First post.

welcome
Sorry you had to find us. I hate it when doctors decide to play God and give us an expiration date; nobody knows how long we have and he is making a "best guess" based on statistics that are old. We WILL all die, someday, but who says it's the cancer that's going to get us, and who says it's going to be shortly? You will find that if you stay around and look around a bit, there are a lot of us here, some have been fighting a short time, some have been fighting a long time. We are all on various points of our journey. I was initially diagnosed in 2004 with stage IIIB of the colon. I had a recurrence in 2006 on my right ovary, and this tumor produced large amounts of fluid, which did show cancer cells as well. As you can see, it's now 4 plus years later, and I have had more recurrences, more chemo, but I'm still here to see my grand baby and piss other people off! I would get a second opinion from a doctor that is willing to give you hope not an expiration date. Your being in good health at diagnosis is in your favor. There are people on here who have gone the alternative route solely, others have used alternatives to complement western medicine. I am sure they will chime in here. I wanted to welcome you and tell you there is hope. Please stick around!
mary

Welcome
I too am sorry you find it necessary to be here, but if there is one thing you will find here it is hope.

I heartly agree with the other posters...get another opinion...and another after that until you find a doc who is willing to treat you as a living patient, not a dying one.

There is no doubt about it that we will all die sometime, but there is no need for any doctor to rush you there. There are lots of treatments out there and trials. There is a great possibility there is one out there that will keep you at the very least stable.

While with the diagnosis it becomes prudent to 'get our affairs in order', that doesn't mean our loved ones should count on an inhertance any time soon. Members Sundanceh and Lisa42 are two who come to mind who have been fighting with anything and everything and are still here. Try the search at the top right of the page on their names and you can bring up their posts...I am sure they will be on to offer more personal note soon.

Another member here (Kerry S), who just had reconnect surgery, has a saying " Attitude, Attitude, Attitude". So hang around here, read some of the posts during the last month or so and let the others here give you an idea of what is out there that might help.

Marie who loves kitties

Marty...

You're in a tough place right now. That 6 month prognosis is
based on what the doctor feels your cancer(s) will look like at
that projected time. It's not based on "statistics", it's based on
reality, and I would take it the way it is.

If you can find something that will stop, or at least slow, the cancer's
progression, that 6 month prognosis changes to reflect the newer
and slower growth rate.

Although I advocate Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a
viable alternative to western medicine, TCM works slowly, and
you simply do not have the time for it. If/when the cancer slows
to a crawl, it might be a good venture.... if you are rejecting the
western medicine route.

So what to do? As other mentioned, get other opinions from qualified
gastrointestinal specialists and colorectal surgeons. Make certain they
-are not- of the same organization, association, or area.

Good doctors always welcome other opinions, but many doctors will
try to avoid a disagreement with a physician they work with.

It appears you are in a radical situation, and using a radical treatment
may be in order. If you can't get a professional's opinion that provides
some direction for survival, let me point you to this:

Hydrazine Sulfate

The Syracuse Cancer Research

The compound (chemical) does the job of starving cancer cells of
the glucose they need. It is an MAOI and requires a fairly strict diet,
and the absence of most pharmaceuticals.

Before you decide, please read very carefully all of Dr. Gold's
comments and literature. Every ounce of it has been verified, and
well referenced. It's a disgrace that this chemical is allowed to be
prescribed in other countries, but not here.

-DO NOT- attempt to eliminate sugar/glucose from your diet to
starve cancer cells. The cancer cells steal glucose away from our
system; eliminating glucose will cause good cells to suffer long
before any cancer cell feels uncomfortable.

Please don't waste time attempting to use diets, etc to stop the
progression that happening right now. All the alternatives have a
place in our world, but they simply do not work fast enough.
or are powerful enough to stop what your present doctor is seeing.

Do get other opinions ASAP, but don't become too dismayed
if they're not to your liking.

There are radical treatments out here, but take one step at a time,
and make sure you really need the radical rather than the conventional.

You have my best hopes and wishes....

(I'd toss in a prayer, but I'm afraid the walls will cave in around me)

(just kiddin')

John

Hi and Welcome
To answer your last question .... both .... make plans for both. Makes ure all your affairs are in order. I would tell you this at your age anyway even without your diagnosis.

There are plenty of other things you could do. First and foremost, get a 2nd and even 3rd opinion. I undrestand your frustration as just before my symptoms became noticiable I was in the best shape of my life as well. Even to this day all my friends say but, you don't look sick, you look great. I too have gone back and forth on the weight proble. I can usually put in back on to a point but, I have trouble keeping it on once I manage to get some weight back.

