Support resources for families dealing with cancer and other serious illnesses

Angela Wright said:Radiation functions through an entirely different mechanism than chemotherapy—so I don't see any conflict there.

Does this mean I’ve somehow failed my mother by trying to bolster her immune system with herbal teas and various supplements? If so, the guilt will be unbearable.
And if anyone could suggest something effective for a cough... she occasionally struggles to breathe because of it... I've been making her bay leaf tea with honey, but frankly, it seems to do very little.

graniteridge5 said:Did I mess up by trying to boost my mom's immunity with just herbal teas and supplements? I won't be able to live with myself if I actually made things worse.
Also, can someone please tell me what actually works for a cough... sometimes my mom feels like she's choking because of it... I've been making her bay leaf tea with honey, but it doesn't seem to be doing much.

It’s unlikely they completely wiped out any effect, though they might have slightly interfered with how things work—but honestly, there's no way to prove that. Every remedy acts differently anyway, so don't beat yourself up over it. From a theoretical standpoint, that's what doctors usually suggest.

Get your mom some Apyrup. I had great luck using that syrup with my son.

Much appreciated.

Jane Doe, thanks a ton for all the info!

urbandrifter4 said:Discharge diagnosis: C22.0 Hepatocellular carcinoma.
Diagnosis: C22.0 Hepatocellular carcinoma, inoperable.
C77.2 metastatic lymph nodes, bilateral.
I just received my diagnosis: C79.7 Metastatic carcinoma of the adrenal glands, bilateral. It’s a lot to process.
The diagnosis came back: C78.0 Metastatic lung cancer. It’s a heavy blow, and frankly, I’m still processing the sheer weight of it. This isn't just some minor health hiccup; we are looking at serious, aggressive malignancy that has moved beyond the primary site. It’s overwhelming, it's terrifying, and it's enough to make anyone want to scream at the sky.
C79.8 Metastatic lesion.
Hepatitis B (B18.1).
Cirrhosis caused by Hepatitis C.
I10 Hypertension.
L08.9 Cellulitis of the lower leg, left side.
The doctor just handed me my new regimen, and honestly, it’s a lot to process. I'm looking at a strict liver-protecting diet combined with a heavy-duty cocktail of meds: Augmentin, Edemid, Aldactone, and Tarka. On top of all that, I've got chemotherapy on the horizon. It's a massive undertaking.
Bloodwork from two days ago—done specifically for chemo.
Here is the breakdown of my latest labs, and honestly, I’m looking at these numbers and feeling pretty fired up about them. It’s a lot to digest, but here is what we are dealing with: RBC is at 6.5, hemoglobin is sitting at 147, and hematocrit is 0.499. Then you have the MCV at 77.8, MCH at 22.9, and MCHC at 295. My platelets are hanging in there at 132, while the RDW is jumping up to 24.3. Lymphocytes are at 14, creatinine is at 230, potassium is 4.6, and CRP is 18.0.
I apologize if this comes across as a bit sloppy—my bad! But if anyone happens to have some insight based on what I've laid out here, I would truly appreciate it.

