u/Fancy-Guard1708

Hi everyone. I’m hoping to hear from anyone who has personal experience with switching from FOLFIRINOX to FOLFOX due to side effects, or any guidance/hope you may have to offer.

My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in mid March. She had her first round of FOLFIRINOX at the beginning of April and unfortunately had extremely severe side effects- nonstop nausea, profound fatigue, severe dehydration, diarrhea, and malnutrition. She ended up briefly hospitalized afterward.

For her second round, they significantly reduced the irinotecan and oxaliplatin doses, but somehow the side effects were even worse this time. She had nonstop nausea and vomiting despite medications, horrible diarrhea despite taking Imodium daily, and overwhelming fatigue again. She ended up hospitalized for 8 days and missed her third round of chemo because of it.

She was supposed to make up that treatment last Thursday, but her oncologist decided to delay another week because although she’s feeling immensely better overall, she’s still pretty fatigued. He asked if she’s spending more time up during the day than resting, and she honestly said no, so he wanted to give her another week to regain strength.

Tomorrow she is finally supposed to get her third round, but they are switching her from FOLFIRINOX to FOLFOX.

I guess my biggest questions are:
- Has anyone here switched from FOLFIRINOX to FOLFOX because of side effects?
- Did the switch help make treatment more tolerable?
- Was FOLFOX still effective in keeping tumor growth under control?
- Did anyone regain some quality of life after making the switch?

I know everyone responds differently, but right now I think we’re just looking for some hope and reassurance that this can still be an effective path forward even if she couldn’t tolerate FOLFIRINOX.

Grateful for any advice, experiences, or encouragement. 🤍

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a really meaningful trip for my mom this August and would love any advice from people who’ve cruised with Norwegian (especially in similar situations).

My mom is currently going through chemo for stage 4 cancer, and this will likely be her “bucket list” / last big family trip. She’s always wanted to go to Canada, so we’re looking at a New England/Canada cruise out of NYC. We chose a cruise because it feels like the least physically demanding way for her to travel.

She can walk and stand, but gets fatigued quickly and can’t handle long distances.

A few things I’m trying to figure out:

Wheelchairs / mobility:

Has anyone used wheelchair assistance with NCL? I read they only provide wheelchairs for boarding/disembarking and not full-time use- do they make you rent one?

Room location:

We’re planning on a Club Balcony Suite. Has anyone had success requesting rooms close to elevators for mobility reasons (without booking a handicap room)?

Room service / food:

For days when she’s not feeling well, has anyone had luck getting accommodations for room service? Or is it pretty strict?

Priority boarding / assistance:

Is there any kind of priority boarding for medical needs?

Contacting NCL:

What’s the best way to coordinate all of this? I saw something about an Accessibility/Medical Questionnaire and an “Access Desk” team that helps arrange everything ahead of time.. is that the main route, or should I call directly?

General tips:

If you’ve cruised with a sick or medically fragile family member, anything you wish you knew beforehand?

I want to make this as smooth and special as possible for her without overcomplicating things or exhausting her.

Really appreciate any advice, experiences, or even small tips ❤️