cathy1024

Thanks all for the input. I didn’t really get a straight answer from any of the doctors of the cause. The general consensus is that I may have initially had a mild case of cellulitis but I also was having a radiation reaction in my arm to the the Gemzar and capillaritis in my lower legs again from a combination of Gemzar and just general ankle and feet swelling. I took another full course of an antibiotic and this time after chemo I made it through Thurs. without a hospital visit. Woohoo!

Cathy

Rain the studies pretty much back 16 doses of the combo gem/Cis and I’m not sure why that is the magic number. I do know the Cisplatin is really hard on the kidneys so at least taking a break from that makes sense. I have read blogs of people who have done more than one time of Gem/Cis but there is usually a bit of a break.
Suzy..One of my questions has been the change of steroids but until this subsides we can’t go back and try the other.

Thanks all for your words of encouragement and advice. I am at Siteman Cancer in St. Louis and they have treated many cases of CC. But that will not stop me from getting other opinions when needed. I have already been treated in Nashville at Sarah Cannon and have a doctor there. When I said my doctor asked what I wanted to do it wasn’t from him not knowing it was from him laying out what options are there and making it clear that currently there is no next that has been studied and recommended.
So what we focused on was that the Gem/Cis is currently causing my liver tumor to shrink and keeping other liver/bone/ or who knows what tumors to not grow. There is also not any research that says more chemo is better. We also discussed taking a chemo break (I have been on some type of chemo for 14 months). But talked about the real possibility that everything and more could quickly start growing back and be chemo resistant. We discussed other options like drug studies. But what made sense to me was to take a couple weeks and then just do a maintenance plan of Gemzar. Re scan in 8 weeks and see if it continues to shrink.
To all, I have a bunch of bone Mets and have had radiation 3 times for the most pesky ones on my spine and left humerus. I think they have said I have something on most vertebrae and left pelvis and my upper left arm and sternum. Because of how many they are and they are in bones there is a limiting factor on how I can be treated. So at least for now chemo seems to be the treatment. At some point they may just treat the liver using some other option.
Walt, I started last year on Carboplatin and then had The Cisplatin. The study drug I was on also caused neuropathy and I have had it pretty bad. Some difficulty with walking from pain not balance issues but shoes or socks have been a real issue. I have been on Neurontin, B6 and Cymbalta for the past year. When they added Cymbalta it was like nite and day..it made the feet stop hurting so bad that I had to soak them in water almost constantly. I haven’t soaked them once since starting that.
Kris, I have already done one trial and am always on the lookout for trials that fit my circumstances. My feeling is it will be a trial that is the answer because for the most part they have proven what is out there now is only a temporary fix. So that is partially why I’m continuing with the Gemzar..it is currently working and that is a good thing.
Hugs to all
Cathy