We’re looking at inoperable hepatocellular carcinoma—HCC. It’s the heavy hitter here, accounting for as much as 90% of cases. To make matters even worse, about 70% of those patients are also dealing with cirrhosis.
Look, you can get lost in all the technical classifications if you want—you’ve got the growth patterns like expansive, infiltrative, diffuse, or mixed, plus the histological types like poorly differentiated or pseudoglandular—but honestly? That doesn't matter for what we're talking about here. The cold, hard truth is that almost all liver tumors are chemoresistant. It's the same story with radiation, too. Why? Because you simply cannot push the dosage high enough without destroying the healthy liver tissue first. The tolerance levels just aren't there.
You missed one of the three primary etiological factors for the Hepatitis B virus—you didn't even mention alcoholism!
Radiation might play a minor role in palliative care, sure, but let’s not pretend it’s a magic bullet.
The surgery turned out to be a bit of a success, actually. Because we caught the tumor earlier than expected, the survival odds are looking much better. It’s a massive relief.
When it comes to chemotherapy, you can go with Doxorubicin. There have been plenty of cases where it’s actually indicated to bring about full remission.
To be honest, I don't even know what the patient's blood pressure reading is right now, but if you ask me? Get that Tarka out of the equation immediately. We’re only using Klavobel because of the cellulite issues, and let's face it—it's just a heavy-duty diuretic. There isn't any significant finding on the pelvic exam to justify it, and the primary physician already started them on Vitamin K anyway. Just get rid of it.
Look, I’m just speaking my mind here based on what I've been reading on this forum—I don't have a medical degree or access to the actual clinical charts—but if you ask me? Skip the chemo. It’s a no from me. At this stage, the focus really needs to shift toward palliative care instead.
I’m also strongly advising regular monitoring of PT/INR levels. You really need to keep a close eye on that because there's a legitimate risk of coagulation issues stemming from a deficiency in Vitamin K. On top of that, you should be consistently checking your Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Glucose, Creatinine, Urea, Blood Pressure, and Arterial Blood Sugar levels. Don't skip these.
It’s all coming down to the paraneoplastic syndromes—we're looking at erythrocytosis, hypercalcemia, and that whole mess of hepatico-renal issues involving the kidneys, not to mention the hepatopulmonary syndrome.
If anything still seems unclear, don't hesitate—just ask. I'm happy to clarify.

graniteridge5 said:Did I just completely screw over my mom by overwhelming her with all those immune-boosting teas and supplements? Honestly, if I did, I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive myself.
I’m looking for some advice on what actually works for a cough... my mom is struggling so much that she sometimes feels like she can't even catch her breath. I've been making her bay leaf tea with honey, but honestly? It feels like it's barely doing anything at all.

Regarding that cough—is it productive, or is it just a dry one?
Look, let's be real here: that dry cough is almost certainly just a lingering symptom of the underlying illness. Because of that, you really ought to consider using codeine phosphate or maybe some Pholcodin to get it under control.
If you’re dealing with a productive cough, honestly, don't just sit there. You need to get some kind of expectorant in your system to help clear that gunk out—something like Mucinex or Bisolex.

Hi everyone. I’m posting here because I’m running out of places to turn. It’s about my father—he's 59 and just got discharged from Internal Medicine with an urgent recommendation for an outpatient liver MRI.
He was hospitalized for decompensated liver cirrhosis (alcohol-related, Hepatitis C positive). The gastroenterologist ordered a CT angio because his ascites made a decent Ultrasound impossible. The CT angio shows: pleural effusion at the lung bases; esophageal thickening due to varices; a small liver with wavy contours and inhomogeneous, diffuse, mottled parenchyma. There's a 0.5cm hypovascular change in the left lobe (maybe a cyst?), and a 1.4cm avascular lesion in segment 5. Right next to that, caudal to the lesion, there's a 2.8cm focal lesion that's inhomogeneously hypervascular during the arterial phase and inhomogeneous in the venous phase, though one part is visible in the delayed phase. The etiology is unclear; it could be a primary tumor or something else. No obvious pathological arterial vascularization is seen, and there isn't a complete wash-out in the later imaging phases. His spleen is enlarged, the splenoportal axis veins are patent, and the portal vein is 1.4 cm. There are also enlarged lymph nodes (3-5 cm) near the portal vein and the atrophied pancreas.

Discharge diagnosis includes: HCC vs. observation; Hepatitis C; Cirrhosis, Child-Pugh B; bacterial peritonitis; grade III esophageal varices, etc.

Long story short: they want an MRI ASAP. But get this—they couldn't even schedule it at the biggest hospital in the area. The waitlist is massive.
Does anyone with actual experience know how urgent this really is? Are we talking days or weeks? And what are the odds this is actually HCC? Can an MRI rule it out entirely?

