Xeloda for Stage 2 cancer?

mistyw · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:18 am Post subject: Xeloda for Stage 2 cancer?

Has anyone ever taken Xeloda for Stage 2 treatment? I'm nervous about the Folfox and the port and just curious about options.

DulcimerGal · Regular Joined: 01 Apr 2008 Posts: 36 Location: Virginia

Misty,

Here's what I can tell you about the port.

I had mine put in as an outpatient, no food after midnight and the surgery was in the morning. I went home in the afternoon. They used an IV drug that put me in twilight sleep - so I did not know or remember anything. That put me out as I was wheeled into the operating room, that's the last thing I remember.

The port is inserted under the skin, mine was in my left upper chest. The incision is no more than maybe 1 1/2 inches, you can see the bump of the port, like a small round mound under your skin, there is a smaller very tiny incision a couple of inches above that. When I got home I was still under the drugs influence and felt fine. the next day I was massively bruised, yellow, purple, blue - I do not have a lot of excess fat in that area so it seemed like a horse had kicked me (and felt like it!).

I went to work every day the following week, and the pain was just a huge sore bruise that tylenol took care of for me.

However - two weeks later - the site got infected. Hard to know how, since it is covered with all sorts of gauze at first etc....you must keep it dry (no showers - I cheated there - so maybe something grew in dampness who knows...) anyway - they ended up taking it out.

I will have to have another put in when they do the surgery on my tumor, and I will definitely let them do it. I think the infusion type drugs have more of a track record, and if I'm doing it for six months - then the port is the best way to go.

AFter my port came out - they put in a pic line - which goes in your upper right arm - putting that in was no joke, they did not use twilight sleep and I will never let them do that again, I found it an extremely uncomfortable procedure. The pic line is a lot more trouble.

Hope this helps.

PS - I have been on the pill Xeloda for four days now - no side effects.
My cancer is being treated as stage 3 - but could be 2 - I won't know until they do the surgery and take out the tumor and lymph nodes.

good luck

DulcimerGal
_________________
Rectal Cancer diagnosed Valentines Day 2008
Finished 6 weeks of radiation and chemo 4/23/08
Surgery planned for June
6 months Chemo to follow

mistyw · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject: Re: Xeloda for Stage 2 cancer?

Thank you so much for all the helpful information. I had no clue what to expect. I'm meeting with my surgeon this Wednesday for a follow up from my surgery. (I had my surgery two weeks ago.) From there he will schedule my port surgery.

I meet with my oncologist the following week and then will begin 6 months of Folfox. My oncologist said that at Stage 2 this is just an extra precaution. And so it begins...the long chemo process...I'm already looking forward to Christmas when my treatment will be over. My 30th birthday is Dec 28 and I am marking that as my focus point. Funny how I used to dread the day I would be turning 30! ha! Now I'm longing for it.
Anyway, Good luck with your surgery. I wish you all the best with recovery. My prayers are with you!!!!

milliesmom · Regular Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 33

I just had my port put in yesterday. I had to take two vicodin yesterday evening and one early this morning but that was all. I did take a tylenol today.

I had two procedures yesterday which both contained drugs, so that could be the reason why I didn't need much. Plus I take oxycontin for fibromyalgia, but the pain from the surgery, oxycontin doesn't help.

Today I am a little sore but that is all. I just wouldn't want to be hit in the chest with something but other than that and having to sleep a little more on my back last night, I see nothing different. Oh, plus no showers until tomorrow.

I'm just going to wash my hair in the sink and take sponge baths until next week, just to make sure. I start my chemo on Monday. I was going to take the pills, but I have had digestion problems in the past and don't want to have problems with the pills not doing their thing correctly.

It really is not to bad at all. I had two procedures, one biopsy at 8am and then the port at 1:30pm. I was home and in a recliner by 4:30.

You have to sleep or sit in a recliner for about four hours after the procedure, but I slept about the same last night on my bed, I just slept more on my back than sides. I thought I couldn't sleep on my left side, (right handed so they put it in left side) and the doctor called this morning and told me I could sleep on either side. I also had a small temp., 100.1 and he said that it was normal to have a slight temp.

So dont' be worried about it. It was very simple and the people at the surgery center were all very kind and helpful. I'm sure your's will be too.

Milliesmom

mistyw · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 10:02 am Post subject: Re: Xeloda for Stage 2 cancer?

Well I had my port put in on Friday mid-morning. The procedure was not bad at all. I really don't remember anything about it. I'm on my second day since the surgery and I am still really sore. It's nothing unbearable, but it definitley is noticeable and I am not able to use my left arm as easily. The doctor said he was not going to give me any pain pills unless I really needed it. I did get a shot for the pain right before I left the hospital, but other than that I have just been taking Extra Strength Tylenol as needed. The nurses told me i could remove the bandage in two days, but to be honest I'm nervous to remove it because the area is still so tender and painful! I think I'm going to wait until tomorrow. But all in all the procedure was a lot easier than I expected. I think I was just a little gun shy since the colon resection surgery.
_________________
Stage II Colon Cancer
Diagnosed March 28, 2008
Underwent Sigmoid Colectomy April 3
Starting Folfox chemo May 2008
Age 29, No history in Family

	Cancer Forums Forum Index -> Colon Cancer and Rectal Cancer Forum	All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

A website for discussions about any type of cancer, including lung cancer, breast cancer, mesothelioma, prostate cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and others