Aspirin and cancer – the picture becomes clearer.
- This topic has 18 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Thanks Susie. She also told me that it has only been proven for colon cancer
it is something I might try when I am done with treatmentb (chemo) and said go for it, a baby aspirin. I will be asking my surgeon and my PCP to get their opinions as well.Julie, I am sorry you are having a hard time. Sounds like you are going through a lot all during the midst of also finding new docs and such. I have also had problems with them accessing my port, a lot of the time it takes forever for blood to draw and they often have be turn head, lift arm, cough, deep breathe, do a little dance
This became almost an everytime infusion occurrence and I remember they mentioning at some point they were going to scan me to see if they could figure out why mine was so finicky. Is this an option for you? When my fluids go in now, I wouldn’t say they sting, but I do get almost a “stinging” like sensation but it goes away in seconds, very fast and I don’t feel anything “weird” after that. I hope you start feeling better soon and on the mend to heal all your wounds. Hugs and blessings to you.
PorterPorter I asked our onc the same thing about the aspirin. She said it’s only been proven for colon cancer.
I had also discussed maybe getting pregnant so for that reason she said no to the aspirin.I have a small ulcer in my duodenum from radiation. I have no symptoms and only know it is there because I was scoped. So for that reason, I am thinking no aspirin for me.
Take care,
Susie
Dear Julie, I am so sorry you are having so many extras to deal with. I have found that when ever I changed doctors it was always for the better, at least it turned out that way for me. As you know I just came out of the Hospital and when ever I have a CT with Contrast or like this last week had Meds added to my IV it never burned if I told them to do everything slowly. I had a CT one time with contrast and I thought my arm broke! IF what ever goes in to the body slowly then it should not cause pain. By the way, hope I am writing clearly as I am still loopy. Told my daughter today I am an nth degree better and can probably drive to my market about 3 blocks away. Not afraid of the drive but will use the grocery electric cart……now that is dangerous!!! Sure hope everything turns around for you, these things are not acceptable!
Porter, I must have a stomach of cast iron.
))) After a heart attack in 2002, I was put on a 325 mg aspirin per day as well as Plavix (had a stent put in an artery…so had to take Plavix). Plavix was fairly new at the time…and hadn’t been studied longer than 3 months usage….but at the end of my 3 months, it had been tested for 6 months…so on we went….and then at 6 months….it was then okay for a year. Before we knew it…I was on Plavix until 2011….8 years after the heart attack. My new cardiologist took me off of it. I had been changed several years earlier from the 325 mg aspirin to the 81 mg baby aspirin…which I’ve been on since. In 2010, I took Advil for an extended time for a muscle pull….often on an empty stomach….which almost caused an ulcer. That was on top of the Aspirin and Plavix. A round of Prilosec and backing off the Advil fixed that problem.As to how I am feeling….physically….not so great…..emotionally…not so great. Right now, I”m having a trust issue with ANY doctor. After the lung blood clots, I’m having some difficulty breathing when I walk a ways…which I read is common and can last a very long time. I’m still dealing with trying to find some kind of compression for the leg that had the blood clot remaining….I developed Venous Stasis…..fluid into the tissues causing swelling. The support hose I got from a fitting place, slid down my leg in just a few hours. I gave up and this morning wrapped in ace bandages…though that isn’t great either….it sides down too. The place I got the hose has some new compression sleeve that velcros in place onto your leg….and that looks somewhat more promising. We’ll see. They didn’t have the right length though and had to order it. Gah! There may be a problem with my port…in that it was implanted incorrectly…long story there as well. It’s been accessed twice….and each time there were problems. It also stings like an electrical shock as the fluids and chemo was going into it…during that first chemo. They said it was because it was going in so fast….but an oncology nurse at the hospital said it shouldn’t do that…and the nurse today didn’t want to say one way or the other…but she winced and slightly shook her head…so apparently her answer was also that it shouldn’t do that through a port.
Emotionally,….. I’m a basket case again…..starting a new oncologist…had the
“tour” this morning with hubby. It’s a big cancer center here in town….they actually do clinical trials…though I’m sure nothing to do with our cancer. I “think” I’m going to get along with my new oncologist, …that’s “my” intent anyway…but I can’t help but be scared and worried after the blood clot event/incident. The oncologist “should” have recognized what was going on…..my GP diagnosed it in 3 minutes with my verbal description a week later. My husband’s GP was aghast that the oncologist hadn’t recognized the problem….but…..maybe he would have IF he’d bothered to come out to the chemo room to actually examine me himself. So….thus….I’m scared like crazy to do the next chemo….what’s coming next? Oh….and as far as the now “fired” oncologist…he came highly recommended…by other doctors…and a ton of people, alike. He’s supposed to be the smartest of all the oncs in town….and super compassionate…..spending “time” with his patients. I just never saw “that” doctor. I think he is maybe now too stretched thin trying to run this clinic all by himself…no other oncs with him as backups. The new place has assured me that IF the nurses push the “red” button…all available oncologists come running from their offices and mine will then stay with me if the event is serious enough. I can only hope that isn’t needed….I’m tired of these “events” and screw ups.Thanks for asking…..wish I could have more cheerful news….and maybe in another several weeks, I’ll feel better about things….once I get going with this new clinic and hopefully things go better. I tend to be a more emotional person…..strong..but emotional..so if things finally straighten out, and all I have to deal with is the chemo and not all this extra stuf..incisions not healing, port not installed right…can’t access port….blood clots….oncologist ignoring me or raising his voice when he does see me….I just might be able to deal with the chemo if that’s ALL I have to deal with. Believe me…if things are going better…I’ll be on here shouting it to the rooftops.
