and cold shocks I think you should feel so much better. I was surprised that I didnt seem to have any significant bad side effects and am hoping that cycle 2 doesnt change that (probably totally naive here but havnt done this before and hope to never again)  I think we seem to share the same optimism, and get up and get on kind of attitude, hope you feel better in the next couple of days and round 2 runs a little easier. When I had surgery I had to come off the pain killer after a day as my body started to favour one side of the body and I had numbness all down one side, so much so they made me stand up and I just keeled over.... not great when your stomach has just been stitched up... maybe thats what happened at the end of your IV, it started to favour one side?  Probably wouldnt happen again. Good Luck with your treatment, I think taking the anti sickness tablets regular, even if feeling well is an okay thing to do, wouldnt give you so many if it wasnt :) .... whatever it takes to feel normal I was told.... whatever the new normal is? :) Take Care x

  • Offline in reply to SammyJay

    Oh thank you so much for your message SammyJay and your advice. It has made me feel much better and know that this is ok (in a weird way of course!). We do sound very similar and like we’re on roughly the same general experience! Although your post-surgery episode sounded alarming!

    I think I will try the anti-sickness meds tomorrow as I feel yucky most of the morning, only coming round early afternoon so far and that may help. It’s knowing what and when to do isn’t it? It’s a very steep learning curve.

    You’re a couple of weeks ahead of me with treatment, so I wish you lots of luck with your next cycle. I’d love to hear how you get on and will keep my fingers crossed for you. 

    Take care, good luck and stay positive xx

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