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← Return to Xeloda for colon cancer - Scared about side effects and need support
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Xeloda for colon cancer - Scared about side effects and need support
Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: Nov 19, 2023 | Replies (84)Comment receiving replies
Hello Martin, it's great to hear from you. I am so happy you are having such wonderful adventures and are doing so well with your health. It sounds like the physical exercise is really agreeing with you. I've been doing well for the most part and had my CT scan last month. My oncologist said I am now cancer free, but of course, they will monitor me every so many months. I am due for my colonoscopy in October I believe, and then will have another CT scan in either November or December. My main problem has been the weight that I gained while taking the Xeloda, and even though I have been finished with it for over almost two months, I still fluctuate and gain more weight despite my watching what I eat. I am now working with a nutritionist and my oncologist said that most people do gain weight with the Xeloda and it will take some time for it to balance out. Did you by chance have any issues with gaining weight when you were taking it? I meet with my rheumatologist this coming Friday, so I'll see if he has any suggestions since he manages my autoimmune issues. I should follow your examples of staying more active. My work keeps me super busy, but I am grateful that I work from home. I have my own business doing sales prospecting for medical technology companies all over the U.S. and have been trying to grow the business so I can eventually hire a couple of people to do some of the work. I've been working on writing the content for my new website and then once that is up and live, then I will get rid of the old one which is very outdated. It's so hard to believe that we are almost into August. It's has been very hot here in the southwest but at least it's drier than where I came from when I lived on the east coast. I do hope you will continue to feel well and continue to enjoy the rest of the summer. Please keep me posted on how things go with your upcoming tests and I will send positive energy your way. Wishing you all good things, Lee
Replies to "Hello Martin, it's great to hear from you. I am so happy you are having such..."
How do I go back and follow from the beginning to follow your journey I can’t find from beginning. I am not good with forums to follow along. But trying to research stage 4 colon cancer.
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Hi Lee
It's good to hear of all the positive things happening in your life too. We seem to be on a parallel path when it comes to treatments and follow up procedures. Like you I was declared cancer free after the last CT scan but I'm awaiting a date for the follow up colonoscopy; there are a couple of polyps they want to keep an eye on.
On the weight front I had the opposite experience. I lost around 8 kilos and have regained about 3 and feel content at the current level of 73 kilos. I think the loss came from losing muscles through not cycling / walking during the post op / chemo phase lasting nearly 5 months but I'm trying hard to remedy that! Losing calories through not drinking so much beer / wine could of course be a factor too!
I hope your discussions with your nutritionist help solve your weight gain issue - I found my nutritionist's advice to be excellent re. gaining weight - a change to Greek yoghurt and full fat milk, for example, and increased protein.
Your business from home sounds great and I hope it benefits further once your new website is up and running and you have some assistance. I've been in book publishing all my life and helped to start a third business back in 2015 which is starting to do well.
On a sad note, a good friend of mine has just been diagnosed with bowel cancer and I have given him the name of this forum so that he can hopefully benefit from the advice available, as indeed I think we both have.
On a more positive note, I'm looking forward to a trip with my wife, sister and brother in law to Maine in October to visit a cousin, flying to Boston. This will include 4 days in Massachusetts and so if you have any recommendations of places to visit on the coast or inland please let me know! Thanks.
Keep in touch.
Best wishes
Martin