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TAnn

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Posts posted by TAnn

    Follow up after initial treatments

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Beth,

    Pick up that phone!!!!! A chest x-ray once a year is ridiculous. A CT scan every 3 months is what you should insist on. My tumor NEVER showed up on the X-ray, not because it was too small, because of where it was. Be your own advocate and insist on the follow-up scans and check-ups that you are comfortable with. You might be surprised that they will actually listen!

    Good luck and keep us posted. I wish you could come to Houston for your follow ups. MD Anderson is great and when I read stories like yours and SDianneB's it makes me realize how lucky I am. My oncologist is a Thoracic Oncologist, (lung cancer specialist) and I also have a Gynocology(sp?) Oncologist there, and a Radiation Oncologist, but my Thoracic Oncologist is my main doctor, I don't even have a GP, he's that too. He listens to everything I have to say and always considers my opinion when selecting any type of treatment, I like him alot! I can't say enough good things about my treatment there.

    TAnn

    Questions for those who have had wbr

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Beth,

    I think your husbands cravings are from the steroids. I wanted sweets and I'm not a sweet eater. I also gained weight and my face got all puffy (and still is) I hated being on the steroids. I just saw my doctor today and he doesn't think the headaches are from the radiation. He also says the tumors are so small that they couldn't possibly be causing any symptoms. So, I think that the radiation has definately caused the extreme fatigue and also my eyesight has gotten worse.

    I am scheduled for a follow-up MRI and chest CT scan in 4 weeks. He said the physical symptoms from the steroids usually take a couple of weeks after you are completely off of them to go away. We shall see!

    TAnn

    Mom in Hospital

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Hoping that your mom's MRI goes well and the outcome is good. Painkillers absolutely do cause constipation. Senekot-S is what I take to keep things running smoothly. See if your mom's doc recommends something like this to prevent this from happening again. Constipation can also cause alot of pain.

    TAnn

    Questions for those who have had wbr

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    It's going on 3 weeks since I've completed my whole brain radiation. For those of you who have had wbr, how long did it take for you to start feeling better? I am still extremely fatigued. Also, my head starts to hurt usually in the evening almost every day. Is this normal??? I have been off the steroids since Friday. I thought I'd start feeling better by now. I feel like such a wimp! So many talked about how they "breezed" through wbr. Boy, not me.

    Thanks for any advice you can give me, I'm getting a little discouraged.

    TAnn

    New mets in the brain - shoot!

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I have completed 10 wbr radiation treatments for 6 brain mets. All very small 2-3mm. I completed the wbr 2 1/2 weeks ago and the main complaint I have is severe fatigue and weakness. A little bit of short term memory loss and I still have headaches. I won't have a follow up MRI for another few weeks as the radiation continues to work for a while.

    Praying for success with your surgery. You must be scared! I'll be thinking about you.

    TAnn

    Happy Halloween from the Bride of Frankenstein

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Hi Cheryl,

    I love the new picture. The baby is so adorable. I had pretty bad neuropathy when I was on Taxol/Carbo, however it would get bad and then get better then I would have another chemo and the cycle would continue. The worst was when my feet would start to "wake up" It really itched, hurt, literally like "pins and needles". I used to just sit on the couch and put my feet on bags of ice. I guess it kept it numb so I couldn't feel all those needles!

    I just realized after reading one of your posts that Dr. Joe answered that you are scheduled for 20 rounds of chemo!!!!! Wow! I don't know how you can do something like that. Especially with you having blood count problems. I've been thinking about you and hope and pray that you are feeling ok. I know that chemo is cumulative, so I wish you the very best and of course the very best results!

    TAnn

    Iressa and Brain Mets

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Thanks Elaine for the info. When my brain mets were found, my doctor did say that there was some information that Iressa helps attack brain mets, but that there was not enough information yet, still too new. My brain mets are all very small, 2-3mm (although there are 6) and I was taken off Iressa during the 2 weeks of wbr, again not enough information about how Iressa reacts with the radiation, meaning it may enhance it and affect the "good" brain cells too. (I need those, feel like I have a little less these days :? ) Anyway, I am now back on Iressa and a little nervous about being off of it for 2 weeks.

    I will find out next week at my dr. appt. when my next scans will be.

    TAnn

    Cat update

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Cat,

    It is good to hear from you. I've been thinking about you. Just get as much rest as you can during your wbr treatments. They will make you tired, for me more so after I was done with the treatments!

    Keep on fighting, and I will too!

    TAnn

    WHAT IS HAPPENING TO US????

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    Lisa,

    I am so sorry to hear all that you and Ahmed are going through. You have every right to come here and scream and vent as much as you need to. Please know that I have been thinking and praying for Ahmed and hope the bronchoscopy can give him some relief.

    Please listen to the others and get some help. Just because you are a nurse does not mean that the home health agency can NOT do their job. Call them and ask for help. You have to get some rest, you can not keep going like this. I don't know, but I wish you had some family in the area that could help you. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

    Please keep us posted,

    TAnn

    Lucie's Onc Visit

    in MEMBER UPDATES

    Posted

    Don,

    Sorry I'm late for this post! I'm sure Lucie will be glad for a little extra time in between chemo's. It can be so hard. Allergy season is definately upon us, hope she is feeling ok.

    Thanks for the update and you and Lucie are always in my prayers.

    TAnn

    WBR Mask?????

    in NSCLC GROUP

    Posted

    I just completed wbr and I also had a mask made. It was used for marking so they did not have to mark my face and head. Did they mark (or tatoo) your mom's face and head directly? Or maybe Andrea is right, maybe they did have a mask, they kept mine there with the machine.

    Hope this helps!

    TAnn

    Need your prayers......please~~~

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Angie,

    Please know that my prayers have been sent for your dad. Hoping that the bone scan comes clean, but if not, radiation to the mets will help with the pain. Don has experience with Lucie with the bone mets. Also sent prayers for your dear friend who is suffering so much........

    TAnn

    I'm back.

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    Cathy,

    I am hoping Iressa does the trick for you. I've been on it since May and have remained stable. I was taken off of it for 2 weeks for wbr, but started back on Iressa as soon as I was done. Hoping I can continue for a long time. Like so many told me when I first started Iressa, when it works, IT WORKS!

    TAnn

    Play that Funky Music White Boy.

    in GENERAL

    Posted

    David,

    Enjoy your camping trip. You and Karen and Faith deserve a nice relaxing break. Chemo can really "do you in" and you have every right to feel "funkafied" while going through it. We are only human, and sometimes we just need to actually "feel". Once we do, then we get through it and move on, but it is so hard to put on that brave face day after day after day....(you get the point).

    Glad you are feeling better and hope the trip is wonderful.

    TAnn

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