mets to lung
Comments
-
Happy Birthday, Brenda! Love your quote" It's a privilege to get old"!0 -
I had a very good birthday weekend, Euro! Thank you for the greetings!
I'm happy to know you finally got your catheter installed. I think the rule is you shouldn't take out any more than 1 liter at a time. Anything might be too much for your heart and lungs.
I did both the carboplatin and the gemzar last Friday. Today I have a rash that won't go away. I hope I don't have to stop chemo because of this rash. It's itchy, and it's on my torso and a little bit around my neck.
Hoping for better days ahead for everyone here.
Brenda0 -
Glad you were able to get your treatment Brenda! What is with the rash? Is it a reaction to the chemo? Maybe try the Claritan, I know it works for other types of chemo, but not sure of Gemzar and Carbo? I don't think that it will hurt to try though. Hope you can get it under control especially if it itches.!
The home health nurses were here today and they drained another 600ml out of me before I had to tell them to stop. this is much easier than the thorancentesis, but somewhat the same. I am still sore from the tube placement but it is not that bad. Already I can feel a difference in my breathing. My lung is not liking to go back to where it was, it liked the fluid I guess...LOL. I am glad it is going. I have a split level home so I am up and down the steps alot, and now I am not having as much trouble, not gasping for breath when I get to the top. I still have quite a bit of fluid so they will be back on Friday to drain some more and to let me do much of it myself so that I know how. I am just hoping that i will not need this tube in for very long. Fingers crossed. Today is my last day of my first cycle of Xeloda and I am looking forward to the break, my feet are just beginning to hurt to walk. Hopefully the break will be good for the HFS.
Take care everyone and blessings.
Hugs, Euro.0 -
Thanks, Euro. I was able to do the Gemzar again today. Onc looked at my rash and lowered my Gemzar from 1400 to 1200. I was asking him to lower it to 600 because I heard that even a low dose is okay. Let's see how this works.
Remember not to drain more than 1000 mls. If you have less than 500 mls., leave it alone. It's funny how our lungs get used to the darn fluid!
Hugs,
Brenda0 -
euro, when I had trouble with the hfs I would lather my feet with "bag balm" at night and wear socks to bed. It helped.0 -
Glenna, I may be wrong, but it looks like you are one of the people who have been Stage IV for the longest time. I don't really know when mine went to Stage IV, since I had no symptoms and my onc never checked. I found it because of a kidney infection that landed me in the hospital and my GP found it. I tried the femora and it didn't work, now I am on faslodex. I now have mets to my lungs, liver and just found about bone mets in my ribs. Supposedly, I have a fractured rib, however, I don't feel it at all.
What kind of pain do some of you have. My arthritis hurts more than the cancer (knock on wood)? Does the fact that I had cancer in 2008 have any bearing on if I need it again? I pray for us all. I love this site and all of you people.0 -
One more thing.....does anyone have a lot of shortness of breath. I used to just have it when I went up and down stairs, but now it is if I make the bed or walk through the house. My onc doesn't seem to think it is attributed to the lung met. He is giving me ANOTHER ct scan to look for blood clots in my lungs.0 -
Hi Barb,
I just got the news that I had mets to lungs September 28th. I had just had all my scans and thought they were good when my onc told me I had fluid around my lungs. I had to have that horrible fluid drained off my left lung and then they sent it to pathology. Well, that was very hard to hear that the original cancer cells in my breast had gone to my bones and now to my lungs.
He put me on Xeloda for 14/7 and it was very tough. I had jaw spasms that went to my left shoulder, back and then my chest. I had 3 episodes like this but the cardiologist gave me nitroglycerine tabs and for 2/3 I had those that stopped the pain. Onc took me off X and now on combo of Faslodex and Arimedex. He wanted to give my body a rest from the chemo until he could talk to cardiologist.
Enough about my issues. Somehow we have to find a way to not think about this disease that starts with a small letter c (at least in my book). I am fighting it as I'm sure you are too. I will pray that the new meds work for you. I don't mind admitting that I wouldn't make it some days w/o prayers going up for me.
Talk soon I hope!
Judy0 -
Rozann, fortunately there are lots of stage IV fighters out there who have been around longer than me. We should all keep the faith .... I am waiting for the cure!! When I was diagnosed stage IV in 2008 I had gone for a routine check up. I had been having chest pain and shortness of breath for quite a while with bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis before finally being sent for a ct scan. I sometimes wonder how long it had been lurking in my lung. I think shortness of breath goes with the territory. I stay pretty busy but usually have to rest even after getting showered and dressed. Pacing myself is the key. Work a little, rest a little, play a little, rest a little. My pain is in the lining of the lung. I usually take a pain pill in the late afternoon and that gets me through til bedtime. I almost always take something at bedtime.
