How are people with liver mets doing?
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Babs I am so sorry for your progression. My prayers are with you . I hope they come up with an effective plan soon .
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hi all, I'm in need of heeellllppppp! I reada lot but not much to time post and keep up. I'm on abraxane. Week three of round three. My red and white blood cells are tanking. Mostly the red. Any ideas how to get them raised? The doctor keepsoffering mood transfusion but I keep passing as long as I can.
Thanks
Sara
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Sara, have they checked your iron levels? Mine are tanking too... I'm on the same schedule with abraxane. It turns out in low on It in so they are going to give me iron with my next treatment. It should bring my red counts up.
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Gracie- my red counts are staying low. I do take iron twice a day all week and even that isn’t helping. My baby white she said are low too. I have upped all my vitamins and still not doing anything.
I see raisins will help I guess I need to plug away at them.
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it might not be your iron level since you are already taking that. I hate what chemo does to our bodies! Will be saying prayers for you!!!!
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I'm in a similar position with Abraxane, but its my Nutrophils (and platelets) These dropped after my first dose, and so my second dose tomorrow has been cancelled. I've got a shot of Zarixion today to try to boost them. Hopefully blood tests tomorrow will show an improvement and I can have chemo Friday. The pain is I had planned a two week trip back home to the UK (with a long weekend in Amsterdam in middle) leaving Saturday, and now have decided to cancel, as my MO and I are concerned that my blood levels would get low again. Also - I don't want to forgo chemo and not have it for almost 4 weeks. Feeling really annoyed and hate I can't seem plan anything with this darn disease and its treatment.
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Gracie- my red counts are staying low. I do take iron twice a day all week and even that isn't helping. My baby white she said are low too. I have upped all my vitamins and still not doing anything.
I see raisins will help I guess I need to plug away at them.
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it was my platelets and baby white blood cells that were low. I guess maybe I better study up and see if that is really my red. I might have that wrong.
I have next week off and then a cr scan the following week to see if abraxane is working. I guess I won’t know what the plan is into thenscan rasults. I’m so lucky I get scan results the same day. I might drop to two weeks on and two off or once a month if need be.
Sarah
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hi guys, I'm new to this thread and just wondering somethings about liver mets. My liver mets are small and scattered with the largest being 1.6 cm. Would I have any symptoms from this? I ask because I have extensive bone mets and they have been the main focus during my treatment. I have had unexplained fevers for a couple of months and have been very sickly for much of these past 2 months. I was taken off of taxol so we know that’s not to blame for my sickness. Anyway I’m just wondering since my dr hasn’t ever really mentioned the liver mets outside of reading scans off to me. So I’ve not given them much thought. Thanks for any advice:)0
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chef, I really don’t know for sure, but my liver met, so far just one, was small too and I’ve run a fever now for weeks. Never gets very high, but is just there! I blame my sickness on the chemo. I’m afraid I’m not much help
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With my liver mets I’ve had right side pain below my ribs. It waxes and wanes, and sometimes is worse before I have a great scan showing shirking, so I attribute that to the treatment working.
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Skitzblitz - I had a blood transfusion in early August as my hemoglobin stayed too low after my last round of chemo and prior to that, my neutrophils had stayed low for the past couple of years due to Ibrance, which I went off of in April. Within a week, I started to feel like a new woman and my hubby told me I didn't look "gray" anymore. There was such a noticeable difference! I must say, energy wise, I've felt better than I have in three years of treatment, so you might want to consider a transfusion. I will mention that I'm off chemo right now and am taking a hormonal.
Scwilly - I hate to hear that you've had to cancel your trip and hope you can reschedule when your blood work is more stable. Not fair!
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Chef. What type of scans do you get and how often? I see you also have lung mets. Bone mets are very painful, liver not so much. Lung Mets could lead to infection and fever.
My opinion and my MO opinion, liver mets are the most serious and deserve special attention whether they hurt or not. Ask your MO about radioembolization, a local TX done by a Interventional Radiologist (IR). Also called y90. I think 1.6 cm is big enough but you would have to have a consultation with an IR. If your MO says no, do your own research and schedule your own appointment.
Several of us have had successful y90's for liver mets. We have a thread for local treatments where you can read about the procedure. There are other local treatments, too. Microwave Ablation is another one.
You're in Kansas? There should be an I R there who specializes in y90. You may not be a candidate but it worries me that your MO does not seem concerned about your liver mets. It looks like you've been on IV chemotherapy. Maybe that's why she's not addressing your liver mets. Have you ever been on Ibrance? It really has worked on my lung mets, I don't have bone Mets but I've heard it's good for those, too. My liver mets did not respond to Ibrance. That's why I had local TX and systematic TX. S
Let us know how you're doing.
