Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

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AmyG
Posts: 371
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby AmyG » Tue Jun 11, 2019 9:21 am

So glad you had a clean report!!
42 dx @ 9wks pregnant w/baby #8 8/18
Sigmoid colon resection 9/18
Adenocarcinoma, G2, T3N0M0..or so we thought
KRAS/BRAF wild
Liver biopsy is malignant, stage iv now boys!
Delivered healthy baby 3/19
FOLFOX + Avastin 5/19
CEA 167 to 24 after 4 rounds
Liver resection 8/28/19
NED!! CEA 2.3
CEA 5.8 idk wtf is up with that, but everything else is clear!
CEA 3.7 make up your damn mind...
CEA 1.5 that's a new low!

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Tue Jun 11, 2019 10:50 am

AmyG wrote:So glad you had a clean report!!


Thanks. I didn't really worry about the results - mainly because I have other things to worry about now (non-health). I caught a little about the mbspr dustup and don't understand what happened. I'll have to look through the earlier thread where it occurred if it's still there. The discussion thread on it closed down. I don't know that I want to do more stuff on Facebook as the site is fragile. Say one wrong word or log in through multiple IPs and browsers and you get your account locked.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:00 am

Rough couple of days. I think that the cleanout for the Colonoscopy threw my system out of whack for a week and I'm trying to recover. I'm going back to the Nopalina for now.

I'm making progress on strength-training. Squats at 135 pounds, Deadlifts at 205 pounds, military press at 75, bench press at 130. These are pretty low amounts for men but doing these keeps a lot of aches and pains away. I'm slowly working my way up. The weather has not been conducive to running - and the bathroom stuff takes away my sleep so that I can't do early morning runs. So things are challenging right now.

I feel pretty good overall - just the LARS stuff bothers me from time to time.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

AmyG
Posts: 371
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby AmyG » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:33 pm

Dude, you keep making dem gainz!!

Do you hate running on a treadmill? When I lived in Alaska I'd run as long as it was -20F or warmer. Any colder and it was a treadmill day. On the other hand, when i was in Oklahoma if it was above 80F I kept myself inside on a treadmill!
42 dx @ 9wks pregnant w/baby #8 8/18
Sigmoid colon resection 9/18
Adenocarcinoma, G2, T3N0M0..or so we thought
KRAS/BRAF wild
Liver biopsy is malignant, stage iv now boys!
Delivered healthy baby 3/19
FOLFOX + Avastin 5/19
CEA 167 to 24 after 4 rounds
Liver resection 8/28/19
NED!! CEA 2.3
CEA 5.8 idk wtf is up with that, but everything else is clear!
CEA 3.7 make up your damn mind...
CEA 1.5 that's a new low!

Jannine
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:46 am
Location: Maryland, USA

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby Jannine » Tue Jun 18, 2019 1:59 pm

I find it much easier to run in cold weather than in hot weather. Of course it doesn't get very cold where I am; I think the coldest weather I've run in was maybe 20 degrees Fahrenheit. But when I join a training group in the winter, it tends to be a small group. And training groups in the summer months tend to get a lot more participants. I have no idea why; it's so much harder for me to run in temperatures over 80 degrees! I'll do it, but I don't enjoy it.

I really don't like treadmills. I have trouble figuring out my balance on those things.

I had awful trouble after my colonoscopy. I think the antibiotics my surgeon prescribed made me vulnerable to c diff, and I contracted it about a week after the colonoscopy. I'm now worried that I didn't completely get rid of it and it's coming back; I'm not having a good bowel day today. >.< This time if I get full-blown diarrhea I'm getting it checked out immediately, though. Ugh.
DX: sigmoid colon cancer 5/2018. 48 F
laparoscopic sigmoid resection (24 cm removed); no stoma.
7.5cm adenocarcinoma -- mod. diff.
1 noncontiguous tumor deposit removed; 0/31 lymph nodes
T3 pN1c M0
5/18 before surgery, CEA 11.2
6/18 began FOLFOX
7/18: CEA 1.9; added neulasta post infusion
9/18: CEA 2.8
10/18: 25% chemo reduction
11/18: CEA 1.8
7/19 CT scan clear

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:43 pm

AmyG wrote:Dude, you keep making dem gainz!!

