Starting Treatment Again

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rmkbrad
rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Well I got my PET scan results back and I still have a tumor at the base of my tongue left side. My last PET showed hot spots on the right side also and now they are all gone. I talked to the doctors this week and I will have to start four sessions of chemo. Cysplatin this time, I had Carboplatin last time and boy did it make me sick. I hope the side effects are not as bad this time. Then during the fourth session I will have brachytherpy, we think. I am not looking forward to this, I really want to know how much the tumor has grown since my last PET. If it has just grown a little I would like to avoid treatment during the holidays and start after the first of the year. I have convinced myself that I will die of old age and not the dang cancer. The cancer just gave me an excuse to retire early and enjoy life and my family.

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  • luv2cut1
    luv2cut1 Member Posts: 288
    #2
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    HOLD THAT THOUGHT
    Hold that thought that you will die of old age! You will beat this. I hope this round of treatment is not terrible, but if it is, know we will be here to support you and that in the end it will be worth it!

    Take care,
    Myka
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    #3
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    luv2cut1 said:

    HOLD THAT THOUGHT
    Hold that thought that you will die of old age! You will beat this. I hope this round of treatment is not terrible, but if it is, know we will be here to support you and that in the end it will be worth it!

    Take care,
    Myka

    just think about this:
    Just think about this we are all cancer fighters and you will come back as a stronger person at the end.
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #4
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    Sorry to hear
    mkbrad, jeez, so sorry to hear the tumor is still there and a new round of treatment is needed. My best to you and yours. Stay strong. Cheers

    Jimbo
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #5
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    Attitude
    So sorry to hear that you will need more treatment but with your attitude you will definitely beat it and die of old age :)

    I can understand your wanting to wait until after the holidays to start treatment but I'm a wuss and would want to start fighting it yesterday before it could grown any more. My best to you during your treatments and the holidays.

    Stay strong,
    Glenna
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #6
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    Glenna M said:

    Attitude
    So sorry to hear that you will need more treatment but with your attitude you will definitely beat it and die of old age :)

    I can understand your wanting to wait until after the holidays to start treatment but I'm a wuss and would want to start fighting it yesterday before it could grown any more. My best to you during your treatments and the holidays.

    Stay strong,
    Glenna

    Wishing you only the very
    Wishing you only the very best! Stay strong and positive.
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #7
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    You CAN do this!
    Brad,

    I know you can get through this! You're gonna live to be a very old man with a very bad temper. You'll be using your walking stick to chase the great-grandkids out of the flowerbeds.

    Cisplatin has been described elsewhere here as the "raging bull" of the chemo world. I know it was for me. Just keep repeating my mantra "Aloxi, Decadron, Emend, Zofran, Compazine, Ativan." and "Hydration, hydration, hydration." Ask for all that stuff up front, during, and for a week after each treatment.

    I'm holding only positive thoughts for you.

    Deb
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #8
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    D Lewis said:

    You CAN do this!
    Brad,

    I know you can get through this! You're gonna live to be a very old man with a very bad temper. You'll be using your walking stick to chase the great-grandkids out of the flowerbeds.

    Cisplatin has been described elsewhere here as the "raging bull" of the chemo world. I know it was for me. Just keep repeating my mantra "Aloxi, Decadron, Emend, Zofran, Compazine, Ativan." and "Hydration, hydration, hydration." Ask for all that stuff up front, during, and for a week after each treatment.

    I'm holding only positive thoughts for you.

    Deb

    Thanks for the responses
    The one thing that really sucks about this is, I finally really feel good. I have been able to finish some real projects around the house and do things with my sons. Now I feel like I am going to take a huge step backwards, like 9 months. Yesterday a lady at a resteraunt we eat at asked me if the food was ok, I guess because I was hacking. I just politly said yes, I really wanted to say, lady you take 45 shots of radiation to the neck and see how good you swallow. Anyway thanks for the support.

    brad
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450
    #9
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    rmkbrad said:

    Thanks for the responses
    The one thing that really sucks about this is, I finally really feel good. I have been able to finish some real projects around the house and do things with my sons. Now I feel like I am going to take a huge step backwards, like 9 months. Yesterday a lady at a resteraunt we eat at asked me if the food was ok, I guess because I was hacking. I just politly said yes, I really wanted to say, lady you take 45 shots of radiation to the neck and see how good you swallow. Anyway thanks for the support.

    brad

    Emend
    Emend got me through Cisplatin. I can highly recommend it.
    If you got through 45 rads, you can get through this.

