Finally diagnosed

MKW213

islandgirlculebra said:

My Stage was Close to Yours

My diagnosis was Stage IIIB with the tumor through the vaginal wall also with lymph node involvement.  Just wanted to tell you that was two years ago, and so far, everything has been clear on the scans.  I found the treatment to be rough, but you can get through it and life will be good again. I don't often post, because I think there are so many others who give such good advice on this board. Just thought I would jump in cuz your staging is very close to what mine was, and I know how scary it is. I wish you the best.

 

Thanks!

Wow! You have no idea how timely your post was. The tone of the colorectal guy when he said stage IIIB was scary, but the oncologist and radiation doc have been much more positive. And now I have your story to add to the positive list. Just got done with first week of chemo and radiation. Chemo was rough. Pump finally out, but still nauseous. Hoping nausea will be gone in a day or two. It doesn't sound like you had to have surgery? I'm hoping not to need any, as I need a total hip and a hernia repair (5th) when I get through all this, but obviously this UFO (unwanted freaking organism, no so lol) will have to take precedence.  Thanks again for your support.

MKW213

tbuchi said:

Hi My name Is Tracy I can't

Hi My name Is Tracy I can't give you much advice but everything you describe I had happen to me.  I just got done with Radition and Chemo.  I am 37 years old with stage 3b cancer went to doctor and got blown off.  I really would like to try pass a bill for the doctor to have to take patients more serious.  It should be a routine exam to get checked for something like this. My doctor told me it anal cancer and vulvar cancer.  i also have been in the medical field for over 15 years new alot about different medical thing but nothing on Cancer.   I also thought how did this happen to me.  I am active and stay busy working at the time.  I worked in ER over 14 years but I am not a nurse just tech. I can tell you about emergency med but not cancer.   Iwill tell you stay postive and remember your not alone GOD with you the whole time.  Really your attitude is really what will help you through this.  i drove myself the whole time and yest I had problems but my husband work and all I had was me.  I am just now starting to get side effect nothing hopefully to bad.  But hang in therie and remember dont take no for answer and get your self through this.  I keep you updt.  I will tell you that it a life changing event.   i had to get a temp cholestomy because my cancer gave me 75 blockage.   Just remeber I am alittle head of you and stay on the website it what gave me motivation.  I am not going to let this beat me.  I refuse to give up without a fight.  I got alot to live for.  I prayed alot and did everything my doctor tell me.

Tracy

I don't believe I would be having treatment even yet if I didn't have the knowledge I've learned over the many years of transcription I've done. Really had no symptoms to speak of and still haven't, knock on wood. Have reported the GYN to the Health Department and they are investigating. He's delivered a couple of my grandchildren, but my BS meter always went off when I did his dictation, he was just too slick and cocky and full of himself. Am sure you have seen your share of rotten docs in the ER. When I first went to the ER with what I thought and still think was postmenopausal bleeding, the attending idiot, VERY foreign with big, crooked yellowish teeth, had the nerve to tell me I had no business being in the ER with this problem (almost needed a transfusion), should have gone to my GYN, and should just have the uterus "yanked" out cuz I didn't need it anymore. Had I been thinking faster and clearer I would have mentioned what I would like to do with his prostate, but couldn't get a word in edgewise with him and never did get his name. Only satisfaction I got was I ranted to the nurse about him just as I was getting ready to leave and when I went out of the room, he was standing there and hopefully heard everything, not that it probably made any difference.  I will keep you in my prayers and hope you have a good outcome. I'm determined to beat this, too.

 

 

MKW213

sandysp said:

She's right

Hope you had a wonderful time this weekend. You will still have good days even throughout treatment. I particularly enjoyed walking my dogs (albeit slowly) and just the long naps I took with them by my side.

Good luck tomorrow.

Sandy

Sandy

Read about your infusion somewhere else on here and that it went well.  Again, so glad to hear good news!   Thanks for your encouragement.

magillilnb

MKW

I was diagonosed with stage 3 squamous cell carcinoma of the anus back in July - I was stage 3 because of the size of the tumor.  I had a fistula (so far, they can't seem to find it, so it may have healed on its own.) I went through a clinical trial of TIP protocol before starting regular chemo and radiation.  The TIP protocol shrunk my large tumor from 5 cm x 4 cm to 2 cm x 3 cm. Then the regular chemo and radiation did the rest. 

I had the fanny pack 5FU for 5 days twice during radiation. It's not horrible, but I didn't care for lugging that thing around. The cord is very long and I hung the bag on my bed at night and never had problems. Like you, I was nervous about pulling the thing out of my port. And I had to take baths instead of showers, which I didn't care for, especially since it was winter and cold.

I lost my hair from the TIP protocol, but not from the 5FU and mitomycin. I was hospitalized and given transfusions during radiation. I was tired and weak, but I made it through fine, and now I'm on the other side of it all hoping to get my colostomy reversed. 

Do you need a colostomy due to the fistula to keep the waste from getting in your vagina? 

Everyone's experience is different, so don't worry yourself into getting a reaction to something that you wouldn't otherwise get. Listen to your body and maintain a positive attitude (difficult but possible!) and if you have sense of humor, it will help a lot. Let others help you and ask for help if you need it. People want to help and all you need to do is tell them what you need.

I hope you have minimal side effects and are cancer free when it's over.

Take care,

Nancy

 

islandgirlculebra

MKW213 said:

Thanks!

Wow! You have no idea how timely your post was. The tone of the colorectal guy when he said stage IIIB was scary, but the oncologist and radiation doc have been much more positive. And now I have your story to add to the positive list. Just got done with first week of chemo and radiation. Chemo was rough. Pump finally out, but still nauseous. Hoping nausea will be gone in a day or two. It doesn't sound like you had to have surgery? I'm hoping not to need any, as I need a total hip and a hernia repair (5th) when I get through all this, but obviously this UFO (unwanted freaking organism, no so lol) will have to take precedence.  Thanks again for your support.

No, I didn't have surgery.....

No, I didn't have to have surgery, because the PET scan which was done three months after treatment ended showed no signs of cancer, as well as the examination under anesthisia done by the Colo-Rectal Surgeon.  The Colo-Rectal Surgeon was surpised, especially since I had to stop radiation treatments five sessions short of what they had planned, due to white blood cells plumeting to a level which prevented further treatment.....  One VERY IMPORTANT THING the Chemo Oncologist had told me during treatment was that radiation continues to work for up to six months after you are finished your treatment. As you have already found out, some doctors are positive; others just about beat you down with their dire predictions and general tone (this is what my Radiation Oncologist was like - telling me shortly after my treatment ended that I still had cancer and would need to have a colostomy.) Thank goodness the Chemo Oncologist had already told me that radiation continues to work for quite a while after treatment, so I didn't give up hope....... three months later, the scans were clear...... I was nauseous quite a bit also; medication helped to take the edge off. Perhaps they should try a different drug if the one you are currently taking isn't helping that much. It was explaind to me that the one-day chemo which you get at the hospital is the drug which makes you feel nauseous, not so much the chemo in the five-day pump..... So hopefully you will get some relief maybe when that drug works its way out of your system. I'm sure you have been told to drink, drink, drink, (gatorade if you can stand it) to keep yourself hydrated and decrease your nausea... I was not very good at this myself, and maybe that's why I had so much problem with it.  Try to stay positive; I know it is hard.  Ask me anything you want; I am here for you.........