ticklingcancer

Iscreamed....I kicked the stuffed animals.....and over ate buncha stuff I don't really like...and I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER...THANK YOU TC...

Starting the livestrong program june3rd..Thanks again for the tip.

Hey TC, thanks for the compliment. I like the idea of being described as a warrior--but then, I really DID wear combat boots when I was young! Put almost 4 years into the Army!

How are you feeling and when is your next debutante ball at Relay for Life? I may have a wig or two for you this time around.

You are so encouraging to others...THANK YOU for who you are!

TC, thanks for thinking of me. I am in another round of chemo, it keeps getting harder and harder. Wearing on my body, taking my weight, my strength. I wish you continue to do well, stay healthy.

Question about the neuropathy- so it sounds like the effects still linger a few years after your treatment and you still must take Gabapentin? Will the neuropathy ever go away on its own over time or are the effects permanent?

Hey buddy, I came across this article on an online journal and I thought it might be helpful to you.....no joke was involved in the pasting of this message, LOL, Carm.


Duloxetine Decreased Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

JAMA 2013 Apr 02;309(13)1359-1367, EM Lavoie Smith, H Pang, C Cirrincione, et al


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TAKE-HOME MESSAGE


In this phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, duloxetine significantly reduced pain associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with cancer.




Commentary by





Lee S. Schwartzberg, MD, FACP


Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) has emerged as perhaps the most ubiquitous and quality-of-life dampening toxicity of common chemotherapy programs. In breast and colorectal cancer, where taxanes and platinums are used routinely and the large majority of patients survive for decades, even mild ongoing daily symptomatic toxicity can be devastating. So far, development of therapeutics to prevent this complication has been elusive. We have better success with treatment of painful CIPN, as this randomized double-blind crossover study of duloxetine attests. The trial focused on painful neuropathy, rather than the far more commonly experienced numbness, tingling, and dysesthesias, which may represent more of a quantitative than qualitative difference. Encouragingly, duloxetine demonstrated a moderately strong effect on painful CIPN. There was also a trend toward benefit in the self-reported non-painful CIPN component. Some patients did not tolerate the drug, which remains an issue for any supportive-care measure treating toxicity. Based on this trial and prior studies, duloxetine should be considered a proven intervention for patients who have persistent CIPN during or after completion of neurotoxic chemotherapy.


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SUMMARY




PracticeUpdate Editorial Team

Painful peripheral neuropathy is a frequent adverse effect of several types of chemotherapy, and has no known effective treatments. The neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine suppress transmission of painful stimuli to the spinal cord. Duloxetine is a dual serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that has been shown in phase III studies to reduce the pain of diabetic neuropathy. This phase III double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover clinical trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of duloxetine as treatment for chemotherapy-induced painful neuropathy in patients with cancer.

Patients were included if they had chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Patients could have any cancer, and had been treated with paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, docetaxel, nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel, or cisplatin. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 60 mg of duloxetine daily during the initial treatment period and then placebo in the crossover period (group A), or placebo in the initial period and then duloxetine in the crossover period (group . The initial period lasted for 5 weeks (weeks 1–5), followed by a 2-week washout period, followed by the crossover period (weeks 8–12). During the first week of active treatment, patients received 30 mg daily of duloxetine, followed by 60 mg daily in the remaining 4 weeks of active treatment.

A total of 231 patients enrolled, and 220 received treatment. The only significant difference between groups at baseline was in mean pain score, which was greater in group A (duloxetine first) than in group B (6.1 vs 5.6; P = .02).

Following the first treatment period, duloxetine resulted in a larger decrease in pain compared with placebo (mean change score 1.06 vs 0.34; P = .003). During this period, a reduction in pain was reported by 59% of patients in the duloxetine group and 38% in the placebo group; in the duloxetine group, 30% reported no change in pain and 10% reported increased pain. The relative risk of 30% pain reduction was 1.96 (95% CI) in the duloxetine group and 5% in the remaining two groups. Patients previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapies reported better outcomes than those treated with taxanes (average pain score 1.06 vs 0.19). In addition, duloxetine significantly reduced the amount of pain interference with daily functioning (P = .01); improved pain-related quality of life (P = .03); and resulted in a greater proportion of patients who reported reductions in numbness and tingling (41% vs 23%). During the crossover period, when compared with placebo, duloxetine significantly reduced pain (change in mean pain score 0.41 vs 1.42; P < .001), and reduced the proportion of patients reporting numbness and tingling (41% vs 23%). There was no significant effect of treatment order on pain scores. The most common adverse effects associated with duloxetine were fatigue, insomnia, and nausea. There were no hematologic or grades 4 or 5 adverse events.

