2007 Aug 15th - Side Effects of Oxaliplatin

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Oxy Poxy..... Side Effects of Oxaliplatin Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Chuffing heck, I thought I was just being a bit dramatic and paranoid, maybe suffering from mild hypochondria, but no - everything I've experienced during the first 5 or 6 days of my treatment week is on this list! I've highlighted the ones I've had so far - mostly for my own benefit so I can compare next week for number 3. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger but I'm still not convinced that applies to chemotherapy. I haven't bothered with the 5FU side effects........but from past experience it makes you bloody tired. Add that to the insomnia and reduction in hormones - it's a wonder I'm not homicidal! More common Abnormal tongue sensation (mine feels swollen and furry and just rank) Black, tarry stools Bleeding gums Blistering, peeling, redness, and/or swelling of palms of hands or bottoms of feet Blood in urine or stools Burning, prickling, itching, or tingling of skin Chest pain Chills Confusion Cough Decreased feeling, or pain in the hands, feet, around mouth, or throat Decreased urination Difficult breathing Difficulty in articulating words Difficulty in moving Difficulty performing daily activities such as writing, buttoning, swallowing or walking (they should add - inability to get my lazy ass out of bed) Difficulty swallowing Dizziness Dry mouth Eye pain (only when I get teary but it's like my ENTIRE eyeballs prickle) Fainting Fever Increase in heart rate Jaw spasm Lightheadedness Muscle pain or stiffness Numbness Numbness, pain, tingling, or unusual sensations in palms of hands or bottoms of feet Pain in chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves (hence walk like constipated drunk) Pain in joints Painful or difficult urination (on chemo No. 2 only so far) Pale skin Pinpoint red spots on skin Rapid breathing Sensation of pins and needles Severe, sudden headache Shortness of breath Slurred speech (well duh, my tongue is swollen and numb as is my top lip) Sore throat Sores, ulcers, or white spots on lips or in mouth Stabbing pain Sudden loss of coordination Sudden, severe weakness or numbness in arm or leg Sudden, unexplained shortness of breath Sunken eyes Swelling Swelling or inflammation of the mouth Swollen glands Thirst Troubled breathing with exertion Unusual bleeding or bruising Unusual tiredness or weakness Vision changes (i.e. blurred vision every time I stand up) Wrinkled skin Less common Convulsions Fast heartbeat Hives Increased thirst Irregular heartbeat Itching Loss of appetite Mood changes Nausea or vomiting Numbness or tingling in hands, feet, or lips Puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips or tongue Skin rash Tightness in chest Wheezing More Common Abdominal pain (I was convinced I had a blockage for a while) Acid or sour stomach Back pain Belching Body aches or pain Diarrhea Ear congestion Feeling unusually cold, shivering Headache (constant since Friday, then got a migraine on Monday) Heartburn Indigestion Loss of appetite Loss of voice ( STOP cheering RIGHT now) Nasal congestion Nausea Runny nose Sleeplessness Sneezing (weird one this - first day or two, I thought I was getting a cold) Sore throat Stomach discomfort, upset or pain Stuffy nose Trouble sleeping Unable to sleep Weight loss Less common Bad, unusual or unpleasant (after) taste Bloated, full feeling Bloating or swelling of face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet Bloody nose Burning while urinating Change in taste (everything tastes like raw dough or worse) Congestion Cracked lips Dryness or soreness of throat Excess air or gas in stomach or intestines Feeling of warmth Hoarseness Passing gas (lucky me it's all hidden in an odour proof bag Rapid weight gain Redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally upper chest Tender, swollen glands in neck Tingling of hands or feet Trouble in swallowing Unusual tearing of eyes Voice changes Vomiting Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them: Less common Hair loss Thinning of hair Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional. 17:33 - 4 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

	Umpalumpa	Crikey, could there possibly be a drug with any more side effects??? xxxxxxxx Posted by Umpalumpa on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 18:06 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Lisa Left Eye Loopylalalalala	I'm beginning to wonder!!! Nice to know the "ow I've been stabbed in the jaw" pain as Glittergirl described it is a side effect, but I just don't understand why half of them happen. Posted by Lisa Left Eye Loopylalalalala on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at 18:50 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Dorothy	I bet they got a lot of yellow cards reporting adverse reactions on this one. Posted by Dorothy on Friday, August 17, 2007 at 09:12 [Remove] [Reply to this]

Bad Fish

It's just one long laugh, this chemo lark. I've got thinning hair too, so I had it cut a la Kyle Showgirl yesterday. Anything to make me look less like Ben from Eastenders when I've got my glasses on (the it's affected my eyesight too). And on Chemo 6 I'm becoming an emotional wreck. Notice how many of these contradict each other? Sudden weight gain/weight loss. I want to know where mine is, I'm getting tired of looking like a tub of lard. Speaking of lard - I'm on the 'everything tastes like lard on white bread' stage right now. Not fun. The steroids have made me more round-faced too. Posted by Bad Fish on Friday, August 17, 2007 at 13:09