just me

Hi Steve,
My husband has small cell extensive.  Dignosed November 2019.  I don't get on here too  often, but I try to comment when I do.
Just me

I was diagnosed in Feb 2019. Had a brain MET and some nodes in the lining of my right lung. It happened very fast. One day I'm shoveling snow and feeling good, next day I'm wondering what the heck happened and my life changed. I experienced shortness of breath, so they did scans and a thoracentesis (draining fluid from my chest), a biopsy, then they gave me the news. SCLC. They immediately put me on chemo with carboplatin, etoposide and tecentriq, which was recently approved for first line treatment. They found that I was allergic to etoposide, so they substituted paxlitaxel, and I still have weekly infusions of it to this day. One of my doctors suggested whole brain radiation in May, but we refused. Then the brain MET disappeared, which I think was due to tecentriq, but no one knows for sure. Only God knows. It's gone. For now. Paxlitaxel side effects are not pleasant, but I can still play some golf. I'm now a frequent flier at the cancer center and still not an expert on this disease. There are so many things going on now in research that I could never keep fully up to date. I rely on my medical team to be the experts, to be up to date on SCLC and to do their thing exceptionally well. I ask tons of questions and still make the final medical decisions. But I think the most important aspect of this disease is attitude! Positive or negative, that's the only thing I can control. I see some patients who are so depressed they make me feel depressed. That's not a good way to go through this thing. I've experienced this depression and can say that it's really ugly. I've even heard that negative attitude can affect not just the patient but also the disease. So I'm in charge of my attitude and rely on the help of family and friends to keep me positive. Avoid negative crap always. So that's the extent of my SCLC experience. I suggest that patients and supporters stay focused on positive attitude. Do whatever is necessary to keep your wife's attitude positive. That's a very, very tough task, maybe even tougher than the treatment of this disease.

Hi Steve,
My husband has small cell extensive.  Dignosed November 2019.  I don't get on here too  often, but I try to comment when I do.
Just me

Hi Steve,
My husband has small cell extensive.  Dignosed November 2019.  I don't get on here too  often, but I try to comment when I do.
Just me

Hi Diane,
Sorry to hear about brain mets.  This disease is mean.Hope the steroids and radiation help.
We aren't scheduled for a MRI in the near future.  We will have a scan after 2 more cycles of the irinotecan.  Although, hubby is not tolerating it well and moral is low.  
We are in Massachusetts, our stay at home order has been extended to May 14th.  The silver lining is more time together.
just me

Thanks Tom.  Easier said then done.  I'm basically flying by the seat of my pants here.  I've got the knowledge in my head but to ask and try to help him is something else.  I went and got him a laxative last night.  Not sure if it helped yet.  He describes the pain as nausea and wanting to vomit.  I'm sure he will let the Doc know on Thurs. how he's feeling. If not, I certainly will.
He is also obsessing over his diet with the upcoming PET on Friday.  I will give him plenty of protein and veggies.  They ask you to restrict  sugar a few days preceding the test. (As you already know)  Afterwards,  I will do my best to get the big gun calories into him before treatment starts.  

My husband also was diagnosed this week with small cell, extensive.  It is very scary. He seems to be declining so fast.  We are wondering if he will survive treatment. There is comfort knowing others have made it through.
 
update April 10th,, 4 rounds carboplatin, etoposide and tecentriq, showed a good amount of shrinkage. The plan was to continue with just the immunotherapy which did not work.
Beginning a  new second line of chemo.  
 

Hi Diane,
Sorry I did not respond sooner.  I forgot to book mark this page.  My husband's journey is very similar to your husband's.  We have some mets in the liver, lymph nods and bones. Our cocktail is the same as the one you are being treated.  We had quiet holidays, the white cells dropped extremely low before Thanksgiving so we were isolated for a week. The second round they gave us the Neulasta on his arm.  Which seemed to help, but he was fatigued much longer.   We were back on the 26 of Dec. for more scans and a third round if the previous treatment was effective.  The mass is shrinking and so is the lesion on his liver. Terrific news for us. Even the Dr. was smiling. We just finished round 3. Today the  nurse told us about the Claritin.  I will give it to him in the morning. 
We also had problems with constipation and was told to use Miralax and a stool softener.  
 
My husband is 65.  We have 2 grown children.  He was a smoker in the past, therefore we were receiving scans every six month for scarring and a stable nodule. This cancer was not there during the last scan less than six month prior. It is a scary, aggressive cancer, and I empathize with you.
Just Me

My husband also was diagnosed this week with small cell, extensive.  It is very scary. He seems to be declining so fast.  We are wondering if he will survive treatment. There is comfort knowing others have made it through.
 
update April 10th,, 4 rounds carboplatin, etoposide and tecentriq, showed a good amount of shrinkage. The plan was to continue with just the immunotherapy which did not work.
Beginning a  new second line of chemo.