Had my appointment with medical onocologist

Ro10
Ro10 Member Posts: 1,561 Member
edited March 2014 in Uterine/Endometrial Cancer #1
Today was my appointment with the medical onocologist in Illinois. She was very upbeat and listened to my previous experiences with the chemo treatments. She too will give the two drugs over the 8 hours that I needed previously to prevent reactions. My next chemo treatment (number 4) will be June 17th. She is doing more premedication with decadron (steroid) to try to reduce problems. I will take 20mg the night before and 20 mg the morning of. Boy am I going to be wired. I bet I won't sleep the night before (and I remember the hunger when I had double the steroids before!!!!!!!). Then I will get more decadron IV at the infusion center. I will see the doctor and have lab the day before, since the chemo treatment lasts so long. Today they drew lab along with a CA 125. I will be anxious to know what that result is. I have not had a CA 125 since before my 3rd chemo in March. She said I will have a CT scan after the treatments are completed. Then if the CT scan shows something abnormal I will have a PET scan. She said that the PET scan can "light up" up to 3 months after radiation treatments have been done. I was not aware of that. She said I may have more trouble with low blood counts as the bone marrow cannot replace the blood cells as quickly after pelvic radiation. She asked if I needed shots after each chemo, and I told her I had not. It is different going to all these new doctors, but I think I am going to really like her.
My hair is probably 3/4 inches long now. I hate the fact that it will all fall out again. But I just remind myself that it is a temporary thing. People ask me if it is curly. I don't think it is long enough to be curly. At first it was so white, but it is getting darker. I still miss my eyelashes, though. They are very very short.
2/3rds of the way done and 1/3 to go with treatments.

Comments

  • deanna14
    deanna14 Member Posts: 732
    Excited for you.
    You are so close to being finished! How exciting. The Decadron pre med you described is what I have been doing. I don't have much trouble with sleeplessness, but I take Ambien at night. I also start benadryl when I get home from my treatment for the flushing and it of course helps me to sleep a lot immediately post treatment.
    I'm sorry about your hair. It had been 5 1/2 weeks since I had my last treatment and I've got some good fuzz going on up there. I know once I finally get this last treatment that it will fall out. I too just have to say.... Oh well, it will grow back! I almost think I miss my eyelashes more. Just looks like beady little eyes. LOL
    We are on our way aren't we!
  • jnmchenry
    jnmchenry Member Posts: 7
    deanna14 said:

    Excited for you.
    You are so close to being finished! How exciting. The Decadron pre med you described is what I have been doing. I don't have much trouble with sleeplessness, but I take Ambien at night. I also start benadryl when I get home from my treatment for the flushing and it of course helps me to sleep a lot immediately post treatment.
    I'm sorry about your hair. It had been 5 1/2 weeks since I had my last treatment and I've got some good fuzz going on up there. I know once I finally get this last treatment that it will fall out. I too just have to say.... Oh well, it will grow back! I almost think I miss my eyelashes more. Just looks like beady little eyes. LOL
    We are on our way aren't we!

    If you wear glasses...
    Wearing glasses helps with the eyelash and eyebrow thing, without the bother of makeup.

    Whatever works, huh?
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980
    For the lashless eyes...
    When I had no eyelashes, I found the eyeliner kohl pencils pulled the skin on my lids too much and the oencils were too hard for me to use. So I bought 2 little inexpensive Maybelline powdered eye shadows in the darkest brown and deepest navy blue shades I could find, and I used the soft little brush to smudge a thin line of the powdered shawdow around my eyes instead of eyeliner. It looks a LOT better than my eyeliner attempts. Just an idea to try...

    RO: Sounds like you have a good new oncologist & are ready now to finish the last lap in your treatmemt protocol! That's wonderful!
  • Ro10
    Ro10 Member Posts: 1,561 Member
    Got great lab results today
    My CA- 125 came back at 13. I was estatic about the results. My other results were 427 after the first chemo and 127 after the second chemo. I hope and pray that means all of these treatments are killing all those cancer cells. My other lab results came back good. Wish I could share some of my hemaglobin and platelets with some of you who need them. The treatments really have not effected my blood counts very much.

    Still having nausea every morning since I had the internal radiation. Don't know how long that will last. I take a compazine the first thing in the morning.

    Hope all of you are doing okay.
  • deanna14
    deanna14 Member Posts: 732
    Ro10 said:

    Got great lab results today
    My CA- 125 came back at 13. I was estatic about the results. My other results were 427 after the first chemo and 127 after the second chemo. I hope and pray that means all of these treatments are killing all those cancer cells. My other lab results came back good. Wish I could share some of my hemaglobin and platelets with some of you who need them. The treatments really have not effected my blood counts very much.

    Still having nausea every morning since I had the internal radiation. Don't know how long that will last. I take a compazine the first thing in the morning.

    Hope all of you are doing okay.

    Congratulations!
    13 is excellent news! You are a strong lady. My labs were good until after treatment 3, but you have maintained all along. Keep it up through the next 3 treatments. I hope your nausea gets better soon. I love good news!
    Hugs
  • shortmarge
    shortmarge Member Posts: 291
    deanna14 said:

    Congratulations!
    13 is excellent news! You are a strong lady. My labs were good until after treatment 3, but you have maintained all along. Keep it up through the next 3 treatments. I hope your nausea gets better soon. I love good news!
    Hugs

    YAY!!!
    BIG, BIG CYBER HUGS. Great news!

    Keeping you in my prayers.
  • daisy366
    daisy366 Member Posts: 1,458 Member
    Ro10 said:

    Got great lab results today
    My CA- 125 came back at 13. I was estatic about the results. My other results were 427 after the first chemo and 127 after the second chemo. I hope and pray that means all of these treatments are killing all those cancer cells. My other lab results came back good. Wish I could share some of my hemaglobin and platelets with some of you who need them. The treatments really have not effected my blood counts very much.

    Still having nausea every morning since I had the internal radiation. Don't know how long that will last. I take a compazine the first thing in the morning.

    Hope all of you are doing okay.

    way to go - 13 is terrific!!
    Hi Ro,

    Best wishes as you enter the final lap of treatment.

    Mary Ann
  • cookie1948
    cookie1948 Member Posts: 77
    Ro10 said:

    Got great lab results today
    My CA- 125 came back at 13. I was estatic about the results. My other results were 427 after the first chemo and 127 after the second chemo. I hope and pray that means all of these treatments are killing all those cancer cells. My other lab results came back good. Wish I could share some of my hemaglobin and platelets with some of you who need them. The treatments really have not effected my blood counts very much.

    Still having nausea every morning since I had the internal radiation. Don't know how long that will last. I take a compazine the first thing in the morning.

    Hope all of you are doing okay.

    lab results for Ro
    Ro,
    How wonderful. Wow i am at amazed at how "up" you try to stay and you are BEATING this, i really believe that and 13????????????????? Yippppppppppppppeeeeeeee
    God Bless you and many blessings!!!
    Cookie :)