Posts by Angela Wright

Elizabeth Collins60 said:My dear father’s condition has taken a massive turn for the worse. He won't leave the house anymore, and by Monday, he just completely shut down—total disorientation and nonsensical rambling. I rushed him to the ER neurology department, but of course, they just gave him some Mann, a bit of Dex, and sent him straight home. To make matters even more infuriating, they couldn't even find a vein properly, so all that Mann was just wasted. I've been scrambling to organize everything so I can administer those IV fluids myself at home. If things weren't already bad enough, I landed a job where I'm working grueling shifts from 7 AM to 8 PM, then rushing back to him just so he can sleep for a few hours. I am absolutely running on empty, and my brother hasn't lifted a single finger to help... my heart is just breaking. I keep writing and writing... though I don't even know what I'm doing or why.

You're going to pull through this. You need to call your brother out—be polite, but be sharp. Tell him it's time to step up and actually get involved. Let him know you are reaching your breaking point. Look, women are built differently; we can endure things men can't even begin to wrap their heads around. Just remember that.😘

Christian Wood63 said:My mom had those exact transaminase and enzyme levels you mentioned, including the elevated gamma GT.
I honestly think we managed to sort it out using subcutaneous aloe vera ampoules because that was the only thing she was getting at the time.
That stuff is apparently only available in Russia, but if anyone knows if it can be found here in the States, let me know and I'll go grab some...

Tell me, besides the Phenobarbital my mom is taking, what else could be hitting her liver this hard?
On top of the Phenobarbital, she’s on Dexedrine, Ranitidine, and she recently switched from Glucagon to Glipizide for her blood sugar. My late grandmother was diabetic too, and they had to pull her off the Glucagon because her kidneys were failing, so I already know these things hammer the kidneys—but what about the liver? I brought this up when I was talking to my mom's internist about her situation, but the doctor just stuck with the Glipizide. Honestly, every time I mention something I read or heard about potential side effects, they just wave me off. They basically tell me there's no reason to worry about liver issues when she's fighting a glioblastoma; they argue she'll succumb to the tumor long before she ever develops something like cirrhosis. 😠 It feels like my input on this is completely useless.🙄

analogsailor98 said:Ladies, I low-key panicked when I realized my period showed up nine days early—just totally out of nowhere. Anyone else dealt with this kind of randomness before? I’ve got an appointment with my OB-GYN in ten days, but is this like... an emergency level situation?😲 Please tell me someone's been through this so I don't lose my mind.🙏

It’s probably just stress or some kind of inflammation.

Larry Vaughn53 said:True, but it's a private clinic. Maybe there's a way to get Medicare to cover it eventually.

Look, don't go pinning all your hopes on Medicare. I highly doubt they’d ever cover something like that when they already think it's perfectly acceptable to make someone wait seven months on a waiting list for a neurological MRI before they even consider paying for a private specialist🙄. In my view, asking them to foot the bill for something like this would be way outside their comfort zone; it's just too much unnecessary testing for them to stomach.

brightgardener8 said:I don't know who you think you're talking to, but if you're looking for someone to dance to your tune, you've got the wrong person. Stick to the facts or don't bother posting at all.Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid with an incredibly broad range of applications, from what I can gather. Take a look at... The provided link leads to a technical breakdown regarding the pharmacology of certain substances. Given the complexity of the data presented, it’s clear that understanding how these compounds interact with the human body requires more than just a surface-level glance; it demands a deep dive into metabolic pathways and receptor affinities. It's much like trying to map out the intricacies of a complex electrical grid in Chicago—you can see where the lines go, but without knowing the load capacity and the resistance at every junction, you're essentially flying blind. One cannot simply look at a chemical structure and assume they understand its physiological impact without accounting for the nuances of absorption and distribution.The code is used specifically to reduce brain swelling from tumors, but I’m not too sure about its application for other conditions. Maybe Angela Wright can weigh in with more detail—she’s already finished her PhD in pharmacology.😉

Dexamethasone is basically used to dial down swelling in any kind of tissue—whether we’re talking about soft tissue elsewhere in the body or brain swelling caused by a tumor. When it comes to the brain, though, you have to go much heavier on the dosage. Unlike most other parts of the body where swollen tissue has some room to expand, the brain is trapped inside the skull. It’s a closed system. There is nowhere for that pressure to go, which is why that specific type of swelling is so dangerous; it leads to neurological glitches and can ultimately plunge a person into a coma. The catch is that while these steroids work, they absolutely wreck you in other ways. You’re looking at spiked blood sugar, that unmistakable "moon face" bloating, skin sensitivity, and it even messes with your mental state. Honestly, there’s a whole laundry list of side effects that I won't even bother listing because it’s just depressing. But when you're fighting edema, you don't really have a choice—it's the only thing that actually gets the job done.

slyseal28 said:My husband is on his third cycle of the DTIC protocol today. They pulled his blood work and those liver tests are looking worse.

