pain in right side.

rls67
rls67 Member Posts: 127
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just found out that my wife is having pain in her right side. It is simaler to the pain she had a year ago when she found out she had colon cancer that had spread to her liver. It has been going on for about a week now. It is on her right side under her ribcage. I asked her why didn't she tell me sooner, she said she didn't want to worry me. Well know I am worried. So far she has had 11 rounds of folfox and 8 rounds of folfiri. 

   She was just extended from treatment from every two weeks to every three weeks. She has a treatment coming up this monday. I told her to call the doctors today, but she is scared. Has anyone ever experience this kind of pain? Is this normal? Could it be getting worse? I am so scared and naturally think the worst. If anyone can help, please do. Thank you.

Comments

  • esk2poo
    esk2poo Member Posts: 25
    #2
    Just a lurker

    Does your wifhave her gall bladder? I had the same pain throughout my treatments and they kept doing ultrasounds and scans and nothing significant. A year later after a hida scan, I had to have mine out. No problems since. I see a lot of cancer patients have to have theirs out. Not sure if chemo damages it or not. Not everythinIsis cancer fortunately and hoping for you guys that this is not.

    good luck!

    Allen

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #3
    Worse

    In my personal experience, the longer I leave calling the Doctor the worse the pain gets, and that has more ot do with stress, which accentuates the pain. So, scared or not, have her call the Oncologist. The longer she waits, the more she will stress, and stress is not good for the cancer. 

    Good luck and keep us posted. 

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #4
    Trubrit said:

    Worse

    In my personal experience, the longer I leave calling the Doctor the worse the pain gets, and that has more ot do with stress, which accentuates the pain. So, scared or not, have her call the Oncologist. The longer she waits, the more she will stress, and stress is not good for the cancer. 

    Good luck and keep us posted. 

    Agree,

    We have all kinds of aches and pains when we have cancer. Cancer is no joke once you have it. In my opinion you expect the worst and verify and clarify immediatelly By calling the doctor and insist thorough investigation. If we did this before our diagnosis we would not have so many Stage 3 and Stage 4 patients.

    Please act ASAP!

    Laz

  • rls67
    rls67 Member Posts: 127
    #5
    Thank you all for your

    Thank you all for your advice. Yes she has had her galbladder out about ten years ago. She called the drs. office and they think her liver might be iratated and if she needs it to take some pain meds. I guess I am relieved. Not sure what is causing the iritation. She is due for a ct scan soon. maybe we could push that up. 

  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #6
    rls67 said:

    Thank you all for your

    Thank you all for your advice. Yes she has had her galbladder out about ten years ago. She called the drs. office and they think her liver might be iratated and if she needs it to take some pain meds. I guess I am relieved. Not sure what is causing the iritation. She is due for a ct scan soon. maybe we could push that up. 

    It couldn't hurt to get the scan sooner...

    especially as these symptoms are similar to what she experienced before.  I think it's best to find out right away.  If it turns out that this chemo isn't working (which was my experience), you don't want to do more rounds than you have to.  And if surgery is called for, better to do it sooner rather than later in many cases.  I'm hoping, though, that it turns out to be something more benign..certainly adhesions can be quite painful if she had surgery in that area.

    Keep us posted~AA

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #7
    annalexandria said:

    It couldn't hurt to get the scan sooner...

    especially as these symptoms are similar to what she experienced before.  I think it's best to find out right away.  If it turns out that this chemo isn't working (which was my experience), you don't want to do more rounds than you have to.  And if surgery is called for, better to do it sooner rather than later in many cases.  I'm hoping, though, that it turns out to be something more benign..certainly adhesions can be quite painful if she had surgery in that area.

    Keep us posted~AA

    I do

    Yep. I have that pain and its scar tissue. I would mention it to ONC though. 

