Search Results for 'gavin pdt'

Hi April,

Thank you for the update on your mum and I am so sorry to hear what the two of are going through right now. I went through the same with my dad so I understand how tough this is for you both.

PDT was my dads only treatment, but as I understand it, it is more regularly used here in the UK than it is in America. If there is anything I can do to help with regards to my dads experiences with it then please don’t hesitate to ask me and I will help if I can. Here is a link from the Mayo clinic that gives a breif overview as to what it involves.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/photodynamic-therapy/

My dad never had chemo, so I can’t compare his side effects of PDT to chemo. But after his PDT treatment, the only real side effct that he had was that he had to cover up when he went outside due to the sensitivity of his skin with sunlight. I know the link I posted states that this lasts for 4 weeks, but in my dads case, this lasted for about 2 months. If you want me to go into his experiences in much more detail then please just ask and I will happily do so.

I hope that you and your mum get more information soon and can get a treatment plan sorted out.

My best wishes to you both,

Gavin

Hi Shonny,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here and also to hear your sisters diagnosis. I hope you will come back and ask questions as I know that you will get answers from us all. And venting here is also good as we can relate to how you feel.

My dads treatment was PDT so perhaps that is something that you could speak with your sisters doctors about for her primary tumour. My dads CC was deemed inoperable from diagnosis and that is why he had PDT.

I know it is hard, but please don’t give up hope. Your sister will need you there with her throughout all of this.

My very best wishes to you and your sister,

Gavin

Hi Paul,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here. Please come back often, ask any and all questions that you have and you will get a ton of support from us all.

I know how you feel right now as I went through the same feelings when my dad was diagnosed. He was diagnosed in 2008, his CC was deemed inoperable and he was 64 at the time and was otherwise very healthy. Surgery and radiation were ruled out from the begining, and as Kris says PDT was my dads treatment. I can’t help you with your chemo questions as my dad never had chemo. His treatment plan was to have the PDT first with a metal stent inserted at the same time, and then at some point down the line see if chemo would be an option.

If you want to you can search for earlier posts of mine regarding my dads treatment and experiences with PDT, or if you have any questions please feel free to ask me and I will do everything I can to try and answer them if I can. I do like what you say about you and your family refusing to give up, a positive attitude will help you all in this fight. Much Forza indeed!

My best wishes to you and your dad,

Gavin

Hi Michelle,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here. I hope you will keep coming back as you will get a ton of support from us all and answers to your questions from someone.

My dad was diagnosed in 2008 and his CC was also deemed inoperable from the start. His first symptoms that presented was also jaundice and his treatment was PDT. His specialist at the time also ruled out radiation and chemo at that point hence the PDT. You can search for some of my posts if you would like to read more about my dads story.

My very best wishes to you and your dad,

Gavin

Hi Kay,

I am sorry to hear that radiation has been ruled out for your dad. Radiation was also ruled out for my dad and his treatment was PDT, so perhaps that is something you could look into and discuss with your dads surgeon. I’ve posted a bit about PDT and my dads experiences with it on the site so you can look for some of my old posts on it if you want to find out more.

My best wishes to you and your dad,

Gavin

Hi Margaret,

I don’t know what the numbers of cases are each year for Scotland, but for the UK as a whole, I have read that it is about 1000 cases diagnosed each year.

I agree with what Lainy says in that if you come across a doctor who poo poo’s treatment, then it is time to find another doctor. I guess that we were very fortunate in that dads specialist at our local hospital was very knowledgeable in CC, and had been involved in and was at the forefront of developing PDT as a treatment option for CC in the UK.

Never give up and keep kicking it big time!

Best wishes

Gavin

Hi Lisa,

I know what you mean about your head spinning with questions, I think we have all went through that stage! I can’t help you I’m afraid with most of your questions as my dad never had a resection.

Dad did have his team of doctors and specialist nurses that took care of him. His specialist who diagnosed his CC and carried out his PDT. This was what i would call dads head doctor as it were and he was ultimately responsible for dads overall treatment. It was he that decided when dad should look into chemo so sent heim to the onc, who decided dad was not suitable. Then there was the local gp who dealt with the day to day symptoms etc. And there was the specialist nurse who would visit dad at home, she was a Macmillan cancer nurse and she was great for liasing with all the other docs etc and sorting stuff out for dad. Then when dad went to day care, he had the gp’s and nurses at the centre who again, would help with the day to day symptoms. And they would all be in contact with each other but ultimately, it was the specialist who decided on treatment and stuff.

My best wishes to you and your dad.

Gavin

Hi Jane,

I can’t help you with the chemo choice as my dad never had chemo. Have you spoke with your doctors about PDT?

Best wishes

Gavin

Hi Gissy,

Yes it does indeed help us when we can come here and talk with others when we are in this fight. Everyone here has been great for me with all their help and support. And as Katie says, it does help so much to be armed with as much information as possible as then you can make informed decisions.

The info Katie posted does sum up pretty much what PDT is and how it works and thanks to you Katie for posting it. The light sensitive drug they used on my dad was Photofrin and it took about 2 days for it to circulate throughout his body. If they had used a lesser amount of the drug then it would have taken less time to circulate, but they used a ton of it with my dad. It does go into every cell in the body but the majority of it masses in the canerous cells. Then they go in and basically zap it with the laser and the whole process took a few hours. If you want to find out more about it you can search for some of my earlier posts on it or just ask me anything.

My best wishes to you.

Gavin

Hi Gissy,

I just wanted to stop by and welcome you to the site. I hope you will keep coming back here as you will get a ton of support from people who are in your shoes. I can’t help you with your chemo question as my dad never got chemo, his treatment was PDT.

I hope the chemo goes well and I wish you both my best wishes.

Gavin

Hi Amr,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here. My dad was diagnosed in summer 2008 and his CC was deemed inoperable from the start. I also agree with what the others have said about getting another opinion.

I can’t help you with the chemo questions as my dad never had chemo. His main treatment was PDT so if you use the search function you can look for some of my posts on that. If you have any questions about my dads PDT treatment then please ask and I will help if I can. He also had a metal stent inserted to help with his jaundice.

I hope you keep coming back here as you will get tons of support and help from us all.

Best wishes

Gavin

Michael,

Yes the chills and shakes, my dad would get them both. Especially when he came home from the hospital last year after his PDT. Don’t know why they happened really. Heard some reasons for them, related to the liver or something to do with nerve endings after dad had been zapped with the laser, but that doesn’t tie in with the others experience of them. Who knows really.

I know that dad would just cover up, put the fire on and wait for them to stop, which they always did. Soemtimes they lasted about 20 minutes for him, sometimes more, sometimes less. Bit of a mystery I guess.

Best wishes

Gavin

Hi Michael,

Welcome to the site, although I am sorry that you have to be here but glad that you found us. Since you have been reading the stories here, you will know what a great place this is for help and support. My dad is 65 and was diagnosed last year. His CC was deemed inoperable and he couldn’t get radiation so his treatment was PDT. He also wasn’t able to get chemo later on in his treatment, so I can’t help you with your specific questions relating to them.

Like your dad, my dads skin and eyes went yellow with the jaundice and he got the horrendous itching also. He eventually was admitted to hospital for the ultrasounds, CT scans etc before eventually, CC was diagnosed. I know what you mean about being scared for your mum and dad, thats natural. Having to deal with all of this is not easy but it sounds like you are doing a great job in being there for your dad right now.

I hope your dads treatment goes well, and I wish you, your dad and all your family my very best wishes.

Gavin