Jill60 Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 After almost 2 months of tests and meeting doctors, I'm finally starting chemo and radiation for stage 3 lung cancer. I'm a little nervous about the chemo side effects. I'm just hoping they're not too severe. I'll take hair loss and fatigue for 1000 Alex. 😄 Justin1970 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillham Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Good luck to you Alex! I was where you are a little over a year ago. It is such a relief to get started. Chemo and radiation are no fun, but just remind yourself that they hurt because they're working hard to kill your cancer! So far, my treatment has been successful, and I've been getting clean CT scans every three months and I feel good and am living a normal life. Wishing you the best of luck! KHÂ Justin1970 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouT Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 One thing I've heard that benefitted people here who have had similar treatment is to have "PALLIATIVE CARE" as part of your treatment. Â They monitor you closely and do all possible to minimize negative side-effects from the treatments. Â It is likely something to speak with your lead doctor (oncologist?) about. Â Best of luck in your treatment. Â I look forward to hearing good reports in the future. Lou Tom Galli, Rower Michelle, BridgetO and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamanthaThompson Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Everything will be fine we all are with you! LouT, Tom Galli and Justin1970 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin1970 Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Hi Alex Goodluck with the treatment it is hard and scary but it is worth it, I was really worried when I started my chemotherapy and radiotherapy not knowing what to expect but it is bearable, everyone is with you through this take care all the best Justin LouT, Tom Galli and Izzy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rower Michelle Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Hi Jill!  Yes! Starting treatment alongside with our dear Jeopardy friend, Alex Trebeck…. A true example of survivorship with a difficult diagnosis.  ECHO Lou’s comments about palliative care, for some reason it’s rarely offered (because of the old way of medical training).  I slogged through terrible targeted therapy side effects then I finally asked for palliative care and then finally got some relief.  Also you want to line yourself up with a physical therapist to help restore your stamina.  No reason to wait, can be done once a week…. I forget, what were your biomarker test results? Time to get the show on the road…. Michelle Tom Galli, LouT, Susan Cornett and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen_L Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 I entered chemo by filling three different prescriptions for anti-nausea medicine, all prescribed by my oncologist, with firm instructions from the nurses to not hesitate to take them. Luckily had success with just one and it wasn't too bad, but it was nice to know I had options. As Lou and Michelle said, palliative care is the best! You've got this! Tom Galli, Justin1970 and LouT 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill60 Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 Rower Michelle I asked my oncologist about the results of the biomarker testing and she said that's more for stage 4 LouT and Justin1970 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy M2 Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 Jill, your oncologist is mistaken. I'm Stage IIIB and had biomarker testing. It is now standard practice even for Stages 1 and 2. I had chemo and radiation before starting a targeted therapy for my EGFR Exon 19 deletion mutation. Please press for at least a liquid (blood) biopsy to be sent for Next Generation Sequencing. For me, chemo wasn't too bad but radiation was rough. The lymph nodes being treated were right on top of my esophagus and I got a wicked case of painful esophagitis. The best thing to do is get a palliative care specialist on your care team before starting treatment. If your oncologist declines to do any biomarker testing, I would seek a second opinion. BridgetO, Justin1970, Susan Cornett and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rower Michelle Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 DITTO to everything Judy just said.  All stages now receive biomarker testing… targeted therapy is now being initiated right away.  It’s no longer limited to stage IV.  LouT and Justin1970 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill60 Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 I know they did do the biomarker testing. I have an appointment to see my oncologist August 1st the day before my treatment starts and I will push for the results. Justin1970, BridgetO, Rower Michelle and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pstar Posted July 23, 2022 Share Posted July 23, 2022 Everyone is always scared of the unknown, it is a known fact. I handled chemo and radiation with minimal side effects ( hair loss and a little discomfort swallowing) and I hope you have minimal side effects  too. Keep us posted. Pam Justin1970 and LouT 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen_L Posted July 23, 2022 Share Posted July 23, 2022 I'm glad Michelle and Judy spoke up. I agree completely. I don't know what kind of online medical system your oncologist has; all my reports and tests are available to me on line the same day they are sent to the docs. Today, I *never* go into an appointment without having read and researched any report. My genetic testing is also in my online records. The report said the mutations I had, then listed drugs targeted to those mutations, as well as other resources. Perhaps you can call and ask the oncologist's office for a copy. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) creates and maintains updated treatment protocols for each kind of cancer, lung cancer among them. Once you know your biomarkers, you can work through NCCN's step by step description of diagnoses and their treatments and get a sense of where your own case stands. I was not raised to be an advocate for my own health care so at the start of lung cancer, I had to get over a lot of discomfort to have my questions answered. If you feel similarly, just know you're not alone. Please keep us posted! Karen BridgetO, Justin1970 and LouT 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Cornett Posted July 23, 2022 Share Posted July 23, 2022 Hi Jill. First - you have to be your own advocate. I carried a notebook for 2 years with questions and notes. My oncologist expected me to break out that notebook in the early visits. Which chemo drug(s) will you take? I took cisplatin and alimta (pemetrexed) for my first cycle. For this round, Super Doc prescribed two different anti-nausea meds that I could alternate so I didn't really get a chance to get nauseated. My side effects are/were neuropathy and tinnitus. The following year I took carboplatin and taxol, along with radiation. I lost my hair but losing hair during July in Texas isn't too bad. I highly recommend this site - it's run by the Cleveland Clinic and provides side effects and therapies to address them for most chemo treatments. Lean on the wonderful people on this site. We're here for you. BridgetO, Tom Galli, Justin1970 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill60 Posted July 24, 2022 Author Share Posted July 24, 2022 Susan I'll be taking Taxol and Carboplatin Justin1970 and LouT 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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