One thing I forgot to mention: his alpha-fetoprotein is 124 ug/l. They haven't determined the HCV titer yet. He’s on antibiotics and a ton of diuretics, but the ascites isn't draining well... plus he has "mild" edema in his legs. Shortness of breath, frequent coughing, shallow breathing—it's all become his "new normal." How long does it usually take for diuretics and steroids to start working? His current regimen is: Aldactone 100mg; Lasix 2 x40mg; Ramed 5mg; Norvasc 10 mg; Physiotens 0.4 mg; Propranolol 2X20 mg, and Controloc 40 mg. Thanks a lot. 😳))

Maybe try booking an MRI at a private clinic and then requesting a reimbursement through Medicare.

crimsongull94 said:Hi everyone. I’m posting here because I honestly don't know where else to turn. It's about my father—he's 59 and just got discharged from the Internal Medicine ward with an urgent recommendation for an outpatient liver MRI.
Basically, he was hospitalized due to decompensated liver cirrhosis (alcohol-related, Hepatitis C positive). The gastroenterologist ordered a CT angio because his ascites made getting a decent Ultrasound nearly impossible. The CT angio shows: pleural effusion at the base of the lungs; esophagus thickened from varices; a small liver with wavy contours and a non-homogeneous, diffuse, mottled parenchyma. There's a hypovascular change of 0.5cm in the left lobe—maybe a cyst?—and an avascular lesion in segment 5 measuring 1.4 cm. Right next to that lesion, moving caudally, there's a focal lesion measuring 2.8cm, which is inhomogeneously hypervascular during the arterial phase and inhomogeneous in the venous phase, though one can be glimpsed in the delayed phase. The etiology is unclear; it could represent a primary tumor or a metastasis. No obvious pathological arterial vascularization is visible, and there isn't a complete wash-out in the later imaging phases. His spleen is enlarged, the splenoportal axis veins are patent, and the portal vein measures 1.4 cm. Near the portal vein and the atrophied pancreas, there are enlarged lymph nodes measuring 3-5 cm.

The discharge diagnosis—or part of it anyway—is HCC vs. observation; Hepatitis C; Cirrhosis, Child-Pugh Class B; bacterial peritonitis; and Grade III esophageal varices. etc...

So, they recommended an MRI as soon as possible. But get this: the major hospital in the middle of the city couldn't even schedule him for an MRI—the waitlist is massive!
Does anyone here have enough experience to advise us on how truly urgent this MRI is (days? weeks?) and what the likelihood is that we're looking at HCC? Can an MRI actually rule it out?

One crucial thing I didn't mention: his alpha-fetoprotein is 124 ug/l. They haven't determined the HCV titer yet. My father is on antibiotics and diuretics (hell much), but the ascites isn't really draining... plus, his legs are "slightly" edematous. Shortness of breath, frequent coughing, shallow breathing—this stuff has become his "new normal." How long does it take for diuretics and steroids to start working? Currently, his regimen is: Aldactone 100mg; Lasix 2 x40mg; Ramed 5mg; Norvasc 10 mg; Physiotens 0.4 mg; Propranolol 2X20 mg, and Controloc 40 mg. Thank you so much. 😳))

You can't just throw diagnoses at me and expect a sensible response.
I was being a bit vague regarding the HCC in my previous post, and for a specific answer, I still need the rest of the blood work and X-ray results.
AND FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, PROVIDE A BLOOD PRESSURE LOG!!!

vividsailor7 said:Don't throw "ECT" at me under diagnoses and expect a coherent response.
I was being a bit vague about the Hepatocellular carcinoma in my previous post, but I still need the rest of the blood work and X-ray results to be specific.
A BLOOD PRESSURE LOG IS MANDATORY!!!

Regarding diagnoses: there's also pleural effusion on the right side, hypertension, and Strabismus.
Chest X-ray: PA projection shows a homogenous shadow on the right reaching up to the anterior margin of the 3rd rib, consistent with pleural effusion. On the left, the border is sharply defined, mostly positioned against the free left lateral costophrenic sinus. The right hilum isn't distinguishable. The heart shows prominent left chamber contours, displaced due to the elevated diaphragm.

BP was 150/90 upon admission, though they say it was adjusted. We don't have a BP log; it stayed on the temperature sheet. Today it's 115/65.