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Kattysmith, did you just have the one transfusion only? I can't say I'm a fatigue type tired and I go to work everyday but my chemo day. If climb steps or walk a hill or maybe carry a heavy item, I get winded like and tired. If I sit a couple min it will pass. The bone pain I get is horrible and my main complaint!
Sara
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my CT results are back. Liver is stable. Unfortunately, I have enlarged lymph nodes by my aorta and veins to my kidney. So now we play what do we do now? Meds that prevented brain mets not preventing liver mets. Meds that prevented liver mets not treating brain mets. And now I have lymph node involvement. Simply stated, after almost 8 years of being treated I have cancer cells that have evolved. No great options. Oncologist thinking about it., my guy says hi in a taxable to hopefully kill new cancer and maybe the old stuff and then look for targeted therapy for maintenance. Problem with previous targeted therapy was it affected my heart and had to be stopped.
Not going to lie- feeling a bit down. I’ll do anything but feeling like I am closer to not having any options.
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Hello ,
I want to give you a short report on my regression of liver mets. I have been searching for a med /meds with my doctors that would work on all my mets. I have bone, liver, lung and lymph under armpit after complete mastectomy arm (was a package of nodes) and in medisteinum in between spine and lungs.I was re diagnoised on May 16th 2018 after having 2A diagnosis november 2013. Had complete mastectomy 6 nodes taken and clean so no radiation no reconstruction. I wanted nothing to do with a breast that tried to kill me. Then Tamoxifen for 5 years. My 5 years would have been december 30 2018!
Yesterday is the first day since this nightmare started again back in May that I get good news about my liver. All of my cancers are the same according to biopsy ER+/PR+ an Her2-. you can see on my list what was tired. Taxol worked well on lungs and lymph, made liver worse. My liver has muliple small tumors and the largest had grown to 5.6cm. OMG.
Well yesterday it is responding to the treatment I am on. Navelbine 55mg IV/ every 2 weeks and Xeloda tablets 2 in morning 3 in evening total dose 2500mg a day . I had all the side effects after so the Xeloda was reduced yesterday to 2000mg / dag I got all side effects after just 7day on it or one week . So now 1000mg (2tbl.) in morning and 1000 mg in evening. It is given by weight so I weigh 147lbs. or 67.5 kg. I am on week on and week off. My feet took a beating foot blisters that I treated with fluid removal using steril needle 18G from pharmacy drained fluid, then very fat cream and for the puff painful feet steriod creams perscription. I also purchased silicone inserts into all shoes I use most and try to keep feet up at home.
All other mets had regressed by 40% as well, and are now in mm not cm.
Needless to say I am finally feeling better mentally, physically. This is todays status, new status taken in 2 months but for the next 2 months I am going to live a little. My blood count is stable and normal. Got my flu shot. If you remenber my wbc count dropped on the EC treatment to 0.6 ANC 0.3 hello ...I had to use Zarizae 6 injections to get it up. was on room isolation in my bedroom for 6 days. I refused to go to hospital and refused antibiotics. I had a cold towel on on my head fever, took no tylenol nor advil went up to 100.94. So I have had my share of fun....
But now...for the next 2 months I am going to live like I did before. theathers,friends over dinner parties and playing with my son he is the youngest and will be 11 yrs october 3. who knows maybe I will jump on the trampooline he is having a trampooline party. Bdays coming up....I´m allowing myself 2 months of life come hell or high water later . I am going to Live live live now.
Good luck to all..I know this is not esay and many holes and ditches in the road. But also good to hear good news.
Hugs and hopes and prayers to all,
Raven
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Raven, so happy for this good news. It might sound weird, but two months is a good block of time to enjoy life. I live in six weeks intervals lol, as my blood gets tested every six weeks. With this disease, I am learning the value of one magical day at a time. Yesterday I played soccer with my youngest who is 9, knowing that today my muscles would most likely ache a lot, and yes, it is so, but so what anyways. We have to LIVE no matter what, even if it just to crack a smile at someone we love.
Leftfootforward, I am sorry you feel down. I would too. But you have come this far, the options will follow you, not the other way around.. Just keep going xx
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Skitzblitz, yes, I just had the one transfusion because I'm off chemo and my blood work has stayed stable. I have a friend who has aplastic anemia who has to get platelets every week.
Raven, great news!!! Gather those rosebuds while you're doing so well!
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chef: I do have some symptoms with my liver mets. Not sure if it is the cancer or chemo. At first, I had diffused liver cancer with no symptoms. After starting chemo I began to have pain. It is better now after being on chemo for 12 months. Now, I have very little cancer and I sometimes feel pressure or discomfort in my liver. I think it is the chemo causing the symptoms now instead of the cancer.
Left foot: can they put you on a combination regimen that works on the different areas of cancer? I know it might be a tough regimen but would think they could do some type of combo drugs that would work on brain, liver, and lymph nodes.