  • rls67
    rls67 Member Posts: 127
    #8
    Thank you AA and Nanab. She

    Thank you AA and Nanab. She tells me she can handle the pain without medication. She says she feels it most when she yawns, takes a deep breath or hiccups. Her next treatment is monday and i am going to ask the dr if he can do a ct scan sooner, rather then wait another three weeks before her next appt. 

           I have another question though. If the folfiri isn't working anymore (hypothetical of course) and folfox stopped working what is next? We are told she is unoperable. What other treatments are available? This has me very scared. Please help. Thank you all.

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    #9
    rls67 said:

    Thank you AA and Nanab. She

    Thank you AA and Nanab. She tells me she can handle the pain without medication. She says she feels it most when she yawns, takes a deep breath or hiccups. Her next treatment is monday and i am going to ask the dr if he can do a ct scan sooner, rather then wait another three weeks before her next appt. 

           I have another question though. If the folfiri isn't working anymore (hypothetical of course) and folfox stopped working what is next? We are told she is unoperable. What other treatments are available? This has me very scared. Please help. Thank you all.

    Hi,
    You should ask your

    Hi,

    You should ask your doctor now if he thinks that she might qualify for drug trials if Folfiri stops working.

    Take care,

    C

  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #10
    LivinginNH said:

    Hi,
    You should ask your

    Hi,

    You should ask your doctor now if he thinks that she might qualify for drug trials if Folfiri stops working.

    Take care,

    C

    Lets hope that they do work.

    Lets hope that they do work. Positive energy. There are other options but I would focus on now. It's going to work, it's going to work...  :)

  • Chelsea71
    Chelsea71 Member Posts: 1,169 Member
    #11
    rls67 said:

    Thank you AA and Nanab. She

    Thank you AA and Nanab. She tells me she can handle the pain without medication. She says she feels it most when she yawns, takes a deep breath or hiccups. Her next treatment is monday and i am going to ask the dr if he can do a ct scan sooner, rather then wait another three weeks before her next appt. 

           I have another question though. If the folfiri isn't working anymore (hypothetical of course) and folfox stopped working what is next? We are told she is unoperable. What other treatments are available? This has me very scared. Please help. Thank you all.

    Cynthia is right.  Stay one

    Cynthia is right.  Stay one step ahead.  Always have a plan b.  A piece of her tumor should be tested to find out if she has the kras mutation.  If she does not have this mutation then she is the wild type.  This means Erbitux is the next chemo to move on to.  If the kras mutation is present, then Erbitux will not work.  Next one is likely Stigvara or a clinical trial. 

     

    What does her bloodwork look like?  Are the bilirubin, ALP, ALT etc all increasing in number?  If so, then it is very possible the chemo is no longer working.  Try to get the scan moved up.  If Folfiri is no longer cutting it, it's best she move on to the next chemo before the tumors get out of control.  Don't leave it up to the doctors to worry about.  Be a strong advocate for your wife.

  • rls67
    rls67 Member Posts: 127
    #12
    Chelsea71 said:

    Cynthia is right.  Stay one

    Cynthia is right.  Stay one step ahead.  Always have a plan b.  A piece of her tumor should be tested to find out if she has the kras mutation.  If she does not have this mutation then she is the wild type.  This means Erbitux is the next chemo to move on to.  If the kras mutation is present, then Erbitux will not work.  Next one is likely Stigvara or a clinical trial. 

     

    What does her bloodwork look like?  Are the bilirubin, ALP, ALT etc all increasing in number?  If so, then it is very possible the chemo is no longer working.  Try to get the scan moved up.  If Folfiri is no longer cutting it, it's best she move on to the next chemo before the tumors get out of control.  Don't leave it up to the doctors to worry about.  Be a strong advocate for your wife.

    Wow chelsea, you gave me so

    Wow chelsea, you gave me so much good advice. I am going to right this down so i can ask the dr. on monday. It is so great to have such wonderful people on here. You are right nanab, i must stay positive. I must also stay one step ahead. Thank you all wonderful people. 

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