ron-smith
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Suzanne
Good to hear that you are recovering well. I didn’t have chemo after surgery but understand that chemo should start as soon as possible after you heal from surgery. As for baseline CT scan, 3 to 4 months after surgery is normal because it takes that length of time for any growth to be seen on the scan.
Best of luck
Ron
Hi Kris
Sorry to hear you are having problems getting your chemo. What exactly do you mean by liver levels? Is it the liver function? My problem is my blood platelet level. I should be getting gemcitabine each week for 3 weeks followed by 1 week off, but they will only give me the chemo if my platelet level is 100 or over. After my rest week it is usually about 150 (which is on the low side of normal). By week 2 it is just over 100, but by week 3 it will be down to 70 or less, so no chemo. So my regime has become 2 weeks on followed by by 2 weeks off. Is it working? I will get an idea next week when I get my latest ct scan result.
I hope you get your problem sorted out quickly since I know from my own experience how depressing it is to build up for your chemo only to miss out. It’s very tiring.
All the best
Ron
Because cc is a relatively rare disease, I think there is a great danger in associating all sorts of fairly common diseases and medications with it. Simvastatin, along with various other statins, is widely used throughout the world in the control of cholesterol levels. Since potential heart disease is often treated using preventative methods it is likely that a fairly high percentage of cc sufferers will have been prescribed simvastatin at some time. It does not follow that simvastatin is a cause of cc.
My own experience is that I was diagnosed with angina, which was exacerbated by taking Xeloda. After having angioplasty and stents inserted to correct the problem I was prescribed simvastatin along with asprin and other common heart medications. This was done to reduce the chance of a recurrence of the angina. So, here, I was prescribed cc after being diagnosed with cc. It could just as easily happened the opther way round.
Robyn
I was told by my surgeon, after being told that surgery was no longer an option, that it would likely be an infection that would ultimately kill me. I would guess at it being pneumonia if the tumours metastise to my lungs. But I daresay all options are still available.
Ron
Hi Kris
Glad to hear you are getting such good care. Reading between the lines, are you now a bit more comfortable with your oncologist? I wish you all the best with your chemo; hope that it works in shrinking the tumour; and doesn’t take too much out of you.
The portacath looks very interesting. I have a Hickman line that serves a similar purpose but the tube hangs outside my body. The portacath is kept under the skin so you will be able to keep up your sun bathing and swimming.
I didn’t know that the red came out of a bottle! So have you adopted the characteristics of a true redhead or are you really a split personality? Don’t fret about lack of comment about your colouring. I’m sure I’ll think of something to rile you a bit! You never know, it might turn out ginger.
All the best
Ron
Irene
I understand exactly what you are thinking as this was my outlook too. My only word of caution is to be sure that it will not be too late for any treatment once symptoms show. I realise the treatment will be palliative rather than curative but perhaps your view on the need for treatment will change if symptoms become apparent.
I do not wish to give you my advice but, if it were me, I would be maintaining close contact with my doctors and would want to know, as far as possible, what the cancer was up to. But, like everything else to do with this cancer, the decisions are and must remain, your own.
Very best wishes
Ron
Hi Kris
I am so pleased that you are out of the hospital and sounding better. I know it’s just the written word but you “sound” so much stronger than the last time you posted.When you have your meetings with the docs, remember: listen to what they have to say; consider all the possibilities they give you; be polite and thoughtful when you ask any questions you may have; THEN light some fires under their bums!!
All the best, redhead
Ron
Hello Hans
I am sure you will now be able to trace the information you asked about, but I just wanted to pass on my very best wishes to Kris. We were both operated on in the same hospital in Scotland and so I think have always been especially interested in how each other is getting on. She has great spirit snd once the shock has lessened, I am sure she will come out fighting.
I realise that this is also a very difficult time for you and my thoughts are with you too.
Kind regards
Ron
Rob
I would urge you to dump the e-mail and not to respond to it. This sounds like a standard con e-mail where at some point you will be asked for details of your bank account so that the funds can be placed in your account. Of course there are no funds and your bank account gets cleaned out. I don’t know how common this type of con is in the States but it is certainly very common in the UK, usually originating in the States or Africa. The normal starting point for the UK con is someone from Nigeria wishing to transfer millions of pounds out of Nigeria and wanting to use your account to facilitate this.
Good luck.
Ron
Hi David
Just wanted to say that my experience with gemzar is very similar to your’s. First few weeks were fine but then the doctors and nurses were finding it almost impossible to find a vein. So 3 weeks ago I had a Hickman line put in and this makes a huge difference. Just have to get it flushed and re-dressed every week. I am also on a 3 week on 1 week off cycle but it’s a toss up if they give me the third round because my platelet number is too low. Side effects are not too bad. I can count on feeling nauseous for a couple of days following treatment and my appetite is not as good as it normally is for these days. The normal week off is like being on vacation; I really look forward to it.
Best regards
Ron
Hi Jeff
I am very sorry to hear your latest news. You are an inspiration to us all, dispensing sound advice and good humour. Be strong and stay positive. We want to hear from you for a long time to come.
With very best wishes.
Ron
Hi Kris
Good to hear from you and that you seem to be in good spirits. Lets just assume that it is all good news and that the surgeons will sort you out on Monday.
Hope your dad packs heavy clothes. Presumably it will be a good bit colder than home.
I know what you mean about the news of Peter. He was one of the original posters for both of us and I think that deep down we thought he would beat the odds and defeat this cancer. I know that thought gave me hope. So, even though we knew he was becoming more ill the thought was there that he would get through it. That made his passing more of a shock to me.
But keep positive: we are still here and going strong!
Very best wishes.
Ron
Rob
Welcome. I can agree with everything that has been written, particularly Marion’s point about what your father’s wishes are. I can speak from the viewpoint of a patient, having a very similar condition to your father and also receiving gemcitabine. I find that the side effects are a feeling of nausea that lasts for a couple of days. It is quite manageable as long as I am near the toilet. I don’t feel tired and once the nausea passes I basically feel like I was a year or so ago. As the chemo day gets closer I start to dread it but that is a mental thing. On odd occasions when I am feeling really bad, I do wonder if this is worth it. Then it would be easy to decide to stop the treatment. But once I am back to normal then that decision would be very difficult to make. Life is precious and given the choice of ending it today or extending it until tomorrow it takes a big man to say “pull the plug now”. In my opinion, the only way someone else can make this decision for me will be if I am comatose.
Going back to your original question…………..as I understand it, there is no reason why your father should not be able to take a break from the chemo. I assume he already has a week off after so many treatments. If so, does his general health improve during that week? I know I look forward to my off week as if I am going on holiday. Another thing to look into is can the size of the dosage be reduced?
All the best.
Ron
For anyone who may not be aware, in the articles in http://www.y90support.org/yes/Stories.html
“Jerry’s Story” is about Jerry Daniels, whose recent death was announced in “In Remembrance”Ron
Dear Nancy
I was so sorry to learn of Jerry’s passing. He was one of the first to contact me when I joined this site and I was always so impressed with his zest for life and positive attitude. It was wonderful that he had such a love for his cars, matched only by his obvious love for his family. Several times we corresponded about his trips, and particularly his visit to the UK. I will miss him.
Kindest regards
Ron
