Long term cancer survival

foxy

I have been cancer free for years, but now have lots of symptoms of multible Sclerosis, just wondering if anyone out there has the same problem. Also had momo years ago. Foxy.

optimist

Foxy, your post is interesting to me. I have had MS for over twenty years and Colon Cancer for the past four and a half. My MS had not been too bad until I started chemo a year and a half ago. FULFOX and Avastin made my legs number than usual and made my balance worse. In 6/05, my chemo was switched to Avastin and 5FU. This gave me major migraines which landed me in the hospital. The chemo was switched to Avastin and Camptosar which I tolerated better. However, somewhere in those weeks, my walking became extremely difficult. I felt that the drugs had made me so weak that it was difficult to actually lift my legs off the floor when I walked. At that stage, I used the walker or wheelchair whenever I walked. Because I have new mets to my liver, I was switched to Erbitux and Camptosar which I am tolerating better and my walking is a bit better. Also, since I've been on chemo, I am dizzy all the time which was a small problem before. I'm wondering, foxy, what symptoms you are having and what drugs you have taken.

ron50

Hi Foxy,
I have been ca free almost eight years, I had an old chemo regime of 5fu and levamisol. I haven't had any problems with ms but there is no family history of it whatsoever. My family has always been subject to problems of the digestive tract and since chemo I have had peptic ulcers ,duodenal ulcers ,pancreatitis ,removal of my gallbladder and a standard cholesterol reading of 10.3 (when not on medication). I am of the opinion that whatever weakness our genetic makeup displays the chemo may well exaggerate the symptoms.. My opinnions are not shared by my doctors but they could not tell me what, if any, were the long term effects of the chemo that I was on.... Ps I am not complaining, even if all of my problems were caused by the chemo ,I am still upright and above ground. I wish you good health and hope you can overcome your health problems Ron.

foxy

optimist said:

Foxy, your post is interesting to me. I have had MS for over twenty years and Colon Cancer for the past four and a half. My MS had not been too bad until I started chemo a year and a half ago. FULFOX and Avastin made my legs number than usual and made my balance worse. In 6/05, my chemo was switched to Avastin and 5FU. This gave me major migraines which landed me in the hospital. The chemo was switched to Avastin and Camptosar which I tolerated better. However, somewhere in those weeks, my walking became extremely difficult. I felt that the drugs had made me so weak that it was difficult to actually lift my legs off the floor when I walked. At that stage, I used the walker or wheelchair whenever I walked. Because I have new mets to my liver, I was switched to Erbitux and Camptosar which I am tolerating better and my walking is a bit better. Also, since I've been on chemo, I am dizzy all the time which was a small problem before. I'm wondering, foxy, what symptoms you are having and what drugs you have taken.

Hi Optimist, I was diagnoses with colon cancer and I big met in my liver in Dec 1993. I had a hemicolectomy and liver resectionon Dec 20th --- lovely Christmas! For the next 52 weeks I had 5fu and levamisol no radiotherapy. Since then I have had a partial mastectomy an ovary removed and nodules from my voice box, but at this stage I am cancer free. As for the MS I am not on anything for it as it has yet to be diagnosed. I go back to my Dr on Friday and hopefully will get a referral to a Neuro. I have huge problems with fatigue and just can not take our high humidity Summer or Winter. We live in New Zealand and are dairy farmers so I milk cows twice a day, and really struggle to do anything else. I get spasms all the time in my arms hands feet and legs plus many other Ms Symptoms. My arms and legs feel as though they weigh a ton and I have had 3 falls this year, the first time this has happened since I was a child, and I am now 55 years old. The only problem I really have with walking is going down steps if there is nothing to hold onto I am frightened of falling. Hope this is what you were wanting to know. Best wishes to you with the liver mets, Virginia.

foxy

ron50 said:

Hi Foxy,
I have been ca free almost eight years, I had an old chemo regime of 5fu and levamisol. I haven't had any problems with ms but there is no family history of it whatsoever. My family has always been subject to problems of the digestive tract and since chemo I have had peptic ulcers ,duodenal ulcers ,pancreatitis ,removal of my gallbladder and a standard cholesterol reading of 10.3 (when not on medication). I am of the opinion that whatever weakness our genetic makeup displays the chemo may well exaggerate the symptoms.. My opinnions are not shared by my doctors but they could not tell me what, if any, were the long term effects of the chemo that I was on.... Ps I am not complaining, even if all of my problems were caused by the chemo ,I am still upright and above ground. I wish you good health and hope you can overcome your health problems Ron.

