when to get a 2nd opinion

jejohn

dearfoam said:

radiating in alabama
We just started radiation on my dad's tumors at UAB's Kirklin Clinic in Birmingham. He has lung and brain tumors. We are stuck in a situation where he only (but thankfully) has Medicare A for inpatient hopsital care and UAB awarded him with charity care insurance until his Medicare B kicks in in July. Have no idea how we'd go about getting a 2nd opinion when we can't go to another hospital. The radiation has had no adverse visible side effects after one week.

I live in Montgomery. How do
I live in Montgomery. How do you like your care in Bham? Who is your dr? Is he on chemo as well?

JoanieL

phoobear said:

hi joaniel, thank so much
hi joaniel, thank so much for the encouragement you gave me. it mades me feel so much better and gives me hope i can do this. i had my first chemo treatment yesterday,friday. i was there 7 and 1/2 hours. totally exhausted. i am taking taxol/ carbo. is this what most people take? monday i start rad. i took my sister every day for 31 days for this, so i do remember it did not take very long after all the waiting. i did not eat or drink the morning of chemo or take my medications. did not know what i was suppossed too do. i am trying too stay positive. i feel like you do. if i had too go through what my sweet mamma did, i could not do it. i am drinking as much water and juices as i can possibly hold. Does oj and tj help. i am trying too eat healthy as well. I have been weak today, but just rested. expect too start feeling a lot better in a day or so. one thing i wanted too ask did they give you steroids along with your chemo, as well as benadryl, and a couple of other things. i wonder why everyone does not take rad as well. again thanks too you and everyone on here for there encouragement. when it comes down too it we have our loving families, and they think they understand, but i do not think anyone knows what we are really going through, except for all of us. i am so glad i have each and every one of you. i will keep you posted god bless and be with us all. phoobear

Phoobear Thank You
Hi Phoobear,
Glad to hear that your first chemo is done. How are are you doing? Remember Water, Water and more Water! I do not know how OJ and TJ will do for you, for me it is too much acid. Darn it, they did not tell you to eat a big breakfast and take your meds before hand. It makes a big difference. I know it does for me and then I make sure first that I keep my fluids up and graze eat. It keeps the stomach calm for me. I did not start with taxol/carbo but am recieving that now along with avastin now. Yes, I do get steroids and benadryl with chemo. They also have me take oral steroids the night before chemo after I eat supper and again in the morning with breakfast. People react to rads differently in part of the location they are being treated, also it is skin coloring etc...that makes a difference on burns. My rads have been on two bone locations, which they say is not as hard as organ, soft tissue areas. Where is the location you will rec rads? How many rad tx's are you having? Remember with radiation not to use lotions before hand, and ask what kind you can use after they tx. That was a hard habit for me to break as I always use lotion. I remember one day taking a shower and automatically lotioning up. My hubbie said well just wash it off. I was not comfortable doing that, so jumped back in the shower to make sure it was all off. I also always like to do the bath and body shower jels and made sure not to use those during radiation. They told me only to use dove or ivory soap also. I always use dove so that was not an issue. I was very tired for the 1st four days after chemo. So this is day 3 for you. I hope this finds you doing well!!! Mine was on the 7th and next one is the 28th. I am feeling great in the last week. I hope it goes as well for you as it has for me. I look forward to your reply. I will keep you in thoughts and prayers! Take Care
Joanie

jejohn

sleepless in jersey said:

2nd, 3rd, 4th opinions
Hi Jane~ My Mom was DX on Jan.3, 2011 the day we will never forget...
She has stage 4 adenocarcinoma, lung, spine, brain and pelvis she is 60yrs young. She had brain surg. and than came home. We had her set-up at the cancer center in philly, however she said NO when on that fri. they called her house and cell 9 times that she felt like it was all on commission and no longer wanted to go there so I got her an appt. at Sloan Kettering. I worked my tail off to get everything that they said they needed in order for them to see her in 2 days. We got the opinion and they were amazing...they have there own pathologists right there so while were going through the process of filling paper work out or being examined there pathologist are looking at her slides to confirm etc.
Well he explained everything in detail and gave us papers on the chemos and what to expect.
He said for her to go on carboplatin/alimta and zameta IV every cpl of weeks and b12 inject. every cpl of weeks where the Onc in Jersey wanted cisplatin and everything else (cisplatin is harsh on the liver). He also said to have WBR for the 10-15 days, but her insurance will only pain for 10 so that what she got.

