SURVIVOR 5 YEARS PLUS!!

ron50 said:

Hi Runner,
My sincerest congratulations,well done. In jan I reach 7 yrs as a survivor of st3 colon, I know what you have been thru and I really do understand how wonderful it feels to reach the end of the tunnel and once more bask in the light. It is a feeling that I wish for every member of the the semi-colons and hope that they too can share our good fortune , once again congratulations I am very glad that you are still with your family and friends,best wishes Ron.

I just had my 5 year CT scan and got the "no sign of recurring disease" message from my oncologist.  I had colorectal cancer advanced stage III.  I know i should be jumping for joy , but for about the past 1 months of so, I have had problems with anxiety and depression.  Before i was struck down, I was ultra fit and athletic. I had multiple hobbies. I was living life to the full.  Now, it takes all my powers to climb out of bed in the morning.  Life seems to have lost all of its shine and I no longer feel happy.  Also, I have never ending bowel problems - constipation, diarrhoea, nausea.  I had a J-pouch constructed during my surgery to remove the diseased rectum.  I also have some very strange feelings in my head, as if I'm going to pass out sometimes - these strike out of the blue and are very firghteneing.  My blood pressure is normal.  Has anyone else had these sorts of feelings/problems that perist long afte the final treatment.  To give you a better sense, my treatment was, at the time, state-of-the-art (6 rounds of FOLFOX with 5-fluorouracil), followed by 4 rounds of brachyradiotherapy (very very painful), followed by resection surgery, followed then by 6 more rounds of FOLFOX/5-FU) and finally ileostoey takedown surgery.

It can be difficult at times.  I've heard of  others on this forum that have had similar problems.  I'm only guessing but believe it may be related to the 12 rounds of Oxaliplatin you got all those years ago.  The platinum based chemo kills cancer cells but also damages our bodies and seems to damage our nervous systems and hearing especially.  They have learned alot about the negative side effects over the years from people such as yourself who continue to suffer long after the treatment has ended.  Some people report improvements over time.  I recieved only 8 rounds, and have noticed that my hearing suffers and I get dizzy at times. I use a shower stool in the shower.  

You may get better answers to your question if you start a new post asking about the reduced quality of life after treatment.  This forum is very helpful but your responses seem to be based on the subject line on the thread.

It is good to hear that you have survived for 5 years!  I am going on my second year of survival so am happy to still be here.  I am stage 4 and considered "incurable".  I've had Folfox, then maintainence chemo of Xeloda and Avastin, then had ablations on liver and lung and also had Y90 theraspheres on right lobe of my liver.  I will be starting on Folfiri tomorrow.  I am also on a waitlist for a clinical trial involving immunotherapy at MD Anderson in Houston. 

When I was first diagnosed, everything I read said that only 5% of stage 4 colon cancer patients survive for 3 years.  The last I read said the average survival for stage 4 colon cancer is 5 years.  there have been many improvements in the chemo and other treatments that help to increase survival time.

Praying that I can make it at least 5 years.  Actually I'm praying for a cure and to live another 50 years!  

I hope your doctors can figure out how to help improve your health so you can enjoy life to the fullest again!

Joan  

Congratulations Runner! I‘m so happy to read your post. Time on this preacious Earth is a gift and your post is inspiring. I was diagnosed Stage IV colorectal cancer in spring 2012. Seven surgeries and fifty three chemo treatments later I’m still here. And for me that meant being present to walk three daughters down the isle and to hold two new grand babies. Love and Life has been abundant and I am truly Blessed. 

That being said, here I lie in my bed, at 2am, two days before my 54th birthday. I just put hand warmers in my whool socks to try and relieve throbbing toes from neuropath. Also took an extra strength Tylenol and hoping that kicks in soon. 

***

To the other Phil that posted. I too am Phil and I can totally relate to your post as well. Dizzying, bowel challenges, neuropathy, weakness. Ugh. Depression on occasion.

I guess that means that we are still battling the ugly disease. Although we are NED there are still challenges. I hope we might continue to recover and improve.

Love and Light to all of you! I’m going to count some sheep and hope the throbbing toes subside. God Bless!

Phil64 said:

Congratulations Runner! I‘m

Congratulations Runner! I‘m so happy to read your post. Time on this preacious Earth is a gift and your post is inspiring. I was diagnosed Stage IV colorectal cancer in spring 2012. Seven surgeries and fifty three chemo treatments later I’m still here. And for me that meant being present to walk three daughters down the isle and to hold two new grand babies. Love and Life has been abundant and I am truly Blessed. 

That being said, here I lie in my bed, at 2am, two days before my 54th birthday. I just put hand warmers in my whool socks to try and relieve throbbing toes from neuropath. Also took an extra strength Tylenol and hoping that kicks in soon. 

***

To the other Phil that posted. I too am Phil and I can totally relate to your post as well. Dizzying, bowel challenges, neuropathy, weakness. Ugh. Depression on occasion.

I guess that means that we are still battling the ugly disease. Although we are NED there are still challenges. I hope we might continue to recover and improve.

Love and Light to all of you! I’m going to count some sheep and hope the throbbing toes subside. God Bless!

I don't think I could make it that far but I salute you!