Hi Ron, well I am beating you my cancer survival is now 12 years! My brother died at 42 of lung cancer and my Mum at 64 after battling breast cancer for 11 years. She also had many MS symptoms especially the MS hug which I
have too, but was never diagnosed with the disease. I have got a hiatus hernia with ulceration so I do understand your digestive problems. I have always wondered what the long term effects of chemo are and like you I do feel they can cause other problems. I had 40mils of 5fu once a week and the levamisol 3 days every second week, but towards the end of the year I had to stop the levamisol as I would vomit just with the smell after opening the bottle. How did you go with the chemo? Virginia.

optimist

I am sorry to hear that you are going through these symptoms. What the neuros tell me is that they cannot decipher what is causing my symptoms at this point because many of the chemo drugs cause neuropathy. I don't often get spasms, but there is a drug that helps for spasms. As far as falling, do you fall because you are dizzy or weak? I think that you should definitely speak to a neuro. I live with my symptoms 24/7, but, at times, the neuro explains them to me in ways I would never figure out on my own.

2bhealed

hi foxy,

AWESOME about your 12 year survival!! that is so great for the rest of us to hear. Thanks!

Do you drink diet soda? The Aspartame in diet sodas and "sugar-free" products can give people symptoms that mimic MS. Once off they can go away.

Just a thought.

peace, emily

foxy

2bhealed said:

hi foxy,

AWESOME about your 12 year survival!! that is so great for the rest of us to hear. Thanks!

Do you drink diet soda? The Aspartame in diet sodas and "sugar-free" products can give people symptoms that mimic MS. Once off they can go away.

Just a thought.

peace, emily

Hi Emily, no never just the occasional beer! Ha Ha.

foxy

optimist said:

I am sorry to hear that you are going through these symptoms. What the neuros tell me is that they cannot decipher what is causing my symptoms at this point because many of the chemo drugs cause neuropathy. I don't often get spasms, but there is a drug that helps for spasms. As far as falling, do you fall because you are dizzy or weak? I think that you should definitely speak to a neuro. I live with my symptoms 24/7, but, at times, the neuro explains them to me in ways I would never figure out on my own.

Hello I think it is a bit of both, I am dizzy sometimes plus I seem to have to concentrate on walking as my legs feel so heavy.

ron50

foxy said:

Hi Ron, well I am beating you my cancer survival is now 12 years! My brother died at 42 of lung cancer and my Mum at 64 after battling breast cancer for 11 years. She also had many MS symptoms especially the MS hug which I
have too, but was never diagnosed with the disease. I have got a hiatus hernia with ulceration so I do understand your digestive problems. I have always wondered what the long term effects of chemo are and like you I do feel they can cause other problems. I had 40mils of 5fu once a week and the levamisol 3 days every second week, but towards the end of the year I had to stop the levamisol as I would vomit just with the smell after opening the bottle. How did you go with the chemo? Virginia.

Hi Virginia,
12 year ,way to go mate,(I'm from just across the ditch at the sunshine coast in queensland aust). Awful is how I handled chemo,that levamisol is the most sickening stuff I have ever had anything to do with. It sounds like our treatment was the same ,I had one good week and one bad week,non levamisol week and levamisol week. I made it through by living on anti-nausea meds every second week and donnatabs to stop the trotts. But I guess there may be a benefit to levamisol with 20 years survival between us. I am 55 too maybe that was just a good year ,stay well ,all the best for a long and healthy life Ron.