Diagnoses and Worry

Yes I was exactly the same diagnosis! On the 4 Oct 2024 started FLOT beg of December 24 surgery end of March 25 ! Now fully recovered and doing well although I was lucky I had no other underlying problems and no problems after surgery! Not everyone is so lucky but at the moment I have returned to life as normal! So it can be done wishing your husband well on his journey just take one day at a time and although the NHS is great and I can’t fault my treatment you have to know that nothing happens quickly !! X

Cazza, all the best for your journey as you will find out this forum family is full of helpful, genuine advice, lots of us have either been there, seen it, got the t-shirt, and others are just starting out on their journey.

the waiting anxiety is ridicolous, wether its for results or for dates, just try to do what suits you.

keep us posted,

take care jules

Thank you for your response, I’m trying to be strong for hubby but I’m just over thinking that it’s growing so rapidly that it will spread. In the 2and half weeks since we  had diagnosis we have met the consultant and MDT team  got the grading  and been told what is going to happen . It’s just waiting to see oncologist but my husband says they have been pretty quick. It was only found as he went to hospital with chest pains 3 weeks  ago today so thank god for that as if we went to Drs we would still be waiting for a referral. xxx

I know the wait seems ages but when he starts the chemo it will soon shrink the tumour when I started chemo I had been unable to eat for three months and was being fed through a jej tube, but after the second chemo cycle it had shrunk enough for me to eat quite normally! Also after chemo they like you to have recovered and be fit as the fitter you are before surgery the better you recover ! You will find my story on my profile ! X

My husband was diagnosed at the start of December and started his chemo six weeks later. He's on the same path - chemo/surgery/chemo. He didn't have a fitness test first but maybe he should have done as he reacted badly to the first FLOT treatment, his second cycle was postponed and subsequently the dose was reduced.  Hopefully the fitness test will prevent your husband going through this. It should help the oncologist decide on the appropriate starting dose for him, so try and look on it as a positive. My hubby's just had his second dose of FLOT and things have been better this time.

March 3rd is not far off - although I can understand that it feels like it - and hopefully they will crack on with the chemo a.s.a.p. after that. If the cancer does start to spread the chemo will deal with it. I know it's hard not to worry, but I try and remind myself that worrying is achieving nothing. Easier said than done I know! Good luck to you both. x

Your husband's diagnosis looks very similar to mine. The N0 M0 is the good news.

The wait for chemo can seem forever but when it starts it's quick to reduce the tumour and he seems in quite a good place to be starting with. I'd recommend getting in as much exercise as he can before the fitness test and surgery. I never thought of myself as super fit but the walking and swimming I do really helped with recovery. I'm seven months post surgery now and swimming every day and in the gym doing weights three times a week. My eating is more or less back to normal but just reduced portions.

I wish him all the best. it's not fun but this thing can be beaten. 

My husband had his fit test moved to next week 11th which made me more anxious about the waiting, but has got his 1st appointment to see oncologist 16th march. What happens in the 1st appointment and will Chemo start soon after or is another anxious few weeks to start

The oncologist will explain about the chemo - how it is administered and the possible side effects - and get your husband to sign a consent form. Once this is done they will set the wheels in motion for treatment to start. My husband's oncologist said the first lot of chemo would be 3-4 weeks later, but in the event it was only two weeks after the consultation. I expect the timescales vary at different hospitals though. 

Take a notebook with you so that you can jot things down, and make a list of questions you want answers to beforehand as it's easy to forget when you're actually there!

Good luck. x