Posts by Kevin Bishop10

Upon administering my latest dose of Zometa, the doctor noted that I’ve lost quite a significant amount of weight over the last 28 days. To combat this, she prescribed some MEGOXI syrup to help jumpstart my appetite and hopefully allow me to partially regain what was lost. Has anyone else here tried using this? Any experiences to share?

cosmiclynx14 said:About a year ago, I went in for a consultation lasting roughly 45 to 60 minutes. $233..
I don't regret a single cent spent. He reviewed every piece of paperwork thoroughly and explained everything in great detail.
Plus, I can receive my treatments from him as well.

Thanks!

I have a Zometa dose scheduled for this week, an oncology check-up, and if time permits, I might make the trip to Chicago for a "second opinion."

Rachel Williams said:About six months ago, my mom paid for $133. He reviewed all the paperwork, performed breast, liver, and stomach ultrasounds, and just about everything else. He spent a long time talking with her, asking plenty of questions and patiently listening to hers as well. Every recommendation he made was 👍
.
(She also went to him for a second opinion/consultation.)

Truly appreciate the response.

Currently, I’m dealing with pain in my left shoulder, along with numbness and skin sensitivity stretching from my ear down to my chin on the left side. I am trying to reach an oncology radiologist because I have metastases running along my entire spine. However, half of the oncology department has been on vacation since last year, and the other half is busy juggling their own patients with ours, so they won't see me until Thursday!

Until then, I’ll just manage the pain however I can. I actually had to call emergency services last night because it became unbearable; I had been relying on Tramal, but it simply stopped working. They want to switch me to either liquid medication or patches, but I am desperately hoping it hasn't reached that stage yet.

Now, one oncologist (who managed to squeeze me in for five minutes) noted that the pH results suggest the possibility of salivary gland carcinoma?! Does anyone know anything about this?

Angela Wright said:Kevin Bishop10, maybe you should try seeing Dr. Cepulic?

Why not? Any idea what the consultation fee might be?

Angela Wright said:I would take that mammogram somewhere else for a second opinion. It’s happened more than once where an ultrasound shows changes, but the mammogram doesn't—meaning whoever read the scan simply missed it. It really depends on who is interpreting the results.
I am not quite sure which immunotherapy you are referring to. Not every drug qualifies, and immunotherapy isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for every type of cancer.

Regarding the mammogram, I don't have much to say. Two different radiologists reviewed the images, and they even performed an ultrasound alongside the mammography to compare the two. They were incredibly thorough and spent a significant amount of time analyzing everything.

You make a fair point. I had foolishly hoped there was some kind of universal immunotherapy, something akin to a "broad-spectrum antibiotic." Currently, I am taking an immune support supplement (Orthomol Immun) based on my oncologist's suggestion, hoping to bolster my system after the pain, radiation, and significant weight loss. It feels as though the skin metastases are changing on their own. They almost seem to have a "life" of their own. At first, they match the skin tone, then they turn red, and eventually, they look like an ulcer before starting to dry out. And these are, proven by four different pathology reports, indeed metastases.

My plan now is to gather all the medical records from the past year (I'll need to "buy back" certain scans, like the PET CT, from the hospital) and seek a second opinion, perhaps from someone in a major hub like Chicago.

Angela Wright said:Then I forgot it.
I have to Google it again.
It’s obvious you’re experiencing symptoms that suggest something they aren't even aware of yet. Which, again, implies you need to get out to a major clinic with higher patient turnover for a thorough evaluation, sooner rather than later.
http://m.annonc.oxfordjournals.org/c..._7/vii303.long
http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/abou...77SxBrreo0T.97
https://www.google.com/search?q=most+...+low+malignant

The pathology report I received from the clinic suggests the carcinoma could be located on the eyelid, the upper digestive tract, the skin, or the breast. I had a mammogram; everything there remains unchanged. I underwent a gastroscopy, and both my stomach and duodenum showed no suspicious changes. As for my skin, four dermatologists looked at it together recently, and according to them, there is nothing there. Does that leave only the eyelid?!

I’ve read through these links and will attempt to mention them to the oncologist—assuming he’s actually willing to listen...

Is it possible that immunotherapy alone could provide some positive progress?

wiredbear81

My heart truly goes out to you. You’ll likely feel this ache in your chest for a long while. Eventually, though—as the years pass—it will settle into nothing more than a wistful smile whenever you think of your mother. At that point, only the happy memories you shared will resurface...

