Nancy Lee said:We’ve never even considered hospice. Dad is mobile right now and can handle everything on his own, so we're just hoping he stays that way for as long as possible. Where is the best place to look into palliative care besides these forums? I don't want us to end up in a crisis where things are going downhill and we're scrambling for answers online.
Your primary care doctor might be able to help, but honestly, the system here is a total mess—it's completely unorganized, leaving most families to fend for themselves and figure it out as they go. That said, don't let this weigh you down prematurely; your dad has his own fight ahead of him, and you need to stay focused on the present. You cross bridges when you actually get to them.
Nancy Lee said:What about microcellular cases where there hasn't been metastasis yet? Isn't the treatment protocol essentially the same both here and abroad? And how exactly is palliative care superior overseas?
Look, this is an incredibly common malignancy. Treatment protocols are established at a global level, which individual nations then adopt—and America follows those international standards. That applies to both metastatic and non-metastatic stages. Unfortunately, the nature of microcellular lung cancer is such that once it decides to metastasize, it moves lightning fast. Once you hit that stage, the goal shifts toward slowing the progression as much as possible. When curative medicine reaches its limit and can no longer stop the disease, palliative care steps in. It manages pain and handles all the other symptoms caused by the progression, essentially focusing on quality of life. Here in the States, palliative care is still catching up; we really only have one major public hospice facility in San Francisco, while everything else is just private clinics with under-trained staff. In most other developed countries, this type of healthcare has been standard practice for ages.
Lisa Myers said:If I’m reading this right, the goal is to digitize everything—to create some kind of universal medical file where everyone has access to your entire history. Doctors at major hospitals, your local GP, whoever. Wherever you show up, they just type you in and see everything. Sure, on paper, that sounds great. But let's be real. At least to me, the downsides of that far outweigh any benefits.
I don't have an issue with it, provided my current doctor can read my records (with my full name attached) while strictly protecting my privacy—which, by the way, is already a legal requirement. There isn't much difference here; even now, when you go to a specialist, you’re lugging around a mountain of different test results that they need to see, and half the time we forget to bring something vital because we didn't realize it was important. With this system, a doctor could just pull up the file, find what they need, and move on. Similarly, I wouldn't mind if other doctors could search a database using specific keywords to compare rare conditions or diseases against my case, as long as my identity remains anonymous—just showing gender, age, and medical history. In my view, accessing personal data should require something like entering a Social Security number or swiping an insurance card to unlock that specific part of the record.
Does anyone know where I can pick up the pills mentioned in the title?
The local representative for Johnson & Johnson in Washington, D.C. isn't getting back to me—just total radio silence....
Please let me know if you have any leads....🙂
Your best bet is checking the pharmacy over at Pike Place Market, though honestly, if this was part of an official prescription, you really shouldn't be having trouble getting it through the hospital. If the phone lines are dead like they are now, I’d probably just drive straight down to the Oreskovicev headquarters myself to get some answers.
Nancy Lee, you should reach out to him, though honestly, his expertise is really more suited for those rare tumor types and outlier cases. I’m with Sandra on this one. Unfortunately, once small cell carcinoma starts metastasizing, the treatment path remains the same; the only real difference is that you might find better palliative care options elsewhere. 😢
Kevin Bishop10, get a hold of Reese Witherspoon and tell her she needs an oncologist for a second opinion regarding Dr. Santek. You can just email him everything he needs; the guy is such an enthusiast about this stuff that he'll either dive right in or at least point you toward the right experts to get help. Make sure you emphasize that we're dealing with an occult carcinoma.
Here is everything you need to know, laid out clearly. For the most part, this is benign. Since you were likely messing around with some kind of dirt or soil, it looks like you just developed a granuloma. Bottom line: it’s nothing to worry about.
Kevin Bishop10, the pathologist is recommending more tests based on some new findings from the pathology report. For instance, mesothelioma is a type of cancer that targets the lungs—specifically the pleura—and it’s the most common form seen in people who have had prolonged exposure to asbestos over the years. I agree with Body Halle that oncologists are the true experts when it comes to this stuff, but let's be real: even among specialists, there's a hierarchy. You want the ones who specialize in occult carcinomas and work at major centers of excellence. Those places handle a much higher volume of complex cases, which means they stay on the cutting edge of research far more than a place like Mayo Clinic, where they tend to stick strictly to standardized chemo protocols. In a facility like that, you can basically just hope you receive the standard best-case scenario for your condition. To make matters worse, doctors in our neck of the woods rarely bother consulting with specialists at those top-tier research hubs when they hit a gray area, which is something I find particularly frustrating about our medical culture. Have an honest conversation with your oncologist. Ask them directly about that specific option and put them on the spot by asking how they would handle it if it were their own life or their own family on the line.
You didn't actually specify what the pathology report says. I already told you, trying to treat an occult tumor is like feeling your way through a pitch-black room and just hoping you don't trip over something. It’s basically a medical board guessing at chemo based on gut feelings and certain indicators to assume what they're dealing with. Personally, if it were me or anyone I care about, I wouldn't touch a single thing until I had hunted down at least one more independent, competent second opinion. I would do absolutely everything in my power to get that clarity before moving forward.
