Suzie Q
-
Posts
638 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Downloads
Store
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Events
Posts posted by Suzie Q
-
-
Darci,
Keep in mind that the effects are often cumulative, so in two or three cycles, he may see more side effects.
My mom just finished 6 rounds of Taxol/Carbo and had tremendous fatigue and some bone pains. also, the hair she lost with Taxotere did not grow back, so your dad may lose his hair. Blood counts did dip, but none of them bottomed out.
It does seem to be a more tolerable chemo regimen, though.
~Suz
-
You have my deepest sympathies.
~Suz
-
Oops! That should read, "...yes, I have done that"
-
Chocolate mousse. Can be eaten as a meal (ues, I have done that)!
Suz
-
Aw, Kerry. Hugs and prayers coming your way!
-
Aw, Kerry. Hugs and prayers coming your way!
-
Let's see...
Born in MI.
Presently living in MI.
Lived in OH and NJ.
Visited NY, VA, PA, DE, FL, MS, LA, WI, IL, MN, ND, SD, WY, CO, UT, NM, NV, AZ, TX, HI(that's the abbreviation for Hawaii, right?), and DC.
You didn't ask, but foreign countries visited include Switzerland, Canada, and Russia.
But there's just no place like home, wherever you make yours!
~Suz
-
Beth has been on my mind a lot lately, and I'm so sad to hear of her passing.
Her battle was fought so so courageously and with such humor. She was inspirational.
Gonna miss you, Beth. May you rest in the arms of the angels...
~Suz
-
Mary,
I hope Gemzar and Carbo work as well for you as they did for my mom. However, after 6 (I think) cycles her blood counts plummeted and her onc discontinued the regimen.
~Suz
-
Have you sat down with him and asked him what his goals are? Does he want and expect to feel better? Have you laid it on the line for him that it's up to HIM to make the change, but you'll help him any way you can?
Sometimes depressed patients cannot see the obvious. They just get so sick of the same old thing every day. It's hard to accept a new "normal" when you long for something more...
Can he set small goals? The achievement may give him a boost of self-esteem.
You wrote he can barely walk to the bathroom - does he need physical therapy? It can be arranged to be done in the home if travel is too strenuous.
If you've done these things, and he doesn't want to change, then you will have to accept that this is the path he's chosen.
Get your mom to go to a counselor or support group.
~Suz
-
Here's to hope!
Go get 'em, Lucie!
-
The onc may have to write a letter to the insurance company. Someone in his office should know how to deal with new chemo meds and insurance companies.
Is the onc concerned about using the Avastin with your dad's recent heart attack? I ask because it is an inhibitor for new blood vessel growth.
Good luck with the insurance company.
Suz
-
Glad you are feeling better about things, Cindy.
What I want to know is, if your mojo was spotted in FL in a thong bikini, when it returns to you, does it have a knockout figure to go with it? If so, I', sending mine out Next Day Air via UPS!
Suz
-
Deepest condolences on your loss.
-
Prayers and hugs to you both.
-
Fantastic! Hope it airs soon.
~Suzie Q (fellow Michigander)
-
Wishing you the best for your surgery today and a quick and uneventful recovery!
Oh, pain-free will be good, too!
~Karen
-
Karen,
All three chemo drugs have different side effects, none of which are experienced the same in different people. However, I can tell you that carbo left my mom with a weird taste in her mouth. She described it as all her food tasted too salty. Couldn't eat beef when on it either.
Avastin will knock the crap out of Ken around day 3 or 4. Expect him to get up, eat breakfast, nap, have lunch, nap, have dinner and go to bed. My mom also gets a lot of pain in the chest from the Avastin along with bone flares - pain in the pelvic bones and sometimes in the knees. She also has neuropathy from previous chemo, and it is worsened on days 3-8 or so. Her fingernails got really thick and the front half of the nails look dead and she has horizontal ridges near the nail bed.
Nausea can be managed, but tell your hubby to take the anti nausea meds prescribed even if he's not nauseated - it will help stave off the queasiness.
He might get diarrhea, too. Have some Immodium on hand.
Again, I reiterate, no two people get the same side effects, and your hubby may do well on this regimen. but at least if he starts to have some of these (and other)symptoms, you will at least know that it is normal
and to be expected.best wishes to you,
Karen
-
Beth,
So sorry to hear this news.
My mom started Avastin plus 2 other chemo agents in combination 3 weeks ago. Her onc also had to call the pharmaceutical company to get compassionate care approval. Her insurance company rejected payment for the same reason as yours.
So far, the fatigue has been pretty much worse than any other treatment, starting on day 4. Her nails look like they're dead on the ends and new nail tissue is growing underneath. Plus, the neuropathy is worse, especially in her fingertips.
Of course, your experience may be different if they add different chemo drugs in combination with Avastin. And of course, we are all praying for NO ALLERGIC REACTION with you this time!!!!!
Make sure you follow yor GB diet - don't wanna irritate that sucker and wind up with emergency surgery.
Best wishes to you,
Karen
-
mmmmmmmmmmm...make mine a double!
Congrats to you Beth! And what a year it's been!
Keep it goin', girl!
~Karen
-
My mom had a tingly type of sensation with her first line of chemo, and had very good response. However, her blood counts went so haywire she could no longer say on it, and the next three lines (including Alimta) had no tingly or pain sensation. However, this latest treatment (Taxol) had caused some pain, especially right after treatment, and it's working, too.
So anecdotally, at least for my mom, the pain or funny sensation in the chest appears to be associated with the chemo working. But I bet the statisticians would have a field day with my conclusion!
~Karen
-
Starry,
The chest pain is the strangest thing...every time a chemo regimen has worked for my mom, she gets either a pain or a tingly feeling in her chest. So maybe it's a symptom of the chemo at work! However, I would call the doctor anyway and report the pain, just to be sure. They need to be aware of it and decide if she should be evaluated.
The hair loss can be a big deal to some women. Has your mom gone to a wig salon or a shop that caters to women's cancer needs? They have scarves, hats, wigs, etc to help with that. My mom's wig looks very good!
I don't know what your skills are, but you might consider a third shift job so you can get your mom to/from appointments. The child care thing is a bit tricky...often hospitals have on-site child care for their employees (though usually for first shift only), so you might want to start looking there.
About the comment on god not giving you mre than you can handle, I personally think that sometimes he DOES give us more than we can handle...we just have to recognize our human limitations and give it back up to Him. Then He will help us rise to the challenge.
Keep your chin up. We're all praying for and thinking of you.
~Karen
-
Bless your heart, Jim! So glad to hear good news!
So, just leave us directions to the fish fry you'll be hosting and we'll all be there with bells on!
~Karen
-
Has anyone heard of whole-body hyperthermia being used for lung cancer? I'm especially interested if it's available in the US. I know they do quite a bit of it in Europe, especially in Germany. However, my mom would not leave the states now with my dad battling stage IV melanoma.
Just exploring options...
Thanks,
Karen
and to be expected.
Anyone use nuemega?
in NSCLC GROUP
Posted
Are you thinking of Neupogen? I think both my mom (NSCLC)and dad (he has melanoma)had Neupogen. I think they both had "bone flare" pain from it. But it seems it was used for neutropenia, or low neutrophils (one type of white blood cell).
Hope your counts come up soon!
~Suz