Question about the liver

cinreag
cinreag Member Posts: 154
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi everybody. I was wondering if anyone could tell me if there has been metastasis to the liver, wouldnt tbere be symptoms? I keep wondering why 3 Drs are so concerned about my liver when I feel better than I have in a long time. I would think if the cancer had come back that I would feel realy sick. I am supposed to be opened up for a hysterectomy , sometime in June, but if Im still feeling as good as I am now, I would really like to Cancel that surgery. Im planning on telling the Gyn if the fibroid cysts are just small, I really dont want to be opened up when I am feeling so good

The Drs are concerned about my liver because of elevated #s and I have been under the impression that I had a "fatty" liver because I have gained 40 pounds since I stopped smoking 21/2 years ago.

If there is a chance though, that there may be something more serious going on with my liver I don't want to cancel the surgery that would be the Drs chance to check it out.

I hooe I havent confused everyone.
I also hope that this post doesn't have a bunch of misspelled words and such in it. This phone of mine is hard to type posts this long.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I appreciate you all.

Comments

  • janderson1964
    janderson1964 Member Posts: 2,215 Member
    #2
    Unfortunately I nevef had any

    Unfortunately I nevef had any symptoms. I have had a metastsis in the liver 3 times. The last time being an 8cm tumor and never had any symptoms. It was always a routine scan that caught it.

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #3
    janderson1964 said:

    Unfortunately I nevef had any

    Unfortunately I nevef had any symptoms. I have had a metastsis in the liver 3 times. The last time being an 8cm tumor and never had any symptoms. It was always a routine scan that caught it.

    Thank you
    I did have a scan in Jan. Maybe that also has something to do with the concern.

    Wow, no symptoms....Thats crazy as is everything about this dreaded desease.

    Thanks for your reply. I guess I have a lot more soul searching to do. Maybe my gut feeling is really jyst wishful thinking. I just have such a strong almost conviction like feeling that opening me back up isnt thw right thing to do right now. Of course I am aware that a whole lot can change in 2 months.

    I was so lucky the first (and hopefully only) time around in that my tumor had completely blocked off my small intestine and it got discovered before it got too big to be removed.

    I hope you are doing good. Im kind of behind on CSN news.

    Happy spring!!
  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #4
    Nope, my Rick had absolutely

    Nope, my Rick had absolutely no symptoms until he ended up at the emergency room one night.  He had a large colon tumor, lymph nodes involved, and four liver tumors.  He felt great until that night.  And still the liver didn't start to shut down until two days before he passed. 

    Take care, and listen to your doctors, three can't be that wrong.

    Cyn

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #5
    LivinginNH said:

    Nope, my Rick had absolutely

    Nope, my Rick had absolutely no symptoms until he ended up at the emergency room one night.  He had a large colon tumor, lymph nodes involved, and four liver tumors.  He felt great until that night.  And still the liver didn't start to shut down until two days before he passed. 

    Take care, and listen to your doctors, three can't be that wrong.

    Cyn

    Thank you Cyn.
    Im going to
    Thank you Cyn.

    Im going to get a fasting liver bloodwork done for my family Dr in the morning.
  • AnnLouise
    AnnLouise Member Posts: 276 Member
    #6
    My doctors watch my liver numbers......

    And they do seem to elevate with the liver tumors.....last onc visit he said liver numbers are decreasing and it corresponds with the clear liver scan. Just my experience.....good luck and glad you feel good!  ~ Ann

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #7
    AnnLouise said:

    My doctors watch my liver numbers......

    And they do seem to elevate with the liver tumors.....last onc visit he said liver numbers are decreasing and it corresponds with the clear liver scan. Just my experience.....good luck and glad you feel good!  ~ Ann

    Thank you Ann.
    Thank you Ann.
  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #8
    cinreag said:

    Thank you Ann.
    Thank you Ann.

    When Steve went to meet the

    When Steve went to meet the surgeon four months after Hipec, he was feeling great.  Recovered from surgery.  No problems.  Came as a shock to learn that he had seven tumors in his liver. Surgeon said it's normal for there to be no symptoms. Also, during surgery they can't be completely sure that there is no cancer in the liver.  To completely rule it out they need to ultrasound the liver during surgery. (While cavity is open).

    Chelsea

     

  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #9
    cinreag said:

    Thank you Ann.
    Thank you Ann.

    Cinreag –

     

    Re:

    “I just have such a strong almost conviction like feeling that opening me back up isnt thw right thing to do right now”

     

    I always believed in “listening to one’s inner being”. We all were provided the basic instinct for survival, just as all other life forms have. It’s that intuition; that inner voice that somehow tells us what’s right and what’s wrong with whatever we’re about to do. Some of us listen to it, and some of us do not.

