Chemo New bad Symptoms as end is near

[Albundy21]

I’m slowly getting to the end of treatment with two cycles  left, one next week  and then last one two weeks latter. I didn’t know what side effects I would get so it was learning experience.  It was my 3rd cycle when the cold sensitivity started in my hands and feet. I was also unable to have any cold drinks and understand  now all the people who commented it was like swallowing SHades of Glass. Chemo taste now means a lot of foods taste bland. Strange but the cold sensitive issue is now worse in my feet and hands basically numb all the time, but I can now have cold drinks.  Constipation is now a major issue initially early on in treatment just having extra prune juice was the fix, but it just got worse and needed more over the counter medication. I'm on a high fiber diet drink plenty of water but the constipation is now worse and painfull when I poo it stings. I googled this and found other people with same issue describing going to the loo as passing shades of glass! For me having the operation was a walk in the park compared to the 12 recommended cycles of Chemo .

[sch]

Hi Albundy21,

I did 12 cycles of folfox. The last few sessions were definitely the worst.

The loss of feeling actually got worse 2 weeks following completing all of my chemo.

 When I first started chemo, the side effects would only last a couple of days.  But over time,  especially the last few cycles,  there was no relief.

Twelve months on and I still have feeling loss in my hands and feet. 

-Sch

[Budgie]

Hi Albundy21,
I would rather have diarrhoea than constipation. When I get constipation, I take Coloxyl with Senna & a sachet of Movicol. They help alot.

Budgie

[Albundy21]

Hi Sch

Sorry about your loss of feeling 12 months down the track. I have permanent numbness in hands and feet, but can still feel. I wear globes most of the time and wear thick socks which helps a bit. Around my 9th treatment I spoke to my oncologist about the permanent numbness and he reduced the dosage slightly, but now I think its back to normal, so will have to follow that up.  How did you go with chemo taste and any of the other side  effects?  

[sch]

Hi Albundy21,

Effect on my taste was minimal. It was there, but minor effect.  So taste is mostly back to normal.

It was painful if I touched, drank of ate anything cold, but that has resolved.

To this day I don't like drinking cold drinks (I prefer room temperature), but that is more because of remembering how unpleasant it was during chemo. No big loss there.

So just loss of feeling/numbness in my feet. Feels like I am walking around with big thick socks on, even if I'm outside in the cold.

So no real complaints. Most of the side effects for myself are related to my surgery. I've had a few major surgeries, so this is to be expected I guess.

I still have my family, I can still run and walk, I can still work.

-sch