marym

Increase in the red blood cells - should help his fatigue. I'm having the same problem. My lasy chemo required a transfusuion, and this time (2wks later) I was just above the level requiring a transfusion 8.1 and under 8. requires a transfusion. I'm also on an every other week shot of aranespa. Good luck to Fil, hope he feels better. Mary

I agree with everyone's advice to get a brain MRI. I had brain mets with no headaches, so be automatically assume you are in trouble. I know how every little thing can be a scare - but that's what dovtor's are there for. I call whenever something seems out of the norm. Best wishes for you. Mary

Tomorrow'. is another results day. I get the results of the ct scan and I'm so hoping there is shrinkage. I also hope my blood counts are okay for chemo. I have had new pain this week - my right side is bad, back, side, and front. My tumor is in my left lung, but I had bone met on the scapula which was radiated. But somehow the right side just keeps getting worse. I assume I have new mets - but I can't get radiation while I'm on chemo. Anyone have experience with radiation? Did the area still have pain? or the area around it? Mary

Tomorrow'. is another results day. I get the results of the ct scan and I'm so hoping there is shrinkage. I also hope my blood counts are okay for chemo. I have had new pain this week - my right side is bad, back, side, and front. My tumor is in my left lung, but I had bone met on the scapula which was radiated. But somehow the right side just keeps getting worse. I assume I have new mets - but I can't get radiation while I'm on chemo. Anyone have experience with radiation? Did the area still have pain? or the area around it? Mary

My doctor said that two scans with no change would mean the chemo stops. My scans aredone every 6 weeks, which is 2 cycles. Mary

Hi All, Are you having problems with your blood counts that interfere with your chemo? I have had major problems with my blood counts causing me to miss chemo. I'm on gemcitibine-sp? and carboplatin under a trial. Cycles are 3 weeks with CT after each 2 cycles. My first 2 cycles, I could only do 1 1/2 because my white count and platelets were too low. For my second 2 cycle period, I mnaged to do all 4 treatments - but required a transfusion because I was very anemic (I've been anemic since the start). I'm taking an iron supplement and a multivitamin that includes 100% of iron needs. I also take something for my red blood cells and for my white blood cells (nuelasta - sp?). I had the nuelasta on Sat and had fever and chills everyday thereafter. To be safe, my doctor decided to drw blood and found my plaatelets to be 12,000. So I needed a transfusion fo platelets. I'm hoping this will get them up enough fo chemo on the 10th. Any reccomendations on how to solve this? Mary

Look into installing a pump. They are inserted in the spine and the dosage is preset by her docor. The advantage is the medicine is immediate, far less is used to obtain the same results and you do not have to worry about did the medication get taken. I'm not ready for this but I hve already looked into it and I think it's a really good option. Marym

Pammie, I had 3 brain lesions treated by stereotactic radiation. Two are gone and the third we're hoping will be gone soon. (Doctor sys sometimes before they die, they actually grow). The procedure was virtually painless with no side effects, except numbness to the head for a few weeks. I think that's on purpose, the result of long lasting anestetic. All was done in one day and I went home that evening feeling fine. My prayers are with you. Marym

Hi All, I had a 3 month MRI this week and received results yesterday. I had 3 lesions, two very smll and one a little over 1 cm. Results are tht the 1cm grew and there's edema. The other two are gone. I display no effect - they gave me the eye, balance, touch and even math tests. The doctor said sometimes there is growth before a tumor dies -I forget what he called it pseudo something. He has decided to wait and do another MRI in six weeks and make a decision based on results of that test. Others have this pseudo-something effect? What treatment was used if the tumor remained? Thanks, Maureen

Hi All, I had labs and chemo yesterday - I was worried about my platlets, but they were okay. Has anyone had nuemega to treat low platelets? What was not okay was red blood cells - they were really low, even though I had a shot to boost them 2 weeks earlier. They took more blood to test for iron. Let me know if anyone has had similar problems. Thanks. Mary

I had the stereotactic and at the time this option was presented, they also offered the whole brain. The side effects made me reject the whole brain. I have an brain MRI scheduled for tomorrow and I am so hoping the stereotactic worked and no new mets have developed. I have already decided that whole brain is something I do not want and it will take a lot to convince me otherwise. With no mets - I wouldn't even consider it. Mary

Hi Vicky, Waiting is always tough. I'm also being treated at Moffitt and I think they have been great. I have a brain MRI 10/18 and a chest CT 11/2. Anxious about both, but trying to think only positive thoughts. Hoping your news is all good. Mary

