Hello everyone. I've just joined your group

Hi 

Big welcome to the forum . I am glad you joined in the discussion!

11 sessions of chemo is a lot so very well done and for gaining shrinkage ! You are clearly made of strong stuff . My mum could only ever do 6 at one time ! 

If you click on my user name you can read my mum’s story over the years with managing a stage four diagnosis. I think the first year her mind focused more on gaining maximum shrinkage and too frightened to think about finding a better balance . After chemo her legs were like jelly and she found it hard to stand . They required to reduce Oxaliplatin by just ten percent the second year she had treatment and the slight change of dose removed a significant amount of side effects and always a very individual thing but she still had shrinkage . It took time for her to be able to have a conversation with her oncologist about finding a bit more balance . She did have six months without chemo in between and after only a few weeks her energy did come back up ! How do you find fluid intake. This was a big issue for my mum as she frequently dehydrated and it really impacted her !

Hope your scan goes well and I also hope you get a chance to talk to your team about some of the side effects to see if there is anything they can do to help you .

Treating cancer like a chronic condition took time to get on board with but my mum did gain some confidence when shrinkage occurred.

Take care ,

Court 

Thank you for your reply.  I shall read your mum's story and I find it useful to talk with fellow sufferers.  The diagnosis came as quite a shock to me and I'm still trying to come to terms with it all. At one point I was told that the treatment was palliative so my husband and I were devastated. However my oncologist told me that she was optimistic that the treatment was going to work. I know after my next scan I will either remain on the same regime or, if it hasn't been successful,  they will start me on a different one. Either way it means more chemotherapy.  I go every 2 weeks at the moment and it takes me about 8 days to recover now. I'm not sure how I will cope but I have a strong will and am optimistic that I can just plod on

Thanks to everyone for  the chance to share my story and talk to you all

Hi 

Its such a shock ! My mum had only completed a bowel screen and we thought nothing of it . Then was told it had spread ! She had no symptoms. However they took great care of her and she had two years on and off treatments till they were able to go a bit further and that meant she had a few years off treatment ! Bit of a long and winding road but she kept going forward.

Hope your scan goes well and your oncologist sounds very proactive! 
Keep posting when you feel like it . It can help to see how others continue living a good life despite a difficult diagnosis. 
take special care ,

Court