Bloodwork... RBC 3.73
Hb 120
Htc 0.345
L 6.6
Trc 78
Diff: eo 2
bazo 1
seg 62
linf 23
mono 12
CRP 20

GLU 4.9
bilirubin 27 umol/l
urea 6.6 mmol/L
uric acid 314 uM
s creatinine 120 uM

ALP 110 U/L
AST 175
ALT 48
gamaGT 22
CK 123
LDH 269

K 4.1 mM
Na 134 mM
Cl 109 mM
Cu 24 uM
Fe 13 uM
ceruloplasmin 0.36 g/L
ferritin 202 ug/L

PV INR 1.2
APTV 31.8s
fibrinogen 1.7 g/L

Hopefully this helps you figure things out. 🙂 Thanks. 🙂)

Hi everyone. I decided to join this forum to ask for some help. My mom (68) was diagnosed with lung carcinoma. It all started back in April with pain under her right shoulder blade, coughing, shallow breathing, and shortness of breath. At first, she was treated with Ketoral injections, then her doctor heard something in her lungs and prescribed an antibiotic. Since the gasping and coughing just kept getting worse and her breathing more shallow, she had an X-ray for pleural effusion and a puncture was done. The cytology results showed carcinoma—maybe adenocarcinoma? While she was at the hospital in San Diego, they did a lung CT which showed a 7x4 cm tumor, and a bone scan. The scans showed pathological activity visible in the middle third area...
Right clavicle, then area around the 5th rib on the left front, plus the 3rd rib on the left back, and the 5th rib on the left again. I guess.
The ultrasound showed something on the 7th rib, left side of the back. The cytology results from the bronchoscopy aren't great either—they found some small clusters of malignant cells in the samples. I guess it's looking like carcinoma.
Hyperchromatic nuclei, inconspicuous nucleoli, and sparse to moderate amounts of cytoplasm... or so they say.
The slides only show stuff under section I)—bronchial epithelium, squamous cells, mucus, and debris, I guess.
Red blood cells. I guess.
The diagnosis.
Maybe it’s an adenocarcinoma? Or just some kind of carcinoma... I guess it's hard to tell without more info.
She’s currently undergoing chemo at Mayo Clinic. She just finished the second part of her fifth cycle using gemcitabine and cisplatin back on October 16th. After that fourth cycle wrapped up, she had a CT scan done at Mayo—specifically a chest and abdomen scan. That abdominal CT was completed on September 28th... I guess.
So, they just diagnosed me with a right-sided bronchial neoplasm. I guess that means cancer. Maybe.
The CT scans of the chest show an extensive, poorly defined mass on the right side. I guess... maybe it's just a shadow, but it looks significant.
It looks like there's an expansive, infiltrative process measuring about 7 cm on the transverse slices, which seems to be infiltrating... I guess. Maybe.
The end of the main bronchus and the entire bronchial tree near the hilum... it seems to be spreading into the surrounding area. I guess.
The bifurcation angle appears to be in direct contact with the esophagus. In the surrounding lung parenchyma, there are irregular zones showing increased absorption coefficients and some consolidation, which might...
It looks like there's some spreading in the primary process, and the ventilation seems to be getting interrupted too. I guess both lungs are showing it.
There's a higher number of small malignant lesions, which I guess mostly points to hematogenous spread of the tumor.
It looks like there’s a moderate pleural effusion showing up on the right side, but I guess nothing was noted on the left.
The results are in. I guess there aren't any enlarged lymph nodes in the mediastinum. No pericardial effusion either, maybe.
The liver looks to be a normal size. Based on the native slices, the parenchyma appears homogeneous with no signs of anything unusual.
There are some significant changes. The ultrasound shows mixed stones in the gallbladder. There’s also some bile duct dilation, I guess.
The bile ducts aren't visible. I guess the liver looks okay—size seems normal and the parenchyma appears fine, maybe.
The spleen looks normal. I guess the adrenal glands are also fine in terms of shape and size.
An ultrasound showed a cyst about 7.3 cm large on the dorsal side of the right kidney's middle section. The kidneys seem okay otherwise, I guess.
Looks normal. The parenchyma on the native slices shows a regular structure. No signs of hydronephrosis.
The results came back. Apparently, the bladder was empty, so they couldn't even perform the analysis properly. I guess the uterus and adnexa areas look normal, though.
It looks like it. I guess they didn't find any morphological changes in the gut that this method could actually detect. Maybe.
No enlarged lymph nodes were found within the abdomen. There's no sign of ascites, I guess.
The ultrasound shows some kind of large, soft mass, maybe about 2 cm, with these hard, sclerotic edges that seems to be eating away at the second lumbar vertebra. I guess.
The findings mostly point toward secondary issues, I guess. Sometimes you can see a few spots on the bones... maybe.
Small sclerotic zones of unknown etiology, I guess. Maybe.
Bone scan: results are still pending, I guess.
The tumor marker levels came back at 3.0 ng/ml... I guess that’s what they are. Maybe it means something.
CBC results: WBC 8.3. Hgb 99. Plt 840, Seg 72.
Biochemistry results: bilirubin is high at 8.6, urea is 4.6, creatinine is 55. BUN is 6.4. Potassium is 4.6, sodium is 131, chlorides are 93, calcium... I guess.
Iron at 2.35, iron 2.9, UIBC 46.3. TIBC 49.3. Iron saturation is 5.9, ALP 63, GGT 22, AST 16, ALT 7, LD... I guess. Maybe just some labs.
188.
Can any doctors on here give me an actual prognosis? I'm wondering how likely it is that the cardia will compress, or if it’ll hit the esophagus next. Yesterday, she wasn't just complaining about nausea from the chemo; she was showing me the pain with her whole palm, like everything from her throat down through her entire digestive tract and chest hurts. Her specialist at Mayo Clinic is satisfied with the CT and scintigraphy results—nothing has spread further compared to the last scans—so he wants to go ahead with another round of chemo (making it six total) before taking a break. He hasn't mentioned radiation lately.

