Question About Side Effects.

My husband has just started chemo for colon cancer withs mets to the liver. Two weeks ago, he started with just oxiplatin. He tolerated his first dose pretty well. Just tired and upset stomach for about 2 days. Yesterday he recieved the oxiplatin and avastin. Later in the evening, he developed a fever of 103. I wanted to take him to the hospital, but he refused to go saying he felt fine except for the fever and chills. I had read that the fever could mean an infection, however his blood levels were checked before recieving the treatments and all were within normal range.

Has anyone else dealt with this side effect? Could it be an allergic reaction? I gave him some fever reducer and it went away. Although he has been hovering at about 99 degrees ever since.

Thanks for any help.

at the beginning of my husband's chemo treatments the chemo nurse gave us a list of do's and don't and one of the do's was- if you run a fever of 101 or higher to contact them.   luckily that never happened in our case.   i would definately give them a call and let them know- esp. since the tylenol only got it down to 99.

 good luck  debbie

Thanks guys. I am concerned as to why it went as high as it did. Should I expect the same results next time?

 I know you guys probably cant answer these questions, and we will ask his doctor. I guess I am just venting.

Thanks for listening.

One of the symptom's of my mother's cancer was low-grade fever.  When she started to have radiation treatment, her fevers became quite high.  (103 to 104)  She was kept in the hospital for twelve days and they repeatedly looked for signs of infection, but never found any.  Some people did not seem to believe that her radiation treatments could be related to the fever, but some of her doctors said that they were.  I was completely convinced; she would spike a high fever a certain amount of time after the radiation every time.  Later, when her radiation treatments were finished, the fevers went away.   Roz

Yeah, I would think it's just one of his side effects. I know he doesn't have an infection. His temp is gone now, I just took it. I wonder if it was from the oxiplatin or avastin. Lord, next time they are even adding the 5FU I believe. It's going to be a LONG six months!!

dobn't look at it as 6 long months-  take it one treatment at a time- much easier to handle that way. 

watch out for neuropothy on the oxilaplaton.  my husband is 1 yrs post chemo and still having a lot of trouble with the neuropothy.

my suggestion that i found very helpful for me was to keep a journal.  i would keep track of everything that was related to my husband's treatments and dr appt. .  i refered back to it many many times it is really hard to "remember" everything that is happening.

 hang in there you will make it thru this- keep a postive attitude and take it one treatment at a time.   also it helps if you have a friend to you can talk to and vent as needed.  my girlfriend has been a godsend thru all this.

good luck- deb

Yeah, we have been warned of the neuropathy. He is taking the L-glutamine and B6 which people on here have suggested. We'll just have to wait and see.

Thanks for the encouragement.

We have been through chemo before. 2005. He had his colon removed then. He was only on the 5Fu at that time though. He tolerated that extremely well. I think this time will be a little different though.

Hi...

I had posted here just the other day...see "vomitting husband"...because my husband is stage iv with extensive liver mets.  He has had 9 rounds of folfox w/oxi and he tolerated it very well, but it stopped working about round 5 but that provider wouldn't change the mix of chemo.  At new facility and they put him on Folfox w/ oxi and Avastin.  My husband has been very sick.  On the first cycle of chemo without Avastin, he would still be bubbly and active in every way.  With the Avastin, he was sick immediately after he came home and has been almost completely bed ridden since...much naussea, which he didn't have before, and throwing up several times..got a case of the hickups and severe belching/acid reflux which he has never had previous to cancer.  Very tired and not able to eat.  We have our oncologist visit tomorrow and can't wait to hear what the doc has to say and what he may do for my husband.  I have felt horribly bad for my guy.  I empathize with all you are going through and for your hubby as well.  Don't know if this helps, probably just has frightened you which I didn't mean to do.  Hopefully your hubby won't have these symptoms at all.  I wish the best for him.

Prayers

Mardilove

Thanks. It's a little scary, but I would much rather be informed as well. Please let me know what your doctor has to say about his reactions to Avastin. Goodluck.