Share your cancer journey - and any other personal medical advice

[GrouchoTex]

@GrouchoTex

She was cured using only chemo?

Surgery, (hysterectomy) followed by radiation and Chemo.

[sneakypete]

Surgery, (hysterectomy) followed by radiation and Chemo.

@GrouchoTex

Take good news any way you can get it,and this IS good news.

[sneakypete]

Sneakypete,

I read the above, which indicates you did take Cartilade.  My point is with active cancer or benign tumor, you take the formula I mentioned in a prior post.

@jafo2010

My apologies. My mind was even more fried than it is now when I made  the original post about Shark Cartilage.

IF I remember correctly,I DID take it for a very short time prior to getting the THEN experimental  Brukinda Zanubrutinib pills,that have now been approved by the FDA for treatment for some forms of cancer.

My short-term memory was fried by radiation treatments,but I THINK the Shark Cartilage did help me,but it was the Brukinda  Zanubrutinib that "killed the beast".

The "big news" here is that the Brukinda  Zanubrutinib works so well it got early approval by the FDA,and veterans who need it can get it for free from the VA.

I am GUESSING this also means that at least some insurance companies will also provide it for "free" to people who have forms of cancer it has been to be an effective treatment for.

What I do know for sure is that it costs nothing to ask,and asking MIGHT save your life.

[DefiantMassRINO]

1.) Maternal aunt died from lukemia in her 70s.
2.) Paternal cousin died of ovarian cancer at 28.
3.) Wife had skin cancer removed.
4.) Father-in-law had skin cancer removed.
5.) Mother-in-law had surgery and is scheduled for ration for uterus cancer.
6.) Wife's cousin died from skin cancer in his 50s.
7.) Friend of the family in his early 80s dealing with 2nd bout of throat and mouth cancer.

Cancer is no longer the immediate death sentence it was 40 years ago, but it can be a rough journey, especially for re-curring instances of aggressive cancers.

I'm fortunate to live near a city and in a state that has some of the world's best cancer hospitals, doctors, and treatments.

If a person is admitted to a hospital, I recommend that a family member always be with them because corporate medicine has reduced the quantity and quality of bed-side care.  There are too few nurses who are overworked.  The insurance companies and hospitals push to have pateients sent home before it's safe to do so they can maximize profits.

Always question what the nurse or doctor about what's being administered and why it's being administered.  Give's doctors and nurses opportunity to double check that they are about to administer the correct dose of the correct medications at the correct times.

If you are with a chronically ill family member in the emergency, don't be shy about suggesting starting IV treatments that have worked in the past.  I believe my wife's last hospital stay for Covid-19/sepsis was significantly shortened because I sugested that my wife be started on IV electrolytes and anti-naseua medication immediately upon arrival at the E.R.

[libertybele]

1.) Maternal aunt died from lukemia in her 70s.
2.) Paternal cousin died of ovarian cancer at 28.
3.) Wife had skin cancer removed.
4.) Father-in-law had skin cancer removed.
5.) Mother-in-law had surgery and is scheduled for ration for uterus cancer.
6.) Wife's cousin died from skin cancer in his 50s.
7.) Friend of the family in his early 80s dealing with 2nd bout of throat and mouth cancer.

Cancer is no longer the immediate death sentence it was 40 years ago, but it can be a rough journey, especially for re-curring instances of aggressive cancers.

I'm fortunate to live near a city and in a state that has some of the world's best cancer hospitals, doctors, and treatments.

If a person is admitted to a hospital, I recommend that a family member always be with them because corporate medicine has reduced the quantity and quality of bed-side care.  There are too few nurses who are overworked.  The insurance companies and hospitals push to have pateients sent home before it's safe to do so they can maximize profits.

Absolutely imperative that people legally dedicate a health surrogate and in case they can't serve than another be legally named. Yes the quality of health care, staff overworked, insurance companies dictating how long a patient can stay for xyz procedure is true.  It is frightening these days to go into the hospital.  COVID has had such a negative impact on our health care system and now we have ILLEGALS using the ER for routine doctors visits that hospitals find themselves strapped financially and also in need of healthcare workers.

[sneakypete]

I think this is the same medication the VA is giving a good friend of mine.  They said it wouldn't kill the cancer but would hopefully keep it where it is. I forgot what he said the price of it was, but it was way too expensive for him to afford on his own.

@Jack Russell

I checked the "drug store price" BEFORE it was approved by the FDA as a cancer treatment drug,and a 30 day supply (30 capsules) was a hair over $3,000.

I SUSPECT the price might have dropped some since it was approved,but could be wrong.

What I DO know to be a fact is that less than 30 days after I started taking it,I was diagnosed to be free of cancer,and a week or two prior to starting to take it,I had been diagnosed as having "Stage 4 incurable lymphoma.

MY thoughts on this is IF you have Stage 4 lymphoma and don't have health insurance or help from some organization like the VA,borrow or steal 3 grand from somewhere,and try it for  the 1 month. If it doesn't work for you,you aren't  out nothing but 3 grand that you soon won't be missing.

IF you are lucky,you MIGHT go into remission,and who knows how long   you might be in remission before it returns,or even if it WILL return?

IF it returns,start taking up collections to buy more. 3 Grand a month is a lot of money,but not  if it is coming from 30 or more people.

[GrouchoTex]

@GrouchoTex

Take good news any way you can get it,and this IS good news.