A letter was sent to her Onc and she made the change and so far doing well...
She just finished her 4th tx of chemo and sched. for scans on the 26th WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY! You really should get a 2nd opinion and have any pathology sent out for gene mutation. Lots of thoughts your way...Sleepless in jersey

Good morning everyone! Hope
Good morning everyone! Hope you are having a great week! Going for round 2 of taxotere today. Hope it will go as smooth as last time. Praying for you all!!

phoobear

jejohn said:

Good morning everyone! Hope
Good morning everyone! Hope you are having a great week! Going for round 2 of taxotere today. Hope it will go as smooth as last time. Praying for you all!!

hi everybody, wanted too let
hi everybody, wanted too let everyone know how things are going. i take my 2nd treatment of chemo in the morning. hope things go well and i think they will. taking advice on drinking and eating. the only thing is they are going too mark the places tomorrow, for rad. the doc said not too eat 4 hours prior too this procedure. i think they said they will use a cat scan too do this, so that might be why they said not too eat or drink. my chemo starts at 9:30 and the other at 4:30. i have too take 38 treatments of rad. seems like a lot too me but i guess it is not. you all have helped me so much, getting my mind conditioned and etc. i thank god for this site, and each and every one of you. will keep you posted on how it goes. hugs and prayers too us all phoobear

JoanieL

phoobear said:

hi everybody, wanted too let
hi everybody, wanted too let everyone know how things are going. i take my 2nd treatment of chemo in the morning. hope things go well and i think they will. taking advice on drinking and eating. the only thing is they are going too mark the places tomorrow, for rad. the doc said not too eat 4 hours prior too this procedure. i think they said they will use a cat scan too do this, so that might be why they said not too eat or drink. my chemo starts at 9:30 and the other at 4:30. i have too take 38 treatments of rad. seems like a lot too me but i guess it is not. you all have helped me so much, getting my mind conditioned and etc. i thank god for this site, and each and every one of you. will keep you posted on how it goes. hugs and prayers too us all phoobear

Phoobear
I am glad to see your post I have been wondering how you were doing. I wish you the best as you prepare for your 2nd tx. Luckily, for you the timing works out that you can have breakfast and some lunch. In addition, you will get some added fluids during your tx. I always have them run the rest of the saline bag in for the extra fluids, they do not always like taking the extra time, but the fact of the matter is all the fluids you can have help. I figure, I am paying for the full bag, why not use it? Keep us posted on how you are doing. Thoughts and prayers are coming your way!
Joanie

JoanieL

jejohn said:

Good morning everyone! Hope
Good morning everyone! Hope you are having a great week! Going for round 2 of taxotere today. Hope it will go as smooth as last time. Praying for you all!!

Good Morning
Good Morning jejohn,
Thank You, and I hope your having a good week too! I hope you you have a smooth tx too. I go for the 2nd one on the 28th. I may say it makes me tired, but that is tolerable. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way!
Joanie

jejohn

JoanieL said:

Good Morning
Good Morning jejohn,
Thank You, and I hope your having a good week too! I hope you you have a smooth tx too. I go for the 2nd one on the 28th. I may say it makes me tired, but that is tolerable. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way!
Joanie

Second treatment going well
Second treatment going well so far. Walked a 5K race this morning with my family. Proud of our 43 min. time!! Just praying the chemo is doing its job. Brain MRI on Monday. Very concerned, but hopeful. Have a good Easter!! Hope you have a good weekend!

DianaJ

JoanieL said:

Phoobear
I am glad to see your post I have been wondering how you were doing. I wish you the best as you prepare for your 2nd tx. Luckily, for you the timing works out that you can have breakfast and some lunch. In addition, you will get some added fluids during your tx. I always have them run the rest of the saline bag in for the extra fluids, they do not always like taking the extra time, but the fact of the matter is all the fluids you can have help. I figure, I am paying for the full bag, why not use it? Keep us posted on how you are doing. Thoughts and prayers are coming your way!
Joanie

Chemo and water....
Thanks for the advice about drinking large amounts of water before and during the chemo. I got my first IV infusion of taxol/carboplatin on April 21 and with the premeds and fluids, it went well. I am still drinking copious amounts of water and hoping this will stave off the nausea. Day 3 started with joint and muscle pain, but that has eased a bit on day 4.
I have stage 4 nsclc Squamous; with large 8cm tumor in LLL and mets to pelvic bone and adrenal as well as chest nodes. I've had 10 of 15 Tx radiation to the pelvic bone lesion and got one XGEVA shot two weeks ago (adverse reaction which caused pain and nausea which lasted 36 hrs. and an emergency room visit). Thanks for all the details for TX and how to cope.

NayPaul

jejohn said:

Second treatment going well
Second treatment going well so far. Walked a 5K race this morning with my family. Proud of our 43 min. time!! Just praying the chemo is doing its job. Brain MRI on Monday. Very concerned, but hopeful. Have a good Easter!! Hope you have a good weekend!