I'm on a new drug - Lyrica that will take the place of morphine sulphate. Does anyone have any experience with this? The benefit is that you don't build up a tolerance and need to increase the dosage and it is not an opiate. But it has its own set of side effects. You need to build up to a theraputic dosage, I assume to less the side effects. That dosage is 300mg 2x. I started at 25mg and I'm now at 100mg. Wondering if anyone else has tried this and with what results. Mary

I went for my second chemo of this cycle and again had a problem with white blood count. They elected to give the chemo and the next day I had to go back for a shot of neulasta. Hope it helps me. I have felt so great the last week and a half - like I wasn't ill. I even swam yesterday and the day before - for the first time since May. And I did almost a mile. They think the change is related to a reduction in the dosage of my chemo. I hav a week off, so I hope the blood counts rebound. Mary

I had chemo yesterday after a 3 week "vacation" due to blood counts. I've only had 3 treatments so far - but my CT showed about a 20% decrease in tumor (Yay) but a possible new tumor subcentimeter in the right lung. Doctor's says he's not worrying about that. And he is reducing my dosage slightly to try and not have the blood counts affected. They also gave my zometa for bone strength and another shot of something for red blood cells. Feeling good today - I hope it continues. Mary

Jim, Keep fishing. I'll remember you in my payers. Mary

Hi Holly, I'm on the same 3 weeks schedule but both drugs day 1, only gemzar day 8 and off day 15. I have had little difficulty with side effects, but have had low white count that postponed treatment and low platelets that postponed treatment. I had a little nausea - easily controlled with a pill. Hair intact. I have had some fatigue - but since I work at home, I'm able to take a nap if needed. I hope your mother does well - let us know. Maureen

Hi Holly, I also have bone mets. I have been on morphine sulphate both long acting and liquid for immediate relief. I haven't needed the liquid except when I had withdrawal pain from decadron. The long acting is every 12 hours, but my doctor had me taking it every 8 hours. Good luck. Mary

Antoinette, I was taking decadron for about 2 months - 12 mg a day. I got off in a week, per docor's instructions. It was awful. I ached severely, my feet were so swollen, I had difficulty walking. I was given celebrex and I already was on morphine. And was given a diuretic. (which caused a loss of potassium that was quite dangerous and required a iv treatment and pills for the next week). The withdrawal lasted quite some time - 3 or 4 weeks. Another side effect I had was growth of facial hair. I gained no weight, but was puffy. No one had warned me of the withdrawal symtoms, so I was really surprised. Good luck with your withdrawal. Insist your doctor provide whatever is necessary to control the pain. Mary

I'm on thesame drugs offered to your mother. I can say that my treatments had no ill effects, except a little nausea on the 2nd or 3rd day - which was controlled easily with a pill. I've only had 3 treatments over the last 8 weeks, but I've felt fine, lost no weight and lost no hair. I have had a problem with low blood counts that have postponed treatment twice. They told me not to worry about it. Tell your mother that if her concern is quality of life, the chemi won't adversely affect that. Best wishes. Mary

H All, I have not had chemo for the last two weeks. On the 8th, my white blood cell count was too low. Then on the 15th, my platelets were too low. So they have decided to start again on the 29th. I'm having a CT on the 26th - but I've only had 1 and 1/2 cycles, 3 treatments. I don't know what to expect. I ache a bit, mostly my legs. And I'm a little more tired than before dx. But overall I feel pretty good. The chemo hasn't been at all difficult - except on my blood! I hope I can get started and continue on the 29th. And even more, I hope the ct shows some improvement. Have others experienced this stop and start on their chemo? Best wishes to all. Mary

Hi All, I rote some time ago as mch566 - but it's been a while and I needed to re-register. I was diagnosed in May with NSCLC with mets to bone and brain. I recd radiation for the bone in CA, and then moved to FL. Here I am being treated at Moffitt Cancer Center. So far, I have had stereotactic radiation to the brain and I am in a clinical trial fo chemo. I am getting gemcitibine and carboplatin. I get both drugs day 1, only gemcitibine day 8 and nothing day 15. Then day 21 starts a new cycle. They do a CT after every 2 cycles and discontinue if no improvement. My first CT is 9/19 - and I'm hoping it will show some good. My side effects are some nausea, and achiness as well as fatigue. I also have some depression about wether I will ever fell okay again. I had a really tough withdrawal from decadron after the radiation to the brain. Anyone who has had experience with the drugs I'm taking, please let me know how it worked for you. Hope to get on the computer some more now that I'm set up again. Best to all. Mary