From Antcat

antcat
antcat Member Posts: 270
Sorry for the reposting, lost my first one, I think.

Thank you so much for asking about me. I've had several problems since October. Was rushed to hospital & alot of pain & after a CT scan found out I had a partial bowel obstruction due to adhesions/scar tissue & tumors on bowel. I was in hospital for 7 days & with diet, it resolved, but primary care doc told me that it would come back anytime. It did, although I wasn't hospitalized, on 12/23 and I just watched what I ate. I started on Alimta on 11/22 which I find to be very rough. It has affected my blood counts, and I'm anemic & have a low iron level (not that bad though). Because I ran a low grade fever for 10 days after my 2nd treatment of Alimta & due to fact that I'm anemic, my primary care doc did some blood culture tests which were negative and a stool test which showed a trace amount of blood. He said he needed to find out where the blood was coming from, it could be an ulcer, from the tumors pressing on the bowel, the coumadin I was on or the combination of coumadin & chemo. I have been very, tired and am going for a colonoscopy/upper endoscopy on 1/3, so we'll see. Hopefully, it's nothing.

Will let you all know.

P.S. My CA 125 has also been rising, although oncologist told me it's normal. it's 26.5 & went up 7 pts since October. I told the oncologist that even though it's normal, for me that's not normal, but he said it's still normal.

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Comments

  • LaundryQueen
    LaundryQueen Member Posts: 676
    You have just lived thru my
    You have just lived thru my worst nightmare! I hated the post-op naso-gastric tube SO MUCH, that I dread ever needing another one.

    I have had a couple of episodes of really bad belly pain after chemo where I was worried about scar tissue tightening around my colon. Deep massage has really helped, I am imagining that I am slowly stretching the scar tissue when I massage my belly. The other thing I have taken is a homeopathic remedy called Silicea.

    Silicea is not to be taken within 6 weeks of surgery because it minimizes scar tissue. In the case of tumor die off, there is more scar tissue forming as the chemo works. My oncologist does not have an objection to the massage.

    I will say the the area where I massage is usually a little more painful initially, then there is considerable relief afterwards.
  • eward
    eward Member Posts: 210
    missed your message
    Sorry, I missed your message b/c I was out of town.

    I am also sorry to hear that you have been having a rough time lately. Glad to hear your CA is staying low.

    You are the only connection I can find to Alimta. My mom seems to be worn out from this drug. Plus her symptoms are worse and her CA (which is always very high) has been climing from 1900 to 3400 over the past couple of months. She had heard that the drug can take a while to work and can cause numbers to bounce around a bit like we've heard Doxil can.

    Well, I wish the absolute best results to you.

    Eileen
  • AnneBehymer
    AnneBehymer Member Posts: 738 Member
    jump in CA125
    My ca125 has jumped from 6 to 22 my doctor told me that even though I am only 1 point over normal because my ca125 has jumped over ten point since my last test six week earlier that I have to have another blood test. So if yours has only jumped 7 points since October then you should be ok. If you think your not push your ONC to do a cat scan if my ca125 is still up I will have to have another catscan. But again I say if you feel like something is wrong push you onc to do a cat scan.

    Anne