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Chemotherapy: FOLFOX

Emotions And Feelings While Undergoing FOLFOX Treatment

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The cancer experience, and particularly while going through treatment, is an isolating experience during which people tend to feel separated from family and friends.

  • Depression and emotional stress are common while on chemotherapy – particularly when experiencing side effects such as nausea, infection and neuropathy that affect your quality of life. In fact, depression and emotional stress often affect a patient’s ability to manage chemotherapy.  Patients who become depressed are more likely than others to consider stopping treatment. To learn the signs of depression, click here.
  • Fears of the future as well as fear of the toxic side effects of treatment are also common.
  • Although fatigue is a physical symptom, it often feels like an emotional state as well. For coping ideas, see the discussion about fatigue..  

Share your emotions. As a general matter, a major help for dealing with emotions is to share them with other people and to express them by keeping a journal or creating art that reflects the experience you are going through. 

Possible ways to share with others include the following:

  • Talk with someone you trust about your feelings.
  • Join a support group of other colorectal patients or survivors of other cancers. Support groups meet in person, on the telephone or on line. This can be a way to meet others dealing with problems like yours. In support group meetings, you can talk about your feelings and listen to other people talk about theirs. You can also learn practical information such as how others cope with cancer, treatment side effects, and eating problems. For information about colorectal cancer support groups, click here.
  • Connect with a cancer ‘buddy’ who has gone through treatment or is going through it. For information about colorectal cancer buddies, click here. You can meet a cancer buddy through an organization such as Colon Cancer Alliance offsite link 
  • Seek professional help. For information about choosing a mental health professional, click here.
  • Talk with family and friends. 

A 1999 study conducted by the Oncology Nursing Society and Amgen, Inc. found that most people who had difficulty emotionally coped by using prayer and getting help from family and/or others who had also gone through chemotherapy.

  • For information about support groups, including why to join and to find one that works for you, click here.
  • To learn about cancer buddies and how to locate one, click here.

Deal with emotions that surface with activities such as relaxation techniques, meditation and prayer. For information, see: Tips to Help Feel in Control of Your Emotions.

For information about coping with the following feelings/emotions, click on the link:

NOTE: Expect mood swings.

  • You may feel as if your emotions are out of control at times, including suddenly crying about minor things. On the other hand, you may feel high or euphoric which could be because of one of your medications.
  • There may be other mood effects from particular drugs which are taken to lessen side effects. For example, steroids are usually accompanied by a feeling of euphoria, often followed by irritability, sleeplessness, moodiness or depression.
  • The emotional seesaw will pass.
  • Simple things often help such as a warm bath (making sure not to get an infusion wet), listening to soothing music, exercise, muscle relaxation, creative visualization or meditation.
  • If mood swings become too difficult to bear, ask your doctor for assistance. There may be medications available, or professional help may be recommended.
  • As Dr. Jimmie Holland stated in THE HUMAN SIDE OF CANCER: “It’s important to recognize that these moods are signs of the brain’s biochemical reactions to drugs. They do not reflect failure on your part to cope with cancer, nor are they a sign of mental illness. You are fine – it’s what the medicines are doing to you.”

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