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Posted on 6/25/26 at 2:33 pm to Slippy
I went though chemo I can speak from that side of it
Posted on 6/25/26 at 2:57 pm to Slippy
She's probably going to be really weak from it. You will have to carry her to the kitchen in order for her to make breakfast for you.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 2:58 pm to Slippy
My wife had her last treatment today. She was doing TCHP. I am sorry you are having to go through it. I don't wish it on my worst enemy.
I don't want to scare you, but the medicine in our experience lives up to the hype.
What to expect: Normally the 2nd and 3rd day post treatment was the worst of it. each treatment. Mostly nausea fatigue, bowels, etc.. then gets less through day 7, then it was relatively normal until the next treatment and it repeats until the last treatment. She would get treatment on Thursday and would feel Ok on Friday, but was pretty miserable all weekend. She would start feeling better on Monday and was feeling somewhat back to normal on Thursday.I was able to work normally, the weekend after treatment was the time she needed someone the most.
The first infusion felt like it was the worst, but I think it was just because we really did not have any idea what to expect. You have to learn how to manage the side effects, make sure she drinks plenty of fluid/ electrolytes, we ended up in ER for severe dehydration. I think the subsequent treatments may feel worse, but you learn better to manage the side effects and they felt more manageable.
To be honest, the immediate side effects were not what made our experience so bad, it was all the other things that happened to us as a result of the compromised immunity. We had 2 infected port sites, incredibly painful inflammatory responses in the back and knee that immobilized her. We had several hospital stays for infections, currently still battling an infection in the knee that has limited her to a walker and she is only 38. I was aware of the side effects of chemo, but was not expecting all the other things that we would be experiencing as a result of the compromised immunity. I think we had a really bad experience to be honest, and I don't think as many people experience what my wife did, but I wanted to at least give you an idea, I wish I knew so I was more prepared for what could be.
Happy to answer any questions if you want to DM me. Godspeed my friend.
I don't want to scare you, but the medicine in our experience lives up to the hype.
What to expect: Normally the 2nd and 3rd day post treatment was the worst of it. each treatment. Mostly nausea fatigue, bowels, etc.. then gets less through day 7, then it was relatively normal until the next treatment and it repeats until the last treatment. She would get treatment on Thursday and would feel Ok on Friday, but was pretty miserable all weekend. She would start feeling better on Monday and was feeling somewhat back to normal on Thursday.I was able to work normally, the weekend after treatment was the time she needed someone the most.
The first infusion felt like it was the worst, but I think it was just because we really did not have any idea what to expect. You have to learn how to manage the side effects, make sure she drinks plenty of fluid/ electrolytes, we ended up in ER for severe dehydration. I think the subsequent treatments may feel worse, but you learn better to manage the side effects and they felt more manageable.
To be honest, the immediate side effects were not what made our experience so bad, it was all the other things that happened to us as a result of the compromised immunity. We had 2 infected port sites, incredibly painful inflammatory responses in the back and knee that immobilized her. We had several hospital stays for infections, currently still battling an infection in the knee that has limited her to a walker and she is only 38. I was aware of the side effects of chemo, but was not expecting all the other things that we would be experiencing as a result of the compromised immunity. I think we had a really bad experience to be honest, and I don't think as many people experience what my wife did, but I wanted to at least give you an idea, I wish I knew so I was more prepared for what could be.
Happy to answer any questions if you want to DM me. Godspeed my friend.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 2:58 pm to Slippy
My dad was always really tired. No driving around.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 3:19 pm to crishe3
Thanks to all of you for the encouraging words. Without going into too much detail, she had a tumor removed 5 months ago but it has now metastasized. Thankfully appears limited in area.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 3:22 pm to crishe3
quote:
You have to learn how to manage the side effects, make sure she drinks plenty of fluid/ electrolytes, we ended up in ER for severe dehydration.
A colleague of mine recently went through that with his mom's treatment as well. You basically have to force yourself to eat and drink to try to get your strength up when you don't feel like eating or drinking anything at all.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 3:25 pm to Slippy
I can tell you that had I chosen chemo instead of surgery, IIRC it would have been 3 three-week cycles where I was in the clinic for 6 hours the first day (Monday), then 4 hours T-F. Then the following week 4 hours every week day, then the same the third week. Then the cycle repeats itself. For a total of 9 weeks of treatment.
I asked my doc about people working during treatment and he said most of his patients worked on their laptops at the clinic, and that for most of them they handled the chemo okay until that last cycle and the last week or two is when it really took the most toll on their bodies.
I'm not sure I would want to actively work while I am receiving chemo, but also sitting there for almost a whole work day sounded pretty miserable too.
