NHS leg pain

[papajaff]

Excellent news Alex. Really chuffed for you. All the best to you and Cornish.

Cheers!!

 

[brakespear]

Thought I'd post a personal update just in case anyone's still watching.

Like Cornish, I had 12 courses of treatment and these came to an end a couple of weeks back - this was the third course of chemotherapy I've had since being first diagnosed in late 2006.
Met with my consultant at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford this morning to discuss the results of the "end of term" CT scan I had last week:
My fortnightly drug cocktail (5FU/Irinotecan/Avastin) continued to be effective (as the mid-term scan showed), the "nodules" in my abdomen (peritoneum) have further reduced in size and are now very small. More importantly, there's no spread to anything vital like the lungs or liver like I had in 2007.
Essentially, this secondary cancer (my primary is bowel - colon), seems to have stabilised so I now have three months off treatment to let the body recover. Another CT scan is scheduled for Feb/March (and every 3 months for life now) after which, depending on the results, I may then need some "maintenance" chemo when the nodule growth inevitably starts up again.
In summary, detecting and controlling the cancer at this early stage is very good news for the family as I should now get a reasonable span and quality of life. The only caviat is my ability to cope with the chemo as I get older (58atm) but then it can't be any worse than watching last week's shambles at Vicarage Road - shirley?

Thanks to all for your best wishes and support over the past months.

comgrats on the good news both Alex and cornish.

 

[Fungus]

Good news, and good luck for the future.

 

[glasfryn]

good news mate well done

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Hi - so pleased to hear of your progress. Have you been able to keep your colon. I lost mine to ulcerative colitis, another bugger of a disease, and after a few replumbing operations I'm doing well.

UC certainly is a bugger, my mum has it but only mildly atm. Hope you're being looked after by a good GI team wherever you are; I can't speak highly enough of the "Guts" team at the Royal Surrey.
I had approx 2/3rds of my colon removed (hemicolectomy) in 2006 together with the primary tumour that was blocking my entire digestive system; as you'll probably know all too well I now have to watch out not to overload the bowel by taking in too much liquid (particularly beer) or the system goes into a sort of rapide clearance mode. Too much info I think................................

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Excellent news Alex. Really chuffed for you. All the best to you and Cornish.

Cheers!!

Ta, much appreciated.

 

[telrald]

Well done guys, great news and best wishes

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Sounds like good enough news! Is there ever any hope that repeating the chemo could actually get it all eventually? Seems you're coping with it well enough!

Hope you're looking forward to a well deserved three months off - just in time for a lovely Christmas!

Tbh, even though I've still got some disease, the news couldn't really be any better. The drugs/chemo have knocked back the fast reproducing cancer cells on the outer part of these nodules in my abdomen leaving the slower reproducing, maybe semi-dormant cells. Since most anti-cancer drugs work by inhibiting cell reproduction in one way or another then they're not going to have a big effect on slow reproducing cells so you end up having to look again at the benefit/risk impact of further chemo (as we did with the consultant today). Another x6 or x12 doses is probably not going the eradicate it all but could have some serious negatives on my kidneys an/or liver - hence the winter break.

Certainly am looking forward to Christmas this year although we're off to Mauritius later this month and then Spain in early December - Mrs needs a rest more than me really; it's been tough for her over the last 6 months.

 

[blue'n'white]

Really good news and fingers crossed for the future !!!

 

[The Oldman]

Excellent news and do hope the planned breaks are a tonic for you and the good lady.

 

[Brovion]

Thought I'd post a personal update just in case anyone's still watching.

Like Cornish, I had 12 courses of treatment and these came to an end a couple of weeks back - this was the third course of chemotherapy I've had since being first diagnosed in late 2006.
Met with my consultant at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford this morning to discuss the results of the "end of term" CT scan I had last week:
My fortnightly drug cocktail (5FU/Irinotecan/Avastin) continued to be effective (as the mid-term scan showed), the "nodules" in my abdomen (peritoneum) have further reduced in size and are now very small. More importantly, there's no spread to anything vital like the lungs or liver like I had in 2007.
Essentially, this secondary cancer (my primary is bowel - colon), seems to have stabilised so I now have three months off treatment to let the body recover. Another CT scan is scheduled for Feb/March (and every 3 months for life now) after which, depending on the results, I may then need some "maintenance" chemo when the nodule growth inevitably starts up again.
In summary, detecting and controlling the cancer at this early stage is very good news for the family as I should now get a reasonable span and quality of life. The only caviat is my ability to cope with the chemo as I get older (58atm) but then it can't be any worse than watching last week's shambles at Vicarage Road - shirley?

Thanks to all for your best wishes and support over the past months.

Like others I've never met you, but I've followed your progress on this thread. Really glad you got the best possible result for you, given that your circumstances were different to those of Cornish.

