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CEA 24
My CEA is 24. I know the normal range for non-smokers is 0-2.5. How bad is 24? How high was yours before the treatment and how the treatment affected it?
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Cancer, looking good, dating, sex, etc...
I haven't even thought of looking good or let alone dating or sex, but I think I should do something about it. If I loose my hair, I will get a wig, one lady at the cancer center told me she hated the wig, it was itching her sculp and she was uncomfortable, she just wore a scarf on her head, in fact all the women at the…
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dilemma
I am taking care of my 72 year old husband and we found out in late October that the rectal cancer has metastasized to his lungs. He was on CPT-11 for three treatments and had two weeks rest. He was supposed to start a second treatment of CPT-11 last Friday, but they didn't give it to him because his white count was too…
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ileostomy reversal - Problems after surgery
June 2003 - Rectal Cancer - Started with chemo & radiation, had my rectum removed with a temporary ileostomy, had reversal Oct. 2003 and have been partially obstructed since. Symptoms similar to Crohn's Disease. Anyone know of such a scenario? Thanks for your time.
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Recurring colon cancer
I've just been diagnosed with inoperable Recurring colon cancer, it's stuck to the outside of the colon and other organs. They are talking second round of chemo, this time to try CPT-11 first and see if I respond, if not - then Oxaliplatin. Chances of respond between the two drugs is 40% said the onc., that's complete and…
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I came across this this morning and liked it enough to share. Thanks, e.e. I thank You God for this most amazing day; for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes. - e.e. cummings ps, Washington, DC's weather today does not include…
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Hubby w/ Stage IV. HELP
I am new to this site and very happy that I found it. My husband was found with colon cancer after being taken to the hospital bleeding. They did the colonoscopy (I don't spell very well) and found the cancer. A couple days later did the surgery and took out about 12 inches of the colon. Cancer had spread to the liver and…
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I've had my barium cocktail
I had my CT scan last Monday. I had to drink about 30 ounces of barium (vanilla flavor). I took advice and drank it through a straw and it was very cold. The first bottle was OK, but the second bottle was a little hard to go down. It's a good thing I didn't have to leave home for almost 2 hours after having my "cocktail".…
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Bio-feedback
Does anyone know what it is or had it? And is anyone doing anything besides chemo? Can you please share if and what alternative medicine you incorporate to help you cope with chemo or feel better or even get better?
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new kind of treatment
Hi to all my fellow semi colons, I just had my visit with my onc about my latest ct, not real good but not real bad either. There are 2 spots on my lung and 2 spots on my pelvis that have been there for a couple of months which I knew about but they have not grown any. So I asked him what are we going to do about these I…
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Brain metastases
Hello, My wife was recently diagnosed with multiple brain tumors and a spinal chord tumor from colon cancer. I would like to know if anyone has info on the preferred method of radiation treatment, i.e. Linac vs. Gamma Knife. Also, what are your recomendations for centers in the New England Area that specialize in…
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Cartoon Cancer Cure
So I watched Spongebob thinking it might show me the way but it raises more questions than it answers. 1. Why is the crab the colour of a boiled lobster? Is it simply a matter of brightening the palate or perhaps there is some more nefarious reason. Red is for Satan and communism and it makes animals attack. 2. What is up…
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Follow-up tests after colorectal cancer?
Hi to all, I had rectal cancer, surgery which resulted in an ileostomy, then had chemo/radiation. Could not finish all my chemo due to anorexia. My question is--after you have had surgery/chemo/radiation, what follow up tests do your doctors order for you? How often do you get a CT scan, colonoscopy, blood tests, etc? Just…
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Radiofrequency Ablation Anyone?
Hi everybody, I hope all is well and everyone is in my thoughts and prayers. I will refrain from any movie suggestions because I have created anarchy on the message board (he,he). In the future I will know what topic to bring up if I ever feel like stirring up some controversy (he,he). On a more somber note, I was…
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The kinder, gentler message board
I thoroughly enjoyed our frivolous discussion about movie stars, Andreae. We all need a little rest from wrangling with our disease. I joined the Literary Fiction Lovers group over at yahoo because I like to lose myself in a book to forget about...you know. Well, didn't a cat fight break out there? Secret e-mails and all…
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Feeling Alive
Hi everyone, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I was initially confused because us Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October, so I thought maybe you were all suffering from chemo brain or that I was losing it but then I remembered the American Thanksgiving! He, he, I'm so lost sometimes! Anyways, I hope you all…
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WELCOME MARGO!!!!!!!!
