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Duane61
Duane61 Member Posts: 29
edited March 2014 in Esophageal Cancer #1
My name is Duane, 48 years young. I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I was diagnosed with EC on 10-16-09. Had surgery 11-20-09 and now on second round of chemo. Back prior to 1995 I was having issues with acid reflux, indigestion and the like. I was treated with normal acid reducing meds. Then I went to a Gastro Doctor and he did a scope and found a hiatal hernia and a few ulcers. I was then sent to a surgeon for a Nission procedure (1995) that sealed the hernia and cured the ulcers.

I had not had any issues with indigestion or reflux until June 2009. I put it off as stress with my job. It got worse as time went on and I finally went back to my Gastro Doctor and he expected to find Barretts Esophageas. Imagine his and MY surprise when he advised me I had a EC tumor the size of a lemon. The tumor was located exactly where they had done surgery back in 1995 for hernia.

So everything went into high gear for testing, surgeon, MRI, Scans and all that involved stuff. I have an excellent surgeon and oncologist. My issues now are dealing with eating different, as they removed 1/3 of my stomach and 1/3 of my esophageas. I am about to start my third round of chemo. I am having issues after chemo and started reading your comments and finding comfort as well as helpful hints that might just get me through this ordeal.

My main challenge today is finding that correct mix of nausea meds to help with problems after chemo. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Duane61

Comments

  • Betty in Vegas
    Betty in Vegas Member Posts: 290 Member
    #2
    wondering your stage
    Seems like they did surgery first, so I'm thinking stage i or ii? Would also help to know where you are getting your treatment. :)

    Layne has had good luck w zofran and ginger...I try to give him gingersnaps--gingerale is not so good since he had the surgery. <bubbly drinks don't work well :)

    Betty
  • Duane61
    Duane61 Member Posts: 29
    #3
    Betty in Vegas said:

    wondering your stage
    Seems like they did surgery first, so I'm thinking stage i or ii? Would also help to know where you are getting your treatment. :)

    Layne has had good luck w zofran and ginger...I try to give him gingersnaps--gingerale is not so good since he had the surgery.

    Stage
    Stage 2. My Gastro Doctor and Surgeon both agreed that due to my younger age and that I was in good health we should do surgery and remove the tumor. Lympnoids were removed and tested. Test came back that 5 out of 9 were suspect and so chemo was started. I am receiving chemo at the Oncology Clinic in Little Rock, Arkanas. So far I have went through three meds, including zofran, they all made me worse. We finally tried Lorazepam (Antivan)1 mg 3 times a day and then added Anzemet, 100 mg during days of chemo. It is getting better. I also found that gingerale is not much help. How do you use the ginger? Gingersnaps...as in the cookie?

    Duane
  • Betty in Vegas
    Betty in Vegas Member Posts: 290 Member
    #4
    Duane61 said:

    Stage
    Stage 2. My Gastro Doctor and Surgeon both agreed that due to my younger age and that I was in good health we should do surgery and remove the tumor. Lympnoids were removed and tested. Test came back that 5 out of 9 were suspect and so chemo was started. I am receiving chemo at the Oncology Clinic in Little Rock, Arkanas. So far I have went through three meds, including zofran, they all made me worse. We finally tried Lorazepam (Antivan)1 mg 3 times a day and then added Anzemet, 100 mg during days of chemo. It is getting better. I also found that gingerale is not much help. How do you use the ginger? Gingersnaps...as in the cookie?

    Duane

    He takes it in capsule form
    And I give him gingersnaps from time to time, too. :)

    Suspect...hmmm.... seems to me that pathology is either yes or no...how weird. Stage 2 is GREAT Though. GREAT.

    I wish I could help more with the nausea. I know it is awful. Layne does find getting out in the air, even to the porch helps a lot.

