Any suggestions?

carrie2010

Hello everyone,
In the last few months I have been diagnosed with melanoma, I have had two surgeries and now I'm cancer free which is excellent , but now I'm getting ready to start high dose interferon for 4 weeks and after that I've got 5 weeks of on sight radiation and then 11 months of low dose interferon. I'm scared to death! I have read so many horror stories that I'm unsure what to expect. I am 25 years old , I have two young children , my husband is in the military , and all of my family are 12 hours away , so most of this I'm facing alone so if anyone can give me an idea of what to expect I'd greatly appreciate it. Am I going to be able to do day to day activities , take my kids to the park , zoo ect. or am I going to be sick all of the time? How am I going to make it through this next year without my kids feeling horrible for me? I don't want them to see there mommy sick all of the time when they she me as being fine now. Please anyone who's been through this help me know what to expect. Thank you.

Skiffin16

Everyone Is Different
Carrie,

I saw this post over on the H&N area, so figured you probably found your way to this forum.

I can't speak for your particular type of chemo, mine was similar to Fire34 in a lot of ways and scdeuling.

I had nine weeks of Cisplaten, Taxotere and 5FU, the seven weeks of concurrent Carboplaten and 35 daily rads....and if you haven't read it already, "Everyone reacts differently".... I think a lot depends on other factors, your age, health and weight going in to treatment, etc...

That being said though, my chemo doctor was awesome. She told me upfront that any symptom, reaction, etc...that I had from the chemo or treatments in general, that she had something for it...and she always did.

Emend is great for the large doses of chemo, I would take those on each of the first three days of the multi-chemo days, never got sick at all. Pricey though, the Emend is something like $100 plus/pill.

I also could do most anything and everything during treatment until maybe the latter part of the concurrent chemo/rads. I think that was more related to not eating much of anything other than Ensure Plus and water.

I'd get fatigued easily then, so I rested a lot, or would do small things yard work and rest frequently.

Other than that period, I did my own yard work and maintenance. Took the boat out fishing, day trips to the treatemtns..most anything actually.

Also, very important to me was attitude...it must be positive. Surround yourself with positive people and stories. If someone came up to me and wanted tot ell me of their family or friends. i'd ask them upfront if it was positive, ending well. If it didn't end positive, I didn't want to hear it at that time.

I only wanted positive thoughts and energy. Surrond yourself wit positive "Faith, Family and Friends.

But again, you'll know what your limits are once you get into the routine of treatment.

Good Luck, and God Bless
John

sher4

Where was your melanoma??
Where was your melanoma?? My daughter is 21 waiting to start interferon this week. I also am scared for her. Do you know anything about the effects on fertility with this treatment?? Hers had traveled to one sentinel node. The dept of the mole was 1.45mm Cancer cluster.05. It was a Spitz. They are suspose to be benign. Just want to know we are doing the right thing. Any info you have found would be helpful to me! Thanks

sher4

Skiffin16 said:

Everyone Is Different
Carrie,

I saw this post over on the H&N area, so figured you probably found your way to this forum.

I can't speak for your particular type of chemo, mine was similar to Fire34 in a lot of ways and scdeuling.

I had nine weeks of Cisplaten, Taxotere and 5FU, the seven weeks of concurrent Carboplaten and 35 daily rads....and if you haven't read it already, "Everyone reacts differently".... I think a lot depends on other factors, your age, health and weight going in to treatment, etc...

That being said though, my chemo doctor was awesome. She told me upfront that any symptom, reaction, etc...that I had from the chemo or treatments in general, that she had something for it...and she always did.

Emend is great for the large doses of chemo, I would take those on each of the first three days of the multi-chemo days, never got sick at all. Pricey though, the Emend is something like $100 plus/pill.

I also could do most anything and everything during treatment until maybe the latter part of the concurrent chemo/rads. I think that was more related to not eating much of anything other than Ensure Plus and water.

I'd get fatigued easily then, so I rested a lot, or would do small things yard work and rest frequently.

Other than that period, I did my own yard work and maintenance. Took the boat out fishing, day trips to the treatemtns..most anything actually.

Also, very important to me was attitude...it must be positive. Surround yourself with positive people and stories. If someone came up to me and wanted tot ell me of their family or friends. i'd ask them upfront if it was positive, ending well. If it didn't end positive, I didn't want to hear it at that time.

I only wanted positive thoughts and energy. Surrond yourself wit positive "Faith, Family and Friends.

But again, you'll know what your limits are once you get into the routine of treatment.

Good Luck, and God Bless
John

Thanks for offering the
Thanks for offering the positive thoughts!!It has been difficult dealing with the not so positive stories from people. Great way to handle it!!! My daughter has a very positive attitude!!!

sher4

Skiffin16 said:

Everyone Is Different
Carrie,

I saw this post over on the H&N area, so figured you probably found your way to this forum.

I can't speak for your particular type of chemo, mine was similar to Fire34 in a lot of ways and scdeuling.

