Gallbladder Cancer Diagnosis

LeoLady

Thank you LilliTM and I

Thank you LilliTM and I appreciate the link.  I am still pondering what to do... 

KCFlash

LeoLady said:

Thanks for asking - it was 2

Thanks for asking - it was 2 months ago.  

I still have some mild pain and discomfort in the general area of where the incision is and below where there was a drainage port, however I notice it more when I have been overdoing it physically.  I had weight lifting restrictions for the whole 2 months and I would say that was the biggest challenge and still is.  In the beginning I actually weighed items to make sure I wasn't lifting over 10lbs.  

It was uncomfortable sleeping at first too as I could only lay in certain positions.  And clothing - nothing binding or tight around the waist or torso - even now I prefer loose clothing.  Other than all that which I would say is pretty standard, I had no major problems.    

One thing I did the in the weeks prior to the surgery especially the week before was to eat well and get my body as physically strong as possible and I think that helped alot.  I was up and walking the day after.  

You are getting this surgery now?   

Hello,   I won't know about

Hello,   I won't know about surgery until the 28th of August.   Hoping for good scans and positive results.    Thank you for asking.   This has been very difficult for me and I have had several "commplications" during the chemotherapy.  I am glad to have a break, but there is not any guarantee that I am completely done.    I will post more when I know after the 28th. 

 

haugy

Thoughts

I was diagnosed June 2010 stage 3b gallbladder cancer, gallbladder liver and multiple lymph nodes involved . I recently had my 8 year check up with good results. I was treated surgically at Mayo Clinic  June of 2010, did chemo back home in Canada.The chemo cocktail of gemcitabine cisplatin was recommended for a mop up of microscopic cells with no guarantees it would work. It was put to me that this was a very nasty aggressive cancer and there is no “what if’s “ so I chose to do the Chemo. Was it hard ? Yes it was .Did it help?   I don’t know ,but I am here 8 years later. Did the surgery/chemo change my life ? Totally did .  If i was in the same situation knowing what I know now would i do it again ? The answer is yes.

Haugy

KCFlash

haugy said:

Thoughts

I was diagnosed June 2010 stage 3b gallbladder cancer, gallbladder liver and multiple lymph nodes involved . I recently had my 8 year check up with good results. I was treated surgically at Mayo Clinic  June of 2010, did chemo back home in Canada.The chemo cocktail of gemcitabine cisplatin was recommended for a mop up of microscopic cells with no guarantees it would work. It was put to me that this was a very nasty aggressive cancer and there is no “what if’s “ so I chose to do the Chemo. Was it hard ? Yes it was .Did it help?   I don’t know ,but I am here 8 years later. Did the surgery/chemo change my life ? Totally did .  If i was in the same situation knowing what I know now would i do it again ? The answer is yes.

Haugy

Thanks Haugy

Thanks for your input! - I am in the middle of all of this treatment - just finished Gemzar and Cisplatin (very difficult!)  Have scans on the 28th to determine surgery it's great to hear a succes story.   How did the Chemo/Surgery change your life?   Interested in any post op/chemo issues you may have had and what your journey was like.   

LeoLady

haugy said:

Thoughts

I was diagnosed June 2010 stage 3b gallbladder cancer, gallbladder liver and multiple lymph nodes involved . I recently had my 8 year check up with good results. I was treated surgically at Mayo Clinic  June of 2010, did chemo back home in Canada.The chemo cocktail of gemcitabine cisplatin was recommended for a mop up of microscopic cells with no guarantees it would work. It was put to me that this was a very nasty aggressive cancer and there is no “what if’s “ so I chose to do the Chemo. Was it hard ? Yes it was .Did it help?   I don’t know ,but I am here 8 years later. Did the surgery/chemo change my life ? Totally did .  If i was in the same situation knowing what I know now would i do it again ? The answer is yes.

Haugy

Thank you

Thank you Haugy for this positive and very hopeful post.  

KCFlash

Update on Treatment Plan

Hello, 

 

I mentioned I would post an update once I knew what the labs and scans showed on the 28th.   They are quiting the chemo and want me to get ready for surgery.   The labs and scans show a stable disease.   My CA -19-9 went up a little since May from 8 - 17 but still is well below within the normal range.   Surgery is scheduled for October 1st.   They are gonig to first go in laproscopically to make sure there are not any cancer tumors that cannnot be seen on the scans and if all is clear they will on the same day proceed with the full surgery.   LeoLady how are you recovering from surgery?  How is your diet are you able to eat a normal diet?   