 

[Since1982]

UC certainly is a bugger, my mum has it but only mildly atm. Hope you're being looked after by a good GI team wherever you are; I can't speak highly enough of the "Guts" team at the Royal Surrey.
I had approx 2/3rds of my colon removed (hemicolectomy) in 2006 together with the primary tumour that was blocking my entire digestive system; as you'll probably know all too well I now have to watch out not to overload the bowel by taking in too much liquid (particularly beer) or the system goes into a sort of rapide clearance mode. Too much info I think................................

I'm very fortunate. I had the whole colon out at the Royal Sussex in Feb 2010 and an internal replumb done at woodingdean exactly one year ago. I can now eat and drink what I like - the only issue I have is dehydration and a few more visits to the loo than most but as you say, too much info!

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

I'm very fortunate. I had the whole colon out at the Royal Sussex in Feb 2010 and an internal replumb done at woodingdean exactly one year ago. I can now eat and drink what I like - the only issue I have is dehydration and a few more visits to the loo than most but as you say, too much info!

Good for you, I didn't realise you can be "re-plumbed" and lead a normal life - ie without a bag. Can understand the dehydration though as the colon's function is to re-absorb the water from digested food; not something I normally suffer from but have done during the recent chemo - didn't realise (assumed the tiredness was the drugs) until the hospital started having trouble getting a needle in me to take blood.

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

As others have said, a mighty "Wel Done" and fantastic news for you & your family.

I bet the odd Albion defeat is just a mere piffling issue for you now, as it should be. It's good to see the bigger picture and enjoy what we have.

 

[Cornish seagull!]

Hi everyone thought i'd let you know the latest. Ive had a bad rash on my hands thats been spreading up my arms and now started on my legs. Ive been to the docs 3times and had 6gp's look at it and still they don't know what it is ' ring any bells ' lol. On the second visit last wednesday i got refered to a dermatologist but was told it would take at least a month to see one, so ive been back to the docs today and as if by magic ive got an appointment to see a dermatologist tomorrow. Ive lost all hope and trust in my GP after last time now it just confirms my fears.

 

[Gordon Bennett]

Hi everyone thought i'd let you know the latest. Ive had a bad rash on my hands thats been spreading up my arms and now started on my legs. Ive been to the docs 3times and had 6gp's look at it and still they don't know what it is ' ring any bells ' lol. On the second visit last wednesday i got refered to a dermatologist but was told it would take at least a month to see one, so ive been back to the docs today and as if by magic ive got an appointment to see a dermatologist tomorrow. Ive lost all hope and trust in my GP after last time now it just confirms my fears.

My GP (who I think has something of an interest in dermatology) told me that chemo (and ABVD in particular) can reawaken dormant skin conditions such as eczema etc and a doctor at the Sussex County confirmed to me that this can sometimes happen so hopefully its nothing for you to worry about. After my chemo I had a skin irritation and I was prescribed a cream by my GP which so far has sorted it all out, so yes sounds like you are getting the run around again but hopefully this time it isn't too serious and they can get it sorted quickly.

 

[upthealbion1970]

Hi everyone thought i'd let you know the latest. Ive had a bad rash on my hands thats been spreading up my arms and now started on my legs. Ive been to the docs 3times and had 6gp's look at it and still they don't know what it is ' ring any bells ' lol. On the second visit last wednesday i got refered to a dermatologist but was told it would take at least a month to see one, so ive been back to the docs today and as if by magic ive got an appointment to see a dermatologist tomorrow. Ive lost all hope and trust in my GP after last time now it just confirms my fears.

Got it all crossed for you mate

 

[Cornish seagull!]

My GP (who I think has something of an interest in dermatology) told me that chemo (and ABVD in particular) can reawaken dormant skin conditions such as eczema etc and a doctor at the Sussex County confirmed to me that this can sometimes happen so hopefully its nothing for you to worry about. After my chemo I had a skin irritation and I was prescribed a cream by my GP which so far has sorted it all out, so yes sounds like you are getting the run around again but hopefully this time it isn't too serious and they can get it sorted quickly.

Hopefully not ive got 2 steroid creams that have'nt touched it. I would hope they would be able to tell if it's eczema.

 

[Cornish seagull!]

Got it all crossed for you mate

cheers mate.

 

[User removed 4]

Hope things work out for you Cornish Seagull,I dont know what you're going through, but I know what your family is , my dad (69) has just been diagnosed with cancer of the right lung and spine , he's yet to see an oncologist, but has been tyold he wil receive palliative care, which i'mpretty sure means just trying to contain it, the poor sod beat it 13 years ago when he had it in the larynx , and now this , bloody awful, but i'm just trying to ignore it until we receive a definitive treatment plan and timeline.