Way 2 Go!
Keep up that activity.... Cant hurt, can only help. Good luck on Monday.

phoobear

NayPaul said:

Way 2 Go!
Keep up that activity.... Cant hurt, can only help. Good luck on Monday.

treatments started
hi all, i keep check on everybody, but have been so tired i can hardly do anything else. i have had 4 chemo treatments now, and 4 rads. my throat is getting a little sore as well. i am not sick but just do not want anything too eat. i have a terrible rash all over my feet, arms, and legs. they are larege and purple and scab over. burn really bad. my hair is all most gone now, which is a minor thing if i can get well. i am having a memory problem. i will be thinking of one thing and before long some other thought takes it over totally unrelated, but very frustrating. when i feel my self getting depressed i read about all you brave and couragous friends i have made on here. will keep you posted. has anyone ever had any of these problems with there skin and memory? god bless each and every one of us. phoobear

phoobear

NayPaul said:

Way 2 Go!
Keep up that activity.... Cant hurt, can only help. Good luck on Monday.

treatments started
hi all, i keep check on everybody, but have been so tired i can hardly do anything else. i have had 4 chemo treatments now, and 4 rads. my throat is getting a little sore as well. i am not sick but just do not want anything too eat. i have a terrible rash all over my feet, arms, and legs. they are larege and purple and scab over. burn really bad. my hair is all most gone now, which is a minor thing if i can get well. i am having a memory problem. i will be thinking of one thing and before long some other thought takes it over totally unrelated, but very frustrating. when i feel my self getting depressed i read about all you brave and couragous friends i have made on here. will keep you posted. has anyone ever had any of these problems with there skin and memory? god bless each and every one of us. phoobear

phoobear

NayPaul said:

Way 2 Go!
Keep up that activity.... Cant hurt, can only help. Good luck on Monday.

treatments started
hi all, i keep check on everybody, but have been so tired i can hardly do anything else. i have had 4 chemo treatments now, and 4 rads. my throat is getting a little sore as well. i am not sick but just do not want anything too eat. i have a terrible rash all over my feet, arms, and legs. they are larege and purple and scab over. burn really bad. my hair is all most gone now, which is a minor thing if i can get well. i am having a memory problem. i will be thinking of one thing and before long some other thought takes it over totally unrelated, but very frustrating. when i feel my self getting depressed i read about all you brave and couragous friends i have made on here. will keep you posted. has anyone ever had any of these problems with there skin and memory? god bless each and every one of us. phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

treatments started
hi all, i keep check on everybody, but have been so tired i can hardly do anything else. i have had 4 chemo treatments now, and 4 rads. my throat is getting a little sore as well. i am not sick but just do not want anything too eat. i have a terrible rash all over my feet, arms, and legs. they are larege and purple and scab over. burn really bad. my hair is all most gone now, which is a minor thing if i can get well. i am having a memory problem. i will be thinking of one thing and before long some other thought takes it over totally unrelated, but very frustrating. when i feel my self getting depressed i read about all you brave and couragous friends i have made on here. will keep you posted. has anyone ever had any of these problems with there skin and memory? god bless each and every one of us. phoobear

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

finished i hope
hey everyone. well i just finished up my carbo and tax 3 weeks ago. i had some pretty rough day, beause the radiation makes you so tired and my stomach hurt really bad. i guess this goes along with it. i had a pet scan and my tumor had shrunk 1/3. happy about that, i went back too oncologist thursday and he is going too do another one too see if there is any more shrinkage. my cancer is 3b and inoperable. 3 days ago my neck and hand and arm started paining really bad. the pain meds do not help a lot. i was wondering if anyone else had this problem after they finished treatments. also my dr gave me prednisone mixed in with my chemo and i have gained a lot of weight. quit smoking as well and i am sure that has a lot too do with the weight as well. i am having a lot of trouble with swelling in feet and legs. it was so bad he gave me lasix through my port. has anyone else had this problem? i am sorry if i sound like poor mr, i certainly do mot mean too. i dread waiting on the report of pet scan again. you guys are wonderful on this site and i am so glad we all have each other. i will let everyone know. my eyebrows and lashes are coming out now. i had all ready lost all my hair. you know what they say bald is beautiful. lol i had not read any of the posts for awhile and glad too catch up on everyb ody.each and everyone of you are in my daily prayers. god bless each and everyone of us and maybe there will be a cure soon. phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