    Betty
  • MOE58
    MOE58 Member Posts: 589 Member
    #5
    SOUNDS LIKE YOU AND MY HUSBAND HAD THE SAME
    Duane,

    Welcome, first off let me tell you a little on my husband Jeff, he was 45 years old good health and also had acid reflux from working so much swing shift, his dr too was going to treat him for ulcers, since everything was negative but due to the fact he was still complaining they did ultrasounds thinking it was his gallbladder finally the doctor sent him to be scoped and found the tumor the same way, what a surprise for us, he had a tumor the size of yours also and had the same surgery you did, he went through Chemo first, and then surgery on July 23, and is doing really good, he also was diagnosed with stage 2 and not in the lymph nodes, at all. He did not have to have the radiation or no more chemo right now. When he was having so much nausea we did the compazine, but during the chemo he took what they call EMEND, its very expensive without insurance, but it sure works, he never had nausea other than just a nauseaous feeling. You will have to learn to eat different and in smaller portions, and somedays he craved things I would never think of, I swear I thought he was pregnant, cause he ate pickles, olives, and pickled okra by the jar fulls, and sweets lots of them, along with popcorn.

    We all are one happy family here we vent we cry we laugh and we try to help each other, some are waiting on surgery some are post op and some cant have the surgery but for other reasons beyond our control or GOD's control.

    If we can help please let us know, and we wear the BIG GIRL PANTIES AND BIG BOY UNDERWEAR HERE.

    WE Live in Tulsa not far from arkansas so we are kinda of neighbors.

    Take care
    Lori aka MOE
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #6
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • MOE58
    MOE58 Member Posts: 589 Member
    #7
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    when you type like that it makes it where i cant see it
    Okay dad when you type this way it cuts part of mine off go back to the other way. Thanks dad talk soon

    your loving cyber daughter MOE
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #8
    MOE58 said:

    when you type like that it makes it where i cant see it
    Okay dad when you type this way it cuts part of mine off go back to the other way. Thanks dad talk soon

    your loving cyber daughter MOE

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • Duane61
    Duane61 Member Posts: 29
    #9
    Betty in Vegas said:

    He takes it in capsule form
    And I give him gingersnaps from time to time, too. :)

    Suspect...hmmm.... seems to me that pathology is either yes or no...how weird. Stage 2 is GREAT Though. GREAT.

    I wish I could help more with the nausea. I know it is awful. Layne does find getting out in the air, even to the porch helps a lot.

    Betty

    Thank you for the
    Thank you for the information. Have a great day.

    Duane
  • Duane61
    Duane61 Member Posts: 29
    #10
    MOE58 said:

    SOUNDS LIKE YOU AND MY HUSBAND HAD THE SAME
    Duane,

    Welcome, first off let me tell you a little on my husband Jeff, he was 45 years old good health and also had acid reflux from working so much swing shift, his dr too was going to treat him for ulcers, since everything was negative but due to the fact he was still complaining they did ultrasounds thinking it was his gallbladder finally the doctor sent him to be scoped and found the tumor the same way, what a surprise for us, he had a tumor the size of yours also and had the same surgery you did, he went through Chemo first, and then surgery on July 23, and is doing really good, he also was diagnosed with stage 2 and not in the lymph nodes, at all. He did not have to have the radiation or no more chemo right now. When he was having so much nausea we did the compazine, but during the chemo he took what they call EMEND, its very expensive without insurance, but it sure works, he never had nausea other than just a nauseaous feeling. You will have to learn to eat different and in smaller portions, and somedays he craved things I would never think of, I swear I thought he was pregnant, cause he ate pickles, olives, and pickled okra by the jar fulls, and sweets lots of them, along with popcorn.

    We all are one happy family here we vent we cry we laugh and we try to help each other, some are waiting on surgery some are post op and some cant have the surgery but for other reasons beyond our control or GOD's control.

    If we can help please let us know, and we wear the BIG GIRL PANTIES AND BIG BOY UNDERWEAR HERE.

    WE Live in Tulsa not far from arkansas so we are kinda of neighbors.

