Hi @ladyfountaine,    There are many sincerely friendly people here on this site. Let us know what specific help you need and I'm sure that you will get inundated with support.   Rick ... View more

Hi @Roo and welcome!   If you're worried about the safety and authenticity of this site, don't be. We put a lot of thought and planning into the creation of this community, and it is managed ongoing. This site is linked from every state and territory Cancer Council website too.   I should take a moment to introduce myself - I'm Kate, you'll get used to me popping up here and there. I am the Community Manager for the Online Community and I am employed full-time by Cancer Council. I also have a team of health professionals around me that help me manage and moderate the community, also employed by Cancer Council.   We encourage people to use a nickname when signing up, we hide identifiable information, and we have Community Guidelines and terms of use which I do enforce on a regular basis, as well as a lot of stuff you don't see behind the scenes. I spend a large part of my time ensuring this site is and remains a safe space for anyone affected by cancer.   As @RJG mentioned, we do have private messaging but this is a privilege earned by interaction in the community as it is currently locked down for new members (mostly to stop people from signing up and sending spam to unsuspecting people). We also have closed groups for some things and plan more in the future for discussion about the more sensitive cancers.   I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have.   Cheers, Kate ... View more

Hi Rick So nice to hear from you “Thank You” for your thoughts and wishes. Im down in Perth for my last round (of a week) of chemo, then that’s me finished yehar. It’s been  a journey at times but it is what it is, still positive still focused still loving life so can’t complain. Struggling to put on weight but stabilised at around 72kgs so doing ok I wish you well in your journey keep kicking goals ok Kind Regards & Best Wishes for today and every day & Rick Blessings Peter 😜😜😜   ... View more

Hi CiennaR, thanks for the update. Glad to hear that the cancer treatment has had such good results, fingers crossed your next pet scan shows continued success. Disappointing though that you are having to endure such serious vision issues, hopefully the specialist you are about to see can give you further hope of a positive outcome. Your comments on this forum will hopefully help others receiving this form of immunotherapy of what to be aware of as far as side effects go. I have been given every opportunity to discuss any concerns as they arise. The care we are offered really is second to none. Good luck for continued good results and thanks again for keeping in touch.   ... View more

Hello Nicole Absolutely explode away! You deserve it. Wow what a load you are carrying. You seem to be doing so well with your load and your strength in your ability to cope is feeding that as I see it but we are all vessels and at some stage a vessel can become empty. Hence I do hope that at some point you are doing some things that nurture you. It is really important for you to take that time for yourself if you want to maintain your strong self. I feel for you.  My partner has stage 4 rectal cancer and we dont know from kne week to the next if he will be around much longer. He has fought it for 5 and half years and is still going. It metastisized to the lymph and liver and he has had so many chemo doses that he has been in hospital twice now with UTI's which really knocked him about. Yeh, as you say Nicole, it sucks. Good on you for 'exploding' Ha! We all need to do that when under such emotional strain.  Glassfull ... View more

Hi StayPositive, Let me think back (briefly) to my diagnoses and the rational I went through and see if that helps, because we're similar enough.   I was diagnosed following a colonoscopy and was referred to a specialist surgeon. The original diagnosis was that the cancer was caught early, and that I may not even have to have chemo. They would see after surgery.   After my surgery, they found the tumour had made it through the wall of the large bowel and was nudging up against 1 or 2 lymph nodes, but they were unsure if it had made it into the lymph node.   Prior to my surgery my surgeon had presented me with a number of options for treatment. Keep my large bowel and CT scan every 3 months for 2 years. He acknowledged that statistically if the cancer was going to come back, it would come back in the same place. Remove the large bowel and regular CT scan. Remove the large bowel and chemotherapy for 6 months (12 cycles) after I had recovered from surgery. Like yourself, this was only a 2% drop in risk. Because I was young (OK - I'm calling 40 young) when diagnosed with bowel cancer and because I have lynch syndrome (HNPCC) I elected to take a reasonably aggressive stance because the chances of it coming back were high. 2% drop in the risk of cancer, given my circuimstances seem pretty damn good to me, because my of age and situation and because the risk of the cancer coming back in 5 or 10 years time was quite high.   I hope this helps you.   -sch               ... View more

Hi Madass   I recommend going to a GP and tell them you are concerned about cancer and ask for a colonoscopy. If they don't send you, demand it or find another GP. The sooner you catch cancer, the less treatment you'll need.   I was under the impression that blood tests will detect bowel cancer and I'd been getting regular blood tests for several years to keep it in check. As it turns out, if you detect in your blood, it's no longer just bowel cancer. Colonoscopies don't hurt and are life saving.   A number of cancers will slip through blood tests including anal cancer. Check your dignity at the door and do what you must. Timing really matters.   I hope you've already had a check up and it was good news. Don't be afraid to come back to this site and share your experience, even if it is a positive outcome. People here like happy ending stories too.   All the best   Phil ... View more

Hi debbru, Being male, I didn't worry at all about my hair thinning during my treatment - I actually embrased it. it was Cysplatin in particular that caused my hair to thin out and made my tinittus significantly worse. I am led to believe that it is not the Herceptin that causes hair loss, but the other cytotoxis used in the treatment. So I would have thought that hair should be able to grow back if you are ONLY on Herceptin. But I am only guessing. If this concerns you, ask your oncologist or GP. How do you go in a hat or beret? Best wishes, Rick ... View more

Hi SandyBeaches,   I too find it confusing that there are so many different 'boards'. Many questions and comments seem to cross over between multiple boards. I only found your post by going to the home page, scrolling to the bottom and clicking on the "All Posts" link.   If you are concerned about the time between now and the 10th (over 2 weeks) speak with your doctors to see if you can get in earlier by going on a wait-list for appointments that become available through cancellations. If this is really worrying you, perhaps you could try turning up in person at the practice and sit waiting for a slot between appointments. It all depends on how anxious you are and how much free time you have to nag them about the urgency of YOUR condition.   You did not provide much detail about the location of the lump ni your neck. I had 2 lumps in my thyroid and ended up getting the right half removed because they couldn't get clear samples after 4 attempts. I now take a thyroxine tablet EVERY morning at 6 am (and then I go back to bed on weekends).   Good luck and let us know how it goes. Rick ... View more

Hi. Rick   Thanks for getting back to me.  I think I will tell the specialist if he can't find a good vain in chest,  I will stick with the pic line and leave the neck.  The pic line. Is. painless I can't feel it (the line in my arm) or when they take blood or administer the drugs.   Regards Albundy21 ... View more