Crack open the wine... it's CANCER SUPPORT THREAD 61!

[WhatWouldLeslieKnopeDo]

Some of us have been here a while and others have only just joined. If you're lurking, feel free to say hello. We are quite friendly really.

You are welcome to join us, whatever sort of cancer you have, or if you're waiting for tests to find out whether you have cancer or not (we hope not!)

Our previous thread is here. Do check it out if you're new as there's lots of useful information in the first few posts.

Best wishes to everyone who finds themselves here

I have read every post but cannot reply to each individual. My cancer is now non curative. I don't know what else to say about it.I will post after my biopsy results.

Wombat I'm so sorry to hear this, god cancer is absolutely shit isn't it

Wombat so very sorry. Me too. It's a lonely and dark place isn't it? Hugs and a handhold.

wombat it is indeed shit. There aren't really any other words. I won't say anything much until you have the full picture from your biopsy results.

penguins good luck with the colonoscopy prep - hopefully it'll finally get you some answers about what is going on

It's been a bit quiet in here so hopefully that means people are getting a chance to enjoy the sunshine. I know it's not some magic cure, but I certainly find it gives me a little boost :) I had chemo yesterday so I'll be a bit bleurgh the next few days, but will check in anyway and I'll be thinking of you especially wombat

Wombat So very sorry to hear that Wombats.

I tried looking if mri laser guided ablation is used on inoperable liver tumours but its only coming up with a few cases in the US (Mayo), successful though, but seems to be at such an early stage of research and only some size of tumours. My Dad had that for prostate and it worked but wasn't given as an option by the NHS but is done in a few specialist centres here. Sorry that isn't really any use, but thinking of you.

Leslie Glad you enjoying the better weather. Love to everyone else. Think I will be off to doctors again shortly, got bladder pain, strange bleeding again. Hopefully will get out inbetween visits.

Hi everyone.

Wombats so sorry to hear your update. How are you coping? It's so shit and unfair.

Penguins I had a colonoscopy last month. I didn't find the drink too bad and the actual procedure whilst undignified was painless with no after effects.

My update is that I have three places where the cancer is. The largest is tennis ball sized and whilst the cells show it started in the cervix it has grown in a cavity that's neither in the bowel or vagina. There is bone and lymph node involvement so stage 3/4. Since originally being told it's curable they now say manageable which really upset me at first. Apparently it's very rare, in the hospital they have had one similar case out of 12 million. My thinking is that therefore they don't know how I will react so I will be positive and hope for the best.

I still haven't started treatment despite knowing it was cancerous for about 6 weeks. I'm being passed to a clinical Oncologist next week and really hope treatment starts soon after. I will have chemoradiotherapy. Any experience to share please?

Off now to make the most of the glorious weather. Best wishes to you all.

Actually this might be it in the UK, its a very long shot:
www.ablationforcancer.co.uk/microwave_ablation.html

PS Leslie and Twitter thanks for your thoughts on the strong and brave comments. I've yet to say anything about this but am considering how to do so. I have all the close family here this weekend so may approach it then, otherwise I feel I may spontaneously combust. Alternatively I may walk the dogs and scream alone in the woods.

So sorry Swaying I hope they start treatment soon.

Thanks for the reassurance re colonoscopy.

Swaying I had 5 weeks of chemorads and it was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, are you having cisplatin chemo? If it is it isn't too brutal, makes you feel a bit sick and tired but that was all the side effects I had. I didn't even lose my hair, make sure you drink plenty of fluids to help flush it out afterwards.

I had no side effects at all from the external radiotherapy (I had that 5/6 times a week) make sure you don't drink fizzy drinks as the gas makes all your insides distorted which makes it harder for them to target the tumours.

I also had 4 lots of internal radio almost 2 month ago and I'm starting to get some side effects from that now, constipation/diarrhoea.

I'm back to see my consultant on Monday so no idea if any of it has worked or not

Thanks Purple that is good to know. I hopefully will find out what drugs I'm having on Wednesday. Good advice about the fizzy drinks too.

Has anyone chosen to fast before and after the chemo? My brother who is a scientist is strongly recommending I try it and I guess it won't do any harm.

Swaying so sorry to hear your news too. It's no consolation that it's rare, other than you'll probably get loads of oncologists and other medics all wanting to keep an eye on you and what's happening, so you'll get very good care. I was desperate to start treatment asap as I'm sure you are but they will want to ensure they give you the most appropriate and targeted treatment available.

Maybe you could say something like "Bravery is a choice, cancer isn't." or just "I'm not brave, I don't have any alternative." and "I don't feel strong."

purple good luck for monday. Are you waiting for scan results?

Leslie hope you're not too bleurgh.

Thanks TQ, yes I'm waiting on MRI and CT scan results, I'm not feeling hopeful at the minute as I've found a lump but there's nothing I can do until Monday so I'm having a few days in York to try and take my mind off it

I've only been to York once Purple but I loved it. I would happily spend a few days there - I hope it provides some distraction for you. I find waiting for results so difficult now.

Hope you have a lovely time in York Purple - at least the weather has finally improved - and hope you get good results on Monday.

Swaying Good luck for Wednesday.

I finally got out today went rowing with DD (more DD than me!), saw Peter Rabbit with DS and had a meal, nice to go out to something other than a medical facility! Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine.

Ugh. Sod’s Law strikes.

