Posts by Angela Wright

It could be anything, really. You should probably just see a dermatologist to be safe.
http://www.md-health.com/Skin-Burning-Sensation.html
The article also mentions it can show up as a symptom of anxiety.

Maria Fisher46 said:That value would actually point toward a borderline or barely positive titer.

Is a 3.5 ml dose really considered prophylactic given her weight? 🤷

Have you tried splitting the dose up—like twice a day—instead of giving it all at once?

What dose is the pediatrician actually recommending in the end (is it 5 ml of Ferrum Lek or what)?

The prophylaxis from the moment she left the hospital until that test result was two 5-drop doses of Ferrum Lek twice a day. After that, since we didn't go with Legofer, the doctor suggested 3.5 ml of Ferrum Lek daily, spread out whenever it's convenient.
Honestly, that still feels like too little to me, so I went back to the 3x5 drop regimen and we'll just see how the next results look. It’s tough on her, though; it completely messed up her digestion.

crimsoncanyon2 said:That sounds like stiffness—basically, your muscles seizing up because they aren't getting enough circulation while you're stuck in one spot.
Get back into a workout routine, start taking some magnesium, and stay hydrated, because you can lose a lot of fluids through sweat.
It’s a common issue for people in jobs or situations where you’re forced to sit still for studying or work, essentially locking your body in place for more than half the day.

Some people call it a cramp, but if I don't move around, I can deal with a constant, nagging discomfort for hours on end, or even feel the pain getting progressively worse from the get-go.

And just like that, a guy waits two whole years for someone to finally fix his aching hip, and by the time help arrives, he's already drank the poor man under the table. 😁

slypuma said:mistyjackal842, I am so incredibly sorry 😢 my heart goes out to everyone forced to endure this nightmare 😢
we aren't giving up; we're going to exhaust every single possibility... thank you for your kind words.

Contact John Doe at Rib. He specializes specifically in sarcomas and rare tumors. As far as I'm aware, metastatic leiomyosarcoma falls under the indications for Pfizer, but John Doe will be able to confirm if that's actually the case. You should definitely seek second opinions in Germany. Forget about Smith. He’s impossible to get a hold of, and even if you do reach him, he won't be interested in options like these.

Look, you need to go see an internist for a serious evaluation. It’s highly probable that all these symptoms are actually part of the same underlying issue. You really need to have your liver, kidneys, and especially your adrenal glands thoroughly checked out. That system needs a deep dive to figure out what's actually going on.

silvercanyon7 said:This morning, my dear, wonderful dad closed his eyes for the last time and fell into his eternal sleep. I can't see a way out of this darkness; I feel like a lost little kid again. 😢

Please accept my deepest, most sincere condolences.
Exactly six years ago today, on this very morning, my mother closed her eyes for the final time as well.

Nancy Lee said:My dear dad passed away today to a better place. I just hope there’s no sickness there and that he finally finds some peace and quiet.
Dad, I love you!

I am so sorry, honey. Hang in there. Your dad is definitely in a much better place now, completely free from all the heavy burdens and aches of this life. Honor his passing by finding peace and eventually moving forward.

Maria Fisher46 said:Listen, Angela Wright,

Even if the baby was born just two weeks early, you can't ignore the fact that there's a higher risk for anemia developing. Their iron stores simply aren't as robust as a full-term baby's—we have to remember that in those final days before a scheduled delivery, the baby pulls its largest supply of iron and other essential nutrients from the mother. Because of that, giving this child iron supplements is a completely valid move.

Furthermore, looking at the hemoglobin levels—that 109 figure is actually the hemoglobin—you hit the nail on the head when you concluded the baby isn't technically anemic yet. However, don't mistake that for being free of sideropenia, which is just a fancy way of saying low iron stores. We determine that by checking Fe, UIBC, TIBC, and potentially other markers like ferritin if needed.

Prophylaxis is necessary here.

Keep in mind that prophylactic doses are significantly lower than therapeutic ones.

So, which supplement are you currently using?

