Returning to previous failed treatments.

fatbob2010

Hello...Haven't been on the board in a while.  I have officially used up all the treatments available to me.  Trials are out of the conversation because of chronically low platelet counts, and, recently plummetting blood counts in general during a trial of a new drug. trial stopped  and counts look better.

Liver is in sad shape with blockage that is spilling Bilirubin into the urinary system.  A GI procedure to try and release the blockage last week Thursday with a stint has yet to show result.  The GI Doctor also identified a stone that he wants to go back and try to release April, 1, 2016.  New Hypodensities are appearing in the Liver, as earlier ones grow quickly.  CEA is probably around 1800 and unwanted weight loss is steady.

Ok...There's the background.  

Question of the day, Oncologist has offered to revisit earlier treatments that were not useful should I wish.  He has not seen success with this method.  Would you go back and try the earlier treatments?  

Thanks for your opinions and input,
Art

Trubrit

Darn it!

Dearest Art! That is not the news we want to hear. I am sorry for all that you are going through. 

My journey has been so much easier than yours, so my thoughts are probably not worth a dime, but here goes. When I was doing the Oxi and 5FU, i remember getting to a point where I said 'No more!' Of course, I finished the treatment, but I said 'Never again'. But, like childbirth, the years (and I am so blessed that it has been three years) pass and the memory of the horror, fades, and if I was faced with the decision again, I would do what it takes to give myself a chance to stay alive. 

Allas, as I say, I've only been on the chemo once, not multiple times, so I don't know how that would change my feelings. 

Again, I am sorry for your continued trials. May you come to a decision and feel at peace with it. 

Cyber hugs!

Sue - Trubrit

John23

Trials, alternatives, and options....

Trials, alternatives, and options....

If you click on my name/moniker and read my bio and blog, it may offer you some insight regarding options.

You need not abandon one modality to use another, you can use both.

The "option" I used worked well for many years since my dx in 2006, even though I did not continue the option since 2008. I was foolish to have stopped.

The bottom line, is that every physician I have had, has agreed that what I had used had to have been what helped. They had/have no other explanation.

I am not attempting to convince anyone that it's a better choice, but it's a viable option to add to one's present therapy, or use alone. When faced with little or no other options, why not try something else?

Best wishes for you,

John

 

annalexandria

I'm really sorry things are so rough for you, Art...

tho I am glad you came back to let us know.

I think if it was me, I would probably choose to do a brief trial of the older drugs.  I wouldn't want to be on them for too long if they weren't working so would want a scan fairly soon to see if there were any improvements.

Is the liver the only area with mets?  No chance of trying some targeted chemo via pump?

JanJan63

I'm sorry, I have nothing to

I'm sorry, I have nothing to offer. I just wanted to say that I pray you'll find something that works. If I were you I think I'd try whatever they offered in case it does work this time. Why does one treatment work for one person but doesn't for another? Perhaps your situation has changed and it will beat it this time. Best of luck.

Jan

MS2014

Metmorfin

Hi Art

In you don't have any available options and if they give you the chance, as a freind in the forum said, you could try previous teratmentswith metformin...

If there is not other options maybe it worths to try it under medical control

Best Regards and all the best

Sue_2015

I'm glad I saw your post,

So sorry for your situation.  To answer your question, I might try to go back to FOLFIRI +Avastin (only had 5 treatments) which ended Sep. 8th, 2015 due to extreme diarrhea, nausea and too much weight loss and dehydration (despite all efforts to combat those side effects).  Before that I had FOLFOX + Avastin which ended after 4 treatments due to anaphlactic shock on that 4th treatment.  They said it was too much toxicity and hypersensitivy, yadda yadda.  Then they put me on Capecitabine pills in October.  I've been developing new, more liver mets and lung, so, nothing's working yet.  (That's my short version.)

Just yesterday, my Onc mentioned Lonsurf and I had a question or two, but she became defensive and said if I didn't want to try Lonsurf (TAS 102) that I re-try the first chemo infusions since I've been off them for a while.  I feel confused.

 I'm thinking, now that you bring this up, and your doc says he's never seen success with this?   I've heard of desensitization that a person can do to help with the harsh chemo's etc.   I think I'd try the FOLFIRI +Avastin if I could maybe get a lower dosage and be on it longer with the possibility that it would help shrink my tumors and prevent new ones though.

Good luck and best wishes, whatever you decide.  Keep us updated!

Sue

beaumontdave

I'm sorry Art, I wish I had

I'm sorry Art, I wish I had good answers for you, but all I've got are hopes, for you, for othes hanging on, here in this blog. Try what doesn"t mess with your daily life  but don't give up the present for a load of misery, I went through that with my wife [brain tumor] and my only regrets were her getting a skin graft for radiation they decided not to give her, after all the healing of the "flap" on the side of her head, just one more useless piece of misery.




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