Postby Terry » Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:26 am
First Susan welcome but I'm so so sorry you have to be here:(
Your feelings are normal, I remember well when I found out my cancer had spread to stage IV. It took me a while to get out of the depression. I actually went on Zoloft (antidepressant) for a while to help me to handle it and praise the Lord it worked. You might want to think about going on one, I can only tell what I read but it sounds like you may be a little depressed which isn't unusual since you just received such news.
Look around on here and you'll see people with stage IV that are living normal lives with liver mets, lung mets, ostomies, you name it, we're living our lives. Once you get through this shock and get started on treatment you'll feel like your doing something to take care of the problem. This will all become a part of your life. No, not one that you wanted or asked for but nevertheless part of your life. Keep exercising to help reduce your stress, even during chemo do as much as you can. You have a good chance of NOT losing your hair. What they usual put you on first is called folfox or xelox which is oxilaplatin and 5FU or oxilaplatin and xeloda (5FU and xeloda are the same but xeloda is a pill form), most people do not lose their hair from that. I didn't, most of us did not, a few have but a very very small percentage. So don't worry about that right now, you'll keep your beautiful hair while on that I"m sure. There's another drug regimen called folfori or xeliri and that you have a good chance of losing or at least your hair thinning but that isn't the normal one they use first, if they mention it ask if they can use the folfox so you don't lose it.
Hang in there. Use us to vent and ask questions, it will help and we're more than happy to help you in anyway we can.
Your in my prayers Susan!
DX 7/3/07
Chemo, radiation, 20 mo. chemo, IMRT, cyberknife, 6/11 lobectomy.
1/16 resection perm. colostomy intraop. rad.
PET 2/12 nose, thyroid, liver, lngs
Folfox 3/12
Lord I know You'll keep me here until
you know I cannot suffer any longer!