Iowa girl
Julie t.Yep some holiday that was Momma, one I’ll never forget! At first the A&E doc thought my stomach had collapsed and I’d need an emergency op there and then! Then he saw where the pain was and what the pain did and thought ulcer. Wow was I happy to hear that it was an ulcer and not a collapsed stomach!!
Porter, I wasn’t taking it daily or anything like that. Just taking it every now and again for headaches and stuff like that. Wasn’t on it for thinning of blood and it wasn’t a prescribed med, just for general headaches etc and was taking it for years for that. Haven’t taken it since and won’t take it again. That and Ibuprofen I give a swerve too as not good for my stomach.
HUgs to you both,
Gavin
Gavin, I remember that! Some holiday! Even baby aspirin used to give Teddy nose bleeds and I can’t take it as I had Ulcers years ago. Got to watch that stuff.
Thanks for that Porter and Julie. I used to take aspirn for headaches over the years and think it gave me a stomach ulcer a few years ago. It burst and started bleeding a few years ago when I was on holiday, not a nice sight and ruined my holiday, 3 days in hospital and 4 units of blood!
Hi Julie. I totally agree with you about the aspirin being small on the scheme of things and in so many words my onc said that as well. She also said for me personally after chemo a baby one daily won’t cause any alarming damage…so “why not” so once chemo is complete I will probably start. How are you feeling by the way?
PorterPorter, my hubby had a large mass found in his colon during a routine colonoscopy about 3 years ago and after surgery his surgeon told him to take a baby aspirin once a day to try to avoid this happening again. Note: The surgeon first told me right after the colonoscopy, that it was cancer…and believe me, when I saw the pictures, I had no doubt that was what it was. The pathologist spent about 9 days going over the slides…making new ones….kept looking for the cancer…but couldn’t find it….and finally after requesting the pictures/video of the colonoscopy and looking at the tumor every which way but Sunday, he finally said, “There is no cancer.” Wow…isn’t that something we’d ALL like to hear? That said…he still had to have the same surgery as it would be for cancer….lost 1/3rd of his colon. He is at high risk of developing more of these very fast growing tumors(probably about 2 years from nothing to blocking his colon…forget what you’ve heard about 10 years..or even 5…it isn’t often enough). So, the aspirin seems to be a small deal in the great scheme of things. Still, he hesitated for a while about taking it because he was concerned about brain bleed strokes.
I brought up the discussion of aspirin and cancer to my onc today. She said that the only benefit that is has proven as far as relating to cancer has been colon cancer.? She said she would recommend me to start taking a baby aspirin daily but only after I’m done with my chemo treatments.
PorterHmmm….that was an interesting read. I was on a 325 mg aspirin for at least several years after my heart attack in 2002 (very mild…little damage…but a wake up call). Then, I was switched to one baby aspirin per day which I maintained until about 2 years ago, when I added one more baby aspirin…one in the morning and one at night before bed (I don’t know why…except I was feeling uneasy about things and maybe concerned with clotting because my blood sugar was out of control and I was more concerned with that at the time????) Anyway, when I had the CT that discovered the tumor, I quit taking ANYthing that I didn’t think was absolutely necessary,…and esp aspirin, so I wouldn’t have to wait for any other tests like the biopsy to be done. (It sped up somewhat an otherwise process that was far too slow).
Now…to read that “maybe” me being on asprin all that time might have kept my cancer from spreading….really is a good way to end this day. Of course, it didn’t keep me from getting the cancer….but I still believe it came from having H. Pylori invade my bile ducts. But, if the aspirin could have helped keep it from spreading…..shout it to the rooftops!!!!!!!!!
Julie T.
Willow: I believe that you already have mentioned the reason: the risk of bleeding and clotting associated with Aspirin.
I find it interesting that CC patients would be told not to take NSAIDS “because they might cause liver damage”. Risk of internal bleeding from taking anything that thins the blood when undergoing chemo that can reduce platelets (hence reduce ability to clot) I do understand. NSAIDS are processed by the kidneys whereas acetaminophen (Tylenol) is processed by the liver. Still, the docs recy sister takes extra strength Tylenol and her RX pain killer has Tylenol in it. This seems like it would be “harder on the liver” than NSAIDS. Anyone able to clarify?
- The forum ‘New Developments’ is closed to new topics and replies.