Judy, prayers going out for you!!0 -
Hi Rozann,
Shortness of breath was the main symptom of my lung mets. My shortness of breath went away when my pleural effusion went away. Every time I got drained my shortness of breath diminished. As the pleural cavity got emptied, though, I started to hurt when I coughed, laughed or sneezed. The last time I was drained was the 4th of Oct. Now I am breathing normally and I can sneeze, laugh and cough without hurting. I am very curious as to what they will find when they do a ct scan on Monday, November 4th. I will have a ct guided needle biopsy on that day to determine hormone receptors. My first dx. was TN. My second dx. was ER/PR+.
Hugs to everyone!
Brenda0 -
Rozann: I had milder shortness of breath before the lung mets because of asthma. The shortness of breath got worse with mets. I have to pace myself and sit and rest to catch my breath. I've never had fluid in the lung. I was hospitalized because of low oxygen in April and now have home oxygen if I need it. Before I was diagnosed with metastatic disease, I kept wondering why my asthma was hurting my chest but it was actually mets to the sternum. My chest has been an issue of pain for four years now, but I am able to get control with OTC medicines and I had some radiation to alleviate pain.
Adnerb: What area are you having the CT guided needle biopsy? Is it unusual to be TN and then ER+, PR+ with a second diagnosis? Nov 4th is soon. I hope things go well for you.
Judy: Prayers to you. I know it's tough to have mets to bones and then lungs. It's hard to believe at first. Hang in there.
Glenna: You do inspire me!
Jean0 -
Jean,
My mets are supposed to be in the pleural lining of my left lung. So they are doing a scan of that area. I know changing from TN to ER/PR+ is unusual. This is precisely why my onc needs to know once and for all what the mets are all about. All they could tell from the pleural fluid was that it was breast cancer, not lung cancer. So they are sure that it's mets, but from which dx. nobody knows. Of course I am hoping ER/PR+ so that I have more treatment choices.
It must be tough to have both the asthma and the lung mets. And the sternum mets. But you are surely hanging in there and your strength shines through your posts!
Hugs,
Brenda0 -
Brenda: Thanks for the encouragement. I am hanging in there. The mets I have are rib, sternum, femur, thoracic spine, lung and skin. I feel like I've done lots of chemo, but so many here have too. I also had a second diagnosis. When first diagnosed at stage IIB, the right breast was removed. Nine years later I had metastatic disease to sternum. Two years into stage IV treatment, a left mammogram showed a second diagnosis of bc in the left breast. I had the option of monitoring or mastectomy. I opted for mastectomy and a hidden tumor was found millimeters away from the chest wall, so I was happy I opted for removal. The pathology for all my biopsies have remained the same. I've been in treatment for metastatic disease four years now. I've been having rising tumor markers for four months now, so I meet with onc on the 4th to discuss treatment plan. Onc mentioned Halaven last time, but I'm reluctant. It's wait and see for me.
Is it just me, or has there been a lot of new people joining the stage IV boards lately?
Jean0 -
Jean, you also inspire me! You have been fighting for a very long time and I for one am so proud to get to know you! You have helped me and want you and others here to know that this has all been so encouraging. I am very tired tonight but tomorrow I plan to get on here and address as many of you as possible!
Please all sleep well and this is now my very favorite discussion board because I'm in the very same place!!
Love,
Judy0 -
Finally got a new laptop, so it will take time to catch up with all the happenings among my BCO sisters. It is good to hear Brenda and our other newer sisters are doing so well and absolutely uplifting to hear from long time BCO sisters.
Brenda's 11/4 tests are a few days before mine. 11/7 CT scans, 11/11 results.0 -
Lots of us are having tests this coming week! Jean, hope your appointment with your onc goes well on the 4th! Brenda, I'm with you, having my ct scan on the 4th too. I've been thinking that if all those little nodules in my lungs grew while I was still on chemo, then what have they been doing with no treatment for the last 3 months? Good luck, Chanah for the 11th!