@sneakypete
Mrs GrouchoTex has her 9 month check up in early March.
The 3 month last September and her 6 month last December check ups were all good news.
Technically, here treament was from Surgery in November of 2022 to the last chemo in May 2023.
They counted check up in June as 1st one, followed by 3 month in sept, etc.
Y'all know the drill...

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete
Mrs GrouchoTex has her 9 month check up in early March.
The 3 month last September and her 6 month last December check ups were all good news.
Technically, here treament was from Surgery in November of 2022 to the last chemo in May 2023.
They counted check up in June as 1st one, followed by 3 month in sept, etc.
Y'all know the drill...

@Groucho Marxist

I am celebrating the good news with you.

[GrouchoTex]

@Groucho Marxist

I am celebrating the good news with you.

Great @sneakypete!

[mountaineer]

Mrs GrouchoTex has her 9 month check up in early March.

Praying for an "all clear" for her.

[sneakypete]

My friend can't tolerate the medication, so they are going to go over his options.  This is not good.....

@Jack Russell

Tell  your friend to get the capsules I recommended. Never even got queasy,and I am still taking them.

Also,tell your friend that if he is a "service-connected disabled veteran",the VA will pay for them and even ship them to his house.

If he is not already qualified by the VA,he will be if he applies and was ever exposed to Agent Orange.

I suppose the same can be said for most health insurance companies now that it is FDA approved,but am just guessing here. I DO know it costs nothing to ask.

[sneakypete]

It's actually my cousin's husband.  The VA is paying for it.  I'm not sure what the issues were with it as I haven't talked directly to him, but evidently it really made him feel horrible.

@Jack Russell

IF we are talking about the same capsules,I was warned that they MIGHT make me sick,but by the time I received them in the mail I had already forgotten about that,and haven't have a minute of trouble with them.

NEVER underestimate the power of suggestion.

I honestly can't figure out why ANY doctor would tell a patient that some meds might make them so sick they  would rather die than take them.

It's like those goobers have never heard of the power of suggestion.

Or that their patients would be unable to figure out on their own if they get sick or not.

And it's NOT like the patients wouldn't be able to figure it out for themselves if they started puking after taking them.

[the OlLine Rebel]

@Jack Russell

IF we are talking about the same capsules,I was warned that they MIGHT make me sick,but by the time I received them in the mail I had already forgotten about that,and haven't have a minute of trouble with them.

NEVER underestimate the power of suggestion.

I honestly can't figure out why ANY doctor would tell a patient that some meds might make them so sick they  would rather die than take them.

It's like those goobers have never heard of the power of suggestion.

Or that their patients would be unable to figure out on their own if they get sick or not.

And it's NOT like the patients wouldn't be able to figure it out for themselves if they started puking after taking them.

The other thing about many chronic meds is that sometimes you have to power through initial bad effects, and then the body adjusts.

Is that possible here?  Tough it out for a month and then it evens out?

[sneakypete]

The other thing about many chronic meds is that sometimes you have to power through initial bad effects, and then the body adjusts.

Is that possible here?  Tough it out for a month and then it evens out?

@the OlLine Rebel

I honestly don't  know. I have been taking them for around 2 years now,and have never been sick even one day due to these pills.

[the OlLine Rebel]

@the OlLine Rebel

I honestly don't  know. I have been taking them for around 2 years now,and have never been sick even one day due to these pills.

Everyone is different.  I’ve been on pills where they advise you to power through if it causes any side effects.  I recall this definitely for neurological drugs.  But of course some may never have trouble and some always have trouble.  It’s just something to verify before quitting and swearing off the drug totally.

[sneakypete]

Everyone is different.  I’ve been on pills where they advise you to power through if it causes any side effects.  I recall this definitely for neurological drugs.  But of course some may never have trouble and some always have trouble.  It’s just something to verify before quitting and swearing off the drug totally.

@the Oline Rebel

I agree,but I STRONGLY disagree with  warning a patient that the drugs MAY make them sick. I am pretty  sure most could figure this out for themselves,so why bother putting the suggestion in their heads?

[sneakypete]

I talked with my cousin's husband.  He was on calquence for leukemia.  It isn't what you are taking.  They said if you quit the cancer will likely come back twice as fast.

@Jack Russell

Nobody has told me anything one way or the other  about stopping the pills I am taking for cancer.

The VA is still sending me re-fills,and I am going to continue  to take them for as long as the VA sends them.

I will ask the VA about this AFTER they stop sending them.

NOT going to rock any  boats.

[mountaineer]

My sister went in for chemotherapy yesterday. UPMC - once again, just like 2020-22 - is requiring masks, despite the mountain of evidence that they do absolutely nothing to prevent transmission of the Covid virus. When they explained that those were the rules, her husband replied, "Yeah, Hitler had a lot of rules, too." Surprisingly, he wasn't thrown out.

[sneakypete]

Thank you so much for trying to help Pete.  You’ll never know how much I appreciate it.

@Jack Russell

You are more than welcome. I am grateful for the opportunity to POSSIBLY help someone else.

[sneakypete]

My sister went in for chemotherapy yesterday. UPMC - once again, just like 2020-22 - is requiring masks, despite the mountain of evidence that they do absolutely nothing to prevent transmission of the Covid virus. When they explained that those were the rules, her husband replied, "Yeah, Hitler had a lot of rules, too." Surprisingly, he wasn't thrown out.

@mountaineer

I am surprised that BOTH he and his wife weren't thrown  out.

THE hardest lesson I have had to learn was to keep my mouth shut even if I was right when the circumstances dictate that regardless of being right,I WILL lose.

No one individual can fight an entrenched bureaucracy and hope to win unless it is their leader.