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How are people with liver mets doing?

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  • tryn2staycalm
    tryn2staycalm Member Posts: 470
    edited September 2015

    Hi Ladies,

    As promised I am back to update on this thread. It turns out my MO was correct with my allergic reactions to my Taxol treatment. Latest scans showed that the Taxol was shrinking both the lung and liver mets however my bone mets were still progressing the worst being in my spine. To target this I underwent bone radiation witch helped a lot. My break from treatment (gong moment when done Radiation) was very short lived however. I finished bone Rads on Wed. last week and Thursday I was taken from my home by EMS after having a fall and not being able to get up and a lot of side effects similar to a stroke. I was transferred to my cancer center where I found out that my mets had spread once again this time to my brain. Although we all know this shortens my life expectancy I do continue to fight all I can. Wish everyone the best in there battle.

    Cathyimage

  • Woodylb
    Woodylb Member Posts: 935
    edited September 2015

    Cathy, i am so sorry for your progression and specially on the newest location. But i admire your fighting spirit and no one knows you may beat the odds. When will you discuss with your MO the next steps? Is gamma knife a possibilty? From what I understand it is mainly the way they use to stop brain progression. I hope it is an option for you. My prayers are with you to beat the damn beast, please keep us informed. (( HUGS)).

  • tryn2staycalm
    tryn2staycalm Member Posts: 470
    edited September 2015

    Woodylb - I have never heard of gamma knife but will ask about it Oct. 6, next time I see my MO. My Radiation oncologist didn't mention it yet he said they do keep each other updated and would be happy to be paged to join in at my next visit. I have such a wonderful family and friends, I feel so lucky. I was told that on average for my liver and and brain mets it may only be 6 months yet they can only estimate that by others who also had same mets as I and how they did. I have a beautiful daughter getting married in April and will do ANYTHING to be there for that and longer if possible. imageMy son and I after the fall and brain radiation.

  • Woodylb
    Woodylb Member Posts: 935
    edited September 2015


    Cathy i am so happy you are so well surrounded and happy with it. You are a strong lady and very determined. They told you six months , this is an estimate but the truth is no one knows. So keep the faith and the spirit of fighting.

    Here is a site from mayo clinic about gamma knife surgery pleasr read it before talking to your MO so you can present your case and see if it is feasable for you.

    http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/brain-s...

    Here is the link i hope it helps.

  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 1,437
    edited September 2015

    Cathy,

    You have a lot to fight for with that wedding coming p. Hang in there and fight with everything they've got. We are thinking of you.

  • freebird53
    freebird53 Member Posts: 141
    edited September 2015

    Good evening Family & Friends, I want to apologize for not keeping a open conversation on my page about what has been going on with me the past 6 days....I need to have your forgiveness on this one...cuz I had to make sure my family was informed and secured and felt comfortable for me to post this very personal info about my journey with my Cancer Diagnoses. So I am Home after being in the hospital for 6 days...I was enduring sever pain that woke me up out of a deep sleep 6 days ago..I't was located in my left leg,femur,groan area. I could not walk just tremendous pain. I texted my Doctor at 2am in the morning and he responded to take a double dose of my pain meds and he would arrange to admit me to the hospital the next day. Which was the 9th..I was given a CAT scan and the results returned with a massive tumors in my left hip,femur,and groan area...So my Doc told me that my Cancer is progressing rapidly and we needed to start radiation treatment ASAP and get me on an pain regiment for the pain...Family,friends..my cancer is in a progressive state as of today. I have to do radiation until the end of this mth...and also am on two oral chemo pills.

    I decided yesterday that I did not want to stay any longer in the hospital and told my doc that I wanted to go home and make my life back to normal. He ask me if I was interested in a Nursing Home..."I send fuck no" kinda of surprised him with that out burst (lol) I need to go back to my life...he said ok I'll get you released papers..The reason for not communicating on FB is 1) I was totally Doped up. Witnesses Stacy Heath and Krista M Mitchell 2) I was not ready to release info until I notified my family. 3) I was not emotionally ready to talk about me being in a progressive stage in my disease that means my life has shorten. I probably will be not on here much because I need to focus on coming to some kind of understanding of what and is going to be the end of my life. I am scared to death and I have not come to terms with that part of my life, departing from my children...grand boys and family members...and all my dearest dearest friends i have made in my life. I have to come to terms with what God has plans for me now and understand and except this decision he as made to take me to his home. I love and cherish my family...friends...with all the love I have in my being...I need everyone of you to try to come and see me personally more now then ever. Please give me and my family a little break for a short while...not forever to get adjusted to this big change in our lives...I will promise to keep in touch when I'm feeling well enough to get on FB and Text Folks. Just please keep my children and grand kids and myself in your prayers...and I LOVE YOU ALL...PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT YOU LOVE THEM DAILY...BECAUSE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN SOMETHING CAN TAKE YOU AWAY FROM THOSE YOU LOVE. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!!

