Shingles and increased CA-125

13

Comments

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,359 Member
    dgrdalton, I figured they got

    dgrdalton, I figured they got enough sweets and goodies, but how incredible that your nurses are getting a handcrafted soap!  That is incredible.

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    Goat milk soap is wonderful

    Goat milk soap is wonderful to your skin and giving it away is such a pleasure. 

    I started taking concentrated tart cherry in capsules; one in the morning with my vitamins and minerals that the oncologist wants me to take. My joint & muscle pain has been noticeably less. This round has been easier on me. So thankful. 

  • Armywife
    Armywife Member Posts: 451 Member
    dgrdalton said:

    Goat milk soap is wonderful

    Goat milk soap is wonderful to your skin and giving it away is such a pleasure. 

    I started taking concentrated tart cherry in capsules; one in the morning with my vitamins and minerals that the oncologist wants me to take. My joint & muscle pain has been noticeably less. This round has been easier on me. So thankful. 

    DGR

    Where do you get your tart cherry capsules?  My husband and I could both benefit from some joint  pain relief!

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,359 Member
    Armywife said:

    DGR

    Where do you get your tart cherry capsules?  My husband and I could both benefit from some joint  pain relief!

    Armywife, I wondered the same

    Armywife, I wondered the same thing on the tart cherry capsules?  My sister had told me about tart cherry juice - I didn't know they made it in a capsule.

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    Armywife said:

    DGR

    Where do you get your tart cherry capsules?  My husband and I could both benefit from some joint  pain relief!

    Ordered from Amazon; brand is

    Ordered from Amazon; brand is Bronson Nutrition+ Tart Cherry extract 2500 mg. My brother told me about the capsules. I didn’t want to take the juice because I try to watch my sugar intake.

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    Chemo is working well. My CA

    Chemo is working well. My CA-125 is down to 24.1 after 2nd chemo. We decided to finish the 6 rounds of chemo and then do a CT scan. The 200 mg B6 twice a day has helped with neuropathy and the tart cherry concentrate capsules either the joint/muscle pain. I was Kind of down after having my daughters, SILs, and 3 little granddaughters all last week and then having say buy to head for a treatment. Then we had a fender bender on I270 in St. Louis. No one was hurt, but it was our fault. But my oncologist and chemo nurses are so sweet and I had some nice visits with a couple of ladies getting chemo for much longer than I have. One lady probably 10 years older than me starting chemo for her 5th recurrence of ovarian cancer. No time to feel sorry for me! Mostly I'm positive, but have my moments.

    once again I do appreciate and pray for you ladies!

  • Feelingalone74
    Feelingalone74 Member Posts: 243
    dgrdalton said:

    Chemo is working well. My CA

    Chemo is working well. My CA-125 is down to 24.1 after 2nd chemo. We decided to finish the 6 rounds of chemo and then do a CT scan. The 200 mg B6 twice a day has helped with neuropathy and the tart cherry concentrate capsules either the joint/muscle pain. I was Kind of down after having my daughters, SILs, and 3 little granddaughters all last week and then having say buy to head for a treatment. Then we had a fender bender on I270 in St. Louis. No one was hurt, but it was our fault. But my oncologist and chemo nurses are so sweet and I had some nice visits with a couple of ladies getting chemo for much longer than I have. One lady probably 10 years older than me starting chemo for her 5th recurrence of ovarian cancer. No time to feel sorry for me! Mostly I'm positive, but have my moments.

    once again I do appreciate and pray for you ladies!

    Many prayers to u dgrdalton.

    Many prayers to u dgrdalton. Good to hear that your body is responding to treatment. so glad u and your husband nor anyone else weren't hurt in the fender bender .

    Continued prayers for u! Wishing you well!

    Michelle 

  • TeddyandBears_Mom
    TeddyandBears_Mom Member Posts: 1,811 Member
    That is great news! And, it

    That is great news! And, it is certainly OK and normal to have some down times. This is a tough journey. The key is to have your moments and get back into a good head space. You are the perfect picture of that.... So happy to see that CA125 number.

    Love and Hugs,

    Cindi

  • ConnieSW
    ConnieSW Member Posts: 1,678 Member
    Love hearing your good news

    and sympathize over the bad. Your smile is infectious. When your picture pops up, it makes me smile too..

  • Forherself
    Forherself Member Posts: 963 Member
    Good news.

    I'm so glad you have this to share.  Once this diagnosis is made, I think the emotional part of the fight will always be there.  Prayers for a long remission.

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    Still not NED

    I haven't been on here in a few weeks. Thought I would give an update. Had my 6th chemo for recurrence on Dec. 30th and CA-125 was down to 11.6. Had another PET scan Jan27th and was really expecting good news a day or 2 later. By the 4th day after scan and no news, I was thinking the worst so I called. The scan showed most of the lymph nodes had shrunk, two were larger and there are two new ones that lit up. They say it is consistent with metastases. So I'm on a 2 month break from chemo and will get another PET scan March 23rd. I was hoping for several months remission. it's like I've got a new normal to find and it's not coming very easily. To make matters worse, a friend was diagnosed in October with uterine sarcoma and passed yesterday. Sometimes it's a struggle to be positive. Thanks for being here, ladies!

