Questions on LDN and Lufe Expectancy

Otto605
Otto605 Member Posts: 14
in Colorectal Cancer #1

Hi All,

Has anyone heard of Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) treatment here in the US?  A nurse at work suggested I look into it when it was prescribed for a co-worker.  Although the initial study into it was done by a doctor in the US, Internet searches seem to indicate that published treatment mostly resides in the UK.  Any info you guys have found would be of interest.

 

What do your treatment teams tell you about life expectancy?  Mine appear incredibly reluctant to discuss it in even the most general terms.  I am stage IV with mets originally found in the lungs and all over the liver.  The last two CT scans showed the lungs clear and liver mets continuing to shrink.  I feel very lucky that my treatment (40 cycles, so far) is bearable and the worst side effects are fatigue (and the “normal” bloody nose).  I think the reason they won’t speak of it is that everyone is different still, I find it odd that even if I persist, my team is very tight-lipped.  Has anyone had this experience?

 

Thanks for the help and stay positive.

 

Peace.

Paul

Comments

  • Joan M
    Joan M Member Posts: 409 Member
    #2
    Life expectancy varies as we all know

     Some people with stage 4 cancer live for 10, 20 years or more.  Others can't tolerate the chemo, and die either from side effects of treatments or from the cancer progressing.  my first oncologist told me I had  6 to 18 months, that was in march 2016.  Another oncologist at Mayo said I would live for many years.  Of course neither of them can accurately predict how long I'll survive, they are making educated guesses based on the statistics for cancer types and the overall health and condition of the patient.  When I was diagnosed statistics said only 5% of state 4 colon cancer patients survived for 3 years.  That was really scary to hear. 

    I've had many other problems since my original diagnosis and was off chemo for 5 months, had one treatment in January ended up in hospital, then a series of procedures which delayed chemo again for over 4 months.   I'm afraid these setbacks have lowered my life expetcancy due to my cancer growing again and now I'm relying on chemo as my only treatment at this time.  

    My prayer is that they will find a cure for my cancer.  If not, I hope to survive at least another 10 years.  I'd rather have 20. But will be thankful for each day.

    Good luck     

  • Otto605
    Otto605 Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2018 #3
    Joan M said:

    Life expectancy varies as we all know

     Some people with stage 4 cancer live for 10, 20 years or more.  Others can't tolerate the chemo, and die either from side effects of treatments or from the cancer progressing.  my first oncologist told me I had  6 to 18 months, that was in march 2016.  Another oncologist at Mayo said I would live for many years.  Of course neither of them can accurately predict how long I'll survive, they are making educated guesses based on the statistics for cancer types and the overall health and condition of the patient.  When I was diagnosed statistics said only 5% of state 4 colon cancer patients survived for 3 years.  That was really scary to hear. 

    I've had many other problems since my original diagnosis and was off chemo for 5 months, had one treatment in January ended up in hospital, then a series of procedures which delayed chemo again for over 4 months.   I'm afraid these setbacks have lowered my life expetcancy due to my cancer growing again and now I'm relying on chemo as my only treatment at this time.  

    My prayer is that they will find a cure for my cancer.  If not, I hope to survive at least another 10 years.  I'd rather have 20. But will be thankful for each day.

    Good luck     

    Thanks

    Thanks, Joan, for the thoughts.

    All the best to you in your (our shared) battle.

    Paul

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