    --Jim inDelaare
  • KristynRuth86
    KristynRuth86 Member Posts: 140
    #10
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    delnative said:

    Emend
    Emend got me through Cisplatin. I can highly recommend it.
    If you got through 45 rads, you can get through this.

    --Jim inDelaare

    Understand!
    Brad, I completely understand you not wanting to go through anymore treatments. I told myself that if my cancer comes back I won't go through treatment again, it's too brutal. It takes away your quality of life, I know the end result is worth it and it's life saving, but I just couldn't go through all of that all over again. So I totally understand what you're saying. I am so so so so sorry you're tumor is still there :'( I will be praying for you, I hope you enjoy your holidays and just stay positive!
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #11
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    Stick with it Brad
    Tough news for a tougher guy Brad. Good idea about starting treatment after the holidays, I hope that works out for you. Cisplatin is cancer's worst enemy, and it's do-able. It will go a bit easier since you don't have to do the radiation with it.

    Hal
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #12
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    Hal61 said:

    Stick with it Brad
    Tough news for a tougher guy Brad. Good idea about starting treatment after the holidays, I hope that works out for you. Cisplatin is cancer's worst enemy, and it's do-able. It will go a bit easier since you don't have to do the radiation with it.

    Hal

    Brad!
    I am so sorry you have to go through more treatment, But you will pull through ok! Cisplatin is no picnic but at least no added rads to go along with it. I wish you & your family my best!
    God Bless
    Roz
  • Army_Guy
    Army_Guy Member Posts: 53
    #13
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    Stay Strong...
    Hi Brad,

    Sorry to hear that you have to go through the minefield again! I just wanted to tell you I had 6 chemo treatments with Cisplatin coupled with 56 radiation treatments this past summer. Fewer than 5% of all Cisplatin patients ever get sick. It has some potential bad side effects but as we've all learned everyone's body reacts differently to everything. The good part was they used some steriods during the infusion and that at least gave me a 36-hour boost! By the way, the Cisplatin killed my tumor in two sessions and I just had my first post-treatment PET scan and I'm currently cancer-free.

    I believe that part of the battle plan needs to be attitude. Stay strong, think positive and tell yourself you're gonna make it. I too believe I'll die of old age...and so will you.

    Dave
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #14
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    Old Age
    I am with you brad, lets make it old age. Good luck and God be with you my friend
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #15
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    Cisplatin & Emend
    You can do it buddy, you've already been through worse.

    The Cisplatin is a bit stronger than Carboplatin (I've had both)....but like Delnative (Jim) mentioned, make sure you get the Rx for EMEND..It's expensive but well worth the price.

    My Cisplatin was along with Taxotere and5FU in three week cycles (nine weeks total, three cycles). The Carboplatin was seven weeks (once per week concurrent with the 35 daily rads)...just Zofran during the Carboplatin.

    During the Cisplatin cycles, I would lose taste for about two weeks, then start feeling good again the last week before starting again.

    None of this is to get you down, just to give you an idea of my reactions....I made it through, and you will also... The concurrent Carboplatin and Radiation was the worse, primarily because of the radiation, so that's why I say you have been through much worse already...

    Main thing is to drink plenty of fluids, flushing it out, and staying hydrated.

    Best,
    John
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #16
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    CISPLATIN TREATMENT
    You can do this. I went through radiation and Cisplatin. Get the emend and the hydration IV's before and after each treatment. I still think the radiation is what caused most of my side effects, not the Cisplatin.

    Best to you and your family

    Mike
  • Pumakitty
    Pumakitty Member Posts: 652
    #17
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    Good Luck with this round
    I will keep thinking of you. My dad had some activity stil show on his tongue, so he may be going the same path as you. We will find out at the end of the year. I know that you can beat this. Keep up the determined attituded and you will knock this monster on it butt.


    Kathy
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #18
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    Pumakitty said:

    Good Luck with this round
    I will keep thinking of you. My dad had some activity stil show on his tongue, so he may be going the same path as you. We will find out at the end of the year. I know that you can beat this. Keep up the determined attituded and you will knock this monster on it butt.


    Kathy

    Brad
    Brad,

    Good luck with this round of chemo! I agree with you. Good to hear you plan on being around with me and all the others on this site for a long, long time!

    Hang tough man!

    Greg

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