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Got diagnosed with a touch of the big "C". operation successful and cancer completely removed - YAY!

Now they are talking chemo to eradicate any rogue cells hiding away, not entirely sure I am keen on the treatment and am wondering if the side effects are as bad as the horror stories claim them to be.

On the bright side will save on haircuts I guess.

Jeezus. That is a shock but glad the op went well. Wishing you a full recovery, mate

Tough news but sounds like you’re on the right track.

I had chemo and radiotherapy as treatment for Lymphoma a couple of years ago. Key point for me is that there is no “standard” reaction, some people get flattened by it and others sail through almost unaffected. My own experience was that I got progressively more tired as the cycles went on (6 for me) but that I got to know how I would be at the different stages of each cycle so could plan ahead. Tended to feel pretty unwell for 24 hours post infusion but ok after that.

The steroids given at the start of each cycle really screwed up my sleep pattern as I was too wired for about 5 days then slept for 36 hours once they had stopped.

My advice for dealing with it is to trust the medics and be relentlessly positive. Hope all goes well.

Jethro wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2024 11:59 pm Got diagnosed with a touch of the big "C". operation successful and cancer completely removed - YAY!

Now they are talking chemo to eradicate any rogue cells hiding away, not entirely sure I am keen on the treatment and am wondering if the side effects are as bad as the horror stories claim them to be.

On the bright side will save on haircuts I guess.

Sorry to hear your news. Glad the operation went well.

Nothing to add other than to wish you all the best.

Good luck Jethro. Modern chemo is much better these days and only some cause hair loss eg. Breast cancer treatment. Colon cancer drugs usually leave your hairline intact.

Good Luck Jethro.

Jethro wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2024 11:59 pm Got diagnosed with a touch of the big "C". operation successful and cancer completely removed - YAY!

Now they are talking chemo to eradicate any rogue cells hiding away, not entirely sure I am keen on the treatment and am wondering if the side effects are as bad as the horror stories claim them to be.

On the bright side will save on haircuts I guess.

Go well, modern medicine is amazing. Whatever happens it is better than the alternative!

weegie01 wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 7:33 am

Jethro wrote: Tue Apr 09, 2024 11:59 pm Got diagnosed with a touch of the big "C". operation successful and cancer completely removed - YAY!

Now they are talking chemo to eradicate any rogue cells hiding away, not entirely sure I am keen on the treatment and am wondering if the side effects are as bad as the horror stories claim them to be.

On the bright side will save on haircuts I guess.

Go well, modern medecine is amazing. Whatever happens it is better than the alternative!

Yup. 75 days of treatment, probably 45 are hell. Then you get 15+ years back. So worth it.

Not me, but my mum went through chemo last year. 6 months worth, combined with a couple of other treatments. Put her on her arse, lost quite a bit of weight due to her tastebuds going haywire and everything tasting bad. However, it makes a huge difference to life expectancy in her case.

Good luck Jethro, sounds like you are nailing it.

Very glad to read your Op was successful. I'd do what the medics say in spite of any temporary downside, as others have said the advances in chemo have been massive. Hope it all works out for you.

I've got Multiple Myeloma smoldering in my body which will require chemo at some point to try keep it in check (can't be cured), not looking forward to it but beats the alternative. In the meantime I'm getting as otherwise fit and healthy as I can.

Good luck mate, glad to hear operation successful.

My brother is going through it, it's certainly knocked him but to look at him you wouldn't realise he was unwell. He's actually a bit slimmer but that's probably as much due to not drinking like a fecking fish

As others have mentioned, people respond differently but you'll figure out how best to work it - my brother usually feels worst starting a few days after each treatment, he cna be a bit bed-bound due to fatigue, but he's easily well enough for trips to hotels and some light walking when the worst has worn off. It does get more tiring the more treatments in you go, which would be worth planning for.

We looked after my sister in law in the build up to and after chemo, I'd say do whatever you can now to get yourself fitter/healthier, eating well during is really hard (my dad found it really hard to find anything he liked the taste of, sis in law not so much) so make sure you've got some healthy recipes in the bank now so that you can try different things during treatment.

I have a good mate going through cancer pathway at the moment. I echo what others have said above. He had two separate weeks of chemo as an inpatient over a 4 week period but managed out for a few rounds of golf in-between. He is now on radiotherapy and another few days of chemo. He is as others have said tired and lost his appetite etc but gets better quickly after each round.

When I went to visit him in hospital I took a variety of treats for him. He said after that he couldn't eat the chocolate I took, or indeed much of the hospital food, but the tangy Haribo he said were a lifesaver! His taste buds couldn't cope with chocolate, he said it tasted soapy and hospital food just even blander and not enjoyable but the haribo he said were tasty and cut through and he ended up buying lots more to keep him going. Whilst this might seem trivial he said it meant he got a lot of sugar/energy from them and he saw them as one of the few treats he looked forward to. Small things can make a huge difference.

Good luck mate, as others have said you are well on your way to a full recovery and you will get through this and have many more years to look forward to.

Best of luck Jethro..

Going through similar with my 96 yr old father, diagnosed bowel cancer last year, due to age no action to be taken. Diagnosed with cancer on his neck yesterday, operation just came through for the 22nd, no chance of chemo etc due to age..

Best of luck Jethro..

Going through similar with my 96 yr old father, diagnosed bowel cancer last year, due to age no action to be taken. Diagnosed with cancer on his neck yesterday, operation just came through for the 22nd, no chance of chemo etc due to age..

Sorry to hear your news mate. Nothing of worth to add to the thread other than to wish you well.

duke wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 6:20 am Tough news but sounds like you’re on the right track.

I had chemo and radiotherapy as treatment for Lymphoma a couple of years ago. Key point for me is that there is no “standard” reaction, some people get flattened by it and others sail through almost unaffected. My own experience was that I got progressively more tired as the cycles went on (6 for me) but that I got to know how I would be at the different stages of each cycle so could plan ahead. Tended to feel pretty unwell for 24 hours post infusion but ok after that.

The steroids given at the start of each cycle really screwed up my sleep pattern as I was too wired for about 5 days then slept for 36 hours once they had stopped.

My advice for dealing with it is to trust the medics and be relentlessly positive. Hope all goes well.

Thanks, about what I am finding in research. They are talking three treatments so not so bad in the scheme of things. Did ask if a PET scan wouldn't be of more benefit, but apparently not. Good advice dude and pleased to talk to someone who has been through it.

Thanks to all for the well wishes, but rocking on with zero problems, though my Boss has somehow decided an extra couple of months off work will help Now if they were actually paid I would be on a winner here.

Take advice, my sis in law was being treated less than fairly by her employer (big city bank) but luckily her best mate used to be HR director at a fairly big firm and guided her on how to get her due.

Jethro wrote: Wed Apr 10, 2024 11:17 pm

Thanks, about what I am finding in research. They are talking three treatments so not so bad in the scheme of things. Did ask if a PET scan wouldn't be of more benefit, but apparently not. Good advice dude and pleased to talk to someone who has been through it.

Thanks to all for the well wishes, but rocking on with zero problems, though my Boss has somehow decided an extra couple of months off work will help Now if they were actually paid I would be on a winner here.

I hope you're feeling sound in the headspace, mate... as you say, talking to someone who's been through it is invaluable, that specific support is worth it's weight in gold. All power to you trucking on through. Medicine is fucking amazing, eh?

Best of luck mate. Hope you kick it's ass.

Best wishes with the recovery Jethro.