Cancer support thread # 75 - come on in!

[Bloodybridget]

This is the new thread for anyone at any stage of cancer, from noticing a possibly warning sign, through tests and scans, diagnosis, treatment and beyond. Come on in for advice, sympathy and support.
The last thread is here.

If you've been on a previous thread, please come and say hello and introduce yourself!

If you are a relative or friend of someone with cancer and looking for support, there are other threads on this topic - this one is for cancer patients ourselves.

PS: another bit of positive news is that I’ve been discharged by orthopaedics - tendon thickening just random, not progressive and might even get a bit better spontaneously

Brilliant- really glad to hear it, iVampire!

I've cocked things right up- I though my appt with the onco was Friday, but it's actually Wednesday. There's no way they'll have the CT scan results for the Prof to be able to tell me what's going on with my liver .

How frustrating!

Is there any way to hurry the results along? It is possible to get things pushed through, but I’m not sure how big a deal it is. Is there someone with clout who you can ask?

I'll text my nurse specialist tomorrow and ask if she has a set of thumbscrews!

@Jazzy1990 the symptom I went to the doctor with was abdominal pain. It wasn’t constant and when it first started it was there on and off for a about a week then didn’t happen for a month my husband guilted next into going to the dr when it started happening again.
When I was there I also asked him to check my iron levels as was so so tired so came back as really low which is also a symptom. Although I don’t really count that one as I’ve had low iron before a couple of times when I didn’t have cancer. My dr was surprised I didn’t have more symptoms with the size of my tumour.

Good luck with the thumb screws!

My specialist nurse is worth her weight in gold - so I hope yours rises to the occasion

@iVampire I'm so pleased your bloods are good! And I hope your tendons do improve.
@BitOfFun really hope they can get scan results in time for tomorrow.

@Trumpton nice to hear from you. Are you ok with waiting indefinitely for the reconstruction? I have a friend who is also waiting, she's pretty frustrated now.
Greetings and good wishes to all - I can't scroll back to remind myself of what else is going on, but hope everyone is reasonably ok.

@Bloodybridget
Yep . Frustration is the name of the game here !
But “ Out of debt , out of danger “ as my granny used to say .
I do hate the implant tho ‘ and it’s cold to the touch . Winter will be fun !

To all the ladies waiting on transplants - sending you my best wishes and stay strong! I am really in awe of all of you.

Waving to everyone else and sending you good vibes (sorry if this sound corny)!

I had my third dose of EC on Monday, slightly reduced dose as my liver levels were slightly elevated. No mouth ulcers to report as I have been taking Acciclovir tablets as a preventative measure and it seems to have worked. Feeling slightly more human today, 2 days after, just felt my usual lousy self before, low level sickness and just feeling yucky and sleepy. One more EC to go, then dotexacel and some other drug that I currently don’t remember the name of (in combination with dotexacel).

Having an ultrasound of the pesky lymph node on 21 Sept., then appt. with my oncologist on 25 Sept. The aim is to hopefully see the shrinkage, although I am naturally worried and hope that this will be the case. Cancer is a sneaky bastard that doesn’t sometimes follow our best laid plans.

I am now also officially bald!

Waving back @balkanscot as I’m almost bald too! Not my best look but hats it is. I also no longer have psoriasis (so at least one immediate positive).

My third round of AC is still hopefully going ahead on Sunday (so that should finish off the last stray hairs!) - though on antibiotics for an infection (WBC ok though).

Still waiting BRCA2 results!

Sending 💐 and more positive vibes to everyone else who is getting a bit fed up of this cancer malarkey (I know I am).

@iVampire just wanted to send you good luck with your results tomorrow

Hi to everyone. I'm sorry I haven't scrolled down to get updates but I hope everyone as well as can be. Finally seen today. Flexible sigmoidoscopy and rigid sigmoidoscopy done. Surgery scheduled for 29th Sept. consultant said that there are elements that are not as suggestive of cancer but one area that's flattened is more suspicious. He likened biopsies to testing and orange skin may be pre cancerous but it's hard to tell what is inside until it's all removed and tested. Hopes to get it all out in one op but my endometriosis May hamper this. If so a second bigger op will be necessary. Never straightforward with me! He's organised CT scan of chest etc for this week then more isolation for two weeks prior to surgery. Took bloods for tumour markers etc. I don't know how I feel just yet. Tired and drained but just wanted to update you as you've all been so supportive. So that's it. One more step forward.

Sorry for ramble. It's good just to get it out. I'll catch up on you all again.

Love to you all. X

*likened to testing an orange where the skin can look ok on the surface but inside be different! (Sorry that was confusing)

Hi @TreeWitch

I’d just come to the thread to wish you the same, and found you’d beaten me to it!

@ElaineMarieBenes - my first chemo drug really saw off my psoriasis (reducing inflammation??) - every cloud, and all that?

Hi- hope you don't mind me posting here 😳 Last week, I had a nasty fall off my horse, and they had to take me to hospital on a spinal board. They decided to CT my head, spine, and body.

Happily my spine was ok, but the consultant said that something had shown up in my pelvis that they had noticed, and they were referring me to gynae, and organising an urgent pelvic USS.

They called me the next morning to give me an appointment for the scan, which is tomorrow.

I've been trying not to think about it, and not to Google it either. I'm a nurse, and I used to work in gynae for a while, so I'm busy burying my head in the sand, and smacking my teenager with my crutches ( buggered my ankle as I flew out of the stirrups).

I've noticed that I've been wee-ing more frequently, and I've been taking omeprazole for indigestion that started a month ago. I guess I'm just asking for a bit of a hand hold, but I feel guilty asking, because you guys have enough on your plate! X

Hi @Apocalyptichorsewoman

Welcome to the loveliest thread that no-one ever wants to join. I hope your stay here is short, and we can wish you on your way with a benign diagnosis soon. Big if it’s not like that we’re here for you

The do

Oops - pressed the wrong thing too soon!

The speed of it all must seem alarming - my first diagnosis was in the 48 hr aftermath of tests for something completely different. I don’t think I had time to think, which was oddly protective (or just deep denial)

Does your teenager have any idea what’s going on? Who is around to support you in RL?

Very long day. It has spread to the liver, so without trying another treatment, I've got six-to-twelve months. But we will try another treatment!

BOF

Yup that sounds gruelling

So you yet know what treatment/s they are thinking of?

@BitOfFun. I wish I could give you big hug. This is shit. But thankfully you have treatment options. I've googled so much about survivorship and read so many stories where people given information like you have had positive response to treatment and living well. Sending you much love. ❤️Xxx

Australian hugs to you @BitOfFun. Thinking of you from afar, and hoping that your treatment options are kind, and as be beneficial as they can be.

Huge, huge hugs @BitOfFun

@BitOfFun I just wanted to send you a huge hug

Oh no @BitOfFun that is not the news I was hoping for, I came on to see if you had posted! What are your treatment options?