MelanieLR Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Hi All, My CT scan results are a mixed bag. My abdomen & pelvis look good - NED! The 2 brain tumors that I recently had Gamma Knife on are showing some reduction in size & there are no new brain tumors. The Doctor is attributing the memory problems to damage to the healthy brain tissue from the radiation. There remains an irregular 16mm right hiliar mass as well as Linear scarring in right upper lung zone. There is also a new 5mm mass in left posterior CP sulcus nodule. There remains quite a bit of lymph node involvement. The onc. wants me to take about 2 or 3 more weeks to regain my strength & start back on chemo. This time he wants to try Gemzar. I know nothing about this type of chemo at this time. I'm going to need to do some research on it. If anyone has any experience with this type of chemo, please share whatever info you may have as far as effectiveness & side affects. Thanks much. The onc. also sent me for a bunch of other tests & such. They found several more bone mets. My blood oxygen level is down to 82%. Potassium is still quite low as is folic acid & B12. Other than that, I'm doing just fine. Talk to you all later. Hugs & prayers, Melanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnmynatt Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Melanie, Sorry you didn't get better news. Glad to hear the brain tumors are shrinking! Charlie has been on Gemzar a couple of times and tolerated it well and had good results. I think it was once a week infusion for two weeks and then a week off. I guess the frequency and dosage varies depending on the circumstances. Praying for the doctor to have wisdom. Praying for you to have continued strength, a continued positive attitude and comfort. Take care. Keep those 5's coming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Dear Melanie, I'm not sure how to respond to your results. Of course, I applaud the good news, but I'm very concerned about your oxygen level, potassium, etc. What is your doctor's advice on those things before you start chemo again. My husband received Gemzar/Navelbine, and other than fatigue and a little nausea the first time, they were a lot kinder to him than was the Taxotere/Carboplatin combo. All my love and prayers headed your direction. Please let us know what the plan is to get your oxygen and other things back to normal. Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patkid Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Melanie...........overall..........your results sound a bit comforting? We pray that the good outweighs the less good and that you are in good hands. Brian and Pat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justakid Posted April 4, 2005 Share Posted April 4, 2005 Melanie I'm not sure what to say...............The folic and B-12 can be controled with pills (I take those everyday because my chemo sucks them out of you). I did two treatments with Gemzar and really couldn't complain about it, it was the carboplatin that they gave with the Gemzar that they tried to kill me with! Hang in there Melanie, you are truelly and inspiration and I look to you for mental support when I'm having problems....you and Frank and Jim and Fay and Cindi and David/Karen and I know I have forgotten a lot of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAnn Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Melanie, I am sending all my positive thoughts your way that the new chemo regimine works. I, like the others don't know how to react. It's a good news/bad news report and that can be really difficult to deal with. You are such a fighter and inspiration to me. Keep up the positive attitude! Let us know how the chemo treats you.... TAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MelanieLR Posted April 5, 2005 Author Share Posted April 5, 2005 Hi, it's me again, Just wanted to let you know what they are doing for the oxygen, potassium, etc... For the low blood ox, they have me on a nebulizer, 2 inhalers & you guessed it, I'm back on steriods. If that doesn't help, I guess they will get me a tank. They are treating it as if it were a severe casr of asthma. For the potassium, folic acid & B12, I'm taking daily supplements (Oh boy, just what I need - more pills). I, like most of you, was not sure what to make of the results. My initial reaction was "is this good news or bad news?". I guess both. I'm really glad that I have no new brain tumors & that the ones that they did treat with the Gamma Knife are reducing. However, I'm not thrilled that the only explanation left for the cognative problems is that my good brain tissue is being damaged every time they zap a tumor. I remember when they told me the location of one of the tumors, I was concerned about the things over which that part of the brain had control. I guess that concern was justified. I'm tickled silly that my abdomen & pelvis are NED. At the same time, I'm rather disturbed that the cancer has spread to the other lung. It was pretty much inevitable since it was already throughout my lymph system when I was dx. I just wish it could have waited a little longer before invading the other lung. This being SOB all the time really kind of stinks. Well, that's enough of that whining! I just have to pick myself up by my boot straps & get myself stronger so I can proceed with the chemo. My Hubbie is such a source of strength. He's also a mother hen! I'll talk to you all later, Hugs & prayers, Melanie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Hi, Melanie, it does sound as if your treatments so far are fighting back the beast, so that is a good thing. I will say a prayer for you right now. My cousin in law (ha) had pancreatic cancer, which is usually harder to treat than even lung cancer. He took Gemzar and had good results. He said it was hard on him right after treatment but it sure has helped him. Best wishes, Margaret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patkid Posted April 5, 2005 Share Posted April 5, 2005 Lots of love, support and hugs. Sounds like much more good than bad. Thank God. Hug your hubster for us...............he sounds wonderful. Love Pat and Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.