They didn't get all the cancer after surgery!

16 years 7 months ago #7059 by Zachary
Replied by Zachary on topic They didn't get all the cancer after surgery!

Not that my experience will correlate to yours, but I didn't experience any difference in my hearing at all.

But look on the bright side. This is something you can take advantage of.

"Dad, can I borrow $20?" "Daddy, will you take us to the new Barney movie?"

"Sorry kids, I can't hear you!"

"Standing on my Head"---my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein

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16 years 7 months ago #7038 by RAH
Thanks mznoregrets, potential ringing im my ears to look forward to too. And I was concerned with nausea and fatigue only (I am already bald, so the hair loss that shows was not a big concern). Although my 18 year old daughter wondered when my hair does grow back, maybe it will grow back on my chrome dome. One of my seven year old twins hopes it will grow back red.

TR1492,
I will be having chemo for eleven weeks. It will be four cycles. Two drugs the first week, one drug the second week and no drugs the third week. This will go on for four cycles. The grand total will be eight injections over the eleven weeks.

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16 years 7 months ago #7037 by mznoregrets
Replied by mznoregrets on topic They didn't get all the cancer after surgery!
Hi again :)

I was thought to be stageT2a grade 3 micropapillary at RC, but pathology came back stage 3a micropapillary carsinoma and urachal (belly button ) cancer. 25 nodes - all negative.

Time line....
1/29/07 Dx'd
1/31/07 1st TURBT stage 2
2/14/07 2nd TUR and bladder neck biopsies for neobladder. got clean margins
3/13/07 RC & neobladder. Path back as above
4/19/07 Port installed
4/23/07 started cisplatin/gemzar for 4 months. Scheduled :week 1 - cisplatin
weeks 2 & 3 - gemzar
week 4 off
I did last dose of gemzar on July 30th so I have a ways before chemo is out of my system.
My last films and scans showed I have an enlarged lymph node by my neobladder/aorta as of july 5, and my bone tumor (under surveillance since discovered in Feb) has been behaving as mets despite the 4 months chemo. Dr said if it is determined to be mets that radiation, rods and surgery will be likely for the bone tumor. The lymphnode is inoperable and would also be radiated which could cost me the neobladder and I would end up with a bag. The chemo was tough but I got thru it - just like all the stuff we have to do. You can do it :) God Bless, Holly

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16 years 7 months ago #7035 by TR1492
Rick - so does that mean they expect your treatment to last about 2 months?

mznoregrets - did you go 4 months straight through or was there a longer break in between? What stage were you when you had surgery?

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16 years 7 months ago #7031 by mznoregrets
Replied by mznoregrets on topic They didn't get all the cancer after surgery!
Hi :)

OnMonday I just finished 4 months of Cisplatin/Gemzar chemo....MyRC/ neobladder was onMarch 13th and I started chemo 5 1/2 weeks later. The side affects for me were intense and I did suffer the hearing loss on a temporary basis. Last cisplatin dose was 2 weeks ago and I still have ringing in my ears but it has been getting better. I am confident my hearing will fully return once the chemo is out of my system.

God bless all 982 of us, Holly

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16 years 7 months ago #7028 by wendy

Rick,

That would be the cisplatin(Platinol) that can cause hearing loss, it's not very common but I have met folks who had this side effect. Gemzar is supposedly easier to take with much less side effects and since they work in different ways the combo is more effective than a single drug.

Take care,
wendy

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