We’ve just been hit with some devastating news 😢 My brother-in-law has been dealing with this nagging pain above his knee for quite a while now, and since he’s always had issues with his knees, everyone basically brushed it off. It wasn't until just a few days ago that a doctor finally decided it would be wise to run some imaging. Well, the scan revealed a tumor, and now they’re seriously suspecting that this is the source of everything, potentially even spreading to his lungs. For the moment, the medical team wants to avoid radiating his lungs and focus entirely on the leg instead. They believe a single round of radiation might get things under control, which would then allow them to pivot back to chemotherapy. This whole situation has completely knocked us sideways, but we have to keep fighting. He keeps insisting the pain in his leg isn't anything major, but we know better.
We also heard about a plant called Grviola that is supposedly helpful in cases like this, so I’m wondering if anyone here has any firsthand experience with it?
Thanks in advance

Kate Brooks2 said:Now the bad news has finally started hitting us. 😢 My brother-in-law has been dealing with this persistent pain just above his knee for ages, and since he’s always had issues with his knees, everyone just brushed it off. It wasn't until a couple of days ago that a doctor actually bothered to suggest an imaging test. The scan shows a tumor, and now they're suspecting it might have originated there and spread to his lungs. They don't want to radiate his lungs; they want to target the leg instead. They think one round of radiation could get things under control, and then they'll pivot back to chemotherapy. This feels like a massive step backward for us, but we have to keep fighting. He says the leg pain isn't too bad, but still.
I also heard about a plant called Grviola that supposedly helps in these situations, so I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with it?
Thanks in advance

Look, if we are talking about a primary tumor in the bone or muscle, it is extremely likely that it's a sarcoma rather than a carcinoma , and that distinction changes the entire treatment strategy! With sarcomas, the gold standard is surgical removal of the mass, followed by chemotherapy depending on the specific type.
You absolutely must demand a biopsy!!!!

neonheron32 said:Well, here I am. Unfortunately, I’ve ended up on this thread too, even though I was really hoping I wouldn't have to.
So, I was at the hematology clinic yesterday and they dropped some heavy news about my grandfather. Turns out he’s dealing with a malignant lymphoma. They gave me the specific name, but honestly? My brain just hit a wall. I completely blanked on the exact term—I've never even heard of it before.

