louise
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Dear Tiasmeal,
You, your mom, and the whole family are in my prayers.
Elevated calcium level could mean a swollen parathyroid gland. If swollen, it usually means surgery. The parathyroid is in the area of the neck and is usually the size of a grain of rice but it can grow to the size of a grape. Sestamebe is the name of the test for diagnosis. In it, a contrast dye is injected which collects in the swollen parathyroid(s) but not in the “normal” one(s). Then, in an x-ray, the inflamed gland shines big-time. I don’t remember much about the effects of the parathyroid or what to expect if one is removed, but the Sestamebe and the parathyroid can both be studied via the internet.
I could be wrong on the gland name, but I imagine that any glandular issues in someone already fighting cancer could mean major metastasis and worsening prognosis as well as advanced stage. I’m so sorry to hear about your mom.
I don’t want to be alarmist, but I like to learn all I can about health issues concerning myself and my family. The sestamebe is a test my brother had this spring. Since he does not have any report of cancer, the surgery in his case is a standard protocol with great prognosis when the procedure is early enough. Informed consent certainly seems to help the prognosis. I hope this helps.
Louise
“When we asked our French doctor about Cisplatin and Gemzar he said that Cisplatin had very many complications. “
Alaski,
CC has very many complications, but predicting who will have what complications is impossible. I had Cisplatin and Gemzar for 6 months (July to Dec. 2007) and in December, I started reacting to the chemo, but in the meantime, the tumor shrank to the point of disappearing from the scans. Yes, I had additional issues and when cysts on my ovaries grew, I had a hysterectomy in July 2008. Then for an additional 5 or 6 cycles, I returned to the same chemicals. I had another “clean” scan around Dec. 2008. Because there was a spot where my gall bladder used to be, I was given a choice of trying radiation therapy, waiting to see if the spot grew or changed in any way, or (not recommended) I could seek a pathology report but it would require invasion to get a sample to test. I had radiation therapy from the end of February to April 2 of this year, and I am doing great! My energy level is back. So, if you want to pursue the combination, go shopping for doctors. Of course, I’ve been called a statistical outlier; what was expected did not happen and what was not expected did. My oncologist is at Goshen Center for Cancer Care, in Northern Indiana (about 1 hour from Notre Dame). Of course, many people have been praying for me throughout my journey.
Always get as much information as you can handle without stressing over it, and encourage the patient to make as many decisions as he wants.Blessings, peace, and hope to you both!
Louise
Onlygirl,
Yes, you will find lots of support on this site. I had 28 radiation treatments and kept going to work throughout. I did experience more tiredness after the second week, but I only needed a little more sleep. The radiation oncologist prepared me for the probable side-effect of diarrhea, but instead, I experienced constipation. It responded to treatment and I am now in remission with my next CT scan scheduled in August. Yes, I am only 54, so that is not a good indicator of how your Dad would respond. However, my Mom is 88 and also has CC. She has chosen NOT to pursue chemo OR radiation OR surgery. Her oncologist didn’t think she would survive a year, but she’s still going almost 2 years later. I don’t have a lot of details on my Mom, because she lives with my sister about 3 hours away, and travel for either of us is not as easy as it used to be. Where do you live and where does your dad go for care?
God bless you all!
LouiseNo, extrahepatic. In fact, the cancer surrounded the bile duct and was pinching it closed, so I got very jaundiced. The first step in treatment was an ERCP where they inserted a stent to open up the duct so the jaundice would clear. That was before the CC was confirmed.
Louise
Gemzar and Cisplatin. In 3 weeks time, I had one week with both chemicals, one week with only one of them, and one week with none. The first time I had chemo from July 2007 to Jan. 2008 (8 cycles) and the second series was fall 2008 for 6 cycles.
Rosy, I am a 54 year-old female with CC. My diagnosis 2 years ago was stage 4. I had chemo with Gemzar and Cisplatin, and it surpassed the Dr. expectations. The journey has had several ups and downs, but I am currently in remission and feeling great. #1 help to me was my faith. I believe there were a thousand people praying for me, and my prayer team keeps growing. #2 help was gathering as much knowledge as I could. Internet helped with that, but keeping a notebook where I could jot down my questions as they occurred to me and I could get answers next time I saw a Dr. Also, writing down the answer so I didn’t have to rely on my memory. #3 help was my family. As I kept them informed, sometimes they had questions that went into my notebook. I was fortunate in never having to fire a doctor. Their area of expertise is the disease, but who knows the patient best? Besides, the disease and the treatments are rarely the same, having different affects on different people. So, keep looking up, and don’t let anyone kill your hope!
God bless you!
LouiseDiane,
My first series of chemo was supposed to shrink my tumor so that surgery was possible. But what the CT scan showed after nearly 6 months of chemo was that there was nothing to remove. The chemo had definitely shrunk the tumor to nothing! My doctor calls me an outlier (statistically, off the charts). Seems that no matter what they expected, it didn’t happen. I just keep thanking God and learning all I can about what I have and what the doctors recommend, and I have participated in planning my treatment by asking lots of questions. Each time that the oncologist presented alternate scenarios (we could do this or this), I made the choice. I was definitely my own advocate, calling when I noticed changes. So, hang on for the ride of your life! Remember, God is in control. You have the right to tell the doctors yes or no to any recommendation they make, or to let them make decisions for you if you don’t want to make a decision. And when you make a decision, don’t second-guess yourself!
Louise
