Hi @Diane55 ,   Sorry to hear of your diagnosis, & welcome to this community.    I'm living in Melbourne at the moment, & I won't go anywhere without wearing my mask.  Preferably, I stay away from really crowded places,  but as long as you can practice a good measure of distance from others, you should be fine.  Try to keep up the exercise if you can.  If it gets really crowded, maybe change the times you attend the gym.  Obviously,  it's really a matter of what you're comfortable with.     Best of luck with your treatment.    Budgie     ... View more

Hi @Kaiwightman ,   I'm sorry you're going thru this.  I have terminal kidney cancer, so I don't know anything about what you're going thru.  I do want to welcome you to this community, & say that if you're not getting answers from your specialist,  maybe you can seek a second opinion thru a different one.  You are entitled to know what's going on in your body, & if your current doc isn't forthcoming with any help, maybe its about time you found someone who can tell you the things you need to hear.  Do you know if there are other specialists in your area?   Budgie  ... View more

I feel for you.  I have sleep apnoea & use a CPAP machine which quite often keeps me awake.  Another thing I can suggest is either reading or listening to relaxation music, or both.  If I start reading in bed, I'm lucky to last a whole page.  One more thing you could try is meditation.  I hope you get some relief soon.  Otherwise, maybe some medicinal relief thru your GP? ... View more

Hey @mensana,   I was thinking of you yesterday.   Good to hear Telstra has finally done the right thing, & you've got a new GP.  Here's hoping he's better than the last. Do you like milk?  You should try drinking a cup of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey stirred through before you go to bed.  Milk is a natural sedative.   You can also try a drop of lavender oil on your pillow.   It also has properties that can help you sleep.    Re not hearing from your medical team - give them a call.  It doesn't hurt to keep them on their toes.   Cheers     ... View more

I am not going to click on a link just because someone says it's legitimate. As I said, I wish your mother all the best. ... View more

Hello @Laurensavage1 ,   In this day & age of unscrupulous people taking advantage of those who like to believe that people are always of good intent, please forgive me if I have doubts about your request.  Is your mother in Australia?  Usually, maybe not always, immunotherapy is covered by the PBS in this country, therefore the patient doesn't have much, if anything to pay.   I understand other countries are different.   However, I personally, think this is not the best forum to ask people who are suffering themselves, & having to pay, sometimes quite a substantial amount of money for their own treatment, to fund someone else's medical costs.   I do not mean to upset you, if you are legitimate, but their are too many greedy scammers out there wanting to catch out the unwary. If your mother is truly ill, I wish her all the best.   Budgie   ... View more

Hello @Vik396 ,   Welcome to this forum.  I'm glad to hear you're still around & getting back into walking with dogs.  Gentle exercise is a very good way to help your body recover from the horrors of cancer treatment.  I hope your health continues to improve.  All the best   Budgie ... View more

Hi Cara84, The steroids will take alot of the joint pain away, especially being increased by 3 times his normal dose, so that could definitely be the reason. It also reduces inflammation. I am sorry for your Father. I hope he has an easy passing. Having said that, anything is possible & doctors have been known to be wrong. Take care Best wishes Budgie ... View more

Hi @Sue211, I'm not on this drug & I don't know anythingabout it, but I just wanted to say that instead of finding an alternative chemo, is it possible to be prescribed medication (eg; painkillers for the aches & pains), especially if this particular chemo is working for you? Or maybe reducing the dosage, as sometimes that can be effective. Anyway, I wish you all the best in your recovery. Budgie ... View more

Hi @Abdullah543 ,   I'm really sorry to hear of your father's illness.  Are you able to speak with his oncologist, or attend his next appointment with him & ask the questions you have then?   If not, try calling the Cancer Council on 131120.  They may be able to answer your questions. My best wishes for your family.    Budgie  ... View more