Do you hate running on a treadmill? When I lived in Alaska I'd run as long as it was -20F or warmer. Any colder and it was a treadmill day. On the other hand, when i was in Oklahoma if it was above 80F I kept myself inside on a treadmill!


I don't like the treadmill. I just did three miles in the office gym because it started raining early afternoon - it wasn't in the forecast this morning. It's supposed to end in two hours so I might try to get in another two miles but the humidity will be in the 90s. I do have clothes that work down to about 25F but they're in storage now. My indoor options are treadmills at the office, treadmills at Planet Fitness, and two indoor tracks at two separate YMCAs. Though one is going to be closed for maintenance for two weeks. I guess that the indoor track would be a good option. Even if it stops raining, it's so humid that the ground will be wet and I prefer it dry. An indoor track is more interesting than the treadmill - but sometimes parents bring toddlers onto the track (kids are supposed to be older to use the track).
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Tue Jun 18, 2019 2:48 pm

Jannine wrote:I find it much easier to run in cold weather than in hot weather. Of course it doesn't get very cold where I am; I think the coldest weather I've run in was maybe 20 degrees Fahrenheit. But when I join a training group in the winter, it tends to be a small group. And training groups in the summer months tend to get a lot more participants. I have no idea why; it's so much harder for me to run in temperatures over 80 degrees! I'll do it, but I don't enjoy it.

I really don't like treadmills. I have trouble figuring out my balance on those things.

I had awful trouble after my colonoscopy. I think the antibiotics my surgeon prescribed made me vulnerable to c diff, and I contracted it about a week after the colonoscopy. I'm now worried that I didn't completely get rid of it and it's coming back; I'm not having a good bowel day today. >.< This time if I get full-blown diarrhea I'm getting it checked out immediately, though. Ugh.


I used to run in the noontime sun regularly around the office but we've had a lot of construction and there are walking paths under the trees in the area. The city where I work has about 20 miles of running/walking paths in the woods and those are great when it's really hot. About a third of the paths are along canals or rivers and they have a cooling effect too. The paths are really wide and patrolled twice a day by the police. It's wide enough for them to drive their SUVs through the paths.

I have fallen only once while running and that was trail running. I tripped on a rock and I couldn't believe the number of cuts I had. I asked a passing walker for some water and I must have looked pretty awful and it was about 1.5 miles back to the YMCA so it was a very slow walk. I keep first-aid supplies in my gym bag so was able to clean up reasonably well. I haven't run into any wild animals outside turkeys but we do have bears, moose and deer in the area.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

AmyG
Posts: 371
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby AmyG » Tue Jun 18, 2019 6:21 pm

I can't handle the humidity anymore. Wipes me out! My running shoes are put up for now, so let me live vicariously through you!

I'm hoping to be in good enough shape to do another few half marathons this fall.
42 dx @ 9wks pregnant w/baby #8 8/18
Sigmoid colon resection 9/18
Adenocarcinoma, G2, T3N0M0..or so we thought
KRAS/BRAF wild
Liver biopsy is malignant, stage iv now boys!
Delivered healthy baby 3/19
FOLFOX + Avastin 5/19
CEA 167 to 24 after 4 rounds
Liver resection 8/28/19
NED!! CEA 2.3
CEA 5.8 idk wtf is up with that, but everything else is clear!
CEA 3.7 make up your damn mind...
CEA 1.5 that's a new low!

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Tue Jun 18, 2019 6:53 pm

AmyG wrote:I can't handle the humidity anymore. Wipes me out! My running shoes are put up for now, so let me live vicariously through you!

I'm hoping to be in good enough shape to do another few half marathons this fall.


