Has anyone survived stage 4 stomach cancer?

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  • liveinhope
    liveinhope Member Posts: 83

    stomach cancer
    Hi I'm 28 and just got diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer my treatment starts next Thursday they are gonna put me on folfox clinical trail I wonder how the treatment like please respond I don't really know what to eat too they found two big tumors in my stomach and its been spreaded everywhere in my stomach they won't do surgery they told me I got a year with chemo and that it my parents are still in shock of my age and whats hurting to them is that have 3 kids as well please tell me whatever I need to be prepared thanks everyone.

    Hi Tiffany,till the therapy
    Hi Tiffany,till the therapy starts eat as much and as often as you can.Nowadays there are a lot of medicines to reduce the side-effects of chemotherapy and you may do much better than you expect.During treatment drink as much water and other fluids as you can.eat small frequent meals with fresh fruit and vegetables and nuts.Avoid processed and canned foods.
    You need to be prepared for a tough fight.We will be there with you in our thoughts.
    With love and good wishes
  • tiffany32882
    tiffany32882 Member Posts: 3

    Hi Tiffany,till the therapy
    Hi Tiffany,till the therapy starts eat as much and as often as you can.Nowadays there are a lot of medicines to reduce the side-effects of chemotherapy and you may do much better than you expect.During treatment drink as much water and other fluids as you can.eat small frequent meals with fresh fruit and vegetables and nuts.Avoid processed and canned foods.
    You need to be prepared for a tough fight.We will be there with you in our thoughts.
    With love and good wishes

    stomach cancer
    Thanks
  • EJM22
    EJM22 Member Posts: 1
    Sung78 said:

    My dad has stage 4 also, 53
    I teared reading your post, u r so close in age and diagnosis as my daddy. We found out a few weeks ago and worse, it's spread to mod of his liver - mo chance of surgery. I'm in a state of depression, my dad has always been my best friend. We've been given a maximum time line around 2 years and reading ur post makes me feel better that we really might get that much more time. Best of luck to you ... My dads diet was just like yours previously w tobacco, liquor etc, but neither of you deserved this. ;)

    same
    my dad is 49, he has stomach (duodenal) cancer and it spread to his liver shortly after. He has been doing chemo for a year now but its only getting worse. a year ago he was given 8-12 months so who knows how long well have!! and yeah my dads diet was similar. alcohol, tobacco, burgers, etc. this is so tough. i dont know how much longer im going to be able to hold up! ill stay strong as long as i have to i suppose. best wishes to you and your father.
  • OYONG
    OYONG Member Posts: 3

    stomach cancer
    Thanks

    Will Pray for u tiffany.
    I will include u in our Prayers tiffany, and liveinhope is giving you the right thing to do.


    By the way mom already give up after fighting gastric cancer last 3/31/2011 and shes now in heaven.I wanna say Thank you to all for all the adviced you wrote, esp. to darthpaul,Eric Grush and to all group members at facebook.

    tiffany, you can also join the cancer group at facebook so you can get more info with ur situation...u can add darthpaul (founder of the group) at fb and he will add u then.
  • Susan627
    Susan627 Member Posts: 2

    same story
    Hello Jenene, I read your post today and was wondering how your husband was doing now (I see that it has been months since you wrote). My husband, who just turned 35, was diagnosed with Stage IV GastroEsophagal Cancer (GE junction cancer) with metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes. He has had three rounds of FOLFOX chemotherapy, but we won't know how the cancer is responding until he gets another CT Scan, which the oncologist will do after 6 or 8 treatments. I'd like to know what kind of chemo your husband is having and what his response has been. Also, I have an 8 month old baby and a 5 year old, so I understand exactly what you are going through. My heart goes out to you and your family and I pray that this note finds you and the rest of your family well. If you'd like to talk, please write. Take care.

    Nicole
    My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in early December 2010 that had spread to the liver. He completed 4 rounds of FOLFOX chemo. Towards the end he ended up in the hospital twice with C-diff colitis, however 2 CT scans were done & an x-ray that showed that the tumor had disappeared as well as the lesions on the liver. A week after being discharged from the hospital the 2nd time he went for a PET scan that also showed that the tumor & lesions on the liver had disappeared, he als went for an endoscopy, same story, tumor is gone. All the doctors are stumped & they do not know how to proceed. They dont know if they should do a partial gastrectomy as a precaution or just monitor him. He will see the surgeon again next week & we will know more then.
  • poornima
    poornima Member Posts: 3

    Hello,
    I hope this finds you

    Hello,

    I hope this finds you in good health & spirit.