Back in February, I had a scintigraphy done, and some highly esteemed specialist insisted I undergo radiation on my lumbar spine to preemptively manage the pain. It hasn't even been a month, and the pain has become absolutely unbearable—I’ve had to rely on Tramal, though even that lost its effectiveness after a while. According to her assessment, everything visible points to metastases.

I’ve had four different dermatologists examine me in quick succession, and naturally, they all claim there is nothing suspicious on my skin—unless, of course, these are completely non-standard metastases (or at least nothing they've encountered before). They were practically dismantling my toes, peering from every conceivable angle, taking biopsies, sending things off for dermoscopy... and yet, nothing.

The first clinic I was referred to about three and a half years ago was for hematology. They drew four or five vials of blood, and based on those results along with some other bodily exams, if I recall correctly, the doctor simply informed me that I wasn't their patient.

After cycling through every possible clinic and doctor, I find myself in a position where I can no longer trust anyone.

And yes, clicking that link in the message just takes you to a page featuring a beach in Gradac.

Three years ago, I had a PET CT scan at Medikol, and even then, they couldn't pinpoint the primary site of the carcinoma. I'm going to try to pull some strings through a contact in Chicago to see if we can get more answers... The disease progresses slowly, but after 3.5 years, things are starting to look rather concerning.

Angela Wright said:I think you need to head out for diagnostics immediately. There isn't any more time to waste.

Is there a reliable diagnostic center in the area? Or perhaps somewhere further afield? I have a PET CT scan from this past March. Which diagnostic procedure might actually yield some answers? My doctors seem to have reached an impasse; they aren't sure what else to try or where to look...

Had my mammogram this evening. Results show everything is fine for now! Thank God! Or rather... back to square one again.

I believe in God, I pray, and I hold onto hope!

I have just dispatched two emails: one to the professor in Barcelona at the address I currently have on file, and another to the "All for Her" association requesting an alternative contact address if they happen to have one.

My entire logistical support system consists of my wife, who suffers from a severe phobia of being outdoors. We essentially only leave the house together; if I am stuck in the hospital, she stays home, venturing out only to the local convenience store about twenty yards away.

Next, I intend to reach out to the hospitals conducting clinical trials. I will attempt to make something happen...

Tomorrow is quite busy at the clinic—heart ultrasound, mammogram, and so on. Once the results are in, I’ll head to the oncologist to request a more substantial discussion regarding potential options, provided they aren't being difficult and actually feel like cooperating.

My sincere thanks.

Angela Wright, just like every other time, you handled this perfectly—professional and highly skilled.

I agree that Sarajevo has pretty much exhausted all its options. I’m putting most of my faith in the doctor from Spain, naturally, and in the clinical trials.

Would it be considered contradictory to take some Xeloda (assuming I manage to recover) while simultaneously trying to arrange something elsewhere?

In any case, I am immensely grateful for all the effort. I couldn't see a way out before, but things are looking a bit better now. I'll check back in once I know something... Thank you, truly.

Thanks for the reply.

I have a mammogram scheduled for Monday as well.

From what I managed to glean from the consultation notes between appointments, they seem set on jumping straight into some "heavy-duty" chemotherapy, regardless of how I'm actually holding up. They did request an echocardiogram, presumably to determine my tolerance levels for the dosage. No one has even mentioned a biopsy; apparently, they believe the pathology report from the skin metastasis sample is sufficient.

To be honest, I had a rough time with Cisplatin, though Carboplatin was slightly more manageable. It’s not that I’m afraid of "strong" chemo—it’s more pure panic. If they decide to push AC or something similar, I think I might just walk away; I simply don't feel capable of surviving it. Xeloda is supposed to be easier to tolerate, but whether it's actually effective at this stage is something I'll have to ask the oncologist...

Yesterday, I had a breast ultrasound: BI-RADS 5 on both sides—left and right.

What kind of options are actually left on the table, considering my current state? (The exhaustion, the nausea, the general physical depletion...)

As I mentioned before, I’ve been fighting metastases in my lymph nodes for 3.5 years now, and for the last six months, they've appeared in my bones and skin as well. The primary adenocarcinoma remains unknown.

Yesterday, I received the pathology report from the skin biopsy. To be precise, the pathologist is 85% certain it’s breast cancer (though I am a male, 58 years old), leaving perhaps a 5% chance it could be urothelial, skin, or salivary gland origin.

