Just to keep everyone updated I am half way through my treatment for reoccurrence of lung cancer It was minute when found on the suture of my last op 2 years ago ,so gone for radical treatment with the hope of a cure which is 50/50 .I am having 2 chemos with 8 day follow up of tablet chemo and 30 radiotherapy every day for 6 weeks .My first 8 day follow up tablet was cancelled due to bloods and constipation but managing and getting ready for my next chemo on Monday but more prepared for this one for anti sickness pills and constipation tablets,the nurses and doctors listen to you and help with everything .The radiotherapy is ok but we have gone for the direct hit which means you have a snorkle and have to keep holding your breath for 20 seconds each time with a nose peg on and I never did like snorkelling ! The nurses are really patient though .I did not realise how technical and precise it was but of course it is as heart and organs in the vicinity .Lots of measurements are done each time so it takes about 30 mins but the actual treatment is only about 50 breaths ie 20/20/10 so only 3 breaths but lots more while measuring Just thought I would detail this as did not realise what it entailed and I presume all cancers are different ways .I think next 8 day tablet could be cancelled due to neuropathy in my fingers which is not too bad at the moment but could get worse .So one chemo and 15 radios to go wish me luck.Did ask the question of how will you know if it’s worked ,so a scan will not be done straight away so we will not have a result until 3 months after as radiotherapy keeps working after finishing treatment .
Jennifer
What hospital are you under Sandra I forgot . It’s not acceptable for them not to answer your questions I did have a doctors a couple of weeks ago and it was rush rush but that’s unusual Uf you are seeing a doctor he should be able to give you the answers and not have to pop out Do they have the computer open when you go in he should be able to just look it up ! See with the Marsden’s they have an app and you can look up all your blood and ct results also they do a report on there every time they see you Does your hospital have an app ? I can help you with it if it does Yes my breathlessness is getting to me I have a cough and violent sneezing T the moment I m sure my body is trying to clear my airways but unfortunately I sneezed before getting up one morning and felt something go in my back so that was 2 days in bed !! Trying to do more exercises now a tracer is what they inject into you to make the ct clearer You must have had one with your Pet scan only that one is radioactive Also I wrote down what all the numbers mean it’s the staging really and if it’s spread so T is the tumor N is the nearest lymph nodes affected M is if has metastasis followed by numbers or letters So numbers are the size of the nodes or number d x means cannot be measured so some people have line TN3M4 well something like that Ard you any wiser now
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, 6703 views ! ! , no doubt some are saying what a thicko Alexis is not knowing anything, I must be T as no lymph nodes affected and as far as I know it hasn't went walk about to anywhere else , fingers crossed for Friday 's scan .
The new respiratory doctor said " I'll see you in 4 months to see what we can do to give you a better quality of life " unfortunately it wasn't her i saw but another doctor I've never seen before , the computer was open and asked about the breathing test I'd had done , click click click and he brought it up and it was me that said " it's a bit lower " , I asked about a lung transplant and he smiled , no . I asked about ct scan results and he rhymed of which organs were clear ( all of them ) I asked about large bowel and what I managed to see it said " abnormalities " but that was brushed over . So it's respiratory doctor I'm under now unless there's any changes .
Hopefully I'll see a doctor for my results as i can't ask i piece of paper any questions I might have , maybe this is what I've read about to cut down lists , they only see you if they need to , otherwise they just send out a letter with results .
Goodness that must have been some sneeze you did you put your back out , hope you are feeling better now , yes the breathlessness can really get to you , we take breathing for granted until we haven't got it , I can walk from living room to bedroom ( no stairs ) and I'm jiggered , as I said good and bad days and I do my breathing exercises to help strengthen what lungs ihave , I'm frightened to push myself past the barrier of breathlessness as you know I live alone , I simply do what I can when I can.
Take care Sandra