RobLee

Surgery October 1st

KC, it was a pleasure meeting you yesterday in chat, and I want to wish you good luck with your upcoming surgery.  As I had mentioned, I too have surgery scheduled Oct 1st for a mesenteric carcinoid tumor, but not sure right now if I'm going to keep it or cancel.  The cancer center in Tampa wants to do more tests before starting treatment, while the local surgeon just wants to get in there and take it out.  My gut tells me to postpone surgery for now, rather than finding out the hard way (as you did) that there is gall bladder or liver involvement.

Unfortunately there are no carcinoid or neuroendocrine cancer forums on this or any other website, so I really have no one to ask about this.

Cancer is the lonliest place I've ever known.  How have you been holding up after your last surgery and the chemo? 

I hope to see you again in chat someday. Good luck to you!

KCFlash

Checking In

Hello,   I am just checking in to see how everyone is doing.    I am now 5 months post surgery and received chemo/radiation in December.  Overall I am doing OK - I had Septic Shock in January and pneumonia in February but now I think I am on to recovery.   I have a follow up appointment April 4th.   They are not going to do the post op Chemo because I do not handle the chemo very well.    I always seem to get severely sick.     They are just going to monitor me closely.  The good new is that so far there is no cancer :-)   i have been struggling with some depression/anxiety just wondering if anyone else struggled. 

LeoLady

KCFlash said:

Checking In

Hello,   I am just checking in to see how everyone is doing.    I am now 5 months post surgery and received chemo/radiation in December.  Overall I am doing OK - I had Septic Shock in January and pneumonia in February but now I think I am on to recovery.   I have a follow up appointment April 4th.   They are not going to do the post op Chemo because I do not handle the chemo very well.    I always seem to get severely sick.     They are just going to monitor me closely.  The good new is that so far there is no cancer :-)   i have been struggling with some depression/anxiety just wondering if anyone else struggled. 

Hi KC

Hi KC  -

I too was going to check in as it has been a while.  I am so glad to see you are 5 months post-surgery and am also very happy to hear there is no cancer.  Sorry about the septic shock and pneumonia.  Gosh you've had some rough patches huh...  

As far as anxiety and depression I personally have experienced it and still do.  Yesterday 4/4 was one year since my first surgery and I consider it my one year cancer-free anniversary date.  I had bloodtests and scans in January that were good thankfully and am due for more bloodwork in May.  There is a lingering and underlying angst with all of this though and I really felt it building as I neared the date of my last scan.  I've also recently had some intestinal distress and cannot help but wonder with every pang if it is returning. I honestly can't imagine not having any kind of emotional distress with this.  

Please know KC that I wish you all the best with your recovery always and hope you can find some peace.  If you ever want to message me off the public forum that is fine.  

I hope everyone else is doing ok too - Lilli TM if you are still on here I think of you and your dad often and hope he is well.

Take care.  

LL

 

    

laelnemme

New Here - Canadian with GB Mass

Hello everyone,

I am a 43 yo lady in Vancouver, Canada. After 2 bouts of abdminal/chest pain sent me to the ER in March, I had scans and they found a mass. It's something like 3.4 cm by 1.4 cm, but including a "thin stalk" it is 7 cm x 1.2 cm. I also have a 2.2 cm stone, which I expected, having had an ultrasound 2 years' prior -- so the mass grew in the 2 year time.

I met with the surgeon -- who is the head of his division for the entire region -- and we had a good talk and I felt good about our meeting. We chose to do a radical cholecystectomy where they will remove the gallbladder, part of the liver, and about 3 other things, including lymph. The mass will be sent for pathology. I will be scheduled within 3 months and probably sooner than later. 

I am already chronically ill with adrenal fatigue and chronic fatigue and a host of other niggling things -- all that has been going on about 10 years now. I already have trouble taking care of myself. My only family is toxic so I've gone no contact, and I have almost no friends here, everyone lives scattered all over the US. 

I work a part time office job because I have to, even though it's hard with my chronic conditions; about 15 hours per week at a university. They will give me all the time I need for recovery and I may qualify for some employment insurance, but I imagine things could be lean during this time. I do hope I can convince the job and union to allow me to work from home (as an accommodation) as soon as I am able to, so I can still earn something. 

Gallbladder cancer is so rare and Canada so sparsely populated that the Canadian Cancer Society didn't have a single person volunteering online with any GB mass experience. 

So I'd love for some online support. I'm also an American (as was my dad) and lived in the Kansas City area for 7 years. 

I was lonely before this, though my online friends are great, and 2 of them plan to visit me from WA and OR to help me recover from surgery if they can. 

I have a history of depression and anxiety, too, so I'm a mixed bag. 

I'm not sure what to think or do, I'm not sure how this anxiety (that comes and goes) is best handled. 

I lost my grandfather (not related by blood) and father and two young friends to cancer (lung, oral [tongue], and brain x 2). 

Anything you can say that may be supportive I'll gladly take. I am afraid.