claris 2

Congratulations, Becky! You are so supportive of everyone else, you really deserve this great news. Enjoy your time off and don't even think about it for a while! Claris

I would love to be involved in a chubb club! Let me know if you get it going again. My cancer recurred in two lymph nodes so at the moment I'm taking chemo (CPT-11 ? and cisplatin) and radiation. I just started but so far feel pretty good. I love to go to CURVES three days a week and walk my dog several times a day around the block. The nice thing about CURVES is you can work at your own level and it's FUN. Good luck to you all. You're all in my prayers every night! Claris

I hope the dreamcatcher works for you Fay. If not, I've been attending some classes on relaxation and visualization. It really works for me. If there is anything like that in your area I would recommend it. I have a tape so I can do it at home and it's so realaxing I go right to sleep and the tape turns itself off. If it's something you think you'd like to try let me know and I'll send you a copy. Claris

I hope the dreamcatcher works for you Fay. If not, I've been attending some classes on relaxation and visualization. It really works for me. If there is anything like that in your area I would recommend it. I have a tape so I can do it at home and it's so realaxing I go right to sleep and the tape turns itself off. If it's something you think you'd like to try let me know and I'll send you a copy. Claris

Snowflake, I fixed the link (there was an extra period at the end). You should be able to access it now. Claris

Ginny, They have several locations, Phoenix, AZ, Santa Barbara, CA, and a place in Mexico. Their website is www.issels.com Interesting but scary. I've known a lot of people who have wasted a lot of money with no results but this made me stop and think...I guess I'm just looking for a miracle. Claris

Has anyone heard of the Issels Medical Center? They claim to have wonderful success with remissions of otherwise non-responsive cancers. It sounds too good to be true (and so it probably is). But I just wondered if anyone else knew of it. Claris

Good luck Addie! I had very few side effects from the same chemo you're taking. I did feel nausea a bit after one session but they changed my anti-nausea pills and I never had it again. Did have the mettalic taste, but a peppermint took care of that. Take lots of naps and keep up the visualization! Claris

I have had three opinions on my diagnosis and the concensus was it is neuroendricine, large cell, and they are treating it as small cell as far as chemo is concerned. It is very confusing to me but the doctors all agree it is a mixture and the chemo worked so far. I thought Iressa was only for NSCLC and it probably is, but apparently my cancer can be considered NSCLC too. In any event, I will be sure to ask for a clarification next time I talk to the doctor. Yes, John, we have talked about PCI. My doctor is going or has gone to a conference on this subject just recently and is going to fill me in on the latest info. I am not of a mind to do this just yet. I'm terrified of the possible side effects and think I'd rather take my chances. Thanks, everyone for your good wishes! Claris

Thanks, Becky, I'm really not in as bad shape and I must have sounded. I am taking Paxil and it helps me a lot. I also go to a lung cancer survivors group once a month which gives me a lot of hope. This Arissa thing came up and had me worried. I'm still praying for another remission. Claris

I was dx'd 11/03 with SCLC, neuroendricine, large cell, inoperable. I had 6 rounds of chemo, carboplatin and VP16 and handled it very well. My last CT/PET was 3/04 and showed NED. My next scans are scheduled for 6/04 and I'm scared to death. My doctor plans to put me on Iressa if the cancer is back. Isn't that a last ditch treatment?