Avistan minus chemo

wawaju04976
wawaju04976 Member Posts: 316 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I am scheduled for my 18th folfox tx w/avistan. I had surgery in June, was four weeks before and four weeks after without avistan. During this time my liver tumors enlarged, but nothing metastisized (pet scan two weeks ago, because of pain when breathing, difficulty breathing). My infusion last week was my third with avistan since surgery. I'm noticing symptoms of the avistan (blood clot when blowing nose, etc.). I think, however, I am feeling the effects of the 17 treatments I have had. I feel I need to stop the chemo and continue the avistan, but I worry what the outcome will be (as we all are, I know). I've been extremely depressed over the last two weeks, worrying about dying (I had done well before my reversal surgery this summer). Any tips, ideas, would be extremely helpful at this point...

Judy

Comments

  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
    #2
    boy

    you sound just like me.i have a infusion of avastin this wednesday and ct scan on thursday and then see my onc the following monday.the side effects of my xeloda have been accumilating so i called my onc to see if i could back the dosage off just for this last week before my scan and he has taken me off the xeloda.when the nurse told me that i started crying and she said are you ok and i told her when i am off chemo my tumors usually start growing.she said not to worry because i still have a high level of the chemo in my body and the level is so high that it has become toxic and that is why i need to be off.i am just so afraid to take a break but i know i just need to put it all in the Lords hands and He will take care of me.take care and just know you are not alone with the feelings you are having...Godbless...johnnybegood

  • wawaju04976
    wawaju04976 Member Posts: 316 Member
    #3
    johnnybegood said:

    boy

    you sound just like me.i have a infusion of avastin this wednesday and ct scan on thursday and then see my onc the following monday.the side effects of my xeloda have been accumilating so i called my onc to see if i could back the dosage off just for this last week before my scan and he has taken me off the xeloda.when the nurse told me that i started crying and she said are you ok and i told her when i am off chemo my tumors usually start growing.she said not to worry because i still have a high level of the chemo in my body and the level is so high that it has become toxic and that is why i need to be off.i am just so afraid to take a break but i know i just need to put it all in the Lords hands and He will take care of me.take care and just know you are not alone with the feelings you are having...Godbless...johnnybegood

    God Bless You; sometimes it

    God Bless You; sometimes it just helps to know someone else has had these questions, thoughts, issues, etc.!

    Judy

  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #4
    johnnybegood said:

    boy

    you sound just like me.i have a infusion of avastin this wednesday and ct scan on thursday and then see my onc the following monday.the side effects of my xeloda have been accumilating so i called my onc to see if i could back the dosage off just for this last week before my scan and he has taken me off the xeloda.when the nurse told me that i started crying and she said are you ok and i told her when i am off chemo my tumors usually start growing.she said not to worry because i still have a high level of the chemo in my body and the level is so high that it has become toxic and that is why i need to be off.i am just so afraid to take a break but i know i just need to put it all in the Lords hands and He will take care of me.take care and just know you are not alone with the feelings you are having...Godbless...johnnybegood

    About 5 weeks

    The liver surgeon I had told me not to be worried, he said you'll be surprised that the chemo would still be shrinking those tumors up to 5 weeks without after stopping.

  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #5
    Avastin only
    So my experience on Avastin only, I couldn't afford the Xeloda copay anymore (I think it was 400 a month) so went Avastin only for 6 months. I had been off it then two months prior. In July last year while on Avastin only I have a new primary, I had numerous liver, and 2new tumors show up in my thorax. I went back to Avastin, Oxi and Xeloda but it had stopped working for me. My onc., when I told him I was going on Avastin only, that Avastin worked in conjunction with Xeloda but didn't know how well it would do on it's own.
    Now it could of been just because my body decided that the previous chemo would no longer work (I had to switch chemo) because neither the Oxi or the Xeloda worked anymore either.
    Winter Marie
  • danker
    danker Member Posts: 1,276 Member
    #6
    herdizziness said:

    Avastin only
    So my experience on Avastin only, I couldn't afford the Xeloda copay anymore (I think it was 400 a month) so went Avastin only for 6 months. I had been off it then two months prior. In July last year while on Avastin only I have a new primary, I had numerous liver, and 2new tumors show up in my thorax. I went back to Avastin, Oxi and Xeloda but it had stopped working for me. My onc., when I told him I was going on Avastin only, that Avastin worked in conjunction with Xeloda but didn't know how well it would do on it's own.
    Now it could of been just because my body decided that the previous chemo would no longer work (I had to switch chemo) because neither the Oxi or the Xeloda worked anymore either.
    Winter Marie

    Avistin

    We like to think we, or the doctors are in control.  What an illusion!! God is in control and will be until He brings us home.  May all of you trust in Him!!

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #7
    Dear Judy,

    I know that pain and no energy are great masters. They influence our mind like nothing else. They shrink your world into a tiny place where we can mainly think of fear, anxiety and maybe the ultimate end.

    But thanks god our mind is also very flexible and with a little training you can broaden that shrunken world by talking to your loved ones, health professionals and friends about your most intimate greatest fears. Words are like wings. If you attach them to your emotions, these emotions good or bad just take off like white  doves and fly away as we follow them with our eyes with the blue sky in the background. Give your fears wings by verbalizing them as much as you need to, to people in your life and here on the forum and they will leave you alone. I know you do that already every day with your love and kindness.

    The other thing you have to remember is that no matter how sick you are, you are still you... Judy, with all you beauty, kindness, skills, knowledge. You still have so much to offer to the people around you every single day, you just happen to be ill. We all feel your kindness and love radiating from you to us even throught the cold electronics of this internet and I hope you feel the same from us to you all the time even when you sleep.

    Never give up hope, love and kindness,

    Laz

  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #8
    Judy,
     
    I would try to target

    Judy,

     

    I would try to target the liver directly.  Look into chemoembolisation etc...  The fact that it's contained to your liver is very good.  

     

    Chelsea

  • joemetz
    joemetz Member Posts: 493
    #9
    asked my onc

    I had a meeting my oncologist today, and i am on Folfuri + Avastin.

    I've been on this combination since June 1st, and we've had ZERO growth and zero spread. (this is really good news, as when I was on Xeloda & Avastin it stopped working.

    So, today I asked him about Avastin alone and he strongly believes that avastin alone is a waste of time and money. He's never seen avastin alone to be successful.

    again... this is HIS opinon. and remember, he's only one oncologist.

     

  • wawaju04976
    wawaju04976 Member Posts: 316 Member
    #10
    joemetz said:

    asked my onc

    I had a meeting my oncologist today, and i am on Folfuri + Avastin.

    I've been on this combination since June 1st, and we've had ZERO growth and zero spread. (this is really good news, as when I was on Xeloda & Avastin it stopped working.

    So, today I asked him about Avastin alone and he strongly believes that avastin alone is a waste of time and money. He's never seen avastin alone to be successful.

    again... this is HIS opinon. and remember, he's only one oncologist.

     

    LOL thanks for asking your

    LOL thanks for asking your oncologist. I wanna hear different opinions.

    Judy

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