Affects of Folfirinox

[kittycat]

My hubby started on the first of 12 treatments on Monday and suffered awful vomiting on Tuesday and Wednesday but that seems to have stopped now however, he is very tired and has no energy at all. He has lost a lot of weight and is now under 7st, but is he likely to feel better after a few more treatments or is this what we can expect from now on. He's eating quite well, allbeit small meals, but is very quiet and subdued for most of the time and I'm not sure how to deal with this. Has anyone else had this kind of experience?

Sue

[Didge]

My bf had seven treatments of folfirinox before his platelets fell too low then had a couple more at uneven intervals. He had some kind of anti-emetic to stop sickness which worked very well. he didn't seem to suffer any other side effects but he already slept a lot and has remained very tired. Others have had more of a rough ride with this treatment so it is a very individual thing. He should feel fewer effects from it as time goes on before the next treatment (2 week cycles?). However, his mood might be coming to terms with the reality of his treatment and illness. It is a roller coaster ride for all involved and my fella's moods change frequently. Try to remain hopeful and that a positive outlook will rub off on him and keep his spirits up. Easier said than done, I know. x

[kittycat]

Thanks Didge. I'm pretty sure that he isn't aware of what the situation really is - he is confident that he will have the treatment and then be fine and I'm quite happy for him to think that for now - now sure how he's cope with the full story! When we see the Oncologist on Thursday we will tell her what has been happening and other anti sickness drugs have been recommended which might help, but I'm just concerned that he has a pretty poor quality of life at the moment.

Sue

[Guest]

My Dad had very down days. Like Didge says, it is most definitely a roller coaster ride. I cannot possibly imagine what goes through someones mind with this awful disease. My Dad would often call me in tears. Then I would see him, and he would be completely different. He was very determined, and always wanted chemo, no matter how crap it made him feel. He didn't want to die.

I believe very strongly that your husband will go by your moods. If he sees you ' normal' he will thinks things are ok, and he will fight. Obviously he will have lots of times, where his mind will take over.

Try, if you can, to get him regular scans. You need to know the chemo is working. Don't worry if not, there are other chemotherapy's he can try.

Leila xx

[Ant11]

They do say it does get a little easier after a few sessions. My sister in law had Folfirinox number 30 this week and after going through a number of different side effects knows exactly what is coming now. Emend is a must for the sickness side of things. Jeni and Dianne will be able to offer a lot of information too on other medication that can be given for some other side effects too. Their help and support along with this forum has been "priceless" to us.

[Slewis7313]

This does affect different people in different ways Sue, with (for me and others) the first few treatments being the worst. My initial problem was sickness and understanding what was causing it. Mine was down to 'delayed gastric emptying' (Gastroparesis), where the food sits in the stomach for up to 24 hours or so and then all comes up in one massive vomit. To get around this, I ate meals which my Wife blended, which helped a lot. Also, apart from Emend, Metoclopramide is an anti-sickness drug I have been prescribed which is designed for my specific problem and assists the movement of food from the stomach into the Duodenum and rest of the intestines. Once my sickness was under control, (after 4 or 5 sessions) things definitely improved. I tend to find days 1 a 3 are fine if I manage the sickness, with days 4 and 5 being the tired and at times moody days. From day 5/6 things pick up and are pretty much OK until the next session. I am currently on day 5 of cycle 20, so if you have any other questions refarding Folfirinox, I'll help if I can!

Good luck

Steve

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