He’s dealing with thrombocytopenia, megaloblastic anemia, and hypogammaglobulinemia. It’s been quite a ride—he actually ended up with all these diagnoses because doctors misdiagnosed him with TB. Turns out he didn't have TB at all; it was just some kind of lung lesion. Once they cleared that up and ran the full battery of tests over at the hematology department, everything came to light. He’s been managing these conditions for nearly a decade now, and honestly, he's kept them under control quite well. He’s 85, but still pretty spry. His EKG is always steady, and his blood pressure sits right around 120/80.
Two months ago, everything looked fine at his regular checkup. Results were solid. Then, out of nowhere, this massive lump shows up on his neck. They did a biopsy, and it turns out it’s lymphoma. He’s also been running a fever—around 100.4—but there isn't an infection or any inflammation in sight to explain it. The doctor says it's a pretty aggressive type of lymphoma, but we're looking at two different paths. Option one is heavy-duty chemo, though they aren't sure he can handle that kind of hit given his age. Option two is a milder chemo regimen meant to just keep the lymphoma under control, whatever that actually means in practice. Either way, they’ll remove that lymph node and put him on corticosteroids to bring down the fever, because the temperature spikes are absolutely draining him. Apparently, steroids are also helpful in treating the cancer itself.
So, his hematologist is coming by this Monday. We trust her completely—honestly, she’s been incredible at digging through all this to figure out what's actually going on with him. By the time she gets here, that final pathology report should finally be in, though the doctors are pretty much certain about the diagnosis already. The hospital staff mentioned that because he’s been under her care for thirteen years now, they’ve built up this really strong bond through all the intense exams and checkups. Because of that connection, she’s the one who will be breaking the news about the disease to him.
I get it, really. On one hand, I know they're getting up there in years, but when someone is still that full of life, it’s just hard to wrap your head around a diagnosis like this. It doesn't sit right. Honestly, I'm just holding out hope that there’s some kind of way for them to keep living a normal life, even if it's just for a little while longer.

So, I finally got discharged today. I’ve got my discharge papers right here, and they actually go into a bit more detail than usual... Not sure if I should dump everything here, but I'll probably just outline the main points:

Burkitt lymphoma / diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma C83.7.
Hypogammaglobulinemia D84.8. Just one of those things you find yourself staring at on a lab report, wondering what it actually means for your day-to-day. It’s a mouthful, sure, but it basically boils down to your immune system being a bit short on its usual supplies. Not exactly the news anyone wants to see, but there it is.
So, we’re looking at anemia tied to neoplastic disease—specifically under that D63.0 classification. It’s one of those things where everything feels connected, but the connection is messy. You have the underlying malignancy, and then you have this secondary struggle where the body just can't keep up with the red blood cell count. It’s exhausting, really. Not just for the patient, but for anyone trying to make sense of the labs. When you see these numbers dropping, it isn't just some random fluctuation. The cancer itself, or the treatments used to fight it, essentially hijacks the system. It's like a resource war happening inside your own veins. One minute you think you're on solid ground, and the next, the iron levels or the erythropoietin response just falls off a cliff. It’s frustratingly straightforward in theory, yet incredibly complex when you're actually staring at a patient who can barely walk to the kitchen without feeling winded. Everything is just... heavy.
Megaloblastic anemia (D51). It’s one of those things you read about and think, "Okay, sounds manageable," until you actually start looking into the mechanics of it. It’s basically a glitch in how your body builds red blood cells—they end up too big, too immature, and just plain ineffective. Usually, it comes down to a deficiency in B12 or Folic Acid. Simple enough on paper, right? But dealing with it is another story entirely. You spend half your time staring at lab results and the other half wondering why your energy levels feel like they've completely bottomed out. It’s a slow burn.
Hemolytic anemia, D59.9. Just that on its own. It’s one of those things where you see the code and everything just sort of stalls out for a second. Dealing with this kind of stuff... it's a lot.
Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). D47.3. Just stating the facts.
Chronic gastritis. K29. Just one of those things that stays with you. It’s a constant, low-level background noise in your life. You think you have it figured out, then you don't. Always back to square one.
Atrial fibrillation (I48). Just one of those things. It’s basically when the upper chambers of your heart lose their rhythm and start quivering instead of pumping properly. Not exactly ideal. It can lead to all sorts of complications if you aren't careful, mostly because that irregular beat increases the risk of blood clots. If a clot decides to travel up to the brain, you're looking at a stroke. So, yeah, it's something people take seriously.

