Embolization (*spelling?)

Brenda Bricco
Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Went to the family Christmas and was feeling pretty festive until a family member that is an RN sat and explained how sick my husband will be for the next month because he is having surgery to block off the blood supply this coming week. He told the rest of the family that he will be very sick afterwards because that side of his liver will start dying. Is this the experience any of you have had? The doctors haven't said anything like that to us. Is that true? Will he be very ill until the resection? Could someone please share what to expect? Thanks,
Brenda

Comments

  • steveandnat
    steveandnat Member Posts: 886
    #2
    Hope all goes well
    I never had resection but haven't heard this. Hope he does well through everything. Will be praying for him.
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #3
    Hi Brenda
    Ya gotta love family at times...
    I had a resection done on my liver but I didn't have it prepped, I was on FOLFOX and Avastin for six months then they did the resection. I think it might be a good idea to call his Onc ASAP so you can get an idea what to expect from the source.
    Does the family member deal with cancer at all?
    Does that make a difference with what to expect?
    I would think you both have enough on your plates so if you can avoid needless worrying that would be great. If what you heard IS the case, then at least you'll have it confirmed.
    I hope that even with all that is going on that you managed to enjoy your Christmas.
    -p
  • janie1
    janie1 Member Posts: 753 Member
    #4
    PhillieG said:

    Hi Brenda
    Ya gotta love family at times...
    I had a resection done on my liver but I didn't have it prepped, I was on FOLFOX and Avastin for six months then they did the resection. I think it might be a good idea to call his Onc ASAP so you can get an idea what to expect from the source.
    Does the family member deal with cancer at all?
    Does that make a difference with what to expect?
    I would think you both have enough on your plates so if you can avoid needless worrying that would be great. If what you heard IS the case, then at least you'll have it confirmed.
    I hope that even with all that is going on that you managed to enjoy your Christmas.
    -p

    family....sigh
    Hi Brenda. There are some here who have had a lobectomy, so maybe they will be more helpful. I just wanted to say that when people only can provide "part" of the scenario, they probably have little to no real expertise in that particular area. I' m sure the docs have all those bases covered. No doubt it is a major surgery, but that comment made on Christmas to "everyone" is just an attention grabber. The things people say never cease to amaze me. ;)
    Here's to a great New Year.
  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #5
    I hate it when people make
    I hate it when people make suggestions are give advise even if they are in the medical profession doesn't mean they are experts on the complications of cancer treatments. I have had 3 liver resections. Most recently I had my right lobe removed on 12/2/11. I am 95% back to normal now. I never had to have the blood supply cut off of one side for the other to grow before surgery however I wouldn't think that would be much different then having the right lobe removed (60%). It was more difficult then the 2 previous wedge sections but I wouldn't say I got sick from it.

    Phil is right. Talk to your oncologist. I would think they would have mentioned it to you if he was going to get sick ahead of time. Doctors are very thorough these days about going over the risks and side effects.
  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member
    #6
    janderson1964 said:

    I hate it when people make
    I hate it when people make suggestions are give advise even if they are in the medical profession doesn't mean they are experts on the complications of cancer treatments. I have had 3 liver resections. Most recently I had my right lobe removed on 12/2/11. I am 95% back to normal now. I never had to have the blood supply cut off of one side for the other to grow before surgery however I wouldn't think that would be much different then having the right lobe removed (60%). It was more difficult then the 2 previous wedge sections but I wouldn't say I got sick from it.

    Phil is right. Talk to your oncologist. I would think they would have mentioned it to you if he was going to get sick ahead of time. Doctors are very thorough these days about going over the risks and side effects.

    Thank you guys so much for
    Thank you guys so much for your replies!
    I tried to call the doc but their office is closed until tomorrow (we have an appt tomorrow) so I will just wait unitl then. I did do a little research online and found that in very rare cases some developed nausea, vomiting and fever but I think the exact words were "extremely rare". I don't think people realize how ridiculous they sound when they are talking out or their arses. It's so obvious that even doctors that don't practice in a certain field are even aware of treatments let alone an RN that has never worked in the field. The ER doc that found my husband's cancer told us what to expect but it wasn't even close to what it really was. I am not sure what this person was thinking... maybe they just liked being on 'the stage" so to speak.
    I guess I am sort of curious why so many have had the liver resection with out the embolization as prep but my husband is. That is a question for his team tomorrow.
    Any way, we have a scan tomorrow and the embolization on Wednesday if all is well. Please lift us up in your prayers asking for all to go well.
    God's blessings to you all.
    Brenda
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #7
    Brenda Bricco said:

    Thank you guys so much for
    Thank you guys so much for your replies!
    I tried to call the doc but their office is closed until tomorrow (we have an appt tomorrow) so I will just wait unitl then. I did do a little research online and found that in very rare cases some developed nausea, vomiting and fever but I think the exact words were "extremely rare". I don't think people realize how ridiculous they sound when they are talking out or their arses. It's so obvious that even doctors that don't practice in a certain field are even aware of treatments let alone an RN that has never worked in the field. The ER doc that found my husband's cancer told us what to expect but it wasn't even close to what it really was. I am not sure what this person was thinking... maybe they just liked being on 'the stage" so to speak.
    I guess I am sort of curious why so many have had the liver resection with out the embolization as prep but my husband is. That is a question for his team tomorrow.
    Any way, we have a scan tomorrow and the embolization on Wednesday if all is well. Please lift us up in your prayers asking for all to go well.
    God's blessings to you all.
    Brenda

    Brenda
    You will definitely have to ask the doctors tomorrow. My only thought is that they are trying doing this to try to encourage growth to the other side so that your husband will have enough healthy liver tissue after the surgery.
    They always say that the liver regenerates. I had my liver resection in May 2008 & I had the left lobe removed and a wedge of the right removed. Even though it's been over 3-1/2 yrs since I had the resection, recent scans show that my liver has not regenerated anything of the left removed lobe at all. I don't know how common or not that is.