    I'd like to suggest a few things to help you overcome this obstacle iin your life. I know that it might not seem much & may not be the answer but please try including this in your daily diet.

    Buy ORGANIC apricots. After eating, break open the she'll & eat the seed. It MUST organic. You can youtube "the world without cancer" and do a little research. I promise that it can't hurt to try.

    I stronly believe that He wouldn't put things before us that we cannot handle. He made the fruits of this earth. The apricot seed is enriched with vitamin B17. In my opinion, this is Gods cure for cancer. We believe in God & the passages in the Bible. Doctors play God & believe in their meidical book...the one with all of the medications to choose from.

    Google B17 & see for yourself. My mom was just diagnosed with stage 4 in her stomach. We are treating her naturally. She refuses otherwise.

    I truely do apologize for bothering you but I want people with cancer to know their options.

    At least try the apricot seed.

    God Bless!!!

    Hey
    I read your post about

    Hey
    I read your post about your mom only using natural ways to treat herself and the apricot seeds. Someone very close to me has been diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer too and it has spread to their lymph nodes. I'm just wondering if this Vitamin B17 diet is helping you're mom and how it affected her health. Please let me know what you can. It will be greatly appreciated.

    God Bless,
    Poornima
  • poornima
    poornima Member Posts: 3

    Fist off, I hope this finds
    Fist off, I hope this finds you & your family in good health & spirit.

    I just joined today & was trying to get personal opinions... I just wanted to share with you some things that I found interesting. My mother was just diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer... We just started her on a B17 diet. You can youtube it to find more about it. I strongly recommend even for you & your children (if you have any)... Buy organic apricots... Take the kernal off of the seed & eat the seed. Its high in B17. B17 is the natural cancer fighter that is in a lot of fruits but if grown in chemicals made to speed the process up & enlarge the fruit as it grows, the chemicals kills the natural B17. B17 is made to stabilze those cancer cells that we all have. A lot of our fruits lack it because of the chemicals. Also try peach & apple seeds. They MUST be organic.

    I hope this helps.

    God bless!!!

    Did B17 help?
    Hey I read your post about your mother and how she is on the B17 diet. I just wanted to know how that went for you? Did it help her? What were her results? Someone very close to me has been diagnosed with the same type of cancer and this diet seems very interesting and helpful. I'd appreciate any kind of information you can give. Thank you soo much!

    God bless
    Poornima
  • poornima
    poornima Member Posts: 3

    Fist off, I hope this finds
    Fist off, I hope this finds you & your family in good health & spirit.

    I just joined today & was trying to get personal opinions... I just wanted to share with you some things that I found interesting. My mother was just diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer... We just started her on a B17 diet. You can youtube it to find more about it. I strongly recommend even for you & your children (if you have any)... Buy organic apricots... Take the kernal off of the seed & eat the seed. Its high in B17. B17 is the natural cancer fighter that is in a lot of fruits but if grown in chemicals made to speed the process up & enlarge the fruit as it grows, the chemicals kills the natural B17. B17 is made to stabilze those cancer cells that we all have. A lot of our fruits lack it because of the chemicals. Also try peach & apple seeds. They MUST be organic.

    I hope this helps.

    God bless!!!

    Did B17 help?
    Hey I read your post about your mother and how she is on the B17 diet. I just wanted to know how that went for you? Did it help her? What were her results? Someone very close to me has been diagnosed with the same type of cancer and this diet seems very interesting and helpful. I'd appreciate any kind of information you can give. Thank you soo much!

    God bless
    Poornima
  • idedona
    idedona Member Posts: 7

    same story
    Hello Jenene, I read your post today and was wondering how your husband was doing now (I see that it has been months since you wrote). My husband, who just turned 35, was diagnosed with Stage IV GastroEsophagal Cancer (GE junction cancer) with metastasis to the liver and lymph nodes. He has had three rounds of FOLFOX chemotherapy, but we won't know how the cancer is responding until he gets another CT Scan, which the oncologist will do after 6 or 8 treatments. I'd like to know what kind of chemo your husband is having and what his response has been. Also, I have an 8 month old baby and a 5 year old, so I understand exactly what you are going through. My heart goes out to you and your family and I pray that this note finds you and the rest of your family well. If you'd like to talk, please write. Take care.

    hi nicole
    i couldn't help but notice that your husband's cancer is very similar to my brother who also has stomach cancer and who is also 35. please read my post i sent to Rickyc10 on the topic of dormant stomach cancer. it is very important and very imformative.
    best wishes
    iliana
  • idedona
    idedona Member Posts: 7
    Susan627 said:

    Nicole
    My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer in early December 2010 that had spread to the liver. He completed 4 rounds of FOLFOX chemo. Towards the end he ended up in the hospital twice with C-diff colitis, however 2 CT scans were done & an x-ray that showed that the tumor had disappeared as well as the lesions on the liver. A week after being discharged from the hospital the 2nd time he went for a PET scan that also showed that the tumor & lesions on the liver had disappeared, he als went for an endoscopy, same story, tumor is gone. All the doctors are stumped & they do not know how to proceed. They dont know if they should do a partial gastrectomy as a precaution or just monitor him. He will see the surgeon again next week & we will know more then.

    hi susan
    that is great news! is there anything that your father did other than chemo such as change in diet, supplements?
    iliana
  • idedona
    idedona Member Posts: 7

    alternative therapies
    HI
    my dad has stage 4 stomach cancer mets liver. Not operable.
    did u go through a strict diet? organic food, loads of vegs? my dad has no history of cancer and his bilirubin level was at 200 when first dx in feb2010. he went through 2 cycles of oxalipatin and xelida without rest.
    i am also giving B17 apricot kernels.
    recent studies also claims that papaya leaves can help shrink n prevent growth of tumor without harming good cells.
    i read that in the very early stages of stomach cancer, there is a 96% chance of survivor, if last stages, there is only 5% of survivor. as the cancer often mets to other organs.
    my dad's weight has maintained at 74kg. did u use a specific diet plan? juicing etc? silymarin?
    am all ears for any alternatives therapies to support the usual chemo.

    try looking into the johanna
    try looking into the johanna budwig protocol. that's flaxoil and cottage cheese combined. it creates oxygen into the cells and creates an environment impossible for cancer cells to survive in. many people take this along with chemo.
    iliana
  • B0022
    B0022 Member Posts: 1
    Hi Frank ,
    My aunt has been

    Hi Frank ,
    My aunt has been diagnosed with stage 4 too 2 and a half months ago , She did the surgery even though the cancer was already spreading to her bowl too!At first the surgeon said that this was only a check up surgery that they dont even know if they will be able to remove anything from it and her chances were so low, but they successfully removed 80% of the cancer and a partial-gastroectomy and her uterus,too.They sent her back home after a month or so.3 weeks ago she started to throw up everything she eats , literally everything she lost so much weight in only a few weeks , her back is killing her from lying down all day and when she gets up to walk she walks for a little bit then she sits down cause she gets even more tired. We waited for her to start chemo , last week when they finally approved her to start chemo, things started to get complicated .We noticed that she started to have peeing problems (kidneys problems) she couldnt pee for 2 days so we called the doctor and he said to take her to the ER and they found out that she's having an infection in both of her kidneys , today the doctor said that they did everything he could to help her and there is nothing els he can do.I dont believe that i think she can still have kidneys transferred and she can go on B17 and fruits and veggies to built her immune system back, i have now idea why he is loosing hope.


    Is there anything els to do ? I really dont want to give up on her , she means the world to me and I am not ready to let her go .
    Seeing all of ur comments really built my hope back up , I really gave up before i read all ur comments.
    My prays to everyone here and for u and ur family too frank !

    xxx
  • Lilllly
    Lilllly Member Posts: 16
    Lilllly said:

    My dad was diagnosed with
    My dad was diagnosed with Stage I and then they found a spot of cancer in a lymph node and instantly made it stage IV. As soon as they found the spot on the lymph node they went in and removed it (small incision). He finished his treatment plan and had to practically beg for surgery. Now, a year later, just two weeks ago he was declared cancer free. It does happen, there are chances and miracles out there. Keep the faith and support. Stay strong.

    To continue my post...
    I feel it is important to follow up to my original post. I lost my father this past February after his cancer returned and spread. We had a few months of him being cancer free, and the hope that the surgery and treatment and doctors gave us during his battle made all the difference in the world. To those that feel discouraged: My dad survived 3 years after diagnosis. Apparently statistics show only 15% survive past 6 months. I still believe in miracles despite everything, because there were small blessings we had, and I appreciate every one of them. Hold strong. Cancer can try to take a body but it will never take your love.
  • liveinhope
    liveinhope Member Posts: 83
    Lilllly said:

    To continue my post...
    I feel it is important to follow up to my original post. I lost my father this past February after his cancer returned and spread. We had a few months of him being cancer free, and the hope that the surgery and treatment and doctors gave us during his battle made all the difference in the world. To those that feel discouraged: My dad survived 3 years after diagnosis. Apparently statistics show only 15% survive past 6 months. I still believe in miracles despite everything, because there were small blessings we had, and I appreciate every one of them. Hold strong. Cancer can try to take a body but it will never take your love.