    Take care
    Lori aka MOE

    Thank you for the additional
    Thank you for the additional information. I will check into EMEND. I too have been craving things I normally wouldn't and things I liked now taste very different. Thank you again for helping.


    Duane61
  • Duane61
    Duane61 Member Posts: 29
    #11
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    I feel very lucky that the
    I feel very lucky that the tumor was found early and I am almost half-way through chemo. I will review the information,
    videos, and sites you shared. I thank you for your sharing of information. Have a great day.

    Duane61
  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #12
    Hi Duane and welcome to this
    Hi Duane and welcome to this csn family! Your story is almost exactly like my dad's. Minus the ulcer. Treated for acid reflux and hyatil hernia for many many years. Never had scope done until we found it was at stage IV. Unbelievable!! Anyway.....the nausea. ugh. I know. I have found that one of the best rememdies is ginger. You can buy ground ginger and capsules. You can suck on ginger pieces, or drink ginger ale. The ginger has a natural way to soothe the stomach. If the drs prescribed an anti nausea med, and it is not working for you, ask for another kind. Best of luck. Congrats on a great job fighting this cancer!!
    Tina
  • mumphy
    mumphy Member Posts: 440
    #13
    Tina Blondek said:

    Hi Duane and welcome to this
    Hi Duane and welcome to this csn family! Your story is almost exactly like my dad's. Minus the ulcer. Treated for acid reflux and hyatil hernia for many many years. Never had scope done until we found it was at stage IV. Unbelievable!! Anyway.....the nausea. ugh. I know. I have found that one of the best rememdies is ginger. You can buy ground ginger and capsules. You can suck on ginger pieces, or drink ginger ale. The ginger has a natural way to soothe the stomach. If the drs prescribed an anti nausea med, and it is not working for you, ask for another kind. Best of luck. Congrats on a great job fighting this cancer!!
    Tina

    Welcome Duane
    Hi,

    Read your initial post it sounds as if your Dr.s have been pretty much on top of things for a while.

    Sorry that you had to come to this site but welcome. I am not going to go over our entire history. It has been a long battle for us. My husband Al has stage IV. You can read over my many posts if you like.

    Please feel free to ask questions or to come and just vent someone is always here to help.

    Thank you for you well wishes.

    God Bless
    Kathy aka Mumphy
  • Duane61
    Duane61 Member Posts: 29
    #14
    Tina Blondek said:

    Hi Duane and welcome to this
    Hi Duane and welcome to this csn family! Your story is almost exactly like my dad's. Minus the ulcer. Treated for acid reflux and hyatil hernia for many many years. Never had scope done until we found it was at stage IV. Unbelievable!! Anyway.....the nausea. ugh. I know. I have found that one of the best rememdies is ginger. You can buy ground ginger and capsules. You can suck on ginger pieces, or drink ginger ale. The ginger has a natural way to soothe the stomach. If the drs prescribed an anti nausea med, and it is not working for you, ask for another kind. Best of luck. Congrats on a great job fighting this cancer!!
    Tina

    Helpful
    Thanks for the helpful tips. I will look for the ground ginger. So far gingerale has not helped. Thanks again for the hints. Have a greaat day
  • Duane61
    Duane61 Member Posts: 29
    #15
    mumphy said:

    Welcome Duane
    Hi,

    Read your initial post it sounds as if your Dr.s have been pretty much on top of things for a while.

    Sorry that you had to come to this site but welcome. I am not going to go over our entire history. It has been a long battle for us. My husband Al has stage IV. You can read over my many posts if you like.

    Please feel free to ask questions or to come and just vent someone is always here to help.

    Thank you for you well wishes.

    God Bless
    Kathy aka Mumphy

    Stories
    Thank you. Reading all these stories has been a great help to me. I learn a little something from each persons journey. It is also a great relief knowing that there are others out there that share their thoughts, frustrations, and successes.




    Bless all of you,

    Duane61

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