Hi all

Hi firstly so sorry you find yourself here, by joining however you are among the most lovely, brave,  supportive and knowledgeable people. I can’t offer any advice presently I joined myself as my partner has a 10cm tumour and only still going through the diagnostics and awaiting results. The people on here have kept me going through a really dark time. Hopefully the others will provide you with their experiences of treatment and surgery and maybe that will give you some optimism. I can fully appreciate how your partner must be feeling but there are such positive stories on here of post surgery patients years down the road, chemo being wonderful with regards to reducing tumours etc.. I hope you both can find some comfort in the positive experiences of others. Sending love to you both. 
claire x 

Hi,

I had exactly the same cancer as you. Diagnosed in October 2023 after an endoscopy and then went through the full regimen of CT scan, PET scan and laparoscopy. I csn confirm that chemo can make a big difference. I was really struggling to swallow anything solid before my first FLOT  chemo on 13th December last year. On Christmas Day, I managed to eat a small Christmas dinner (albeit with a few alterations to some of the constituent parts) My chemo finished at the end of January and my surgery was on 29th February. The surgery is certainly tough and the recovery is long and slow. I would say that I am about 70% now. There’s no doubt that 2024 was certainly a tough year to get through but in November my wife and I managed a foreign holiday and on Christmas Day I managed a small but full Christmas dinner plus dessert. I was 59 at the time of my diagnosis. I hope that I am one of the success stories and you have to hold on to the hope that you will be too. Best wishes to you and your wife. Her support will be crucial in the months that lie ahead… CB

Hi 

You're in the right place for advice from people at all stages of their treatment and recovery. I was diagnosed at the end of March after only a couple of episodes of regurgitation before that.

Initially I was very reluctant to even go to the doctor as the symptoms matched many other conditions.

Well I'm eternally grateful to my local surgery as they fast tracked me to have an urgent referral endoscopy and within a week I was having it. Diagnosed straight away with cancer at the GOJ.

Fast forward exactly nine months and after numerous scans, tests, four lots of pre op FLOT chemo, one ten hour Ivor Lewis surgical procedure and two more post op chemo sessions I'm still here!

My advice? Prepare for chemo by getting as fit and as fat as possible! Eat as much as you can post chemo and before your surgery. Be aware that you WILL lose some weight, for me it was the recent post op chemo that's been the hardest to deal with. But now at least I can see light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel which is the most important thing. I wish you all the very best on your journey and if you want to know ANYTHING there is always someone on this forum who will be able to help you.

Anthony 

Hi

Was in a similar position to you. I reported to A&E, following Endo, Bio and scan diagnosed with S4 inoperable Oesophageal cancer. Oncologist’s bedside manner extended to advising my daughter I’d be gone by Christmas!

Actually (I’m a fit 77) I’m feeling very chipper, can eat pretty much anything though my appetite isn’t great and my life as a whole has not so far been much impacted. My advice is to see if any clinical trials are available. A decent Oncologist should be able to do this for you. On a trial you may get access to Immunotherapy and other services that may not be available locally including very regular monitoring of your condition. All your travel expenses will be met by the sponsoring pharma company so it’s definitely worth a shot. 

It’s a very scary time and I think often more difficult for our partners. Support from family and friends is so important and you’ll find a great deal of solice here. So although things look grim now there’s a good chance you’ll find a way to make your journey more manageable and less scary than it seems right now. All the very best.

David

Hi 

sorry to hear you have joined this group where no one wants to be but has been in invaluable to me ! 
I have exactly to same as you have treatment is the same chemo surgery and more chemo ! Just had my second cycle of FLOT chemo and feeling fine at the moment CT scan booked for beginning of Feb and hopefully surgery in March. Have been tube fed since diagnosed in October and now just starting to eat soft food so chemo must be doing its job. 
I have put my journey so far on my profile you will find the support on here fantastic as until my diagnosis I did not know about this cancer or anyone who had it and felt very alone. 
take care stay strong 

Tricia 

Thanks for the kind words everyone. Going to be a tough road in 2025 no matter what I guess, but I’m up for the fight anyway.

I’m on the exercise bike every day now, doctors orders, to get high intensity fit. So that’s fun when you’re calorie deficient on a liquid diet. He tells me 5% better chance of good chemo response the fitter you are, so I’ll try to stack the odds a bit I guess.

Completely weirdly I’m happy losing weight, I started this summer at 21st (ridiculously obese) and now 16.5st so I have capacity to lose weight and get healthier as part of this. I’m aware I’ll lose more weight as we go but I’m hopeful I land in a sweet spot. Small wins right.

RH

I was 25st before my operation  in was told the same to get fit for operation.  My OP was in August  2023 I am now down  to 14st . Everyone  says how good I look but it is a mental battle worrying  about what if 

Stay Strong 

I’ve already joined video calls at work and people are like ‘Oh you’re looking well since we last spoke..’

Hard to know how to respond honestly.

Hi Hubby has this too ,so tough on him but i 'm struggling too as is your wife.Hubby isn;t fit enough for surgery so its Chemo and Radiotherapy which is going to be hard.We had a really nice consultant and specialist nurses etc..First chemo jan 6th.He too had liquified crimbo dinner  he wasn;t impressed.David is having a peg feed put in to help with eating appointment came today.Signing off dog to walk. Shirley

Hello RH.

I'm sorry your circumstances have led to you joining this forum but I can see you've received the warm and supportive welcome that we did when I joined, as a desperate partner, back in September. We'd been to the wedding of a good friend's daughter and it felt like we'd brought a dark cloud in with us. After my husband threw up in the car park the bit of food he'd attempted to eat, we made an awkward exit. I logged onto the Macmillan site that night in tears. He was due to start treatment the week after and after his first cycle the blockage shrank. 7 cycles done and there is no obstruction to anything he eats, although he has a very sore mouth, which is a side effect of the treatment. 

I hope you and your wife are able to settle into the new way of life that comes with the treatment and take comfort from knowing that things will get better.