New developments on my end. Just got hit with diagnoses of Burkitt lymphoma, anemia related to neoplastic disease, and atrial fibrillation. It’s a lot to process.

Still thinking about that vacation...
We kicked off initial therapy with dexamethasone, which actually did the trick—the patient’s general condition improved, the fibrillation stopped, and those lymph nodes started shrinking back down. Given the patient is 85, we opted for a regimen of prednisone and cyclophosphamide; he received 1 gram via IV on October 18th. During the stay, atrial fibrillation popped up again, but we got the rhythm under control using bisoprolol. We also had to deal with some hypogammaglobulinemia, so he was given 15g of IVIG on the 19th. On top of that, there was megaloblastic anemia in the mix, so we went ahead with 1000 mcg of Vitamin B12 IV along with four units of packed red blood cells to get those levels back where they need to be. He handled the treatment well. He’s being discharged now in satisfactory condition.

So, his current meds list includes Zypnatol, Euthyrox—which he’s been on for a while now—plus Folic Acid, Diflucan, Allopurinol, Concor, Decortin, and Advil. I didn't bother listing the dosages here, but if anyone actually needs them, just let me know. He’s just heading into the hospital next week for a quick check-up and a B12 shot, then in three weeks, he starts his next round of cyclophosphamide.

Up until now, he’s been getting B12 once every three months and gammaglobulins once every two months.

He hasn't actually felt terrible after yesterday's cyclophosphamide treatment yet. His appetite is back, and he seems more rested than when he was first admitted to the hospital. That lymph node is definitely palpable now, but it's much smaller.

What kind of prognosis are we looking at with this setup? The doctors told us they're really happy with how things are going so far. We're just hoping they're right. 😢

Thanks in advance

graniteridge5 said:Could someone please suggest what actually works for a cough? My mom occasionally struggles to catch her breath because of it... I've been making her bay leaf tea with a bit of honey, but honestly, it doesn't seem to be doing much.

For my mom, simple marshmallow root tea did the trick.

crimsongull94 said:........
I really hope you manage to navigate this 🙂 Thanks 🙂)

The lab results are actually quite good considering how much is going on here. Let’s break this down step by step.
Diuretics kick in almost immediately, but they don't stay in the system very long.
The antihypertensive therapy is pretty aggressive right now. What I would personally adjust is the propranolol—specifically, I'd bump it up to 2x40mg if possible, provided the systolic blood pressure stays above 90mmHg and the heart rate remains over 60 bpm. I'd also scale back the dose of Amlodipine/Norvasc.
Regarding the pleural effusion—some call it hepatic hydrothorax—it shows up in about 10 percent of patients dealing with cirrhosis and ascites. It happens when ascites leaks through defects in the diaphragm, driven primarily by negative intrathoracic pressure. Just like with your father, it usually settles on the right side.
Moving on, Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis (SBP) is treated with third-generation cephalosporins, though Norfloxacin can be used for prophylaxis.
The Child-Pugh classification uses three stages—A, B, and C—which are determined based on specific parameters: ascites, bilirubin, albumin, encephalopathy, and PV. You score them accordingly.
Stage B means a one-year survival rate of 62 percent
a five-year survival rate of 20 percent
and a ten-year survival rate of 10 percent
A CT scan isn't actually the best tool for spotting HCC; an MRI is a far better option because of its superior sensitivity for detection, differential diagnosis, and staging. On a CT, HCC might just show up as a hypoechoic focal lesion.
When it comes to an MRI, it's highly recommended to perform it with angiography to catch those characteristic pathological changes, like that bizarre arrangement of feeder vessels.
BUT, let's be clear: a biopsy is the gold standard for both diagnosis and determining how far the disease has spread.
There is legitimate suspicion regarding HCC, and the tumor marker AFP supports that concern.
It would also be wise to follow up the advised MRI/angiography with an EGD/gastroscopy to get a clear look at the stomach and any varices, which allows for therapeutic endoscopic intervention if needed.
Additionally, they could check arterial blood gas levels to see how his breathing is holding up, along with a TTE (echocardiogram) to rule out hepatopulmonary syndrome given those lung issues.
I think I've covered everything. If I missed something, just ask.