Hi Margo, Welcome to the SEMI COLON CLUB I hope you enjoy your membership here . My name is Lisa and yes I am a stage 3 like yourself . However I had 10 positive lymph nodes , and that took me a long time to accept . Yes , I had a portacath and it was great when it worked even though I had some trouble with mine I would…
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When will I start to feel like I'm not on chemo anymore
Hello again everyone. As I said recently I just finished my last chemo treatment. Only problem is I still have some problems with diahrea and this troubling gurgling in my abdomen. To top it all off, my appetite isn't too good. Maybe it is because of the accumulation of all the chemo medication that it will take a while to…
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Ablation of Liver and Lung
My Mom was diagnosed with colon cancer in January 2002. After surgery to remove the tumor and surrounding lympnodes, she began treatment with 5FU/Lycoveren combination. She became extremely ill with the typical dose so her dose was adjusted to 70% of the typical dose. She completed treatment in October 2002 and ended up in…
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Constant Hiccups???
My father in law (stage 4 colon with mets to liver and stomach) can't seem to stop having the hiccups. Does anyone know what this is caused from? He had these constantly after his colostomy and so we attributed it to that. He battled them off and on for about a month then, he quit having them. Well all of a sudden, they've…
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Xeloda - A love/hate relationship
Hi everyone, So I received my oxaliplatin and fistful of Xeloda on Monday. I was prescribed 6600mg of Xeloda daily. I took one dose on Monday (3300mg), two on Tuesday (6600mg) and I woke up in the wee hours of Wednesday morning in horrible pain and nauseous. I went to the ER knowing something was awry. The oncologist on…
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Looking for Advise for Mom
Here's the shorten version....My mother was diagnosed w/ colon cancer back in February. Part of her colon was removed and fortunately the cancer had not spread to any of the surrounding organs. After 6 weeks of chemo/radiation, she started, and is now in the 5th month of a weekly preventive chemo program at a local…
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chemo and diarrhoea.
Anyone getting or going to get chemo may be interested in this site. There is a lot of good info here. They are recommending Sandostatin for the diarrhoea ( as well as the usual medications)but this stuff does seem to help.(I'm not selling it !!) The site has a lot of info and will , I hope , be of help to some of us, even…
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Gymatecan
Does anyone have info on the experimental oral chemotherapy drug "gymatecan" ?
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Want to Thank the Semi-Colons
Wednesday is my last chemotherapy treatment. I had 5FU/Leucovorin (sp) for 24 treatments. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the people on this website who answered my questions and gave me the support I needed to get through my treatments. You were all so helpful to me and to all the other survivors who had…
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parenting
My name is Jose, I was born in San Francisco and I've been living in Mexico for 23 years. I'm 37 years old. Two years ago I had surgery of the colon. I went through chemo with 5FLU and oxi for six months with 12 sessions. I've been feeling great. I have two kids (5 and 3), and now I'm expecting another. My question is how…
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chemo and diarrhoea.
I think I'm losing my marbles ! Here is the site re. the last message. http://healthology.com/nl/redir_nl.asp?id=12356 Blessings, V.C.
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Xeloda???
First, I wanted to thank everyone for the support, amazing advice and humour. I think the best thing about cancer is the fabulous, inspirational ppl. I had the privilege to meet. On another note, I was wondering if anyone had the scoop on Xeloda and why I am on that as opposed to 5FU/leucovorin. Does the oxaliplatin and…
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Finally
Hi everyone! So I finally got a second opinion. Overall, I did like the doctor - he is a specialist in young adult's with cancer. He will try to get me onto a clinical trial, but if they are all closed he's going to start me on Xeloda and oxaliplatin on Monday. Oh, and the PET scan indicated that I do have mets. in my…
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Met. to lungs -need info
Hi, I am new to the group. My husband has rectal cancer - had successful surgery in May 2002 and a clean colonoscopy in June 2003. He was on Xeloda for about seven months and stopped in July 2003. We found out in October 2003 that the cancer spread to his lungs. The oncologist said that chemo may only slow down the growths…