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Anyone have light headedness from chemo (folfirinox)?

Posted by sheridanb @sheridanb, May 6 12:08am

Anyone have light headedness from folfirinox? My husband has had to be careful for about 6 weeks now. He thinks it started when he first took eliquis after they saw a clot in his lung. They changed the prescription to xarelto, but dizziness has continued and the doctor did not think it was from blood thinners. They noticed low blood pressure so thought it was from dehydration, so he's been getting extra infused hydration several times between treatments, but still dizzy.
He'll have chemo #12 in a week, then hoping for something easier as this treatment has kicked his butt with nausea, exhaustion, dizziness, lack of appetite, etc.

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jbnc23 | @jbnc23 | May 17 8:15am

My husband is currently in the hospital being treated for dehydration and slightly high ammonia levels. The doctor explained that only 1/3 of IV fluids will get into the blood vessels so it’s extremely important to drink at least 2 liters of water each day, not sodas or other sugary drinks, which are bad for pancreatic cancer patients anyway. He had had a fluids infusion the day prior to our ER visit so I was surprised when they said he was dehydrated. Now I understand why.

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pancreaticcsurvivor | @pancreaticcsurvivor | May 17 8:45pm
In reply to @sheridanb "Thank you again for sharing your experience. Before chemo Dan had exercised daily for decades and..." + (show)
@sheridanb

Thank you again for sharing your experience. Before chemo Dan had exercised daily for decades and was in great shape. So it is now hard for him to barely be able to stand or walk. A year ago he was white water kayaking on big water, but June started all the tests for diagnosis, then chemo for mis diagnosis. Then more tests, CA19-9 number at 39000. Then started folfirinox. Hoping after #12 he can regain some of what he has lost. I'll check into Liquid IV. Thanks again.

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I was VERY fit and healthy before my chemo. I eased back into exercising by first buying & riding an electric bike....saved my sanity. The physical recovery followed but does take awhile. I always said to my friends, I need to adapt to "my new body". Well, with time, that new body became as fit as my old body....keeping in mind that my body is also aging and will not be the same....like everyone else.

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sheridanb | @sheridanb | May 17 9:47pm
In reply to @pancreaticcsurvivor "I was VERY fit and healthy before my chemo. I eased back into exercising by first..." + (show)
@pancreaticcsurvivor

I was VERY fit and healthy before my chemo. I eased back into exercising by first buying & riding an electric bike....saved my sanity. The physical recovery followed but does take awhile. I always said to my friends, I need to adapt to "my new body". Well, with time, that new body became as fit as my old body....keeping in mind that my body is also aging and will not be the same....like everyone else.

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Thank you. My husband will be happy to hear that he can get back to "normal" with time. I know it has been disturbing for him to spend all of his time on the couch or in bed. Not like him at all, but just too tired to move. He just finished chemo #12 so I know he is looking forward already to having more energy.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | May 23 8:26pm
In reply to @jbnc23 "My husband is currently in the hospital being treated for dehydration and slightly high ammonia levels...." + (show)
@jbnc23

My husband is currently in the hospital being treated for dehydration and slightly high ammonia levels. The doctor explained that only 1/3 of IV fluids will get into the blood vessels so it’s extremely important to drink at least 2 liters of water each day, not sodas or other sugary drinks, which are bad for pancreatic cancer patients anyway. He had had a fluids infusion the day prior to our ER visit so I was surprised when they said he was dehydrated. Now I understand why.

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@jbnc23, a good reminder. How is your husband doing now? Will he be able to have the next chemo treatment?

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jbnc23 | @jbnc23 | May 23 8:34pm
In reply to @colleenyoung "@jbnc23, a good reminder. How is your husband doing now? Will he be able to have..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

@jbnc23, a good reminder. How is your husband doing now? Will he be able to have the next chemo treatment?

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He’s improved, but still having some memory issues. There are a few days just prior to his hospitalization that he cannot recall at all. The hospitalist said it could take a few weeks before he’s back to his usual self. Unfortunately, he was too ill to have his scheduled treatment. It will be delayed 2 weeks.

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sheridanb | @sheridanb | May 25 10:32am
In reply to @jbnc23 "He’s improved, but still having some memory issues. There are a few days just prior to..." + (show)
@jbnc23

He’s improved, but still having some memory issues. There are a few days just prior to his hospitalization that he cannot recall at all. The hospitalist said it could take a few weeks before he’s back to his usual self. Unfortunately, he was too ill to have his scheduled treatment. It will be delayed 2 weeks.

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sorry to hear of your husband's temporary set back. My husband had a bad couple weeks midway through his 12 treatments, and though he was not hospitalized, they did delay his treatment because of poor blood test results. Still not sure why it hit him as bad at that time, but we have gone in for lots of extra hydration since then thinking that may have been part of the problem. It hasn't been easy since then... but better than in March. I don't think he realizes or recognizes how serious it was at that time. But hydration has helped in his case.

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