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Chemo - What to expect?
Paxil Hello. This is my first post at Cancer Survivors Network. I'm very glad that I found this site. My Dad was recently diagnosed with colon cancer stage III. He had 12" of his colon removed. He had a port put in yesterday, and will start chemotherapy tomorrow. He will be taking 5-FU/Leucovorin and Oxalplatin. He'll do…
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SPONGE BOB THANX FOR THE 411
Appreciate the info about the genetic link. Will mom's Dr/surgeon know if what caused her cancer is genetic? I don't even know what questions to ask! I recently saw my ob/gyn for the yearly stir-up visit and he did tell me that since my mom has been diagnosed that me and siblings will need to be checked earlier than would…
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Chemo update; a fourth of the way there!
Hi all, Good news! I finished the first 6 chemo treatments last week; had this Friday off, and have a week's leave from work before round number 2. Hubby and I had a quick visit to Cape Cod this weekend...beautiful, but brrrr (at least it was above zero!) So far, things have gone OK. Occasional diarrhea, which sips of…
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Chemo Holiday
Hi all. I have been given a chemo holiday for 6 weeks. I have to have a PET scan and they tell me that all of the chemo has to be out of my system, so they have given me the ok to go back to work for 6 weeks. PET scan on 3/26. I would have gone crazy if I had to sit here for 6 weeks and wonder. Wish me luck. It's been 7…
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Belated Happy Valentine's Day
Hello everyone, Just wanted to wish everyone a very happy heart's day! What did yall do? I was busy stretching my stitches, he he... No, no, just kidding. Alas, I had a much quiter Valentine's Day than I would have liked but it was still filled with love. I saw "50 First Dates"... I thought it was excellent but last time I…
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Thanks SpongeBob and Judy
Thanks guys. I am udp right now in Japan and will be home again in April. We live in New Bern NC and my wife is seeing a onc from there. I need some advice/help in helping her deal with this. She has a lot going on right now and on top of all of it has our 2 children to take care of. Do you have any advice on how I can…
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blood in stool
when I had my anual exam last month the doc did a rectal exam & said she felt something unusual..then she found blood in my stool. she scheduled me for a colonoscopy...I've have the initial consolt appt. in 2 weeks. anyway...here is my family history: my father had colorectal cancer, my mother, grandmother & 3 aunts had…
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Awkward Question for Ostomates
This is an awkward question but I will go ahead and ask. I was diagnosed with and got surgery for stage 3 colon cancer on the left side. I ended up with a colostomy which leaves me about 9" or so of colon aqnd my rectum. Thing is I still get the urge to go to the bathroom and when I do I pass a small amount of mucous. This…
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I need help
My wife had a stage 0 cancer removed from her colon a little while ago. She now has a spot in her lung that she is getting looked at next week. I am in the military and am currently overseas and I need some help in helping her deal with this as well as some help dealing with it myself.
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Another warning of sorts
Hi everyone. I've been reading everyone's posts and replies and sitting here laughing and crying and nodding my head in agreement and/or understanding, and I just want to tell my own story and give my own words of warning. In 1996, my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer and ended up having an ileostomy. She…
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Pewter, Bob, Monika, SB, Emily, Pattie Et-Al
I finally got some Avatin, which seems to have cntrolled the vomiting, but the diarrhea rolls on.. It is wonderful to get all this feedback and support, 'cause without it, it would be easy to let my imagination run amuk being alone in this cabin in the woods.. All the Onc said when I called her w/vomiting and diarrhea was…
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thanks everyone--good news!
We got the results of the PET scan today; no signs of cancer in the liver. So, we start the chemo Thursday, 6 weeks on/2 off. 5-Fu and leuco. I mentioned the side effects everyone brought up and he said to definitely bring any of them up if they occurr. Everything positive. Now we're concentrating on keeping good thoughts…
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Not a hothouse flower
Does this group ever have a scheduled chat? Or do you just take your chances. I tried the chat room for the first time last week. I am not a very fast typist so the conversation tends to get away from me. I did not recognize any names and was about to leave when they started making fun of my name. Is it real? What does it…
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How Come Everyone Has A Butt?