    Dear Lilllly,sorry to hear
    Dear Lilllly,sorry to hear about your father.My son is a year and 10 months from his diagnosis and I too am grateful for every moment we have together.He has a regular job,plays badminton and goes on holidays;looking at him you could not imagine what he has been through.
  • BB68
    BB68 Member Posts: 3

    Dear Lilllly,sorry to hear
    Dear Lilllly,sorry to hear about your father.My son is a year and 10 months from his diagnosis and I too am grateful for every moment we have together.He has a regular job,plays badminton and goes on holidays;looking at him you could not imagine what he has been through.

    Dear Liveinhope, any intestinal pains after eating
    Dear Liveinhope, does your son have any intestinal pains after eating? My mom is a little more than 2 years after the gastrectomy surgery and is now complaining that the food she eats forms a ball that she feels painfully going through the intestines. And she is losing apetite and pounds. And such exparience?
  • liveinhope
    liveinhope Member Posts: 83
    BB68 said:

    Dear Liveinhope, any intestinal pains after eating
    Dear Liveinhope, does your son have any intestinal pains after eating? My mom is a little more than 2 years after the gastrectomy surgery and is now complaining that the food she eats forms a ball that she feels painfully going through the intestines. And she is losing apetite and pounds. And such exparience?

    Dear BB68,my son has no such
    Dear BB68,my son has no such symptoms.If your mother's scans are normal and there are no signs of a recurrence you could ask your doctors whether there is a chance of adhesions and sub-acute intestinal obstruction. Be at them till you get an answer.Meanwhile try grazing:small quantities of well cooked semi-solid food very frequently.
  • liveinhope
    liveinhope Member Posts: 83
    BB68 said:

    Dear Liveinhope, any intestinal pains after eating
    Dear Liveinhope, does your son have any intestinal pains after eating? My mom is a little more than 2 years after the gastrectomy surgery and is now complaining that the food she eats forms a ball that she feels painfully going through the intestines. And she is losing apetite and pounds. And such exparience?

    Dear BB68,my son has no such
    Dear BB68,my son has no such symptoms.If your mother's scans are normal and there are no signs of a recurrence you could ask your doctors whether there is a chance of adhesions and sub-acute intestinal obstruction. Be at them till you get an answer.Meanwhile try grazing:small quantities of well cooked semi-solid food very frequently.
  • Susan627
    Susan627 Member Posts: 2
    idedona said:

    hi susan
    that is great news! is there anything that your father did other than chemo such as change in diet, supplements?
    iliana

    Idedona
    No, he went about his daily routine. We just found out that they want him to finish the last 2 rounds of chemo which he will start next week. They do not want to do surgery because they don't want to open a can of worms. They will monitor him & send him for tests every 3 months or so. Now it's the fear of the unknown. Will he have a reoccurence. Still very scary.
  • Arriana
    Arriana Member Posts: 1
    BB68 said:

    Dear Liveinhope, any intestinal pains after eating
    Dear Liveinhope, does your son have any intestinal pains after eating? My mom is a little more than 2 years after the gastrectomy surgery and is now complaining that the food she eats forms a ball that she feels painfully going through the intestines. And she is losing apetite and pounds. And such exparience?

    See Needs to be Checked for the Cancer Now
    My mother experienced the same thing and is now in hospice after emmergency surgery after waiting for months for the doctors to figure out what was going on with her. She had to be at starvation before her doctors admitted her to the Hospital and hooked up an IV, then a month for them to play around trying to figure out the problem...she couldnt hold food or liquid down since a tumor had formed and blocked her stomach. She had been treated a year ago today for a stomach ulcer rupture and the doctor removed half of her stomach. They said there were only a few cancer cells and did low chemo and rad. as a precos. She was then told after many follow ups that there was no sign of the stomach cancer and was cancer free. I now understand there is no such thing as cancer free. The doctors say we misunderstand what they mean by that as they cannot destroy all the cancer.

    Almost a year after surgery she kept losing weight and complained that she couldn't hold anything down and was getting worried. Her doctors did scans and tests and said her stomach was blocked to take theswe pills to help her digest her food...and to fast so they could do an endoscopy...how stupid of the doctors since her stomachh was blocked and she hadn't eaten in weeks. She couldn't even keep the pills down. She finally went to the ER where they put an IV in her, then her surgeon found out what was going on, and had her admitted to the hospital where she waited weeks for them to figure out what to do. They finally sent her to Tampa to a cancer center, that also kept her for a week before doing anything. During an endocsopy they found the cancer in the stomach and then she became critically during the endoscopy procedure and they had to do emergency op. She had a section of her colon removed, but they left the cancer in her stomach. She is 82. They said there is no such thing as being cancer free, and once she had gone through Chemo and Rad., the doctors cannot detect the cancer through scans unless they are highly trained, and that it had now spread around the outside of her stomach that they would no longer touch her as surgery is now no longer a treatment they will do for her...but if she had caught it sooner...when she had more strenght and it hadn't led to the Em. Surgery...she could have been treated with more rad and chemo. ????? Lookinbg at stomach cancer info on the web...it should have been very easy for the doctors to figure out what was going on with her months ago.

