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Ct scan results today
and my husband continues to be clear of disease. The tumor that caused issues has not grown in 6 months so we are hoping the radiation killed it, in fact they refer to it as an ill defined area now. No CEA because the lab forgot to run it, so we will get that Thursday. It’s been fine for year though that tumor never…
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How long can I expect to have stool issues?
Hello all. Sorry for the topic. I am 11 days post surgery and just when I think my BM's are going to start being normal again, I get diarrhea. Today I had something with caffeine in it for the first time since the surgery and it feels like Im passing lava. I had my ascending and transverse removed so I realize it will take…
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Happy Birthday Canadian Sandy
I hope you are loving every minute of today (and every day). I think Birthday cake is in order - bring it on Tru
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Ending Chemo and getting first scan since surgery
My Husband is ending his Chemo at 5 cycles or 4 months depending on how one looks at it. He was on the Capcetabine 2 weeks on and one week off. The IDEA study has very compelling statistic for three months being almost as effective as 6 months. So, with all of our research and careful consideration and discussions we are…
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Chemotherapy perfusion for lungs
Any places in the US that do it? It is like HIPEC for lungs.
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Post Extended Right Hemicolectomy Treatment Options
Hello all, its been a while since I posted. I had an extended right hemicolectomy on 7/19 to remove a 5cm mass from my TC. It was originally supposed to be done by robot, but they had to convert because of its locations. They took 2/3 of my colon. The surgery lasted approx 2 hours and everything went well. The mass was…
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Happy Birthday to our very own Tunadog!
I hope you have a wonderful day, filled with love, laguhter, family, friends and lots of good food . Trubirt
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Twinzma
how is your husband doing? I have been thinking about you and your family.
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Is it safe to leave in chemo port long term?
I had a chemo port put in December 2018. I haven't used it since I finished a month of 5FU. Is it safe to just leave it in. Has anyone had problems with it down the line?
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NED dream
At this point I am getting obsessed with an idea of becoming NED. I have multiple mets on my lungs and chemo is not erasing them. VAT surgery and radiation are not in a table. I want to enter NED and keep it going. All they offer me chemo for life including MD Anderson. Understanding that down the line things will become…
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Can food affect ostomy leaking?
This is a question for all ileostomy holders: can a food cause ostomy leaking? I made a mistake in my food choices today: my ostomy was holding strong since yesterday morning,I got a good news from my surgeon,so I was feeling so good and happy that I stopped at a place for red curry chicken (which I love),and eventhough it…
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It's been rough
Wow since my last post, Jim has fallen very ill! The Strivaga was approved and it arrived, still haven't heard from the new cancer Center either. He was feeling really weak and winded last week and was hopeful that the Iron Infusion and B-12 he had scheduled would help. I was sleeping on the couch Sunday night and in the…
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Port removed today!
just wanted to share good news. My onc approved port removal and I could not be happier! Got it removed today. Every one that I saw at the hospital congratulated me! I had a smile on my face all day! k
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What is considered a round of chemo?
My last oncologist once told me I needed 4 rounds of chemo. At the 4th infusion, I said this is the last one. He said no 4 rounds is 8 infusions. I thought one round equals the 14 days starting with the infusion day, ending with the day before next infusion. So what is a round of chemo, as far as y'all know and believe the…
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Good News
Although I don’t post very often, I’m happy to say I’m Ned again! One year post hipec surgery! I will now have my scan every six months and visit with my surgeon via videoconference. God is great!
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Sugary Drinks and Cancer
I came accross this study in an article in the newspaper. There is no sense in looking back (I used to drink sodas a decade or so ago, before I cleaned up my diet), but the information may be useful looking forward or for family memebers: https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l2408 The consumption of sugary drinks was…
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Help with ileostomy!
I am looking for somebody who experienced this situation:I had a colorectal tumour surgery on May31,and left the hospital on June 7th with temporary ileostomy. After getting several instructions and help from Healthcare Centre nurses I started manage my ileostomy myself; it did not go very well,and in last 2 weeks I am…
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The "cool cap" to help prevent hair loss
Decided to make a new post so others can find this info more easily. I couln't find messages from my friend...many have been lost over time and upgrades of the site. I did a google search and found this:…
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Positivety
How do you stay positive when reality is not matching your positive thinking, dreams and hopes??
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Buying chemo meds from Canada
My mom has stage 4 colon cancer mets liver. Been on different chemo meds and now trying Afinitor since we can't use the previous chemo that was used. Afinitor was FDA approved for breast cancer only. Oncologist says it targets similar tumor markers so trying it out. Our insurance won't cover it because it's not FDA…
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CEA 523
Been though many different chemo combinations...now on Infinitor (made for breast cancer but trying for colon cancer). Insurance doesn't cover it so been using physician samples. Mom's last CEA is at 523...stressing me out. We were as low as 20s before. Surgeon still doesn't want to remove the mets tumors in her liver.…
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Sleeping..
Wondering if anyone else has sleeping issues since having chemo. I have NEVER had such a hars time with sleep. My body is tired most nights but it doesn’t make a difference. Sleep will not come some nights. I have fought taking anything on a regular basis but I know how important rest is. I have tried melatonin, various…
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Colonoscopy prep is not going well
its tomorrow but not until 2pm so round one is done, round 2 starts at 830. it started with 4 dulcolax pills at 3pm and by 445 he was puking. Drank his 3 cups of miralax and threw up around 7. He has type 2 diabetes and now his blood sugar was tanking down to 55. I admit I totally lost it. I am kind of failing miserably at…
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Non-cancer-specific supplement review
As most of you know, I am a believer in supplements. But just to show I am open-minded, here is a non-cancer-specific look at supplements and health. It does not deal with the specific issues we face, but nonetheless, it might be interesting: link There was moderate-certainty evidence that reduced salt intake decreased the…
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Stivarga?
Have you been on it? How did you do? What about the side effects? $18,000 a month and waiting to see if the insurance approves us. Hope so, Lord only knows we can't pay for it! That's so absurd, $18,000 but in Canada it averages $6200....GRRRRRR
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Losing my hair
My hair thinned on folfox and folfiri. I was not prepared for all my hair to fall out on erbutix and irinotecan. I am so angry that my oncologist didn't warn me especially since I specifically said when looking at options I did not want to choose one that would make me lose all my hair. I am so angry right now. And to make…
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Followup Scan
my father has followup CT scan on Wednesday 17 july he is on 3 months surveillance and yearly Scan iam so worried getting anxiety attacks please pray for mY father i shall be very grateful to you all
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Turning point yesterday with Nurse Practitioner visit
First of all, I finally was going to make it to the office after missing several appointments. So my designated "helper", to my horror did not show up to take me. No signs of life at his place. Now, I can drive, but getting into the thick of downtown traffic just rattles my nerves, in a really bad way. So that did not…
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Stunned, crushed and numb
Literally just hung up the phone with the oncologist. Jim's cancer has all grown, the remaining mets in the liver, the tumor in the colon and now there is big time lymph involvement and a nodule on the lung NO ONE TOLD US ABOUT the last scan has also grown. I want to be angry, I want to cry I just am too shell shocked at…
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Scan Update
First, I want to say thank you to each of you who offered support in a response to the last post I shared. I just want to strike out some days at the unfairness of it all but there is no one person or thing to stike out at. It's just life. My oncologist called me today to give me the replay on his conversation with my…