Post Op Chemo.. Port or IV??

Alsison

I am about to start my post op Chemo regimen after Colorectal Cancer surgery and the Oncologist has given me the choice between GICAPOX which involves cycles of IV treatment for 1 day, Capeitabine pills for 14 days and then a week of rest or GIAJFFOX which involves 48 hours of chemo treatment through a port administered in cycles every two weeks.

Does anyone have any experiences our advice??

Thanks so much,
Alison

UtahWI

Alison...I did FOLFOX which seems to be your 2nd option...I went in, part of the dosing was done in oncology, then wore the pump home for 48 hours. A friend did the other option. We both handled it "well", although I ended up doing 8 of the 12 treatments, stopping early because the peripheral neuropathy got too bad. I don't feel bad about that, 6 is the standard in Europe. It was weird, listening to that little pump whir, sending another dose of 5FU, listening to my mortality.

Aren't I cheery today ;-)

Alsison

Today was round 1, day 1.. I am sooo glad I opted for the port!!!

CancerSurvivor2014

If you got to get multiple rounds then the port is the way to go. I had head and neck cancer and only had to get 3 rounds of chemo (cisplatin). But I handled the end of my treatments badly and would have to get IV fluids every day when I came in for radiation. Needless to say I got poked alot. They were able to wrap my IV and save it for a few days in a row. But towards the end my once "great veins" as the nurses called them had almost collapsed which equalled to multiple sticks each time and not the best placement of the IV (right in the inner bend of my elbow was only veins they could hit)