My last scan was the end of Aug, showed slight progression, and my onc wanted to start new chemo immediately, but I wanted a break, was just so bone tired. So we agreed on another 2 months. So I'm pretty sure the new chemo is on the cards, but I feel much more ready to do it now, I'm stronger because of having the break. I just hope that they didn't grow hugely, I can live with a small progression. But I don't think I have symptoms, yes, I do have shortness of breath at times, but not hectic. No pain that is there all the time. When I breathe in deep I feel pain inside the lung area, but I don't know if that's just me worrying about nothing. Anyway, we will know more on Monday! Then I see my onc on Tuesday to discuss treatment plans. My big sister from Johannesburg is coming down to be with me for the onc appointment, it's so much easier with someone there. She writes everything down, and remembers to ask stuff I'd forget. Not to even mention the moral support!!
Glenna, the shower, drying the body, creaming the body and then dressing does me in still! When I was having chemo I had to do it in stages, resting inbetween. I still have to sit down and rest after doing it all!0 -
jean, your last post has changed my mind about mammograms. I opted out last year thinking I'm already being treated for BC so what would be the point. When I told my onc I wasn't having one he encouraged me to have it because he said it was possible to get a different BC in the other breast. I still chose not to have it. Guess I'll be making a phone call today!!
Prayers for all of you with upcoming tests ... Always a stressful time! As well as starting a new chemo. I'm just finishing my second round of CMF and am feeling more tired on it than any of my other chemos. I'm thinking it is the cytoxan pills I take every morning for two weeks. We just never know what to expect when we start something new!0 -
Carolben, I am keeping my fingers crossed that your mets are at least stable. Who knows, all those good times with your son might have been very good for your cancer as well. I am hoping for regression. I changed my ct guided biopsy to the next day, the fifth, I did not realize my 18 year old would not be available on the 4th.
Hugs to everyone.
Brenda0 -
My CT-guided needle biopsy did not happen. After the CT scan, the radiologist said there were no more tumors in my pleural lining. I can't help but be very happy on the one hand, but suspicious of those evil cancer cells on the other hand. Where are they now? Are they looking for another home in my body? Did the chemo and prayers zap them or are they lurking and waiting to pounce again?
I choose to put this episode under "Big Joy".
Love,
Brenda0 -
That is fabulous news, Brenda! Let's assume the buggers are zapped for now until proved otherwise. Deal?
Now go celebrate in whatever fashion you like best!
Tina0 -
Truly happy for you Brenda. I am surprised how deeply I can pray for and feel for my on line sisters.0 -
My CT scan is Thursday, results discussed and needle biopsy planning appointment Monday. A bit of scanxiety but only short periods of it being overwhelming.0 -
Brenda: That's wonderful news! Chanah: Hang in there. That scanxiety can rob us. I'll pray for peace for you. Hope the others having appointments and tests this week have good news too. My appointment was unremarkable. Onc feels even with the rising tumor marks, with the CT results in September showing less prominence of the lung mets that I should stick with the Abraxane. I don't mind that plan. I always get anxious when treatment changes, so I am okay with his recommendation.
Getting cold here in NH. Bundling up is a must.
Take care all. Jean0 -
Great news, Brenda!! Make the most of your news and celebrate the moment. We'll take good news in any amount, on any day, in our world!
Chanah, good luck with your CT and biopsy. Hugs and prayers are being sent your way!0 -
Thinking of you all. Keep posting! ;-)0 -
yeah Brenda. That is fabulous news!0 -
Great news, Brenda, this bc is unpredictable! Understand your suspicions too tho.
Scan showed only slight progression, and new little nodules are visible, but onc expected faster progression, so he's quite happy. Not going to do Carbo/Gemzar, looking at starting Xeloda in a couple of weeks. Having an MRI tomorrow to check what's happened in my back, but I don't think they'll find bone mets. But best to be sure, we can see if it is a disc and what the nerve is doing too.
So not bad news, all in all. The 3 month chemo break was worth it, I think.0 -
I was on Navelbine and it isn't bad. I was tired a lot but it was a lot better than the taxol I had before! I hope it will be the same for you.0 -
Carolben, why not Carbo/Gemzar? If you asked my doctors, this combo wiped out all my tumors, about 100 of them! OF course I would also attribute it to prayers, healing energies and a strict health regime (diet and exercise).
I agree that your chemo vacation was worth it. I wonder if I will get one?
Hugs,
Brenda0 -
Hope things go well for you today chanah and that you get the results quick. Carol: Hope the Xeloda is good to you. Whenever someone mentions a chemo vacation, I immediately want one. It's something I've never brought up at my appointments and onc has never mentioned it either. It's been my week off this week from chemo. I had total fatigue Monday and needed to rest a lot. Yesterday, I had an awful belly ache and needed to rest a lot too. I don't seem to recover all that much during the week off. Has anyone else noticed the longer you are on chemo, the less you bounce back? Jean0