  • Woodylb
    Woodylb Member Posts: 935
    edited September 2015

    Freebird,

    I am really sorry for your progression, this disease sucks. I am at loss of words as i cannot be in your shoes. I hope your doctors find something else which will stop the progression and gives you more time. Surround yourself by your loved ones , feel their love and warmth it will take away your fear,

    You and yours will be in my prayers daily, so you have pain free days, so God help you in your journey and ease your sorrow and gives you and your loved ones comfort. God be with you . Gentle hugs.

  • Isy
    Isy Member Posts: 87
    edited September 2015

    Freebird, so sorry for what you're going through at the moment but sounds like you've had so much love surrounding you in your life and I'm sure that will help you through.

    Sending warm thoughts to you and everyone else on here who is going through difficult times right now. Xx

  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 1,929
    edited September 2015

    Freebird, sending love to you.

    Leah

  • Mama2twinsplus2
    Mama2twinsplus2 Member Posts: 98
    edited September 2015

    Freebird,


    So sorry to hear this, we are all here for you anytime you want/need to talk. Sending love your way!


    Alissa

  • moni731
    moni731 Member Posts: 212
    edited September 2015

    Freebird53 - Sending you peace, light and love. (((hugs)))

    Moni

  • ellamilana
    ellamilana Member Posts: 59
    edited September 2015

    Freebird53 - You are in my thoughts and prayers!! Its difficult to put in words what I feel for you, but happy you have family and friends with you giving you love and support. (((hugs)))

  • leftfootforward
    leftfootforward Member Posts: 1,396
    edited September 2015

    Freebird you are in my thoughts. I wish you peace of mind with whatever decision you make. I am glad you have friends and family around you. Know we are thinking of you and are there to support you.

  • tryn2staycalm
    tryn2staycalm Member Posts: 470
    edited September 2015

    Hi again Ladies,

    May I express my sadness for anyone that is progressing. My heart still goes out to you all, praying you all have good outcomes and pain free days.

    Woodlylb - Thank you so much and I will check it out so I am well informed.

  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 1,437
    edited September 2015

    Freebird, I look at your picture, that beautiful smiling face and all I can think about is how cruel and unbalanced life is. You have been so gracious in sharing your story and I hope and pray with all my heart that there is still something that will turn things around for you. May God relieve you of both the fear and pain you feel. You are in our hearts forever...

  • MicheTheVanquisher
    MicheTheVanquisher Member Posts: 62
    edited October 2015

    Oh Freebird, so sorry to hear your news yet happy to hear you have such a loving supportive group of family and friends. Cancer sucks! I hope a miracle happens and things change. I hope the radiation is relieving the pain. I hope you manage to find peace of mind and are not fearful but present in each moment and surrounded by love and joy and good times and the knowledge that your love is felt by those around you. Keep the love flowing through it all and rest assured your legacy, your smile and your you-ness will carry on. Thank you for sharing with us. Love, love, love to you.

    Michele

  • fhaido
    fhaido Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2015

    Hi everyone, my mom had progression with Gemzar and the onc wants to change her chemoto Halaven. Could anyone share your experiences with Halaven? I was hoping for Navelbine, but it looks like Halaven is the prefenrece...thanks!!

  • sonyarizzo
    sonyarizzo Member Posts: 69
    edited October 2015

    Hi Everyone,

    I have been stage 4 for 2 years with widespread mets to my bones. Treatment was removing my ovaries(I was only 37) and I was placed on Arimidex. I was NED for about a year and then when that changed I was placed on Fasolodex. That didn't work and that is when a PET showed that it had spread to my liver. This all happened only 3 weeks ago. Liver biopsy confirmed that I am still ER/PR + HER2-. So I started on 5mg of Aromason and Afinitor. I am moving up to 7.5mg in a few days and then I will go up to 10mg. So far I have no side effects. Just a bit tired. Scared of moving up in my dose. Anyone else have success with this combo?

