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sumarah8
sumarah8 Member Posts: 32
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
i just started my chemo on Oct 03 (which is once every 3 weeks) and radiation(for 7 weeks), im stage 2 NPC cancer, but when they did my bloodwork, my chemo doc told me i have elevated liver, im scared if its metasticize there, u think its possible, i need some advise...

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  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
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    Hi Sumarah
    First Welcome to the family here on CSN. I too had NPC and there are a lot of others here who had it a beat it aswell. Sometime the elevated Liver is nothing more then just a reaction of the body fighting the cancer. At your point being only a stage 2 I don’t think your NPC metastasizes to your liver, if anywhere to your lymph nodes first and then maybe somewhere else.

    You are very lucky to have caught you NPC so soon and more then likely you will have a full recovery. Question, where are you getting your treatment?

    Hope you plan on staying
    Hondo
  • sumarah8
    sumarah8 Member Posts: 32
    #3
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    Hondo said:

    Hi Sumarah
    First Welcome to the family here on CSN. I too had NPC and there are a lot of others here who had it a beat it aswell. Sometime the elevated Liver is nothing more then just a reaction of the body fighting the cancer. At your point being only a stage 2 I don’t think your NPC metastasizes to your liver, if anywhere to your lymph nodes first and then maybe somewhere else.

    You are very lucky to have caught you NPC so soon and more then likely you will have a full recovery. Question, where are you getting your treatment?

    Hope you plan on staying
    Hondo

    My bestfriend cant sleep
    My bestfriend cant sleep last night, she was really nervous for me, my Doc was telling me it might be because i had DNC last week( i was pregnant 10 weeks) the anesticia that they injected me might be the reason i had elevated liver. I would have another bloodwork today so as to compare for yesterday. Thank you for your immediate response, im just really nervous.
    Here in Idaho.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
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    sumarah8 said:

    My bestfriend cant sleep
    My bestfriend cant sleep last night, she was really nervous for me, my Doc was telling me it might be because i had DNC last week( i was pregnant 10 weeks) the anesticia that they injected me might be the reason i had elevated liver. I would have another bloodwork today so as to compare for yesterday. Thank you for your immediate response, im just really nervous.
    Here in Idaho.

    Hi Sumarah

    Sorry to hear about the baby, but just to let you know your cancer is quite curable and there are a lot of us here to testify to that fact. The treatment is hard and will get very ruff along the way but in the end you will make it to the finish line and live a productive life once again. Please stay here on CSN as you go through your treatment and up-date us on how you are doing and if you have any questions just ask.

    Wishing you well on your blood test today
    Hondo
  • sumarah8
    sumarah8 Member Posts: 32
    #5
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    Hondo said:

    Hi Sumarah

    Sorry to hear about the baby, but just to let you know your cancer is quite curable and there are a lot of us here to testify to that fact. The treatment is hard and will get very ruff along the way but in the end you will make it to the finish line and live a productive life once again. Please stay here on CSN as you go through your treatment and up-date us on how you are doing and if you have any questions just ask.

    Wishing you well on your blood test today
    Hondo

    Thank you so much, i still
    Thank you so much, i still cant believe i have a cancer, im only 35 years old and i have a 3 yr. old kid, i dont smoke, i drink alcohol like 3 times a year and here it is i still ended up having a cancer, im really worried about my weight too, im only 115 lbs, i asked my doctor if they can put peg tube on me but they refused. I've been reading a lot here in this network, and im learning a lot so i decided to join too. You encourage me a lot, i'll always get in touched with u guys. Thank you so much...
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
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    sumarah8 said:

    Thank you so much, i still
    Thank you so much, i still cant believe i have a cancer, im only 35 years old and i have a 3 yr. old kid, i dont smoke, i drink alcohol like 3 times a year and here it is i still ended up having a cancer, im really worried about my weight too, im only 115 lbs, i asked my doctor if they can put peg tube on me but they refused. I've been reading a lot here in this network, and im learning a lot so i decided to join too. You encourage me a lot, i'll always get in touched with u guys. Thank you so much...

    Sumarah

    Find out why they are refusing to put the PEG tube in, at only 115 lbs you will need another way of getting food down. I was 230lbs when I started treatment and ended up at 165lbs.

    Also where are you getting your treatment? Please make sure it is at one of the major Cancer institutions here in the USA and not at some local city or town cancer hospital. I did mine at my local city cancer hospital and found out later they never heard of NPC let alone how to properly treat it. My cancer came back on me because I did not have the correct treatment the first time; don’t let that happen to you. Question your doctor, do be afraid of him, he is there to help you if he don’t like you questing him find another doctor, also get a sencond opinion if you fell you need it.

    I am praying for you and wishing for you a full recovery
    Hondo
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
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    Welcome...
    Don't smoke, or drink...sounds like a prime candidate for HPV derived cancer to me...

    As for being 35 and having been diagnosed, unfortunately it is what it is. Concentrate on staying positive and getting through the next few months.

    As for the liver function, I'd presume they would have you checked out by a specialist if it were concerning to them...if not find out why.

    Same with the PEG...115, seriously and they are refusing.

    You might want to get a second opinion if they aren't willing to give you reasonable explanations on these things.

    I had STGIII Tonsil Cancer, HPV derived, also not a smoker or drinker (casual drinker)...

    I too had three rounds of chemo, then and additonal seven rounds concurrent with the 35 days of radiation.

    You'll make it and being younger is a plus.

    But definitely get some answers to the questions of concern.