Well, you're the serious runner. I've run 13.2 before but never in a formal race.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

Caat55
Posts: 694
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:01 pm

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby Caat55 » Wed Jun 19, 2019 5:53 pm

Impressive upper body work, but you never slack off. I have begun yoga in earnest again now that my 6 weeks are up. I agree with Amy, humidity and heat are not my friend anymore. My balance is surprisingly good, probably from all the presurgical walking. LARS. I am finding one fiber tablet a day helps, kind of like the day after a clean out, no worries. I do think about you and issues with obstruction. It takes a lot of intention when eating to chew, do notice when I do I eat alot less so probably healthier. I am determined to grow all my own fruit and veggies this summer so need to get this gut, bowel in order.
Susan
Do at 55 y.o. Female
Dx 9/26/17 RC Stage 3
Completed 33 rad. tx, xeolda 12/8/17
MRI and PET 1/18 sign. regression
Surgery 1/31/18 Ileostomy, clean margins, no lymph node involved
Port 3/1/2018
Oxaliplatin and Xeloda start 3/22/18
Last Oxaliplatin 7/5/18, 5 rounds
CT NED 9/2018
PET NED 12/18
Clear Colonoscopy 2/19, 5/20

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Thu Jun 20, 2019 11:26 am

Yoga is great for balance and I think that everyone over 50 should do it.

I've gone back to Nopalina twice a day and hope things improve. Things have been slower than I like after the Colonoscopy and I'd like to get back to the rhythm before that as things are more predictable. If you can't have what you want, it's at least nice to know when you're going to have it.

I usually have obstruction problems with volume of food rather than size. I suspect that things are constricted somewhat and too high a volume at a time causes things to backup and get stressed. That's somewhat a product of fasting two days and eating - the meals after fasting tend to be large.

I overdid the running yesterday - five miles outside after two days of fasting. My quads were sore this morning and I found a large blister in an annoying place. I think that my Garmin said 35 hours of recovery time which is actually reasonable. So no running today - it's raining outside so it doesn't matter but I don't feel like running anyways. I will just do weights and Yoga today.

Gardening is pretty good exercise too. We don't have a space for a garden but it's a goal if we move. I'm going to try to eat more veggies too.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:10 pm

Taking Nopalina and Slippery Elm is improving things and I think that the best time to take them is before a meal. I still have clustering days like today though. It's run from about 5:00 AM to 1:00 PM. It's better than 12 hours of this which has happened in the past. In the best case, it's two hours.

I'm still fasting several times a week and only eating one meal per day. Output generally gets worse after a fast and then my body needs a break to recover and fasting take care of that as there's no output for two days. It's pretty stressful stuff getting work done as I have to do it some other time of the day and it makes meetings difficult. It also tires me out and generates stress which I don't need. I haven't been working out that much this week but hope to get out and run tonight. I have a minor hip twang which I got from weightlifting. I was probably careless with technique. So I'm taking a few days off from the barbells. I hope running is okay and Yoga is always okay.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:28 pm

This is a study of studies but it shows that it's still in the bloodstream from 8-75 months after treatment. I think that long-term toxic effects aren't known yet. This may be why the neurotoxic effects can be long-lasting.

The results showed that the plasma concentration of platinum in individuals previously exposed to oxaliplatin or cisplatin is larger by a factor of 30 than that in unexposed controls. The metal is found in both whole and ultrafilterable plasma. Risk factors for persistent high levels are decreased glomerular function and high cumulative dose. The authors demonstrated that the platinum found is still reactive, capable of forming platinum–dna adducts in vitro. Although the physiologic significance of this reactivity is unknown, the findings are of concern with regard to long-term toxic effects such as secondary malignancies.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3031353/
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT

AmyG
Posts: 371
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2018 8:08 pm

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby AmyG » Thu Jun 27, 2019 2:14 pm

Idk how you deal with all the bullshit that you do in regards to the potty. You're a champion and don't you forget it!
42 dx @ 9wks pregnant w/baby #8 8/18
Sigmoid colon resection 9/18
Adenocarcinoma, G2, T3N0M0..or so we thought
KRAS/BRAF wild
Liver biopsy is malignant, stage iv now boys!
Delivered healthy baby 3/19
FOLFOX + Avastin 5/19
CEA 167 to 24 after 4 rounds
Liver resection 8/28/19
NED!! CEA 2.3
CEA 5.8 idk wtf is up with that, but everything else is clear!
CEA 3.7 make up your damn mind...
CEA 1.5 that's a new low!

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Rectal cancer (Stage 3A) diagnosed late June 2017

Postby NHMike » Sat Jul 06, 2019 5:18 pm

I used Imodium yesterday for the first time since 2018 to get some control. It did not go well. If you have any kind of obstruction, don’t use Imodium.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT


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