I've been aware of the iron issues with preemies for a while now (I have one who was born at 28 weeks), and it feels like my pediatrician is playing it way too safe. Instead of just bumping up the suggested prophylaxis—like moving from 10 drops of Ferum Lek daily—she jumped straight to prescribing Legofer. It's a nightmare; the little one absolutely refuses to take it and spits everything back out. We ended up sticking with 3.5 ml of Ferum Lek a day supplemented with Vitamin C. Poor thing is really struggling; it’s clearly being hard on her stomach.😢

Nancy Lee said:I can't believe he hasn't started any treatment yet. Why on earth not???
Why don't you just transfer him over to Springfield? They get people started on their first round of therapy within a week. Once they admit a patient and run the tests, the treatment follows immediately. Sure, you might wait for radiation, but we're talking two or three weeks max.
The wait time you guys are dealing with is absolutely ridiculous.

Given how much his condition has deteriorated, I’m honestly afraid he isn't even a candidate for oncology treatment right now. 😢 We need to get his strength up as much as humanly possible just so he can at least handle the radiation. Chemotherapy would probably kill him at this stage.

Maria Fisher46 said:P

Angela,

Iron at 109? What units are we talking about here?

Or are you referring to hemoglobin?

And what about the JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs levels?

Were any other parameters tested?

Let me be straight with you: there is absolutely no universal consensus in medicine regarding the exact threshold where you start therapy or what the dosage should be.

I honestly have no clue; she just called me up and said the iron was low and that we needed to move from prevention to active treatment. Later, when I dropped by her office with the little one for a different matter and asked when we should come back for more blood work, I caught a glimpse over her shoulder at the monitor. It looked like the range was 100 to 135—I think she mentioned hemoglobin, and hers is sitting at 109.🤷 She claimed everything else was within the normal range. She ran a CBC. I've been digging through some medical sites, and it seems like everyone has a different opinion on when to introduce iron or even whether a CBC is necessary before the 9-month mark.
Now, she was born slightly premature—borderline, really—but there haven't been any issues with the baby whatsoever; in fact, the kid is thriving and already weighs 14 pounds.
So, once again, I’m landing on the same conclusion: it’s probably best to trust my gut and bump up the preventive dose slightly. This current 3.5ml daily dose feels like it might be a bit much for her little stomach and gut to handle.

Taylor Jackson14, you have my deepest sympathies.😢
A new chapter starts now—consider this the final step in finally growing up. Let your dad rest in peace and just move forward. Honestly, he’s in a much better place now, completely free from all the heavy lifting of life here on Earth.

Arthur Scott5, I’m really sorry you’re going through such a rough patch right now, but I think you might be slightly off-base with this thread. This specific discussion was primarily established to address malignant diseases. Since you’ve already started your own dedicated thread, you’ll likely find much more targeted support and relevant advice over there. Plus, if you head over to the psychology section, there are plenty of active discussions that would be far more appropriate for what you're dealing with. I truly hope you get the answers you're looking for very soon.
From what I've seen, as long as you have the right treatment plan in place, you can live a perfectly normal life without any major issues.

quietpuma19 said:You're absolutely right. My only mistake was sitting on my hands instead of calling the right people immediately. Anyway, things are moving forward now—the surgery is officially on the calendar. Thanks to everyone for the support. Now I'm facing a new hurdle: I’d love to hear from anyone who's been through this. What does the recovery look like? What should I actually expect after lung cancer surgery? Thanks.

Recovery isn't one-size-fits-all. It’s highly individual because there are so many variables at play. You'll see some people up and walking the very next day like nothing happened, while others need a much longer runway to get back on their feet.
My advice? Just take it one step at a time and deal with the situation as it unfolds.

Is an iron level of 109 low enough to justify bumping up the dosage for a 4-month-old baby (born prematurely at 35 weeks) currently on prophylaxis? She’s a healthy, chubby little thing, breastfeeding and supplemented with Similac as needed, but her pediatrician isn't happy with that 109 reading. Iron seems to be dropping quite sharply for her, and she’s dealing with constipation and the occasional bout of vomiting.
With my first child, who was also a preemie, the iron levels dipped just under 100, and my hematologist over at Mayo Clinic advised me against supplemental iron since we were already starting solids with veggies. With this one, I’ll likely be starting solids in a month or so. Should I stick to the standard prophylaxis, or is it time to increase the dose?

Lisa White54 said:Hey everyone... I've got some great news to share!
I'm out of surgery! And the doctor told me that, based on everything we're seeing, it looks like it wasn't cancer after all... 🙂 I'm just waiting on the final pathology report from the lab to be 100% sure..

I am just so incredibly happy...

