Search found 49 matches

Go to advanced search

by karaj
Wed Feb 28, 2018 11:57 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: My 35 year old wife got diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer with peritoneal mets
Replies: 16
Views: 5891

Re: My 35 year old wife got diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer with peritoneal mets

I'm very sorry that you and your wife are now a part of our little club. I was diagnosed Stage III at 32 yrs old and Stage IV at 34 yrs old because of retroperitoneal mets. I went through FOLFOX (acupuncture and medical marijuana were the best complimentary treatments) and FOLFIRI. It is hard but it...
by karaj
Wed Feb 21, 2018 9:55 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Oxaliplatin and Combatting Neuropothy
Replies: 8
Views: 2197

Re: Oxaliplatin and Combatting Neuropothy

Hi Peter, Sorry to hear about the neuropathy. I had it worst during winter 2014 in Boston - I feel your pain! Acupuncture was the best thing I did during that time. It didn't cure the neuropathy, but it did really help relieve the pain. I knew it was working when I missed a week and all those painfu...
by karaj
Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:35 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Stage IIA: Chemo or not?
Replies: 46
Views: 12947

Re: Stage IIA: Chemo or not?

Hi sandkeeper, I can't advise you in either direction, but I did want to chime in as someone who had a basically fine experience with two types of chemo. I've done FOLFOX and FOLFIRI. I worked full time through both and was able to manage my major side effects with either acupuncture (for neuropathy...
by karaj
Tue Dec 19, 2017 1:17 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Adding a baby to stage iv cancer life: Looking for real-life experiences
Replies: 13
Views: 3726

Re: Adding a baby to stage iv cancer life: Looking for real-life experiences

Hi Canada777, It has been a really long year wrestling with this. I was all in and my husband got to that point too. We had decided that if my January 2017 scan was NED we were going to do it, we'd even met with the fertility/surrogacy team at our hospital, but when it came down to hearing the the p...
by karaj
Thu Oct 26, 2017 5:28 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Port Removal -- ASAP or wait for first scan?
Replies: 19
Views: 5051

Re: Port Removal -- ASAP or wait for first scan?

Congratulations! I'm glad it feels great and that you're happy with your decision!
by karaj
Thu Oct 12, 2017 4:06 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Acupuncture or dry needling for neuropathy
Replies: 11
Views: 3145

Re: Acupuncture or dry needling for neuropathy

Hi Susie0915 - I had twice weekly acupuncture to help relieve my neuropathy and it was wonderful. The neuropathy didn't go away, but the one time I had to skip a session the difference was really noticeable. I was on oxi during a Massachusetts winter and was mostly experiencing cold sensitivity and ...
by karaj
Tue Sep 12, 2017 10:48 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Port Removal -- ASAP or wait for first scan?
Replies: 19
Views: 5051

Re: Port Removal -- ASAP or wait for first scan?

Congratulations on your last infusion! I had my port removed 3 months after I finished chemo. Even though I had a recurrence 6 months later and had to have a port put in again, I don't regret having it taken out. I hate the thing and I know that having it removed helped me to feel like myself again....
by karaj
Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:57 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: 2nd Chemo treatment
Replies: 6
Views: 1704

Re: 2nd Chemo treatment

I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated! The "hurry up and wait" has been the standard for my three years at a major cancer center. I see my NP for many infusion appointments but always see my oncologist for scan results, treatment changes, and if I request it. The infusions do take awhile to ...
by karaj
Mon Jul 10, 2017 9:49 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: DK37 Blog: ASCO 2017 Best MSS CRC Presentation/Clinical Trial
Replies: 8
Views: 4957

Re: DK37 Blog: ASCO 2017 Best MSS CRC Presentation/Clinical Trial

Always so glad to read your updates, both the medical ones and the personal ones. Rooting for more normal days! If the Lovenox is a big bummer, I was put on Edoxaban a year ago as part of the trial linked below. It cleared up my PE and I haven't had any side effects from the medicine. https://clinic...
by karaj
Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:57 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Dana Farber versus Mass General
Replies: 8
Views: 3237

Re: Dana Farber versus Mass General

Going to both sounds like a great idea - and, yes, definitely plan for that traffic! I would gladly recommend my onc, Dr. Jennifer Chan. Good luck!
by karaj
Tue Jun 13, 2017 12:46 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Dana Farber versus Mass General
Replies: 8
Views: 3237

Re: Dana Farber versus Mass General

Hi there, I'm currently a patient at Dana Farber and am very satisfied with my treatment there. I honestly don't think you can make a bad decision between the two though. The benefits of being a patient at DFCI for me are: -Dedicated cancer center with a great reputation -I trust my medical team and...
by karaj
Tue Apr 25, 2017 1:41 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Medical Marijuana
Replies: 4
Views: 1555

Re: Medical Marijuana

Hi JoeCool1983, Yes! I started using it to treat nausea on my first day of FOLFIRI treatment after nothing else worked (IV Emend, Zofran, dexamethasone, etc). I would get home, start to feel lousy, eat a small cannabis oil brownie (1/16 of an 8"x8" pan), and fall asleep. When I woke up, th...
by karaj
Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:51 am
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: How long until you see light at the end of the tunnel?
Replies: 27
Views: 5436

Re: How long until you see light at the end of the tunnel?

Hi JudiB, I'm so sorry that you are feeling unlike yourself and down. Not recognizing yourself is a terrible feeling. There are two things that aren't very extraordinary but that helped me feel better. One was acupuncture - I used it to combat the neuropathy and nausea but I cannot stress enough tha...
by karaj
Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:01 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: DK37 Personal/Trial Update - In Case of Emergency Break Glass
Replies: 10
Views: 2904

Re: DK37 Personal/Trial Update - In Case of Emergency Break Glass

Wow. So sorry to hear about this turn. Thank you for, once again, turning your treatment into a learning experience for us. Hopeful to hear good news soon for you soon.
by karaj
Wed Feb 08, 2017 10:56 pm
Forum: Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum
Topic: Advice/Insight Please - Wife Just Diagnosed
Replies: 27
Views: 6610

Re: Advice/Insight Please - Wife Just Diagnosed

Hi junderhill, I'm so sorry to read of your wife's diagnosis - this is a lousy club to be a part of but you can be a great comfort to her. How is she feeling? Generally good health except for the whole having cancer thing? If so and because of her age, there's a reasonable chance that chemo won't th...

Go to advanced search