As for your wife, I'm sure you'll be able to tell when she's handling it and when she needs your help. And I'd just plan on being there for support as much as possible unless she specifically says otherwise. I know my wife would want to be there with me, but I have a feeling after that first week or even couple of days, I'd likely have told her that she didn't need to waste her days sitting there with me.
I asked my doc about people working during treatment and he said most of his patients worked on their laptops at the clinic, and that for most of them they handled the chemo okay until that last cycle and the last week or two is when it really took the most toll on their bodies.
I'm not sure I would want to actively work while I am receiving chemo, but also sitting there for almost a whole work day sounded pretty miserable too.
As for your wife, I'm sure you'll be able to tell when she's handling it and when she needs your help. And I'd just plan on being there for support as much as possible unless she specifically says otherwise. I know my wife would want to be there with me, but I have a feeling after that first week or even couple of days, I'd likely have told her that she didn't need to waste her days sitting there with me.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 3:27 pm to Slippy
I had chemo for pancreatic cancer last year. Next Tuesday will be one year since I started.
I did six infusions over a 3-month period. Regimens are different for different cancers but mine is called folfirinox and involves an in-clinic process of about six hours then another 46 hours at home on a pump. The pump is in a fanny pack type bag. I had a port in my chest and disconnected and flushed it myself when the pump timer stopped. This was every two weeks, so I had 12 days to recover before the next one.
Besides the hassle of the pump hooked to me for two days, the worst parts were nausea, diarrhea and low energy. It can wipe you out. It usually lasted the first 3-5 days before I felt somewhat back to normal. On the worst days I just stayed in bed or in a recliner.
She needs to stay hydrated. Try to eat on good days to help avoid as much weight loss. She’ll probably get Zofran or Phenergan or both for nausea.
I did six infusions over a 3-month period. Regimens are different for different cancers but mine is called folfirinox and involves an in-clinic process of about six hours then another 46 hours at home on a pump. The pump is in a fanny pack type bag. I had a port in my chest and disconnected and flushed it myself when the pump timer stopped. This was every two weeks, so I had 12 days to recover before the next one.
Besides the hassle of the pump hooked to me for two days, the worst parts were nausea, diarrhea and low energy. It can wipe you out. It usually lasted the first 3-5 days before I felt somewhat back to normal. On the worst days I just stayed in bed or in a recliner.
She needs to stay hydrated. Try to eat on good days to help avoid as much weight loss. She’ll probably get Zofran or Phenergan or both for nausea.
Posted on 6/25/26 at 3:37 pm to Slippy
quote:
What is the normal course? How long does the misery from chemo last? Just trying to prepare. TIA.
I am no expert but I talked to my SIL when she was going through it. Her first regimin was conventional Chemo that killed all fast growing cells and was pretty hard. She said the first two treatments were warmups for the third which they called the Red Devil. I think she had 5-6 treatments in that course. It was by far the worst one she ever took.
She wound up in some clinical trials several yrs later when her cancer came back. The newer stuff was not near as bad, I assume because it was more targeted.
Oops, forgot to say, Prayers for your wife and you too as caregiver. Hoping for the best.
This post was edited on 6/25/26 at 3:38 pm
Posted on 6/25/26 at 3:52 pm to GetmorewithLes
all right I passed on comment twice but.......my wife did surgery, chemo, radiation, the full treatment 25 years ago. I watched the fall of the twin towers in the surgical waiting room in Victoria Texas. In her case it worked, still cancer free at 78.
It a tough job supporting her through the experience. You personally must help the best you can. nothing more nothing less. She is going to feel like crap for a year. Mental attitude is best supported by allowing her to have the occasional pity party. You must be a non obnoxious cheer leader, looking for ways to give an uplifting day. After weekly treatment for breast cancer, on the way home we would stop at a Hooters restaurant for lunch, cause the wait staff was young and lively, wings good and beer very cold. We took long trips to Colorado between treatments. Co-pay for a single drug covered by insurance was 500 bucks. Person I was standing with said you should have had insurance. I told her I did, total bill for that one drug was 3000.
Gonna be tough on both of you, you are not allowed a pity party
It a tough job supporting her through the experience. You personally must help the best you can. nothing more nothing less. She is going to feel like crap for a year. Mental attitude is best supported by allowing her to have the occasional pity party. You must be a non obnoxious cheer leader, looking for ways to give an uplifting day. After weekly treatment for breast cancer, on the way home we would stop at a Hooters restaurant for lunch, cause the wait staff was young and lively, wings good and beer very cold. We took long trips to Colorado between treatments. Co-pay for a single drug covered by insurance was 500 bucks. Person I was standing with said you should have had insurance. I told her I did, total bill for that one drug was 3000.
Gonna be tough on both of you, you are not allowed a pity party
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