     

    Having cancer grow inside us without a sign or warning, gives us reason to doubt ourselves, but it shouldn’t give reason to ignore that voice inside us, that attempts to keep us from injuring ourselves further.

     

    Do yourself a favor and get another opinion from a surgeon, oncologist, or cancer specialist that is –not- of the same group or organization as your present one(s). You need “other opinions” if you're to make any kind of informed choice.

     

    Having a “fatty liver” is nothing unusual, nor is having cancer in the liver. The liver is an organ that can reproduce itself, and having ¾ of that organ removed through surgery hasn’t stopped a liver from growing back.

     

    “Spots” on the liver or other organs can disappear as fast as they appeared. If they were diagnosed as cancer or not doesn’t seem to matter to many oncologists that wish to treat anything “suspicious looking” to them. I won’t speculate on the motive, since there are many very sincere physicians that feel they are just doing what’s best for their patient.

     

    But we should try to remain aware, that no-one knows what’s best for us, than us. We have that inner gift of a basic survival instinct that we alone hear; what someone else might think is best isn’t what’s important.

     

    Your decision for treatment or surgery should be based on as much information as you can get, from as many physicians (surgeons) that you can question. When you get the right answers, you will feel comfortable about the direction you should take.

     

    There’s an old adage: “If in doubt; don’t”.

     

    I’m as guilty of ignoring myself as much as anyone else; I have always suffered because of it.

     

    My best hopes for you,

     

    John

     

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #10
    Chelsea71 said:

    When Steve went to meet the

    When Steve went to meet the surgeon four months after Hipec, he was feeling great.  Recovered from surgery.  No problems.  Came as a shock to learn that he had seven tumors in his liver. Surgeon said it's normal for there to be no symptoms. Also, during surgery they can't be completely sure that there is no cancer in the liver.  To completely rule it out they need to ultrasound the liver during surgery. (While cavity is open).

    Chelsea

     

    Thanks for the info Chelsea

    The GYN is working with the Onc on this matter. He did say that while they have me open he wants another Dr there to look at my liver. If they are planning on an ultrasound nothing has been said about it yet. Im supposed to go get clearance for the surgery from my colon Dr in 2 Weeks. This is really all so Confusing because I got the impression that the gyn was more concerned about the liver than he was about the female stuff. Matter of fact his words were "Im very concerned about your liver". Then when be typed the report for the colon Dr he said need surgery to look at fatty liver. I guess my colon Dr may clear it up for me when I go see him. Im telling you what, I would be totally list if I didn't have this board and you guys who have already been through all of this, who know what is going on!!

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #11
    John23 said:

    Cinreag –

     

    Re:

    “I just have such a strong almost conviction like feeling that opening me back up isnt thw right thing to do right now”

     

    I always believed in “listening to one’s inner being”. We all were provided the basic instinct for survival, just as all other life forms have. It’s that intuition; that inner voice that somehow tells us what’s right and what’s wrong with whatever we’re about to do. Some of us listen to it, and some of us do not.

     

    Having cancer grow inside us without a sign or warning, gives us reason to doubt ourselves, but it shouldn’t give reason to ignore that voice inside us, that attempts to keep us from injuring ourselves further.

     

    Do yourself a favor and get another opinion from a surgeon, oncologist, or cancer specialist that is –not- of the same group or organization as your present one(s). You need “other opinions” if you're to make any kind of informed choice.

     

    Having a “fatty liver” is nothing unusual, nor is having cancer in the liver. The liver is an organ that can reproduce itself, and having ¾ of that organ removed through surgery hasn’t stopped a liver from growing back.

     

    “Spots” on the liver or other organs can disappear as fast as they appeared. If they were diagnosed as cancer or not doesn’t seem to matter to many oncologists that wish to treat anything “suspicious looking” to them. I won’t speculate on the motive, since there are many very sincere physicians that feel they are just doing what’s best for their patient.

     

    But we should try to remain aware, that no-one knows what’s best for us, than us. We have that inner gift of a basic survival instinct that we alone hear; what someone else might think is best isn’t what’s important.

     

    Your decision for treatment or surgery should be based on as much information as you can get, from as many physicians (surgeons) that you can question. When you get the right answers, you will feel comfortable about the direction you should take.

     

    There’s an old adage: “If in doubt; don’t”.

     

    I’m as guilty of ignoring myself as much as anyone else; I have always suffered because of it.

