abdominal pain & 2nd opinion

krystiesq
krystiesq Member Posts: 240 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
My mom dx stage IV last november....we're approaching that 1 year mark! Anyway, she is on Folfox + avastin. She finished 12 rounds of 5fu with oxlaliplatin which was discontinued after 12 due to neuropathy. My first question is have any of you expereinced abdominal pain for a few days after chemo? She said it always is painful right after receipt of treatment. Now she had extensive surgery last Nov., colon resection, omentectomy, ovaries & gallbladder removed. She always worries that because she has mets to her liver that this is what is causing the pain.

Next, my moms normal onc was on vacation last treatment so we saw his associate. His associate forgot to order avastin so she went without it that treatment and gave my mom different information than her normal onc. I am beginning to question their group all together and am considering a 2nd opinion. Have any of you heard of cleveland clinic's second opinion without physical evaluation? Basically they will review all of your medical chart including recent scans to give a second opinion. My mom gets freaked out by doctor visits because she worries about getting bad news. So I thought this would be a good way for me, her advocate to get one without the normal retest, reevaluation physical exam etc.

Sorry so long...just not trusting doctors lately.

Comments

  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #2
    Yes, I would seek a second
    Yes, I would seek a second opinion, that could not hurt anyone,and if you started to doubt that medical group,it will be good, because is very important to have complete faith in your doctors.
  • hoagiemom
    hoagiemom Member Posts: 87 Member
    #3
    2nd opinion
    I see that you mention Cleveland Clinic are you close to Buffalo? I go to Roswell Park. It is a great place. It is a cancer hospital and they are great there. That is what they do cancer maybe you can get in there. I would get a 2nd opinion. OK I just said great like 3 times so I don't have to say anymore.

    Michelle
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #4
    Abdominal Pain
    I agree, if you aren't completely confident in your onc team, seek a second opinion and find a new onc team! They are the most important people in this fight! And as far as the abdominal pain, I get mysterious abdominal pains after my treatments of Avastin and have confirmed this is fairly common. In fact, when I first started the Avastin I had to keep reminding myself that I got those weird pains like clockwork, so I wouldn't keep thinking my cancer was returning (again!). Of course, if the weird pains don't disappear after a day or so, then I would have them checked out! Good luck on your search; your mother is very lucky to have you to advocate for her! Be sure to keep yourself strong and remember that you also need some time to yourself!
    Mary
  • krystiesq
    krystiesq Member Posts: 240 Member
    #5
    msccolon said:

    Abdominal Pain
    I agree, if you aren't completely confident in your onc team, seek a second opinion and find a new onc team! They are the most important people in this fight! And as far as the abdominal pain, I get mysterious abdominal pains after my treatments of Avastin and have confirmed this is fairly common. In fact, when I first started the Avastin I had to keep reminding myself that I got those weird pains like clockwork, so I wouldn't keep thinking my cancer was returning (again!). Of course, if the weird pains don't disappear after a day or so, then I would have them checked out! Good luck on your search; your mother is very lucky to have you to advocate for her! Be sure to keep yourself strong and remember that you also need some time to yourself!
    Mary

    Thank You!
    I have completed 6 out of 7 steps for getting my mom a remote second opinion from Cleveland Mayo Clinic. She doesn't have to physically be with the doctors and I get to receive her second opinion to interpret it.

    Mary thank you for your confirmation that her weird pains are maybe the avastin. She gets them when she has chemo, but not otherwise. I keep telling her that maybe the pain means the chemo soldiers are killing off the cancer's troops. Maybe I've been reading the book of Joshua too much, but I really look at her cancer as a battlefield and I am there to rally her troops when they are feeling down or out.

    My mom had an emotional day yesterday. I spent the whole weekend with her since my husband was out of town and can see that she is just overwhelmed at times. She has so much to live for and finds it hard to think in terms of the non-foreseeable future because she isn't sure if she will be around for that. I want to tell her that I'm not even sure if I will be around for that, or any of us for that matter. I suppose the digestion of morality is a slow moving process.
  • Melanie781
    Melanie781 Member Posts: 33
    #6
    My husband has abdominal pain also
    My husband is currently in the middle of his 3 round of Xeloda and Oxaliplatin. He has had a lot of abdominal pain lately. Maybe its the Oxaliplatin?
  • krystiesq
    krystiesq Member Posts: 240 Member
    #7
    Melanie781 said:

    My husband has abdominal pain also
    My husband is currently in the middle of his 3 round of Xeloda and Oxaliplatin. He has had a lot of abdominal pain lately. Maybe its the Oxaliplatin?

    My mom isn't on oxaliplatin
    My mom isn't on oxaliplatin any more. She is on 5-fu + avastin. She says she has had it every time she has chemo.

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