On Friday, his IBM was at 62 (with the upper limit being 38), and his ALT was 51 (limit is 48). It didn't seem like a huge deal until today.

Today, his IBM jumped to 126. They ran hepatitis markers, so now we’re just stuck waiting. He had surgery last year and received blood transfusions and plasma and all sorts of things.

Is it possible that after dealing with cancer, he’s now facing hepatitis too? We're currently in the ICU. We'll update you when the results come in. Hang in there.

Those enzyme levels are up because the liver is simply getting hammered by the chemo. Think of it this way: chemo is essentially a toxin that the liver is forced to filter out. If you think his numbers are high, look at my mom’s recent labs and compare:
ALP 184 (64-153)
IBM 159 (8-30)
ALT 319 (10-36)
GGT 2795 (9-35)

I highly doubt this has anything to do with hepatitis; it’s almost certainly the chemotherapy.
In my mom's case, her values are trashed because she’s on Phenytoin, which is brutal on the liver, and the dexamethasone plays a massive role in that too.

You've got an infection, which is why your lymphocyte count is elevated. As far as I know, they run a completely different blood panel to check for pregnancy.

Alright, I promised I’d circle back once I had some fresh intel, and here it is. The drug is called DCV-ax brain. I’ve posted all the granular details over on the "find a new drug for glioblastoma" forum thread
.

vividowl10 said:Jesus... all I can say is when that moment finally comes, I just want her to fall asleep like an angel and find the peace she deserves...
How are you holding up???

I honestly don't know what to tell you; there’s no advice I can give!
I guess you just feel instinctively how to support a parent during moments like this.

The only thing I know for sure is that oxygen concentrators are really effective.
I heard you can rent one out in Chicago.

Thanks for mentioning ProSure....

Up until now, I’ve been ordering it online from the States, and it was half the price compared to here, but unfortunately, they pulled it from the market.

Now I'm losing my mind because I can't find anything that actually works for the damn vomiting and appetite issues.

Best,

I was actually just talking to Vpava about the breathing situation—how it was with her husband—and she told me how the doctor at the hospital said that oxygen doesn't actually help much, because the brain is sending such garbled impulses that's why the person breathes like that. Once it fully hits the respiratory center, they'll suffocate. In that case, only a ventilator would help, but that just doesn't make sense. It is what it is; I don't know how much longer this can last, but it certainly won't be forever, though I stopped trying to calculate the timeline a long time ago. Whatever God wills, we will accept it. That's how I've spent most of this time in agony, and that's how I'll go until the end. I have done everything, and I am still doing everything humanly possible for her. I am deeply sad, yet strangely at peace. I miss my mom; she's been gone for a long time. I constantly dream of her being sick, when all I want is to dream of her healthy and smiling, loud and talkative, scolding me for leaving a mess around the house, just the way she always was. I have this feeling like she passed away without us ever getting to say a proper goodbye.

To everyone reaching out via DM with support, thank you from the bottom of my heart.😘

vividowl10 said:Does anyone know how much ProSure costs here in the States?

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Angela Wright, how is your mom doing?
Best,
Ines

Honestly, I have no idea where you guys are coming from, because if you're living in America, you can usually get ProSure or Ensure through Medicare for free.
Otherwise, it goes for about $13 per unit, which is honestly way too expensive considering one carton is supposed to count as a full meal.👎

My mom isn't doing well. She’s struggling to breathe and she can barely even manage a hug anymore.😢
Her big toenail actually just fell off after she showered. These dexamethasone doses have absolutely wrecked her.👎

Charles Newman said:Respect to everyone here. I’m truly grateful for this forum! I honestly feel like I might actually find some answers and a bit of peace here.
Just a week before her surgery, I found out my mom has uterine cancer.
I did a little digging online and realized how serious this malignancy is.
To be blunt, I need to know: how effective are these treatments, really?
I can't even sleep at night. My mom is only 46.
Thanks in advance.
Best regards,