neonheron32 said:Alright, he was discharged from the hospital today, and I have the discharge papers with some more specific details... I'm not sure if I should list everything, so I'll just summarize the main points:

DG: Burkitt lymphoma / Diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma C83.7
Hypogammaglobulinemia D84.8
Anemia in neoplastic disease D63.0
Megaloblastic anemia D51
Hemolytic anemia D59.9
Immune thrombocytopenia D47.3
Chronic gastritis K29
Atrial fibrillation I48

The Burkitt diagnoses, the anemia related to the neoplastic disease, and the atrial fibrillation are all new.

More from the discharge summary:
Initial dexamethasone therapy was started, which led to an improvement in general condition, cessation of fibrillation, and regression in lymph node size. Given his age (85 years old), treatment with prednisone and cyclophosphamide was recommended; he received 1g IV on 10/18/2012. During hospitalization, the patient developed atrial fibrillation, and rhythm control was established using bisoprolol. Due to hypogammaglobulinemia, he received 15g of IV immunoglobulin on 10/19. To address the megaloblastic anemia, the patient received 1000 mcg of Vitamin B12 IV, along with four units of packed red blood cells to correct the anemia. The patient tolerated the therapy well and is being discharged home in satisfactory condition.

Otherwise, he’s been prescribed Zypnatol, Euthyrox (which he was already taking), plus Folic Acid, Diflucan, Allopurinol, Concor, Decortin, and Advil. I didn't include the dosages, but I can if needed. Next week, he just needs to come back to the hospital for a check-up and a B12 injection, and in three weeks, he’ll start the next cycle of cyclophosphamide.

Up until now, he’s been getting B12 once every three months and immunoglobulins once every two months.

Anyway, following yesterday's cyclophosphamide therapy, he hasn't felt bad yet—he actually has an appetite and feels more rested than when he was first admitted. His lymph node is still palpable, but it's significantly smaller.

What is the prognosis for a situation like this? The doctors told us they are very pleased with the progress so far, and we really hope they're right.😢

Thanks in advance.

Given his age and the pre-existing hematological issues, combined with chronic atrial fibrillation, you should be extremely pleased with how things are looking.
As for the actual prognosis, I won't get into that because it's outside my area of expertise.

@vividsailor7/">@@vividsailor7, first off, hey there. I was wondering, can alternative medicine actually help with treatment, or is it just worth looking at as a solid supplement? I’ve been reading a ton about cordyceps (Cordyceps sinensis) lately, and I’m trying to figure out if all the hype surrounding it is actually legit. Thanks.

Ryan Bishop12 said:@vividsailor7/">@@vividsailor7, first off, hello there. I was wondering if alternative medicine can actually help with treatment, or at least serve as a solid supplement? I've been reading quite a bit about cordyceps (cordyceps sinensis eng.), so I wanted to know if all the hype surrounding it is actually true. Thanks.

Look, anything falling under the umbrella of "alternative medicine" lacks the rigorous, relevant studies required to prove its efficacy. Period. No doctor can—or should, from a moral and ethical standpoint—give you a thumbs up on it. Medicine is a science; its entire foundation rests on practices proven effective through clinical studies. You have to draw a hard line here between "alternative" treatments (which haven't been vetted) and "complementary" supplements (which have been verified as dietary additions).
Cordyceps falls squarely into the category of complementary products. That means we aren't talking about it as a cure for a specific ailment, but rather as a nutritional supplement that possesses certain beneficial properties.
There are indeed studies published on PubMed regarding this culture: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?t...eps%20sinensis

Thanks a ton. I've been seeing so many people rave about it, so I figured I'd just ask and see what the consensus is. 🙂