Everybody Poops, Except Chemo Patients

This may be too much information. I never would have discussed my bathroom habits in a public setting before I had cancer. But all those tests and doctors appointments seem to have decreased my modesty.

Chemotherapy treatment comes with a lot of side effects. Before I began treatment, I didn't realize how many different kinds of drugs there were and the different side effects that came with them.  When they told me I'd have sensitivity to cold in my hands, feet, and throat, I thought,"Sure, maybe wimpy old people get that, but not me". Sure enough, the morning after my first infusion, I woke up to a cold bedroom (we'd had the window open), I touched the metal bed frame, and it was painful!

Lately, the two side effects that have been bothering me the most are constipation and neuropathy. Of course this meant talking to my easy on the eyes, same age as me oncologist about pooping. He told me to take Senna and Colace every day for the constipation. This helps a little, but I'm still uncomfortable for several days after treatment and when things do start working, it's really painful. I sit on the toilet and want to scream, between the pain and burning sensation. Argh!

Then there's the neuropathy. It's been in my finger tips since my second infusion. Then last month, it appeared in my feet and spread through my whole hand. Great! Although it comes and goes, I now get to look forward to days when it hurts to walk or even just hold onto something. And the doctors' advice for this? Wiggle my toes! I found some exercises on line and am looking into acupuncture and special slippers and things, but geez Louise, wiggle my toes! That's the advice from my top-notch medical team?!

I know all of these things, including the blood clot in my leg, the pulmonary embolism in my lung, my first port that got infected, the high blood pressure, the nausea, the thinning hair, the perpetual runny nose, and the fatigue are all part of the package deal in fighting this terrible disease. But some days, I wish it was easier.

Related blog post from Dana Farber http://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2014/05/is-chemo-working-if-i-dont-lose-my-hair/