Duloxetine significantly reduced pain associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients with cance.

Good morning TC...how was your weekend?

Hello, TC, we have a question for you. We were reading your journey and we were wondering if you had to undergo any "clean-up" surgery for the tumors in the lungs- or did everything just "shrink" down? This is the biggest uncertainty for my husband (his lung tumors were huge at the time of diagnosis)- not knowing what is going to happen when these 12 weeks of chemo are done (it's hard to make any plans!) The doctor really has not been too clear on this (except for a month of "rest" ?)- maybe the Dr can't know right now (has been 6 weeks into treatment)- do they just "wing it" based on test results?) Good luck with the relay skit - sounds like fun

Hope you made your fishing trip and had a wonderful time.

Hey ticklingcancer! I was trying to find another person to follow to see how things are going for them and I am having a hard time finding anyone that has updated anything within the last month. Any suggestions?

Yay! Glad 2 hear. P.s. know what u call 10 rabbits walking backwards in a chorus line?

A receeding hare line. Da da dum!

Good 2 know...i thot i was going intomy own personal ice age.

Go TC. !!! My prayers and good vibes are with you.

You the man. Your getting to be a rabbit with me.

Just have to say I love your picture! Your personality just pops off the page and makes me smile. Thanks for that!

You are a madman tickling-you always crack me up-always! That's a good thing. Who do you have to always crack you up. Congrats on all the good will too, kimg09

TC, I think of you a lot when I am feeling down. I remember you telling me about the size of the mass you had and you also had your lymph nodes affected that's why you only got chemo, just like me only getting chemo. I see you as one of God's miracles and I pray and pray He will bless me as He blessed you with a miracle. Your post are always refreshing to read. May the Lord continue to bless you and your family.

Right now just got ct back it showed several masses in right center lobe of lung , multi masses in multi lymph nodes , thyroid goiter , go to local hospital Tue for ultra sound and blood work , my doctor is trying to get me set up to go to Janes cancer hospital in Columbus Oh

Hi TC,
Started second round today. Will be in infusion for the week.
I think of you often and wish you and your family GOD'S grace.

Hello,
My name is Joy, a young caring girl i saw your contact on https://www.whatnext.com and i want to have a
good relationship with you, please i need your cooperation,you can contact me with my email address,
so that i will give you my pictures and tell you more about me
(joymabou42(at)yahoo.com )
am yours Joy.
thanks,
Joy

Ya still sore today if I move certain way. Trying to keep myself from doing too much with right arm. Be sure and let me know about your follow up. God bless you TC.

Hi TC . Doc couldn't get port to go in on the left, so put in on the right. Really sore chest yesterday. Today left side feeling better but right side still feeling sore. My body feels shot, back hurting cuz I can't lay on my sides or tummy. Have to sleep in a rather uncomfortable sitting up position. I hope you are feeling well my friend. God bless you and the family.

Hi TC, how many of rounds of chemo did you have and how often did or do you get scans?

TC--you asked me a while ago if I had any plans to celebrate my completion of chemo...well, we went to southern California--DRIVING--and had 3 weeks off there. No docs, no phone calls, no weird tests---it was SUPER! I highly recommend scheduling a get-away after anyone goes through chemo~! Now I'm ready to do my Herceptin and start back at the gym tomorrow. Hope you're doing well, TC!

TC--Love the pimpy look! Didn't know you loved anything leopard, as I do!

TC which were your chemo combos? Did you tell me cisplatin and which other did you have?

You sir, brighten my day... Every Day!

However, As wonderful a hat as you have found, it just does not convey SPRING. Lent has begun.... I have my little white bunny holding a sign saying THINK SPRING on my front door... staring out at the snow.... Please TC... a SPRING Hat... You can develop a wardrobe of hats... and your frog can come back and visit us in August!!!!! and this lovely one next December... A pilgram hat in Novermber........ Or... I suppose I could find a spring hat... but I hate to be a copy cat. Hats are yours!

I am guessing that this hat is "so you!"

Hi TC. Feeling tired and like I am in a fog. Yes I am having constaption drinking prune juice eating prunes and taking stool softener. Not really working. Don't know what else to do. Was taken to urgent care this morning I needed liquids. My sodium
And something else was real low. They pumped me with liquids for 3 hours have to go back tomorrow morning and Monday.