I start chemo again Jan 24

I think we give each other strength. I know that I can continue to make a difference in people's lives, whether it be through my volunteer work with the Red Cross or through sharing my story with others. So your situation hasn't totally improved yet either? I am hoping that in the not too distant future, there is a solution to all this. I may be on chemo for the rest of my life from what the doctor says. I just hope I can find some alternative treatment in addition to the medical treatment that I am undergoing.

I am told that each type of chemo has limited use in recurrences. If it gets to a point of no breaks because it is not working, I may just stop it all together so that I can have some quality of life. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. I never heard of apricot almonds. I will have to look it up.

I was told from the begining that my cancer had no cure. But it is usually a slow grower and it has responded well to chemo. So far, so good. But, besides everything, I would not want to live until I reached 100 years. So I don´t mind as long as my quality of life can be reasonable good. I hope that the oncologist will give me a break in March and I can go at least for a week somewhere. Please check about apricot almonds as a help in cancer cure.

I'm not really familiar with endometroid carcinoma. I initially had stage 1 ovarian cancer (they told me that it is the same cell type this time but I still can't remember what the two types were...mucinoid and something else). I was alerted to it because my waist kept growing as if I were pregnant even though I was a virgin at the time. I had a complete hysterectomy and six rounds of carboplatin/taxol at the time and was told that I was cancer free and didn't have to worry about it. I did fine for over 7 years and then last December I started having a problem with a fistula and found out that I had a recurrence. I went through five rounds of carboplatin/taxol/ativan until I had a reaction to the carbo (common when used in a recurrence when it was used the first time around). Now I am looking at more chemo. I'm sure that your mom will eventually be willing to let you know what is going on. How old is she? I was 43 when I had my first bout with cancer and I will be 52 at the end of the month. I hope that all will be well fo you and yours.

Thank you for sharing this. :)

Thanks for the response! I know that this won't be easy, but it is something that I need to do. Have a great week!!!

I had finished my last chemo in June and it was so hard to be told that I needed to start again. My regular doctor had wanted to avoid further chemo because I was doing well and she had put me on temoxifen in October and it kept me stable, but after being off it for 10 days while in the hospital over the holidays, my numbers went up and the doctor that was covering her maternity leave decided that I needed to start again. I could have put it off, but because my numbers went up so much in only a month, we decided to start again. I just hope it helps. Thanks for the response!

I'm sure that things will be ok, at least in the short run. I guess the best way to look at it is to live one day at a time and do what I can and not worry about what I have no control over. I also have been trying to do some visualization of making it GONE!!!

I agree with living one day at a time. living each one to the fullest is what everybody should be doing. I'm certainly am one of those who worry their lives away. I'm not proud of it, but i think recognition is a start. we both have different cancers in our lives. let's make each of them disappear;)

Usually, under 35 would be considered normal. I was at that level when they stopped chemo last summer. Shortly after it stopped, the numbers started increasing, doubling by September so they started me on temoxifen which kept me stable at around 80 for three months. Unfortunately, it has increased since then to 131 which is not particularly high in most cases, but that much of an increase is not good.

I see. Thanks for the information.Hope you will be really stable and recover from the Big C. Take care and always Smile.

I agree with you totally on that. I intend to continue the fight as long as I can and hopefully I will win it. I guess I will wait and see. Thanks for the response!

I wish the numbers were a false alarm, but I don't think so. Hopefully it isn't as bad as the doctor is trying to make it sound, but I have heard for years about this kind of thing happening. I think the best I can hope for right now is to become stable again and see if I can stay that way.

I'm sure it will get better! I don't necessarily "pray" about it, but I do try use visualization of seeing it disappear when I fight it. Who knows as long as it works!

I will not be able to use the chemo I did before (specifically carboplatin) because of an allergic reaction last year. I will be on Gemzar and Cisplatin which are both new to me. It was mentioned by a person on my online support group that she found that combination to be easier than some of the others she had previously so I hope it isn't too bad. Thanks for the response!

I figure that even if I can't have a great week that other people can. If you got an email from me, that is part of my signature. It makes me feel good to say that. Thanks for the response.

I don't know how bad it really is, but I have heard from many others who have or are currently going through the same thing. Once it gets to this point, I think it is a forgone conclusion that it won't go away. I guess the best thing I can do right now is to picture myself as being healthy and see if I can fool my body into getting healthy by itself. I doubt that medical science will be able to do it all. Thanks for the response!