I had nine weeks of Cisplaten, Taxotere and 5FU, the seven weeks of concurrent Carboplaten and 35 daily rads....and if you haven't read it already, "Everyone reacts differently".... I think a lot depends on other factors, your age, health and weight going in to treatment, etc...

That being said though, my chemo doctor was awesome. She told me upfront that any symptom, reaction, etc...that I had from the chemo or treatments in general, that she had something for it...and she always did.

Emend is great for the large doses of chemo, I would take those on each of the first three days of the multi-chemo days, never got sick at all. Pricey though, the Emend is something like $100 plus/pill.

I also could do most anything and everything during treatment until maybe the latter part of the concurrent chemo/rads. I think that was more related to not eating much of anything other than Ensure Plus and water.

I'd get fatigued easily then, so I rested a lot, or would do small things yard work and rest frequently.

Other than that period, I did my own yard work and maintenance. Took the boat out fishing, day trips to the treatemtns..most anything actually.

Also, very important to me was attitude...it must be positive. Surround yourself with positive people and stories. If someone came up to me and wanted tot ell me of their family or friends. i'd ask them upfront if it was positive, ending well. If it didn't end positive, I didn't want to hear it at that time.

I only wanted positive thoughts and energy. Surrond yourself wit positive "Faith, Family and Friends.

But again, you'll know what your limits are once you get into the routine of treatment.

Good Luck, and God Bless
John

Thanks for offering the
Thanks for offering the positive thoughts!!It has been difficult dealing with the not so positive stories from people. Great way to handle it!!! My daughter has a very positive attitude!!!

sher4

Skiffin16 said:

Everyone Is Different
Carrie,

I saw this post over on the H&N area, so figured you probably found your way to this forum.

I can't speak for your particular type of chemo, mine was similar to Fire34 in a lot of ways and scdeuling.

I had nine weeks of Cisplaten, Taxotere and 5FU, the seven weeks of concurrent Carboplaten and 35 daily rads....and if you haven't read it already, "Everyone reacts differently".... I think a lot depends on other factors, your age, health and weight going in to treatment, etc...

That being said though, my chemo doctor was awesome. She told me upfront that any symptom, reaction, etc...that I had from the chemo or treatments in general, that she had something for it...and she always did.

Emend is great for the large doses of chemo, I would take those on each of the first three days of the multi-chemo days, never got sick at all. Pricey though, the Emend is something like $100 plus/pill.

I also could do most anything and everything during treatment until maybe the latter part of the concurrent chemo/rads. I think that was more related to not eating much of anything other than Ensure Plus and water.

I'd get fatigued easily then, so I rested a lot, or would do small things yard work and rest frequently.

Other than that period, I did my own yard work and maintenance. Took the boat out fishing, day trips to the treatemtns..most anything actually.

Also, very important to me was attitude...it must be positive. Surround yourself with positive people and stories. If someone came up to me and wanted tot ell me of their family or friends. i'd ask them upfront if it was positive, ending well. If it didn't end positive, I didn't want to hear it at that time.

I only wanted positive thoughts and energy. Surrond yourself wit positive "Faith, Family and Friends.

But again, you'll know what your limits are once you get into the routine of treatment.

Good Luck, and God Bless
John

Thanks for offering the
Thanks for offering the positive thoughts!!It has been difficult dealing with the not so positive stories from people. Great way to handle it!!! My daughter has a very positive attitude!!!

sher4

Skiffin16 said:

Everyone Is Different
Carrie,

I saw this post over on the H&N area, so figured you probably found your way to this forum.

I can't speak for your particular type of chemo, mine was similar to Fire34 in a lot of ways and scdeuling.

I had nine weeks of Cisplaten, Taxotere and 5FU, the seven weeks of concurrent Carboplaten and 35 daily rads....and if you haven't read it already, "Everyone reacts differently".... I think a lot depends on other factors, your age, health and weight going in to treatment, etc...

That being said though, my chemo doctor was awesome. She told me upfront that any symptom, reaction, etc...that I had from the chemo or treatments in general, that she had something for it...and she always did.

Emend is great for the large doses of chemo, I would take those on each of the first three days of the multi-chemo days, never got sick at all. Pricey though, the Emend is something like $100 plus/pill.

I also could do most anything and everything during treatment until maybe the latter part of the concurrent chemo/rads. I think that was more related to not eating much of anything other than Ensure Plus and water.

I'd get fatigued easily then, so I rested a lot, or would do small things yard work and rest frequently.

Other than that period, I did my own yard work and maintenance. Took the boat out fishing, day trips to the treatemtns..most anything actually.

Also, very important to me was attitude...it must be positive. Surround yourself with positive people and stories. If someone came up to me and wanted tot ell me of their family or friends. i'd ask them upfront if it was positive, ending well. If it didn't end positive, I didn't want to hear it at that time.

I only wanted positive thoughts and energy. Surrond yourself wit positive "Faith, Family and Friends.

But again, you'll know what your limits are once you get into the routine of treatment.

Good Luck, and God Bless
John

Thanks for offering the
Thanks for offering the positive thoughts!!It has been difficult dealing with the not so positive stories from people. Great way to handle it!!! My daughter has a very positive attitude!!!