Sorry guys... Just kind of confused. I read the ostomy message and I'm just wondering how you all have an opening. My butt is completely sewn up! Is this cause it's permanent? All I know is that the doctor told me that "nothing could be preserved", had this really huge operation and now my butt's sewn up... Is this not the…
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The Truck
they filled me full of Chemo Monday, and I came home feeling pretty good..so good, I didn't sleep for 50 hrs..the pump came off wednesday, and I thought, gee, this is a breeze.. Then the truck came around the corner, and has been backing up, over and over.. nausea, diarrehea,hand-foot syndrom,fatigue-(I may get through…
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chat room connections
Hi guys--I keep getting "sorry, you have been disconnected from chat server" up on the chat window.I get the window ok and let it load--also get "kangatoo";"enter" come up--but it keeps disconnecting.Any thoughts guys? cheers kanga
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important warning!
Hi guys--this is kind of off the cuff but I really think it is important for many of us to pass on. I have been extremely lucky to have had surgery and chemo to rid myself of bowel cancer--Now to the point! I was diagnosed in 1997 with heamharoids(never could spell the word-but you get the drift). The symptoms were…
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Colorectal Cancer
I am a 3 1/2 year survivor of CRC. I had an operation referred to as a TATA. 1. Any "In commons?" 2. How do I get back to this site?
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The Chemo Club
I know you all have been lurking around waiting for the next installment of "Nanuk's Northern Chemo Adventure".. It's a little room, with comfy chairs and nice people, all smiling and meeting thier hard battles. We talk about the latest silver bullet,then bite our own not-so silver bullet. They filled me up with the metal…
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Chat Room
How do I get there?
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Bathroom trips
This message is mainly for Steve who suggested metamucil to help regulate the number of trips to the bathroom. I will try it, thanks. I had heard of using it before, but I have been eating so much oatmeal,fruits, vegetables, and other high fiber foods that I didn't think it was for me. Maybe I was wrong. It is worth a try.
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Oxaliplatin dosage
Hi everyone, I was wondering how much oxaliplatin you guys are getting. I started off with one infusion every three weeks 85mg/m2 and they have bumped me up (at my request however) to 130mg/m2... I'm now starting to doubt my insistence, I really fing that 130mg is quite a blow... Comparing dosages would be useful. Want to…
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Refused treatment at MD Anderson
Has anyone ever tried to go to MD Anderson but been refused to be seen? I have been told the doctor will not even see me because of a doctor's policy that refuses to even see patients who have had two chemo treatments (in my case, original cancer + one recurrence) and my type of cancer, a neuroendocrine rectal cancer. I am…
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A Theological Question
Sandra asked how we live with the fact that our cancer can rear its ugly little head again anytime it wants. In my case that is a distinct possibility as I have already had a recurrence. Some like to use the Las Vegas theory of playing the odds. If you are on the right side of the equation survival time increases. Others…
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Need help on a colostomy
My first time posting here!!! Hope somebody can help us. My husband has a colostomy, since Mar. of 2000. He has a skin problem around the stoma. Do any of you have any suggestions on how to make this go away? Thank you, Concerned, wife, Lorraine
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mom doesn't have a computer so i'm here to ask a couple questions. please help.
mom was diagnosed w/ rectum cancer march of 2002. she went through chemo and radiation (before surgery) for 6 mos. on and off. a total of 4 chemo treatments for 2 hrs a piece and she can't remember how many treatments of radiation. too many to count. at first her family doctor told her she had a hemeroid. that lasted 3…
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Heart Warming Story
Sometimes everybody needs to hear a heart warming story. Hear's mine......... I was diagnose in 6/03 with Stage 4. I'm a Teacher Assistant in a public school. The idea of the staff donating their sick time did not pass through the board, although the teachers really wanted to. I basically have been working part time ,…
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Chemo
I start chemo (FOLFOX) tommorrow, and I'm wondering if there is anything I should be doing to prepare myself,etc. The clinic has been silent on this issue, simply telling me to show up..should I eat, not eat, will side effects be immediate? Anything to reduce/minimize side effects? Although I had chemo 3 years ago, it was…
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I'm Still Smiling :-)
First, my deepest gratitude and thanks to each and every one of you for cheering us on, never giving up hope, and of course all your prayers and good wishes. There's definitely something to be said for positive thinking and prayers. I haven't been able to quite wipe the smile off my face all day, which of course has rubbed…
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port
I feel like a wimp after reading all the trials of others in this club, but still, like Emily, nobody else really understands.. After Emily's good news, I'm really conflicted; the port was installed today without anesthesia-(see, I'm not a total wimp) and now I await the devil chemo monday. I want to cut and run, but…