It's going to be fine, just stay strong 🙂

Jeremy Morales9 said:Hey there, fellow fighters. Checking in from the USA.

Three years ago, my mom had a mastectomy and went through the whole gauntlet—chemo, radiation, and Herceptin. Everything seemed fine until recently when she started complaining about pain in her arm. We kept up with the checkups and tumor markers, and everyone insisted everything was okay, just some random arm pain. Then, everything changed in an instant. She took a sudden turn for the worse; her mouth started drooping to one side, she couldn't fully close one eye, and she had this constant ringing in her ears. They rushed her from the ER to neurosurgery, and the MRI results were the worst day of my life. Multiple brain metastases—about five or six—with one being 18mm, which caused enough edema to press against healthy tissue and trigger those physical symptoms. The others are tiny. Surgery isn't an option, and the doctor gave us a prognosis of maybe one year at most with whole-brain radiation (though he doesn't know how much grit we actually have). Right now, they have her on medication, so her mouth has straightened out and her eye is better. Honestly, she’s a powerhouse, both physically and mentally. She’s moving around, eating normally, talking normally, and even cracking jokes at her own expense, despite knowing the full diagnosis. I promised her—and she promised me—that we aren't backing down. We might start whole-brain radiation as early as this week, but I'm hesitant. I've been reading extensively about Gamma Knife and CyberKnife and how effective they can be for cases like this. I'm terrified of the side effects from radiating her entire brain; why subject her to that if a Gamma or CyberKnife procedure could target the spots without all that collateral damage? Of course, I'll easily pull together the funds for treatment in Turkey, where the surgeons are world-class.

I'm asking anyone here with experience: What would you do if you were in my shoes? Any advice at all is appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any replies. Our motto: NO SURRENDER!

The criteria for Gamma Knife is usually tumors up to 1cm, and CyberKnife up to 2cm, provided there aren't too many other smaller ones.
Jane Doe is a major complication, unfortunately. I really hope the radiation does the trick. You should definitely seek a second opinion abroad—you can even do that via email.

quietpuma19 said:Not really, because everything here goes through the doctor. I’m thinking about calling them directly since I haven't received an answer as to why there's a delay or why I hasn't been called yet. They're claiming it's due to a strike, so I was wondering if anyone on this forum has any actual info on whether people are facing delays with these kinds of surgeries where every single day matters.

Forgive my bluntness, but honestly, I just don't get people like you! You have a crystal clear view of the situation—you fully grasp the risks involved in waiting—and yet, here you are, coming to an online forum looking for some kind of advice on how to handle the wait... Look, for heaven's sake, pick up the phone, send an email, or drop by the office the day before yesterday and hunt them down until things start moving! Do you seriously think anyone out there gives a damn about us? Do you think they'll just check in to see how we're doing? Get it together, people. Be assertive and stop acting like someone is somehow obligated to call you!

Nicholas Wells74 said:I understand that local anesthesia is used during an Imperial Cut. But if they have to perform an Imperial Cut because labor has already kicked into high gear, is the anesthesia handled differently than a scheduled one?

P.S. I know that an epidural is sometimes used during a vaginal delivery.

Look, since I’m actually gearing up for my second Imperial Cut, I’ve done quite a bit of digging into this.
Since my first delivery was an emergency Imperial Cut at 28 weeks, my uterus had a vertical incision, which meant there was a massive risk of uterine rupture if I tried a vaginal birth this time around. That’s why a repeat surgery was the only safe move. My doctors told me that the moment I show any signs of labor on the fetal monitor or feel even the slightest contraction, I need to be on the operating table immediately. If the baby starts moving down into the birth canal, it’s too late for a surgical intervention.
If complications arise during a vaginal birth, they might opt for general anesthesia for an emergency surgery. However, for a planned Imperial Cut—even in urgent medical situations like preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome—they typically go with spinal anesthesia. To put it simply, the difference between an epidural and a spinal is just depth; an epidural is administered more superficially, whereas a spinal goes deeper into the spine.

I’ve mentioned this before regarding a friend's mother who was diagnosed with microcellular melanoma. She went through the full gauntlet of chemo and radiation, and now she’s been in remission for three years already. The bottom line is that there are no metastases, so getting started on treatment immediately is absolutely critical.

If there isn't any swelling or bruising, you’re probably fine—looks like you just took a heavy hit. Just stick some ice on it for a couple of days.