    So...get second opinions, do not beleive everything yuou are told, check on the internet yourself about the cancer and stages...and find a doctor who will not dismiss your complaints...and let the doctors come to their own conclusions without providing them info from any previous doctor exceept the diagnosis of cancer, and then compare that info. But please have her checked at a cancer center...it sounds like a tumor has formed. Also read about veg and fruit jiuces that atack cancer and build strenght in the healthy cells.
  • zukiness
    zukiness Member Posts: 4
    SunnyD961 said:

    Stomach cancer survivor again...
    Hello. I am a 25-year-old Black female. I didn't know why I was sick at the time, but I was 23 years old, and I wasn't actually diagnosed with Stage IV stomach cancer until after my 24th birthday, mental and emotional toll, and a partial-gastrectomy in Feb. 2008. I started chemotherapy soon after surgery for 6 months finishing in Aug. 2008. Not even a month after my last cycle I was having symptoms again, and by Sept. I couldn't take it anymore. I knew why I was in pain, not having an appetite, getting bloated, and wanting to vomit. My heart told me my cancer was coming back. As of Sept. 2008, I am currently battling stomach cancer again. I will continue to go through every drug there is until there is no more, as long as I have more time with my family. My 3 year old son needs his mother around as long as I can be. As long as my Lord allows me to be here. I am going to fight until the end for my son, and my husband. Yes, there will be pain along the way. I am willing to bear it. Whoever said life's experiences would be easy and painless?

    I have been through too much death in my short life to allow an invasion of my body to take me to my deathbed lying down. Never. My father died when I was 3 months old, my brother at 14 yrs., my step-father at 16 yrs., my mother at 21 yrs. and my grandmother (her mother) at 22 yrs. old. Not to mention, other uncles and aunts, cousins and friends along the way. I shouldn't be afraid of death by now, but I am scared shitless. lol I should hate the world and everyone in it, but I don't. I should have given up long before I was stricken with cancer, but I haven't. I'm not going to.

    You tell your brother to fight for all he is worth. It will never be easy or painless all the time, but to have another moment with his children, nieces and nephews, parents, siblings, and friends. Maybe one day they will find a cure for us, and maybe not. He shouldn't allow today's drug pharmaceuticals predict his outcome tomorrow. Medicine has made huge strides over the years, and I don't think it will ever stop. So why should he? There is always someone worse off than you. Keep living and keep fighting.

    TOO YOUNG
    My 32y/o sister was diagnosed 2 weeks ago with stage 4 stomach cancer, mets to the lymph nodes. She had been admitted to a hospital 6 weeks ago with symptoms of pancreatitis and had her gall bladder removed. After release from the hospital, she was still miserable, vomiting and in extreme pain. Ultrasound, mri, ct scan and colonoscopy found nothing. It was the endoscope that found a large tumor growing on the left side. It is pushing into her lungs and back, causing unbearable pain. She cannot keep down 95% of liquids or foods, but the size of the tumor makes her appear like she's very well fed. She has no history of smoking, drinking or drug use. She has 2 young sons and a very supportive, loving and overwhelmed husband. She saw the oncologist yesterday and he wants to run additional scans and tests before starting chemo. She is scheduled to have a port put into her chest and chemo treatments started within 2 weeks. We live 750 miles apart, and I have my own medical problems so it's proving to be difficult to be with her as much as I feel I need to. My 2 children and I just got drove home yesterday from being there for 5 days. I'm going thru the emotions of shock, anger, sadness, denial.... in such vicious cycles.
    I guess I just wanted to jump on here after reading what everyone else was going thru and get acquainted.
    My baby sister is just physically and emotionally broken and seeing her hooked up to oxygen and in so much pain was unbearable. It doesn't look good, statistically, but I can see from some of the above posts that this evil disease is treatable and beatable. I just pray that my sis has some fight left in her. It all happened so suddenly and the diagnosis was completely unexpected as she never has had anything more serious that strep throat in her entire life.
    Thank you for reading my story. I don't have a lot of details but will update and check back on here regularly. I pray that everyone is feeling okay and experiencing miracles in their lives.