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Oh No | Cancer has spread/Metastasized
Just happened two weeks ago. Cancer showing on spine waiting for PET scan
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First mammogram following diagnosis ...
First mammogram following diagnosis
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Procedure or Surgery | Lumpectomy
Also removed diseased lymph nodes
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Not Cancer Related - Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays to everyone! It's a tough year for everyone to one degree or another. I hope everyone has the best holiday possible and can find moments of peace and happiness. Love and hugs to my WhatNext friends.
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COVID-19/Christmas/Missing my Dad
My dad was recently diagnosed with stage 3 squamous esophagus cancer. He is current undergoing radiation and chemo. This coming week is his last chemo treatment and he has about 9 more zaps of radiation. I live in FL and my parents are in AL. I’m really struggling on visiting for Christmas. I’m so worried about COVID. I…
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Does anyone have ulcerative colitis as a side effect of Keytruda? What are you taking for the UC?
Had to stop Keytruda in July 2018 bec it caused severe ulcerative colitis. The UC is now only in my rectosigmoid area but no better on flex-sig in Nov 2020 than it was in Feb 2020.
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Christmas Music
So to keep things light- or to focus on the season- I was wondering about the favorite songs for certain people. I think we all have favorites and probably lots of different ones. Some of my favorites are O Holy Night (it always brings tears to my eyes when the entire song is done); I'll Be Home for Christmas (mostly one…
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Decision Point | I have asked my GI to refer me for a second opinion to deal with my UC.
I do have a virtual visit scheduled with a GI at Mayo Clinic in Florida, hoping an additional medication or a new medication can help with my UC.
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Loss | Body part/function
I am having a hard time dealing with the chronicity of UC. It's a real downer. Covid-19 is also hard to deal with in the midst of my UC issues. I am thinking about seeing the mental health counselor at my oncologist's office
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Celebration | Cancer is shrinking
My CT scans show my lung tumors have reduced in size, have not metastacized 30 months after completing keytruda in July 2018.
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Side Effects | Hair loss (alopecia)
Once on the immunologics I had rash on my extremities, treated with a topical cream. Hair loss was to be expected and I handled it well. The diarrhea from the Keytruda was horrible--I lost 42# in 4 months, had some rectal bleeding and absolutely NO energy.
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Side Effects | Allergic reaction
rash on extremities, anemia, chemo brain, diarrhea, fatigue
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Oh No | Cancer is back/Recurred
Two years later another bronchoscopy revealed adenocarcinoma of the same lung. The first time it was squamous cell. What do we do now?
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Chemotherapy
I had difficulty with the steroids that accompanied my chemo treatments. After adjuvant chemo I lost my hair, which I handled well with hats and scarves. I was a walking ad for "take care of yourself" and "you could survive this, as well."
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Chemotherapy and radiation combined
I was diagnosed two weeks prior to my planned retirement date. Now I really had to adjust to a new schedule.
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Oh No | Just Diagnosed
It was more of an "I should have known" since I was a smoker for 27 years and had been off of cigarettes for 27 years. I have also had emphysema for 10 years.
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Christmas Miracle
I need one. We are supposed to have our first "Family Christmas" in years with my brother and his family and my parents. Yes, I complain about my family but Thanksgiving went way better than I thought. My mother had to take my father to the hospital today. She thought he was having a stroke, very disoriented and talking…
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SITE ANNOUNCEMENT: New Moderator Introduction
Hello WhatNext community. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Colby and I'm the managing editor at Patient Worthy, a patient-focused news website. In the weeks since Greg's passing, there has been much discussion behind the scenes about the future of WhatNext and how to best ensure that the website…
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Procedure or Surgery | Full lymph node dissection
the lymph node biopsy went well.
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Immunotherapy
I have only had 1 treatment so far with minimal side effects. I will update post after each treatment which will be monthly.
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Wimped Out
I did something the other day I haven't done in a long time. I was in an exercise class- small group personal training. It was high intensity and I was invited in by a neighbor who goes to my gym. The trainer said it was fine too. So I decided to try it out. I wanted to go all in, full throttle. I just couldn't keep up.…
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Another round of good news
After 9 1/2 years on vemurafenib, I stopped taking it in August 2019. I just had routine follow up scans and blood work and all is still good.
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Vitamin D level
what is the optimum Vitamin D level for someone with Cancer? it is supposed to protect against COVID too. I have had mine measured and its 40 now, the highest its ever been. Opinions??
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Chemo drug Abraxane. Who has/ is taking this drug. Side affects
Chemo drug Abraxane. Who has/ is taking this drug. Side affects
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It's been 7 days since I found out I have cancer....No phone call yet from Oncologist Gynecologist..
It's been 7 days since I found out I have cancer....No phone call yet from Oncologist Gynecologist..
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Posted Wrong PIcture
I posted a picture last night about being thankful for the things that don't go well. I didn't mean to post that. I don't really know where it came from, but I deleted it as the status update and will try to delete from the pinboard as well if it showed up there.
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Procedure or Surgery | Breast Reconstruction (Flap)
At the time of my double mastectomy tissue expanders were inserted in the breast to prepare the breast for reconstruction. I then months later underwent a 12 hour diep flat breast reconstruction surgery. While I thought everything was fine with in 24 hrs one of the flaps had failed. I then found myself back in the…
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Cant go through the treatment again. Will see...
Cant go through the treatment again. Will see if there is different treatment from 7 years ago. But I don't know.
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Drug or Chemo Therapy | Rituxan - & on Imbruvica Daily 420 mg
Minor issues with both. Luckily, handled well & tolerable.
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Oh No | Thought it was pneumonia. NOPE.
Needed 6 blood transfusions as blood levels at 4.1 super low. Secondary cold agglutinins doing the PacMan thing w/my blood cells.