It might be possible for you to have something like HIPEC surgery (this is where they remove found tumors and then wash your abdominal cavity in heated chemotherapy for 90 minutes. But, it might not be an option for you. This is why you need to get more opinions and preferrably from a larger cancer center.

There are all sorts of alternatives that have worked for others such as juicing, TCM (traditional chinese medicine). Some of these being used alone and sometimes in conjunction with western medicine or chemotherapy.

I will wish the very best for you. Take care and don't lose hope just yet. Get another opinion!

PS: please excuse all the typos. Since the peripheral neuropathy, I'v kind of given up on constantly cleaning up my typos. Beside, I figure it might make someone use their brain in trying to decode my message. HA!

Sweetheart
WE were both diagnosed in the same month, mine was February 6th of this year. They gave me six months, 9 months ago. Now I'm getting surgery. I would highly suggest finding another oncologist to get another opinion from.
As was said before, yes get your affairs in order, for the just in case, I did.
I also had my daughter out here for the weekend, just because I'm scared of surgery and wanted to see both my children together before my surgery. It gladdened my heart so much, that it makes me feel stronger for the surgery, but... on the just in case, I had gone through pictures of her from her first hour after her birth and all through her life to give her. I also, made sure when we had our picture taken at Alcatraz in San Francisco on Friday that I gave my most dorkiest face I've ever made in the picture. They didn't know it and all cracked up when they saw the final result, this for me insures that they will be able to look at one of the last (if it is) pic's of their Mom and laugh the heck out of themselves. Reminding them I loved laughter and they can keep their laughs even after I'm gone.
But mostly in your case, get the "other" opinion, perhaps a new combo of chemo, etc., one never knows, unless one looks. Never take the dire news and let yourself say goodbye to life from just one onc's opinion.
Winter Marie

msccolon said:

welcome
Sorry you had to find us. I hate it when doctors decide to play God and give us an expiration date; nobody knows how long we have and he is making a "best guess" based on statistics that are old. We WILL all die, someday, but who says it's the cancer that's going to get us, and who says it's going to be shortly? You will find that if you stay around and look around a bit, there are a lot of us here, some have been fighting a short time, some have been fighting a long time. We are all on various points of our journey. I was initially diagnosed in 2004 with stage IIIB of the colon. I had a recurrence in 2006 on my right ovary, and this tumor produced large amounts of fluid, which did show cancer cells as well. As you can see, it's now 4 plus years later, and I have had more recurrences, more chemo, but I'm still here to see my grand baby and piss other people off! I would get a second opinion from a doctor that is willing to give you hope not an expiration date. Your being in good health at diagnosis is in your favor. There are people on here who have gone the alternative route solely, others have used alternatives to complement western medicine. I am sure they will chime in here. I wanted to welcome you and tell you there is hope. Please stick around!
mary

Feel so sorry for the issues ,
I'm not an expert in alternative treatments or so, but there are some here who are.As Mary say what about another opinion?,what about a Trial?.
Just stay with us , it will help in your down moments!
Cheer up my friend. I pray you find a new plan!.

bruins1971 said:

Welcome Marty
Hey there Marty I am sad to hear that you are such in a bad way right now. But to be honest that is what we are here for on this wonderful site. I was diagnosed stage 4 in late Feb of this year and was told I had 6 months at best if I did nothing. Well with 3 kids and a pregnant wife there was no way I was giving up. Here I am 9 months later with a colon and liver surgery in the rear view mirror and now only 2 chemo's away from the end of my treatment plan. Marty only God above knows when it's time and the doctors here are only using stats from others before to give you a judgement call. As far as getting your things in order of course for you never know when your last day will be. Heck anyone of us could get hit by a bus today and we would hope to of had things in order for the loved ones left behind. But that is not going to be the case for you as you will keep up the fight for your two children. Get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th or even 5th opinion keep looking till you find someone willing to fight for your life as hard as your willing to fight. This site has MANY people on here with lots of good information so stay close and post often. I will say a pray for you right now in hopes you will find a little peace from this overwhelming burden placed upon you.

Bobby in Dallas

Welcome Marty
Please ask away, someone here us likely to have an answer for you, but please always refer backbto your ONC. I am stage IV, dx November 2008. I have been NED (no evidence of disease) for over a year now. Attitude, attitude! Keep fighting!

bruins1971 said:

Nana B
So happy to hear that you are NED I pray it continues for you and that this will be the best Christmas Season ever. Marty are you reading all these post of people who are stage 4 and yet they are all doing well and winning their battles. This is going to be you one day soon where you will be posting how they told you six months and boy how they were wrong....

Marty
Where in Ca are you?