Praying for everyone. Hugs.
Tricia
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congrats raven, finally success.
Leftfootford. Sorry for your news, I guess it feels like you're going backwards instead of forward. Praying for an option that will work on all mets.
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leftfoot—I'm so sorry to read about your predicament. Your long term survival has been inspiring to me.
Is it possible to check for an updated hormonal status? Maybe you need a whole other type of TX.
I personally pray that my cancer changes so I can get on Herceptin. It seems to be the only BC medication that really works long term.
I will pray for a positive solution to your current situation. Hugs
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thanks everyone. Unfortunately for me, herceptin is the drug that has twice caused a decrease in my heart function. I still may go there as it Gabe me 6-9 months before I had to stop. I just wish it could be my wonder drug. Y fortunately for me, it and the drugs like it don’t play nicely with my heart, limiting my options.
I’ll know next Thursday what we will be doing.
Again, thanks for the support.
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Hi,
I ran a low grade fever months before they found my mets. Had flu like symptoms took advil or tylenol before going to work. Temp around 99.5 not high but every day. I was usually low around 97.7. Always told dr. he never seamed to worry or put it into any kind of perspective.
Raven
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Raven, so glad you're feeling better!!
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So am I, I was depressed and starting to loose hope after 4 months of liver getting worse on me. This really takes a toll on people, just the stress involved can cause a heart attack.
Raven
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Raven-Glad you are feeling better! Hugs!
leftfooter-I hope they can figure some treatment out for you. Hugs!
Skitzblitz-I was suppose to have chemo yesterday. But for only the 2nd time, in 6 years stage 4, my white cells were too low. I looked at my labs, and my red cells are low too. They have never given me anything for either. They just wait a week and will check it again before my chemo. They are usually up by the chemo week and low the week before. I am now going Friday.
Hugs and prayers.
Lynne
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Ladies, I have an unusual opportunity and have to make a decision soon. Help
Have you heard of an organization called Say Yes To Hope? I talked to the founder yesterday, she wants me to be a participant in their Fashion Show next Friday. So, I may sound bold, confident and fearless on this thread but when it it come to walking a Cat Walk runway I'm a chicken. Not on my bucket list!
But, I do admire their platform. The founder, Suzanne, had colorectal cancer with mets to liver. Thirteen years ago she had a y90! She's alive and well. Basically, they are promoting and educating doctors and patients about the role of y90 in advanced cancer patients.
She told me that I will be pampered all day. Hair, make up and a designer gown. So I go in on Friday morning for the fitting/ alterations, etc. Also, interviews and photography. OMG. And she said I get to keep the gown! I like the thought of dressing up like royalty but walking the runway feels like walking the gauntlet to me. I don't like being in the spotlight, I turn into a shaking mess, my throat closes, I look like a deer in the headlights. What am I to do?
I also have to write one paragraph about my story ONE paragraph, are you kidding me? I couldn't fit my story into ten paragraphs! Then I have to give them five words to describe myself. Help.
Oh, and the Media will be there. Evidently, they have this type of fashion show all over the U.S., even New York City! I'm just kinda shy really, not a celebrity wanna be. Plus, I'm 70, have one reconstructed boob and no right boob( skin died so reconstruction failed), overweight, short legs ( not a long legged strutting model type) and too many scars to count. She said most of the gowns are strapless! Ummm, how is that going to work?
To say I'm nervous is an understatement. Part of me wants to say Thank you but No. I do think if my DS would walk me down the runway, I would be OK. I just found out about this yesterday! There's a very good chance he has plans or has to work. Maybe my SIL would do it. As you can see I'm a confused mess. 😱
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Grannax, I think you will do wonderfully!!!! All of your photos show that you ha v e a real good fashion sense! You are a beautiful woman, and you will represent stage four women with your wonderful style! You go girl!!!!!!! I have all faith that you are going to be great!!!!!
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Grannax, I agree with Gracie. You will shine on that runway. Just think of how beautiful you will feel after a day of pampering. You will make everyone around you break into a smile as you walk down that runway. You don’t have to be a tall, young, voluptuous, model to look beautiful. Very few people fit that picture. You are the real thing. You will be representing all of us out there, and our good wishes and thoughts will get you through it. You are perfect for the event because you are genuine. I hope your DS will be available to walk with you because I know how proud he would be to be there. I hope you decide to say yes. I am jumping up and down in excitement. I can’t wait to see pictures.
Hugs and prayers from, Lynne
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Grannax that's exciting news...but I know how you feel...as the winner of numerous major awards Inever managed to find the courage to get on those stages in front of cameras and crowds during the ceremonies....
what might help is a glass of two of fine champagne, if you loosen up, you might end up having a good time byletting go of your fears...the good news is you don't have to talk...just strut!!
Congratulations!!
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