    Thoughts & Prayers,
    John
  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #8
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    Why no PEG?
    I would definately find out why no PEG. 115 lbs is not going to get you through this. If they plan on putting it in when needed or because they think you will depend on it and not eat by mouth, still question that too? Reason? The longer you wait to put it in the harder on you and longer healing time. The side treatment is enough to deal with on its own without healing from PEG insertion.

    Praying for an easy treatment and complete recovery. You have several positives going for you Age, Early Detection, No bad habits (smoking) to break, and this group of support people, many who pray so focus on the positives nnot the negatives.

    Debbie
  • gibkoch
    gibkoch Member Posts: 19
    #9
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    Hi Sumarah ...
    I am so very sorry to hear about your awful news. If you've been reading this discussion board however, I'm sure you'll get some positive feedback that this doesn't mean the end. It means simply a different journey that you weren't expecting at such a young age.

    Your journey will have many low points (and hopefully some high points too). One of them will most likely be weight loss. So I'm chiming in with the rest of the crew to question your dr about not recommending a PEG. In my case, I lost well over 25% of my body weight, even with the tube. Mind you I had more lbs than necessary at the start of treatment but right now I weigh less than I did in high school. I'm no dr but can only imagine if you lost the same percentage of body weight, you'll probably end up being fed intravenously in an extended hospital stay.

    Btw, I live in NW Montana. What part of ID are you from?

    I will pray for you and pray that your Dr's will be giving you the best care possible. God Bless You.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #10
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    gibkoch said:

    Hi Sumarah ...
    I am so very sorry to hear about your awful news. If you've been reading this discussion board however, I'm sure you'll get some positive feedback that this doesn't mean the end. It means simply a different journey that you weren't expecting at such a young age.

    Your journey will have many low points (and hopefully some high points too). One of them will most likely be weight loss. So I'm chiming in with the rest of the crew to question your dr about not recommending a PEG. In my case, I lost well over 25% of my body weight, even with the tube. Mind you I had more lbs than necessary at the start of treatment but right now I weigh less than I did in high school. I'm no dr but can only imagine if you lost the same percentage of body weight, you'll probably end up being fed intravenously in an extended hospital stay.

    Btw, I live in NW Montana. What part of ID are you from?

    I will pray for you and pray that your Dr's will be giving you the best care possible. God Bless You.

    At 115lbs they are refusing
    At 115lbs they are refusing to give you a peg tube????? I think I might be looking for a different doctor. If things get rough, you don't have a lot of room there. I can understand that in some cases it's not recommended, or not needed, but I would have to say at 115 there's no wiggle room.
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #11
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    Welcome
    Welcome to the club most folks don't want to qualify to join.

    Like the others, I'm no medical pro, but I would think the elevated liver numbers would most likely be reflecting something other than mets to your liver, especially at stage two. So, it's one chemo down, two to go. Do well.
  • ac
    ac Member Posts: 88 Member
    #12
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    Doctors opinions
    Hi Sumarah,

    I'm really sorry that you have to deal with this.

    I have stage 3 NPC and I'm into 2/7 weeks of concurrent chemo radiation (chemo every 3 weeks).

    When I spoke to my doctors, the radiation oncologist suggested no PEG and the medical oncologist pumped for a PEG. As the doctors have different concerns, they will have different opinions, the radiation oncologist about swallowing ability and medical oncologist about keeping up nutrition for further treatments.

    Did you try posing the same question to different doctors (ie radiation vs medical oncologist) and see what they think?

    Good luck and my thoughts and prayers go out to you.
  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    #13
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    Hi Sumarah, I know you are
    Hi Sumarah, I know you are probably scared to death with all of this. Remember this is your life and insist on a peg tube. My wife started treatment at 134 lbs. and dropped to 103 lbs, and she had a peg tube. You will need calories and nutrition for energy to get through treatment. She is 6 months post treatment and she still has her peg tube. On the positive side of this, she has started eating orally again for the past month and everything has been looking up for her. You can defeat C. and win this battle and return to a normal life. Remember nutrition is medicine and the people on this site will help you every step of the way. Take Care and may God Bless YOU, Homer & Connie
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #14
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    sumarah8 said:

    My bestfriend cant sleep
    My bestfriend cant sleep last night, she was really nervous for me, my Doc was telling me it might be because i had DNC last week( i was pregnant 10 weeks) the anesticia that they injected me might be the reason i had elevated liver. I would have another bloodwork today so as to compare for yesterday. Thank you for your immediate response, im just really nervous.
    Here in Idaho.

    Chemo and rads
    Knowing what I know now - DEMAND A PEG especially at 115 lbs. otherwise find someone who will. You won't need that problem along with all the rest.
  • francma
    francma Member Posts: 69 Member
    #15
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    sumarah8 said:

    Thank you so much, i still
    Thank you so much, i still cant believe i have a cancer, im only 35 years old and i have a 3 yr. old kid, i dont smoke, i drink alcohol like 3 times a year and here it is i still ended up having a cancer, im really worried about my weight too, im only 115 lbs, i asked my doctor if they can put peg tube on me but they refused. I've been reading a lot here in this network, and im learning a lot so i decided to join too. You encourage me a lot, i'll always get in touched with u guys. Thank you so much...

    Peg Tube
    I don't understand why the doctor declines a peg tube, as my radiation oncologist highly recommended it. I lost 7 lbs with the peg and now at 104 lbs still using it. Wouldn't be alive without it. Have positive thinking, pray and believe! You can also beat this!!

    Fran

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