However, the medical board today took the breast diagnosis for granted. They told me to get a breast ultrasound including the axilla, along with an echocardiogram. After that, chemotherapy begins. The problem is, you simply can't "feel" this cancer. I’ll wait for the ultrasound, but I doubt they'll find anything. It seems they are basing their entire diagnosis solely on one pathology result.

Naturally, I am terrified. They are proceeding with treatment without even 100% certainty in the diagnosis. The pathologist noted that the results are HR and HER-2 negative.

Given that I underwent five radiation sessions on my pelvis back in April and May to manage pain, I feel completely drained. I have no strength left and tire easily. What are my options? How is chemo for this type of cancer tolerated? What kind of side effects should I expect? There is only one oncology center here in Sarajevo, so I don't have anyone else to turn to for a second opinion. I need to start treatment as soon as possible because my condition is worsening daily, and frankly, I'm scared because I've read how difficult this can be.

Please, I am asking for any advice or shared experiences on how to minimize the risk of side effects, especially since I deal with low blood pressure and my heart isn't performing at its best.

Greetings from Sarajevo...

Angela Wright said:Well done! I really hope they uncover something soon. You're lucky that this appears to involve low magnetite levels.
Who knows what you might have had once before, perhaps something that could be squeezed out, similar to a lady I was just thinking about. Skin is the body's largest organ, after all. That possibility just crossed my mind, which is why I mentioned it.

It wasn't easy at first. When I read the word "cancer" on that initial report, I lost my footing. It felt like the ground simply vanished beneath me; I didn't know whether to turn left or right. In moments like that, a person shouldn't be left alone. There should be no waiting, no hesitation regarding finances—you just find the highest quality oncologist immediately to oversee the testing and treatment.

I am hoping to have (just a little more) luck and finally receive a definitive diagnosis. While no chemotherapy is pleasant, it doesn't even compare to bone metastases. I am currently on Zometa and praying to God it works. There isn't a single position in which I can sleep, so I am mostly sleep-deprived and exhausted. Only
faith in God keeps me pushing forward in search of answers...

Angela Wright said:I mentioned that skin cancer can look different from melanoma; certain types often appear on the head, neck, arms, or legs.
http://www.euromelanoma.org/usa/...types-of-skin-cancer
http://www.euromelanoma.org/usa/...types-of-skin-cancer

I've read the articles in those links. Honestly, I wouldn't dare make any definitive claims; nothing is ever quite that obvious. This is clearly work for a seasoned dermatologist. I plan to go in next week to request a more thorough evaluation.

From my own 3.5 years of experience: it is worth fighting. It is worth enduring the various therapies and procedures, because every single new day is an immeasurable gift. The only true metric is quality of life. If each day brings even one piece of good news, a meaningful encounter, or a simple smile, then one should continue seeking out new treatment options.

Angela Wright said:I would try the pathology department at the local clinic or the Mayo Clinic.
Personally, I would focus on the skin, as I feel something is pulling at you regarding melanoma or perhaps even more likely, skin cancer. You really need a thorough examination by a competent dermatologist. I recall a case involving a woman who had a small bump on her breast that wouldn't go away and was bothering her; her doctor actually pierced and squeezed it. A year later, they found metastases in her axilla and several other locations, with no idea where the primary source was. It turned out to be skin cancer—that very same bump they had manipulated, which had spread into the surrounding tissue and sent out metastases.
I am not sure what happened to her in the end, but that was the gist of it; I don't remember all the specifics.

Thanks for the help.

They removed the skin lesion this morning and sent it for analysis, which should be ready in 20 to 30 days. Once that is done, I plan to take the material to the Mayo Clinic. I will certainly contact them beforehand to arrange everything.

If we are talking about melanoma, isn't 3.5 years far too long? Based on what I have read online, melanoma develops much more rapidly. Within 3.5 years, it should have "appeared," grown, spread, and perhaps even formed an open wound. On multiple occasions, I have visited "official" dermatologists, and not a single exam lasted longer than 45 seconds, even when they supposedly "checked" my entire body. They told me the skin was fine and that I didn't have skin cancer.

Our private dermatologists seem more interested in Botox, lasers, acne, and things of that nature. There isn't a single one on our local forums that everyone praises. Generally, they are superficial, rude, and uncommunicative. I will go to the Mayo Clinic once more and demand a detailed examination.

Is there any type of skin cancer that develops slowly yet still produces metastases in the lymph nodes, bones, and skin?