  • Forherself
    Forherself Member Posts: 963 Member
    D A R N

    I have been thinking of you wondering how it was going.This is hard news.  But we are here to walk your path with you.  I wonder if CA 125 went down because the new growth is not in your abdomen.   The PET surely is the most accurate test.  So sad about your friend on top of all this.  Is your two months off because they want to let you recover from chemo before they start they next treatment?   The immunotherapy drugs are improving every day.  Will that be next?  I can hear Der Maus saying, what about the cyber knife radiation.   Have they talked about their plans?    Hugs and prayers.

    Sue

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    Thank you, Forherself

    I live 200 miles from my oncologist. The PET was done that morning at 10:30 and I saw my oncologist at 12:30. We both thought the news would be good. She said then I needed a 2 month break. The results came to me 4 days later through a call from one of my chemo nurses. (This saves us a long trip to get results.) This was when I found out she wants another PET done. Then we will decide what to do. She has mentioned the Keytruda/Lenvima as a possibility. Appreciate the ideas!

  • Donna Faye
    Donna Faye Member Posts: 427 Member
    Sorry to hear all this

    Donna, I had missed this post and am sorry that you have been through all this. I can certainly relate. I am starting the keytruda/lenvina regime on Feb. 18th. 3rd recurrence in 3 years in same place. I do want to mention this. I was stage1 grade3 as well and due to my age and neuropathy only had 3 carbo/toxol and 4 brachy. I can't help but think I should have had 6 rounds of the chemo. Best of luck to you as you begin this round.

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    Thank you, Donna Faye. I do

    Thank you, Donna Faye. I do relate to you. My surgery was 5/15/17 and due to good advice from this group got a second opinion and started chemo 10/26/17. Did 3 chemo and 6 brachytherapy. I wonder if starting chemo so many months later gave it a foothold leading to the recurrence. But then I think that it might have come back anywa, so I don't worry about what ifs. Hope you are doing well.

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,359 Member
    edited February 2020 #57
    Donna, I think we all

    Donna, I think we all understand the break but are sure glad to hear from you.  There is so much coming at you for sure, and grieving for your friend must make your heart heavy.  Please keep us posted and know that you are in my prayers.

  • zsazsa1
    zsazsa1 Member Posts: 565 Member
    dgrdalton, we are here with

    dgrdalton, we are here with you   It's hopeful to know that there is the possiblity that the Keytruda combination may help.  

  • dgrdalton
    dgrdalton Member Posts: 161 Member
    edited March 2020 #59
    News today not so good

    My CA-125 went from 11.2 to 25.4; not very high but rising. The PET scan this morning showed that my cancer has spread into the left pelvic iliac chain. My oncologist will start me on Keytruda/Lenvima in the next week or so. The scary part will be traveling from rural SE Missouri into St. Louis for the Keytrude infusions. I'm so grateful for this group! Prayers for us, our country and our world. These are difficult times.

  • Donna Faye
    Donna Faye Member Posts: 427 Member
    edited March 2020 #60
    Thinking of you

    I know that was not what you wanted to hear. I am right there as well with this dang recurrence. My onc had the flu so missed an appt. and then we talked by phone and she asked me to wait on the L/K  round and try Megace/tamoxifen for 3 months since my CT did not show any tumor growth.  All the clinics are closed and they are only seeing critical cases here. So, I am accepting what is and trying to not worry about cancer. It is hard though and I know you will have some down days, but keep fighting and know we warriors are behind you.

  • zsazsa1
    zsazsa1 Member Posts: 565 Member
    edited March 2020 #61
    dgrdalton said:

    News today not so good

    My CA-125 went from 11.2 to 25.4; not very high but rising. The PET scan this morning showed that my cancer has spread into the left pelvic iliac chain. My oncologist will start me on Keytruda/Lenvima in the next week or so. The scary part will be traveling from rural SE Missouri into St. Louis for the Keytrude infusions. I'm so grateful for this group! Prayers for us, our country and our world. These are difficult times.

    So sorry to hear of the

    So sorry to hear of the progression, Dgrdalton, I can only tell you what I am doing to stay safe, as I sit in the infusion center right now, getting rituximab for the lymphoma. The only risk factor I have, is the trips to the infusion center.  I wear all washable clothing.  I wear a mask.  I touch as little as possible, and wash my hands constantly.  Upon return to the car after done (having washed my hands as I leave the building), my husband opens car door, I try not to touch anything.  I toss my N-95 mask into the back seat - it's safe to touch again after 2 days.  I get home and strip by the washing machine, everything goes straight into the wash, with bleach, and me straight into the shower.  Anything I brought to the visit, like my cell phone and computer, got left in the car.  If I can leave it there for 2-3 days, great.  If I need it, I go back down with disposable gloves and rubbing alcohol and paper towels, and clean everything off with rubbing alcohol, toss gloves, rewash hands.

    It's not fair.  Those who have recurrence know time is limited, but cannot travel, because of the risk of Covid-19.  And yet, I seem to be taking great pleasure in being home with my loved ones, cooking for them every day, walking the dog and seeing the early signs of spring.