     

    My best hopes for you,

     

    John

     

    Thank you John
    You understand my gut feeling. I "usually" do listen to and obey my gut. But as you know I am starting to doubt. I will read and re-read yours and everyones responses. And take it all to heart.
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    #12
    Liver

    Year before last when I got my annual ct scan they thought a spot on my liver was a [fatty liver] which is common with diabetics,and last year the same spot was a tumor that had grown to golf ball size,it had metastasized,and I had to get a liver resection after doing 5 chemos at once.I had the surgery last july,and I am still having trouble walking,but it is a slow recoveryI think if your having surgery,go ahead and have it checked out while you can.I hate cancer,and I don't want it in my body any longer then I have to.Good luck.I had no symptoms,and felt fine.

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #13
    Liver

    I had no signs of disease.
    The "discovery" of my stage IV CC was actually started by high liver functions during my routine yearly physical. It was one heII of a day!

  • wawaju04976
    wawaju04976 Member Posts: 316 Member
    #14
    PhillieG said:

    Liver

    I had no signs of disease.
    The "discovery" of my stage IV CC was actually started by high liver functions during my routine yearly physical. It was one heII of a day!

    From the getgo of mine, even

    From the getgo of mine, even my liver functions was normal. The only reason mine was discovered was because of an abcess down by the rectum. A CT showed suspicious areas on my liver. When they put my colostomy in to relieve the abcessed area, they biopsied my liver, which came back as colon cancer (thus, stage IV). After my second chemo, I insisted on a colonoscopy (never had one). Guess what...nothing in my colon. So, if it hadn't been for the absess, I would not  have known anything about the liver. Even when I have my bloodwork before my chemo (every other week) my bloodwork shows nothing. Good liver functions...go figure.

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #15
    cinreag said:

    Thank you John
    You understand my gut feeling. I "usually" do listen to and obey my gut. But as you know I am starting to doubt. I will read and re-read yours and everyones responses. And take it all to heart.

    Just be mindful that your

    Just be mindful that your "gut feeling" of what's right for your body, might simply be denial in disguise.

  • cinreag
    cinreag Member Posts: 154
    #16
    wawaju04976 said:

    From the getgo of mine, even

    From the getgo of mine, even my liver functions was normal. The only reason mine was discovered was because of an abcess down by the rectum. A CT showed suspicious areas on my liver. When they put my colostomy in to relieve the abcessed area, they biopsied my liver, which came back as colon cancer (thus, stage IV). After my second chemo, I insisted on a colonoscopy (never had one). Guess what...nothing in my colon. So, if it hadn't been for the absess, I would not  have known anything about the liver. Even when I have my bloodwork before my chemo (every other week) my bloodwork shows nothing. Good liver functions...go figure.

    Thank you all

    How wrong was I in assuming that if you had cancer in your liver that you would know it. Crazy wrong. I certainly have a lot more thinking to do. I dont want to make the wrong decision. If the fibroid cysts are very large the decision will be easy. Surgery and go ahead and check the liver and of course have a look around my colon also. I will keep searching myself, looking into the denial possibility, and listen to my body until I have the ultra sound in June. I will also try to get in to talk with another surgeon, my surgeon who done my small intestine resection is not part of the clinic Drs who are my onc, gyn and gastro team. I will try to talk to him. I trust him a lot. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. Cindy

  • PatchAdams
    PatchAdams Member Posts: 271
    #17
    cinreag said:

    Thank you all

    How wrong was I in assuming that if you had cancer in your liver that you would know it. Crazy wrong. I certainly have a lot more thinking to do. I dont want to make the wrong decision. If the fibroid cysts are very large the decision will be easy. Surgery and go ahead and check the liver and of course have a look around my colon also. I will keep searching myself, looking into the denial possibility, and listen to my body until I have the ultra sound in June. I will also try to get in to talk with another surgeon, my surgeon who done my small intestine resection is not part of the clinic Drs who are my onc, gyn and gastro team. I will try to talk to him. I trust him a lot. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge. Cindy

    My liver numbers were off with.........

    The only time my liver function numbers were 'off' was during a gall bladder attack.  I had that removed but NO symptoms with the small liver met I had removed over a year ago.

     

     

  • renw
    renw Member Posts: 282 Member
    #18
    I had no symptoms untill

    I had no symptoms untill about 70% of my liver was consumed by cancer. Then things went down hill very quickly. The reason for concern is that its liver failure which is one of the most common causes of death. Conside this, a cancer cell can multiply 3 times every day. It does not take long for things to spiral out of control.

  • bigman4christ
    bigman4christ Member Posts: 87
    #19
    hey Cinreag

    I also have several larger tumors in my liver that the Dr. oroginally thought were just fatty tissue as well, even after the first biopsy it showed as begnin but after the second biopsy on another spot it came back positive.  I didnt really feel any signs/symptoms of the liver either.  i know that my Dr. are also worried about the liver because that is a vital organ that needs to be kept in good working order. My advice would be to listen to your Dr. and tell them your worries and make them convince you that they are doing the right thing for you.

    Zach

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