I don't know what the current landscape looks like, but about a year ago, people were getting hammered by door-to-door salesmen from all sorts of companies. They’d show up peddling all kinds of gadgets and medical aids, claiming they were tailored "specifically for your exact health condition." It’s pretty obvious someone was leaking private data somewhere along the line.
feraldrifter6 said:We called the doctor, and she said she could swing by on Tuesday. My sister is staying over at her place right now, doing everything she can—everything from washing up to changing diapers. The ER staff told us she’s dehydrated, but they didn't lift a finger to help 🤷. Now, the hospital doesn't even want to admit her because they claim there's nothing more they can do for her. That's why I'm asking here: is this actually normal? (Though obviously, it isn't. But you ask anyway, and you just get the same old response: "Well, that's just how it is, our healthcare system is basically in a coma." Even the paramedics wouldn't show up until my sister started screaming her head off at them 🤷.
This time, tell her to call 911 because those calls are recorded. She needs an IV drip tonight, not Tuesday. She should threaten to file a formal complaint with Medicare, the local news, and the papers. She needs a doctor, period. When the paramedics arrive, if they refuse to help, she needs to demand the name of the specific doctor she’ll be reporting for denying medical care. It would be best if you guys could somehow drive her to the hospital yourselves, because once she's through those doors, it's much harder for them to kick her out. Honestly, if I were in this situation, I’d be the type of person to cause a massive scene to get things done.
Don't just sit there waiting for a doctor, for God's sake—you can't treat a cold like this with patience! She’s being kept in inhumane conditions, starving and dehydrated while she's in agony! Call 911 right now and demand hospitalization! In the meantime, get on the phone with a hospice provider to figure out placement or at least arrange for home health care, because she needs to be on a constant IV drip. This is an emergency that requires immediate action, because if you don't act now, she'll be dead within two days after suffering through a brutal death rattle.
feraldrifter6 said:Thanks. We heard about that hospice facility near San Diego and we'll look into it... but if it’s overpriced, we're out. My primary care doctor isn't coming by for a home visit until Tuesday, she hasn't even spoken to an anesthesiologist yet, and the other doctors just nodded their heads and basically said they've done all they can and there's nothing left to do. Now my sister is stuck digging through every possible avenue just to figure out what kind of help is actually available. She had to call 911 last night to get her mother-in-law some Voltaren injections, and the dispatcher basically told her that's just how our healthcare system works and not to expect much help. 🤷
That hospice center is state-run, so Medicare should be picking up the tab for the palliative care costs. Hospices are meant for patients whom doctors have determined are in their final stages of life, but for a situation like yours, there are home health services specifically designed to visit patients and manage the entire palliative regimen—everything from pain management to specialized care. Your primary doctor can, and absolutely should, submit a formal recommendation for home care. In cases like this, the patient is entitled to a visiting nurse every single day for up to 45 minutes. Demand it!
amberridge21 said:Comparing Prosure or Ensure to an Herbalife shake is a stretch; they aren't bad, they're nutritious, and the big plus is that they're free for patients. But if you actually want to recover, you need high-dose vitamins. The amounts in those shakes are honestly a joke.
You can't just lump Herbalife in the same category as Prosure or Ensure. There's a massive difference here: those two are medical-grade products backed by actual clinical studies. Their nutritional profiles are precisely engineered and dosed specifically to serve as a complete meal replacement. They exist for one critical purpose—to aid recovery and provide a necessary defense against wasting away until a patient is strong enough to eat solid food again.
Look, you need to get to the hospital and demand actual, concrete help. Don't just take whatever they throw at you. You should also be asking for a home visit from a primary care physician. That’s literally what they are there for—to handle these kinds of crises. Have them coordinate with a visiting nurse to perform an enema if possible, because frankly, it really should be an option. In my experience with situations like this, the only thing that ever truly worked for my mom was using liquid glycerin administered rectally.
feraldrifter6 said:I have a question... my sister-in-law had bladder cancer surgery two years ago, and they told her it would almost certainly come back. In the meantime, she was just drinking various herbal teas and refusing to go for follow-up screenings. Well, three days ago she ended up in the hospital. The cancer returned and spread through basically her entire abdomen. Her legs are swollen, her bladder is blocked, she’s urinating blood, she has sepsis, fluid in her lungs—to put it bluntly, her body is essentially falling apart. They sent her home to die without any heavy-duty pain medication. My sister is working, so she can help out after work, but she won't be able to provide constant care. I want to know if this is standard practice and if there is anything we can do to make her more comfortable, maybe find a specific doctor (we are in San Diego). 🤷 This is all written from a layman's perspective, so sorry for the long post, I hope you guys understand what I mean. Thanks. 😉
The first hospice facility in the US has opened in San Diego; you should ask about palliative care, because they likely have mobile teams that can come to the house. Also, a primary care physician is obligated to direct you on what steps to take next. An anesthesiologist can also prescribe titrated doses of pain medication. Unfortunately, it does happen that hospitals discharge patients without providing instructions or meds, but it’s also true that people sometimes leave on their own without asking questions, not realizing that nobody is going to step in and take care of them unless they advocate for themselves.