  • Woodylb
    Woodylb Member Posts: 935
    edited October 2015

    Sonyarizo,

    I am sorry for your progression and hope the new treatment works. In order for you to get more information about the combo aromasin/affinitor go to their thread. Serach under topics and write the name you will get the thread. I know some ladies took it , some for bone mets and their mets.

    You are welcome to the thread here even though nobody really wants to be here. Good luck to you on the new combo.

  • ibcmets
    ibcmets Member Posts: 312
    edited October 2015

    Freebird,

    Wishing lots of love & healing. Hoping you can alleviate the pain & get full mobility back.

    Terri

  • tryn2staycalm
    tryn2staycalm Member Posts: 470
    edited October 2015

    So sorry to hear of more pain and progression for some of you! I must say that Taxol did shrink liver and lung tumors for me but only Radiation helped with bone pain and my Brain mets along with steroids (causing sleeping issues) yet worth it. Tapering down off them now. Good luck ladies, I will help anyway I can if you need more input please feel free to IM me and I will eventually answer you back! My MO told me that every treatment can vary for everyone, as so dose their cancer and we all have individual cancers.

    Keep up the fight,

    Love, prayers and hugs,

    Cathy

  • chichimaine
    chichimaine Member Posts: 89
    edited October 2015

    Freebird,

    My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I pray also that the radiation shrinks and/or destroys the new tumor. Also that you find meds to help you be pain free. Lots of prayers, but then again, we have a God who performs miracles! I understand that you need some time, but please keep us informed...lots of friends here who care.

    Debbie

  • chichimaine
    chichimaine Member Posts: 89
    edited October 2015

    Cathy, So sorry to hear of the brain mets. Prayers and hugs going out for you! Don't give up hope...every day that we live is another day that researchers find a new treatment and, one day, a cure!!

    Debbie

  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 3,063
    edited October 2015

    Freebird and tryn2staycalm, my heart goes out to you. Wishing you both hope and peace.

  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 3,063
    edited October 2015

    Hello and welcome, Sonyarizzo. Hoping with you that A/A treats you well.

  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 3,063
    edited October 2015

    Fhiado, I don't know anything about Halaven, but I see there are threads about it, including this one:

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topic/7...

  • sonyarizzo
    sonyarizzo Member Posts: 69
    edited October 2015

    Hello again,

    I started A/A two weeks ago and my tumor markers have sky rocketed. The last time we tested them was at the beginning of August and I didn't start A/A till the end of September. I only had bone mets when we last tested my markers. Hoping that its the liver mets that made them go up so high. Really hoping that the new meds make them go down because they are scary high. Anyone else have this happen. CEA went from 6.6 to 77.7 CA27-29 went from 394 to 3588 and CA15_3 went from 151 to 425. Pretty scary, although my dr doesn't seem worried. He wants to keep me on A/A for another month and then test again. I was only on the 5mg but now have moved up to the 7.5 and will move up to the 10mg soon. I am praying that it is all working. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

  • diana50
    diana50 Member Posts: 253
    edited October 2015

    Sometimes markers elevate after starting new Tx. I've read that markers shouldn't be given much notice until 3 months after starting new Tx. However on lxempra my markers also elevated and scan after 7 chemo a showed progression in liver. Now starting gemzar. My marker is 1300.

    It's scary. Some treatments work for some of us and then for some no. I hope your markers come down as you increase dose.

    Been following this thread. Always thinking about my people on BCO. Best to all.

  • Mama2twinsplus2
    Mama2twinsplus2 Member Posts: 98
    edited October 2015

    I just posted something similar on the Ibrance thread. I just finished my first round of Ibrance and had my tumor markers drawn ,and they went up! They also told me not to panic, but easier said than done! They are keeping me on my current treatment plan with plans to redraw markers and hopefully a scan at the end of this month or next cycle! Prayers for everyone and big hugs!!

  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 1,929
    edited October 2015

    I'm another one with markers going up. I'm supposed to have my next Doxil tx on Thurs so onc wants me to come in tomorrow (Weds) to do markers so we'll have the answer before tx. I'll also be seeing him. Lately I've been having discomfort in the area of my liver and I've been having trouble eating - no nausea or anything but I can only eat small amounts or I feel overwhelmingly overstuffed and uncomfortable about 1/2 hr after eating. Has this happened to anyone else?

    I'm supposed to travel to the U.S. to see family next week so I hope things are still OK for me to go. Amongst other worries.

    Leah

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