I had a lovely lie-in planned, but slept really badly and am now stubbornly awake - feeling desperately tired but miles from sleeping again,

I’m casting round for ways to make the day improve but coming up with s blank so far. So off to get

Really sorry to be reading some of the updates here.

York is lovely, but too far for a day trip to fill up my Sunday. Last time I went, Jorvik was unexpectedly closed and the DC were bemused to see a selection of Vikings on the street to explain and apologise.

It was lovely although staying in a travelodge with no air con and a window that can't be opened wasn't great. I think we'll try and find a nice b&b next time we go.

Ugh I hate when that happens ivampire, I think we're in for another nice day today so hopefully you'll come up with a plan

Thanks penguins, good luck with your colonoscopy and fingers crossed you're not sick

iVampire ugh to ruined lie in! So frustrating when you finally have a chance to catch up a bit I hope you have a nice, relaxed day. at the stranded Vikings. I saw a whole load of Star Wars characters yesterday waiting for some fan event. They must've been sweltering!

penguins I'm glad you managed to get out and have fun :)

purple everything crossed for Monday, and sorry that you're having side effects from the radiotherapy. I hope they can be managed easily I hope York has been a lovely distraction.

Swaying oh bugger. I'm really sorry to hear it is more complicated than originally thought. They should've been more careful with what they said before they had the full picture as it's so unusual have they mentioned referring to someone more specialised? That might be worth asking about if not. As TQ says it's frustrating waiting to start treatment, but it does hopefully mean they are getting the very best plan in place rather than just rushing in willy-nilly. I'm in the "incurable, but treatable" camp. It took a while to get my head around. Try not to get bogged down in researching or anything until you've spoken to them. Hopefully they'll already be aware of what options are most suitable and that saves you a job :)

Re fasting during chemo, make sure you check with your medical team first. Some of the research does seem promising but it is all quite patchy and only small sample sizes. There are some potential risks as well as the benefits. In the end I decided it wasn't for me as I am very prone to dehydration following my bowel surgery. Good luck if you do decide to try it :)

I had quite an active day, by my standards, yesterday without my adhesions causing trouble so I'm hoping we have found a way to co-exist happily.

Did everyone else have an amazing storm during the night? I was woken by the most amazing thunder and pouring rain.

Sending lazy Sunday wishes to you all

Cross-posted purple sorry you ended up with the Travelodge sauna experience!

wombat so sorry to hear your news.

Penguins good luck with the colonoscopy. Sorry no advice as my colon cancer was too advanced so I never had one - just straight into surgery. Suspect I will have it to look forward to for monitoring (if they can do one when you don't have a colon? ).

Swaying good luck with your appointment on Wednesday. Hopefully it will help to know what the plan is - I certainly felt much better once I could start treatment as it felt like I was doing something. Hope your conversations with relatives went well. Sorry not heard anything about fasting before chemo but can thoroughly recommend the crisp and extra strong mint diet.

iVampire grrr lie in fail - how annoying. Hope the was good at least.

I had a blood transfusion on Tuesday and feeling about 200% better (my DH keeps making Lance Armstrong jokes ). Almost finished my first chemo cycle and symptoms have been quite manageable so looking at going back to work at least part-time for next. I can work flexibly so hopefully ok and can always go on sick again if I need to - I know symptoms can get worse in later cycles.

In other news it is nice and sunny here and we have 12 newly hatched chicks to play with (being super paranoid about hygiene due to salmonella risk but figure mental health benefits probably outweigh that).

Most random sorry-you-have-cancer gift this week was a raw chicken! Actually will be very nice for dinner today though and from a farming family so maybe not that bizarre.

Afternoon everyone and thanks for the good wishes.
Penguins thank you for the link about ablation.
The nurse has told me that they think the cancer 'is hiding' somewhere in my body. It is unusual to have a low grade tumour in the lung and now this fast growing one on my liver. I am waiting for a restaging CT scan appt. The biopsy is tomorrow but I will have to wait over a week for the results.

Good luck and best wishes to all those waiting for results or treatment. it is truly pants.

Wishing you well for tomorrow @purpleunicorns

Thanks Duckland, fingers crossed you get your blood test soon. Waiting around is the worst

Wombats Hope the biopsy goes as well as it can and so sorry you are going through this.

Tayto I hope you don't need an annual colonoscopy. How lovely to have chicks.

No storm here Leslie lovely day again, glad you had a nice day yesterday.

Feeling grotty again today bladder pain losing blood and clots from bladder I think urgh. Still I'm sure the colonoscopy meds will have me feeling much better. I've been trying to get hold of antibiotics all day and failing but I've just lied to an online service so hopefully will have some. They keep saying I'm too complicated so I simplified. If they don't work will see doctor after colonoscopy.

Well Tayto if you have no colon at all then they won't be able to do one they might do some sort of endoscopy or use scans instead. From a cancer point of view I've only had CT scans for follow up, though various other tests to check the state of my new plumbing! I'm so glad your blood transfusion has helped they really are fantastic. Enjoy your chicks - how lovely :)

wombat waiting well and truly sucks that does sound a bit odd. Hopefully it will all be a bit clearer once you've got the scan and biopsy.

penguins that sounds awful. I hope the antibiotics help and good luck with fasting and the medications. I didn't find it too bad. I think because I'd eaten very little (too lazy to work out things I could eat!).

I really want a veggie burger. To the point that I'm actually considering walking to the local kebab shop to buy one. I've never been to the kebab shop before. Weird chemo cravings