finished i hope
hey everyone. well i just finished up my carbo and tax 3 weeks ago. i had some pretty rough day, beause the radiation makes you so tired and my stomach hurt really bad. i guess this goes along with it. i had a pet scan and my tumor had shrunk 1/3. happy about that, i went back too oncologist thursday and he is going too do another one too see if there is any more shrinkage. my cancer is 3b and inoperable. 3 days ago my neck and hand and arm started paining really bad. the pain meds do not help a lot. i was wondering if anyone else had this problem after they finished treatments. also my dr gave me prednisone mixed in with my chemo and i have gained a lot of weight. quit smoking as well and i am sure that has a lot too do with the weight as well. i am having a lot of trouble with swelling in feet and legs. it was so bad he gave me lasix through my port. has anyone else had this problem? i am sorry if i sound like poor mr, i certainly do mot mean too. i dread waiting on the report of pet scan again. you guys are wonderful on this site and i am so glad we all have each other. i will let everyone know. my eyebrows and lashes are coming out now. i had all ready lost all my hair. you know what they say bald is beautiful. lol i had not read any of the posts for awhile and glad too catch up on everyb ody.each and everyone of you are in my daily prayers. god bless each and everyone of us and maybe there will be a cure soon. phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

finished i hope
hey everyone. well i just finished up my carbo and tax 3 weeks ago. i had some pretty rough day, beause the radiation makes you so tired and my stomach hurt really bad. i guess this goes along with it. i had a pet scan and my tumor had shrunk 1/3. happy about that, i went back too oncologist thursday and he is going too do another one too see if there is any more shrinkage. my cancer is 3b and inoperable. 3 days ago my neck and hand and arm started paining really bad. the pain meds do not help a lot. i was wondering if anyone else had this problem after they finished treatments. also my dr gave me prednisone mixed in with my chemo and i have gained a lot of weight. quit smoking as well and i am sure that has a lot too do with the weight as well. i am having a lot of trouble with swelling in feet and legs. it was so bad he gave me lasix through my port. has anyone else had this problem? i am sorry if i sound like poor mr, i certainly do mot mean too. i dread waiting on the report of pet scan again. you guys are wonderful on this site and i am so glad we all have each other. i will let everyone know. my eyebrows and lashes are coming out now. i had all ready lost all my hair. you know what they say bald is beautiful. lol i had not read any of the posts for awhile and glad too catch up on everyb ody.each and everyone of you are in my daily prayers. god bless each and everyone of us and maybe there will be a cure soon. phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

finished i hope
hey everyone. well i just finished up my carbo and tax 3 weeks ago. i had some pretty rough day, beause the radiation makes you so tired and my stomach hurt really bad. i guess this goes along with it. i had a pet scan and my tumor had shrunk 1/3. happy about that, i went back too oncologist thursday and he is going too do another one too see if there is any more shrinkage. my cancer is 3b and inoperable. 3 days ago my neck and hand and arm started paining really bad. the pain meds do not help a lot. i was wondering if anyone else had this problem after they finished treatments. also my dr gave me prednisone mixed in with my chemo and i have gained a lot of weight. quit smoking as well and i am sure that has a lot too do with the weight as well. i am having a lot of trouble with swelling in feet and legs. it was so bad he gave me lasix through my port. has anyone else had this problem? i am sorry if i sound like poor me,certainly do mot mean too. i dread waiting on the report of pet scan again. you guys are wonderful on this site and i am so glad we all have each other. i will let everyone know. my eyebrows and lashes are coming out now. i had all ready lost all my hair. you know what they say bald is beautiful. lol i had not read any of the posts for awhile and glad too catch up on everyb ody.each and everyone of you are in my daily prayers. god bless each and everyone of us and maybe there will be a cure soon. phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

finished i hope
hey everyone. well i just finished up my carbo and tax 3 weeks ago. i had some pretty rough day, beause the radiation makes you so tired and my stomach hurt really bad. i guess this goes along with it. i had a pet scan and my tumor had shrunk 1/3. happy about that, i went back too oncologist thursday and he is going too do another one too see if there is any more shrinkage. my cancer is 3b and inoperable. 3 days ago my neck and hand and arm started paining really bad. the pain meds do not help a lot. i was wondering if anyone else had this problem after they finished treatments. also my dr gave me prednisone mixed in with my chemo and i have gained a lot of weight. quit smoking as well and i am sure that has a lot too do with the weight as well. i am having a lot of trouble with swelling in feet and legs. it was so bad he gave me lasix through my port. has anyone else had this problem? i am sorry if i sound like poor me,certainly do mot mean too. i dread waiting on the report of pet scan again. you guys are wonderful on this site and i am so glad we all have each other. i will let everyone know. my eyebrows and lashes are coming out now. i had all ready lost all my hair. you know what they say bald is beautiful. lol i had not read any of the posts for awhile and glad too catch up on everyb ody.each and everyone of you are in my daily prayers. god bless each and everyone of us and maybe there will be a cure soon. phoobear

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

can any one tell me why my
can any one tell me why my posts are coming up twice? thanks

phoobear

phoobear said:

sorry
sorry everyone about the 3 exact posts. i think i have really lost it. lol sorry god bless phoobear

can any one tell me why my
can any one tell me why my posts are coming up twice? thanks