Achilles Torn wrote: Some papers show a CEA rise at the start of Chemo followed by a drop is a good prognostic factor.

I had the same trend and docs said the same thing: rise and drop is good. They added that this showed that for me CEA is a good indicator and they keep following it closely

. . . surgeon 'prescribed' chewing gum already when hubby was in hospital recovering from surgery. I wonder if many others get that advice? . . . During recovery from the colon job, hospital staff (nurses) suggested and provided chewing gum to get colon going. It did ultimately, but took 12 days. U...

[quote="mpbser"So glad he is sleeping at home now. Finally, some good rest.[/quote]
Sad to hear
Wish both of you recovery. Hope you can take it easy / can rest for a while.
L

. . . I personally prefer taking capecitabine because you are less attached to the clinic and you feel less like a cancer patient . . . Yep. I've no pump experience so cannot compare, but me too - I liked (yes, really) the three week cycle: a well-marked start (=infusion day), then one week patient...

mpbser wrote:Leon, The liver plan was aborted but the colectomy happened.

Thanks for confirming. Am happy that it seems to have helped getting his pain under control. Let us know what your docs come up with next.
Take care / greetings to DH
L

. . . i would like to continue this and be permanently part of her lifestyle . . . I understand that you're concerned and you wish the best for your mom - looking for the certainty we all need during/after the ordeal. But what works for one, is not necessarily a solution for everyone: not all find ...

liver surgeon could not do the "chip" of the left lobe and the RFA of the right lobe that was planned for today. He called me to tell me this just as the colorectal surgeon was getting started on the colon resection . . . Are you saying that the colon resection was also cancelled, that yo...

I don't think there are absolutes for anything, anyone Oxi sucks no doubt [ but ] bitch, complain, get drunk and yell at God. And then go get that oxi infusion. x2 Yeah, me too discovered that the chemo effects got worse when the Oxi was added, but it killed off all my liver mets. On hindsight, the...

During my whole history of cancer I've never had a PET scan. [ . . ] they said it used when they have something they see that is questionable on a high resolution CT scan and want to determine what it is. Same here, and note that over here insurance companies don't have any say; decisions are entir...

What is good for managing the pain while waiting for chemo and surgery Don't hesitate and immediately ask your docs for something better. These days there is no reason trying to tolerate intolerable pain. I'm much like your husband and don't like to take anything either. But the game he's in, is di...

Thanks, Mike for the educating comments, but also for the link to the NCBI article. I found it particularly interesting because of the explanation of the internal workings of Capecitabine and $-FU, and the reports on other side effects besides neuropathy. Non-US clubbers should also be aware that so...

Kenneth, I am pretty sure that what ever is causing the discomfort did not pop up over night. Don't bet on it. Cancer mostly grows slowly, without any signs. I didn't have any issues when my cancer was discovered. Fortunately mentioned a little blood in stool when seeing my PCP, who sent me off to f...

I'm hesitant to drive at all during chemo weeks. I feel like my brain slows down a bit on that week and I don't react as fast. I've driven before but went very slow lol. Same here, except that I NEVER drove during chemo. Worst were the infusion days and 3-4 days after. Besides dizziness and some tw...

. . . after eating breakfast and dinner, time exactly 25 min. than take your Xeloda. I didn't time it, but took the pills shortly after after meals. I guess 15-25 minutes after and no need for nausea medication throughout any of the cycles. It could well have been the filled stomach; if not it must...

Ho Dianna, thanks for checking in. Have been thinking of you and Frenchie . . . I do/can not believe in afterlife; and for me afterlife comms is unthinkable, but confess that I found solace in talking to my long deceased dad when days were difficult after the liver job back in 2013 :oops: :oops:. Si...