Look, if it’s caught early and isn't one of those hyper-aggressive types that spreads like wildfire—and if it hasn't breached the pelvic cavity—the odds for a full recovery are actually quite high.
I personally know of two success stories lately. In one case, they actually found malignant cells in the pelvic area, yet the patient responded incredibly well to radiation alone. It’s been about eighteen months now, and her markers are totally clear; she’s effectively in remission.
The second case happened just a few weeks ago. A woman went in for surgery to remove an ovarian cyst, and they stumbled upon a type of sarcoma on the uterus. They ended up removing both the ovaries and the uterus entirely, and she didn't even need follow-up oncology treatment.
Bottom line is, there's no one-size-fits-all scenario here. Your mother will likely undergo surgery first, and once the surgeons actually get in there, they'll have a much clearer picture of the next steps. In the meantime, they'll probably run a CT scan to get a better handle on the situation.

wearysailor3 said:What about the community health center on Martic Street?

Just go to whichever one is closest to you; they'll take you in anywhere.👍

Kyle Gray43 said:Either way, I need to go see a urologist myself because I’m hitting the bathroom way too many times during the night.

Well, that's what happens when you knock back a few beers right before bed.😁
Look, if you're peeing, at least your kidneys are doing their job.👍 As long as it doesn't smell funky and looks a healthy shade of yellow—not looking like orange juice or Coca-Cola—you're probably fine.

That’s strange😕
I’m sure one of the guys will reach out to you, but honestly, just go see a doctor.😳

coppergardener said:. Honestly, I always just use my own container that I pick up from the pharmacy. I can't stand those "ultra-sanitized" hospital restrooms where you never know who's been in there before, and besides, I can't exactly relax and go when someone is hovering right outside the door.

Yeah, I do the exact same thing. Usually, I'm heading in to provide a urine sample because of some inflammation issues, so I already know what the drill is. It’s much easier to just get it done at home first thing in the morning while it's quiet, then head over to the doctor's office early enough to drop it off at the lab while they're still accepting samples. 👍

Amanda Garcia25 said:I've got a question...
Let me walk you through how they handle urine samples at our local hospital in Columbus: you walk into the restroom, grab one of those standard plastic cups sitting right there on the sink next to the toilet, do your business, and then grab a little slip of paper with a number on it to label the cup. That’s the whole process.
Is that actually sterile? There aren't even lids on the cups, and they just set everything down on a table in the clinic right where people are waiting for blood work.

Sterility isn't actually required for that specific test because they're just looking for general baseline results. You only need a sterile sample if they're running a full culture.
That's the exact same answer I got back at my local community clinic where the procedure is identical to yours.

We cover a massive amount of ground regarding cancer, nutrition, medication, and how to support both patients and their families over at http://www.forum.com/showthread.php?t=188904
There’s been plenty of discussion about lung cancer specifically. One of our members, lecka, is quite active here and is currently supporting her grandfather through his battle with lung cancer. She shares a lot of insight into alternative treatments and supplements that have made a real difference for him, so feel free to shoot her a private message—she’s more than happy to share what she knows.

Honestly, you’re better off just complaining that the symptoms aren't letting up so they'll actually run an ultrasound and redo the urine culture. It could easily be a perfect storm where an injury is masking a lingering infection. If the burning and pain are driving you crazy, you can take some Advil to take the edge off—I've done it myself and it works.👍

How many days did you wait after finishing your last dose of antibiotics before getting that urine culture done? You really ought to give it at least ten days, otherwise, those bacteria can just lie low and hide. Also, ask your doctor if you could try an antiseptic supplement like Ninur. You can actually take it for up to six months to make sure you completely eradicate E. coli, since that stuff is incredibly stubborn and loves to go dormant.
The only other smart move I can think of is to chug massive amounts of Uva Ursi, cranberry juice, or plantain tea—basically, the second you pee, you immediately replenish that fluid with a glass of tea. There’s also been a lot of talk on the forums about how effective Acedofil is when dealing with E. coli infections.

Amy Jackson5 said:I actually did the color Doppler, and they said nothing was wrong. I have to admit, though, my spine is in pretty bad shape, and I haven't even done an X-ray on my vertebrae yet. I did get an MRI of my cervical spine, and one vertebra is slightly out of place, but even then, they tell me the headaches aren't coming from that.

Nah, you should go ahead and get a referral for a physical therapist to take a look at you too. You need a specialist to actually confirm that those headaches aren't stemming from the spine.