NHMike - I seem to be missing something. I think you have forgotten to tell us WHY you have not started treatment?? June was like 9 months ago. No miracle is going to occur - you need to start treatment. I was diagnosed in October, started radiation/chemo in November, my operation to resection my co...

try to hang in there with advice from a real doctor. this is a bad spot but your results seem to indicate the current treatment is having a positive effect.

NHMike, I suspect this will sound rude but that is not my intent. Telling people that a treatment is 'rough" is not descriptive. What is it that is rough for you ?? Similarly, you state that chemo is "harder" with an ileostomy. What does that mean and where did you get your informatio...

Dear afaust, on chemo or not - as long as a cancer tumor exists, it is quite busy shedding thousands of cells every day. Many of those cells are dying on their own but In the case of rectal cancer, those cancer cells are going straight to the lungs (normal body circulation). I find this to be very s...

mozart13 - you are citing a 'paper' written in 2014 that proposes a "study'. The paper cited has zero statistical data, only anecdotal stories written for the self inflation of doctors who want guinea pigs. please point us to the actual results proving surgery last is the best option. This is n...

It is easy for doctors to recommend treatments as they do not have cancer - they are "practicing' medicine. The word I would tell you to consider is "metastasis". Cancer tumors are shedding cells every day. The sooner the tumor is removed, the sooner the chances of metastasis are remo...

I think Miss Molly gave you great information. I had my ileostomy for nearly 8 months. There were times I nearly cried because of the issues and the fact that I felt I could not even take care of myself. So the only thing I would add - I used to lie down when putting the new bag on. It really helped...

Both the ascending and descending parts of my colon were resectioned. The upper portion was due to an area of flat polyps. the lower part had already become cancerous. So my colon is quite a bit shorter than it used to be. Lots of stuff that if I eat it, I am headed for a bathroom. I can eat Fresh s...

babycatcher - my advice is to not be your own doctor. Radiation is a great way to kill cancer cells. It also kills other tissues but is used in the treatment of rectal cancer because there is very little else to harm down there. The cool thing is that you are allowed to ignore conventional wisdom an...

Now you know why people get a "port". It only took me one IV of that crap and I got a port. Why do you want to do this to yourself?? But the side effects of oxaliplatin are what they are and some do not go away. I still have neuropathy in my hands and feet and this is going to be with me t...

I totally agree with Justin Case on the cost / profit comments. Prescribing pills does not increase the revenue stream at a clinic. So ask your doctor straight out why. remind the doctor you are aware of profit motives. put them on the spot, get the reaction and then you will know.

I am and will be thinking of you and hoping good things for you.

I will be thinking of you Maryb. Oh, and BTW, I did my first infusion thru a vein in my hand. A few days later, I called my Onc and he contacted my surgeon and I got a port installed. Lots better.

there is a "barrier film" made by 3M. You need to use it to protect your skin. Please do not cry, you must allow the hospital to schedule because your reversal is very important to you, it is not a life threatening issue. Please hang in there. You are out of the woods.

I believe one of the keys to getting thru chemo is having good communication with your Oncologist. I had radiation and chemo prior to surgery and the Oncologist I had did not communicate for spit. So following my Surgery, I got a new Onc and I have stayed with him. But I was always honest with the m...