    It is definitely annoying when people give their advice, especially when they really don't know what they're talking about.

    Hang in there-

    Hugs,
    Lisa
  • Brenda Bricco
    Brenda Bricco Member Posts: 579 Member
    #8
    lisa42 said:

    Brenda
    You will definitely have to ask the doctors tomorrow. My only thought is that they are trying doing this to try to encourage growth to the other side so that your husband will have enough healthy liver tissue after the surgery.
    They always say that the liver regenerates. I had my liver resection in May 2008 & I had the left lobe removed and a wedge of the right removed. Even though it's been over 3-1/2 yrs since I had the resection, recent scans show that my liver has not regenerated anything of the left removed lobe at all. I don't know how common or not that is.

    It is definitely annoying when people give their advice, especially when they really don't know what they're talking about.

    Hang in there-

    Hugs,
    Lisa

    Hi Lisa, have your docs
    Hi Lisa, have your docs commented on the fact that the left side never regenerated?
    You are exactly right about the reason they are doing the procedure (so the left side can "feed and grow").
    I am embarassed to say that I am way tired of talking about cancer to every Tom, **** and Harry that takes the notion to bring the subject up. I do know that most mean well but I don't think they realize that it turns into all my conversations being about cancer. It is always on my mind, even in my dreams so I was a little disappointed to have our Christmas turned into a cancer discussion. It's probably all your guys fault, every since I started talking to everyone here I seem to get the support I need eliminating the need to have every move I make in my daily life be about cancer. I'm not trying to stick my head in the sand,I just can't live like that. I know what we are up against, I know that there is a strong chance that I will lose my husband but isn't that all the more reason to live now? I can honestly say that I am a woman on the edge and I am certain that some poor unsuspecting person is going to set me off one of these times. It just boggles my mind the way some people behave at times. Sorry for babbling...
    Brenda
  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    #9
    Brenda Bricco said:

    Hi Lisa, have your docs
    Hi Lisa, have your docs commented on the fact that the left side never regenerated?
    You are exactly right about the reason they are doing the procedure (so the left side can "feed and grow").
    I am embarassed to say that I am way tired of talking about cancer to every Tom, **** and Harry that takes the notion to bring the subject up. I do know that most mean well but I don't think they realize that it turns into all my conversations being about cancer. It is always on my mind, even in my dreams so I was a little disappointed to have our Christmas turned into a cancer discussion. It's probably all your guys fault, every since I started talking to everyone here I seem to get the support I need eliminating the need to have every move I make in my daily life be about cancer. I'm not trying to stick my head in the sand,I just can't live like that. I know what we are up against, I know that there is a strong chance that I will lose my husband but isn't that all the more reason to live now? I can honestly say that I am a woman on the edge and I am certain that some poor unsuspecting person is going to set me off one of these times. It just boggles my mind the way some people behave at times. Sorry for babbling...
    Brenda

    Dear Brenda
    Don't ever hesitate to tell someone..."I know you mean well, but can't we talk about something else?"

    Not wanting to discuss it with everyone who has an opinion is your right to choose.

    I am sure that you are well aware of the risks your husband faces, but you are right that living well now is important not only for you but also for him.

    Unfortunately mortality is something we are born with, we just don't recognize it until something like cancer comes along.

    Wishing the best for you and hubby in 2012.

    Marie who loves kitties
  • ketziah35
    ketziah35 Member Posts: 1,145
    #10
    I am not condoning the
    I am not condoning the timing of your relative's opinion about the procedure, but I have discussed this procedure and gone to a couple of seminars at the hospital as an option for a benIgn tumor that I have.

    Embolism is the process by which they use lasers to cut off the bood flow to a tumor which causes the tumor to die and break up. At the several seminars I attended, there was an indication of some pain as the tumor breaks up (but isn't it always with surgery). The plus side is thsat the recovery tinme is greatly reduced. For my procedure, if we did a cutting type surgery, my recovery time would be about 6 weeks. With embolism, which is laser, my recovery time would be about 2 weeks.

    Your relative was somewhat right in the sense that it is a surgery and there is discomfort with surgery, but she/he did not give you all of the details.

    I never had the embolism, because my doctor advised me to wait on surgery, because I wasn't having too many issues with my tumors, but all of the above is a summary of my understanding.

    Hope this hekps!

    Luv Ktz
  • janie1
    janie1 Member Posts: 753 Member
    #11
    ketziah35 said:

    I am not condoning the
    I am not condoning the timing of your relative's opinion about the procedure, but I have discussed this procedure and gone to a couple of seminars at the hospital as an option for a benIgn tumor that I have.

    Embolism is the process by which they use lasers to cut off the bood flow to a tumor which causes the tumor to die and break up. At the several seminars I attended, there was an indication of some pain as the tumor breaks up (but isn't it always with surgery). The plus side is thsat the recovery tinme is greatly reduced. For my procedure, if we did a cutting type surgery, my recovery time would be about 6 weeks. With embolism, which is laser, my recovery time would be about 2 weeks.

    Your relative was somewhat right in the sense that it is a surgery and there is discomfort with surgery, but she/he did not give you all of the details.

    I never had the embolism, because my doctor advised me to wait on surgery, because I wasn't having too many issues with my tumors, but all of the above is a summary of my understanding.

    Hope this hekps!

    Luv Ktz

    Whoa!
    2 different subjects going here. Brenda, just ask the doc, which you are going to do anyway.

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