Look, feeling weak is totally expected since she just went through surgery. If she starts dropping weight too fast, her doctor might suggest some nutritional shakes like Ensure. To help bolster her immune system during this recovery phase, she could even try a Vitamin supplement—it really does wonders—or things like an Immune supplement or Propolis. Just check with the pharmacist about those, especially since we don't want to mess with her constipation any more than necessary.
wearytrucker22 said:Let me weigh in here, since I’m the one actually dealing with nasty cancer. Having support isn't inherently bad, though sometimes it drives me absolutely insane. What really gets under my skin is how everyone suddenly thinks they're a world-class physician. I am constantly bombarded with mindless advice; it winds me up so much that my stomach actually starts aching from the stress. Stop handing out unsolicited medical advice to patients unless you've actually been asked. If you're just bursting at the seams and *have* to say something, fine—but don't be pushy about it, and for heaven's sake, don't defend your little "tips" like some aggressive Tupperware salesperson.
I'm with you 100%. Any advice, opinion, or info shared should be brief, clear, and backed by logic. Whether that information is actually used is entirely up to the patient—period. There should be zero pressure and zero attacks on a person's integrity. That said, patients also have to acknowledge that weighing the right dose or finding the perfect timing can be genuinely overwhelming. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, after all. As for having a doctor's follow-up, I think that kind of oversight is a necessary evil in our healthcare system. When you're sitting there with your doctor, the window of time is so short that your brain often can't process everything or find the breath to ask the vital questions. That's why you need to pick one or two articulate, assertive people to act as your logistical backbone. It's a basic necessity, and frankly, a luxury many people would kill for.
Gerald Scott5 said:So, I've been sick since Wednesday—three days now. It started with a really nasty sore throat and this massive fatigue. I had this weird pressure sensation in my head and ears for a bit, but that passed. I went to the doctor, he prescribed some pills, and I started taking them. But by nighttime, things just spiraled. My throat was killing me, then my ears started aching, then my head, and the fever hit. I went back to the doctor, and he put me on Augmentin and some probiotics so the antibiotics wouldn't wreck my stomach, plus some ear drops, nasal spray, and told me to take something for the pain—Tylenol, apparently. But honestly, it got worse throughout the night. It felt like mucus was just building up in my nose, and when I tried to blow it out the next day, I ended up coughing up blood. I was spitting blood all night long. My ears are still throbbing like crazy too. The only thing is the throat feels slightly better—not as sharp—but now I’m having trouble swallowing. For the pain, I tried Advil, but it doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore. Then I took Neofen, but that absolutely wrecks my stomach, so now I'm switching to these clear ones, but I still have to endure the ear pain all day just so I can hopefully get some sleep once the meds kick in tonight. Has anyone dealt with anything similar? What did you do?
I forgot to mention, during the day I'm also coughing up phlegm with bits of blood in it.
You've got a sinus infection. Lock yourself in the bathroom, crank the hot shower to full blast, sit there in the steam, and just breathe it in. You can grab some inhalation drops at a pharmacy if you want. Also, grab some sea salt, throw a handful in a pot, and heat it on the stove until it starts popping, then pour hot water over it. Once the steam kicks up, inhale it through a towel draped over the pot. Do this several times a day. For your nose, besides standard sprays like Afrin or Flonase, try getting some marshmallow root. Soak a spoonful in a little bit of cold saline solution—about the size of a small espresso cup. After an hour or two, you can use a syringe to spray it up your nose, but lie on the edge of your bed with your head hanging down. Let it sit for a minute or two, then try to blow. Repeat this throughout the day. This is my personal go-to remedy; my grandmother used to treat me with these exact methods every spring, and it worked wonders.
When you blow your nose, make sure you always block one nostril! Your sinuses are connected to your ear canals, which is exactly why you're feeling that pressure in your ears. I'm surprised Neofen is bothering you; it's usually the best bet for this kind of pain. Just pick up some Ranitidine or Pepcid for your stomach, and it should help ease the irritation. Honestly, that mucus is going to irritate you way more than the Neofen will.
My mom had surgery three weeks ago—a full mastectomy. The tumor was 2 cm, and out of the 10 lymph nodes removed, only one showed involvement, but they labeled the tumor as fast-growing. I'm trying to wrap my head around what "fast-growing" actually implies for her long-term prognosis...
It means it spreads quickly if you don't get a grip on it. My aunt deals with that exact type, and look at her: she’s gone nearly two years without any treatment beyond the initial surgery, and the issues are strictly limited to the lymph nodes in her armpit. This isn't a one-size-fits-all situation; it's highly individual. The cells might look aggressive under a microscope, but ultimately, it's the immune system that dictates how things play out in the body.