Cancer

MellowGa

well I have been working out for some time now, I am in decent shape, I eat well (70/30) I do not smoke, never have, I drink modestly, been with my wife for 27 years.

But on Monday I was given the news I have Stage three Throat cancer, this is due to the HPV virus that sits in 90% of adults, it effects 1% and of that 1% it turns into cancer, unfortunately I am in that one percent.

My team of doctors have said I have done everything right, I eat well, good shape, no drugs/smoking modest drinker, healthy lifestyle, etc. Nothing I have externally has caused this, it just "popped up" from the HPV virus.

I was given a clean bill of health last march, since then I have a tumor at the back of my throat and two in my lymph nodes, It has sprouted up since then.

I will soon start my regiment of Chemo/Radiation therapy, luckily it has a 85% cure rate.

But I am starting this thread as my own little therapy as I am not broadcasting it on my social media sites where my family and friends know me, my family knows and some friends, but not broadcasting it on there due to other people. So this will be my own little therapy.

If you have dealt with cancer in your life, any cancer, feel free to join me on this journey as the fight will never stop.

If you read this and your children have not been vaccinated for the HPV virus, I urge you to do so, my kids have been vaccinated and I am glad that they will not face this in their lifetime, but only watch me go through this.

So my friends, thank you for allowing me to express my feelings on here as I am normally an upbeat go lucky happy fellow. I can't fight this by being sad, I need to laugh and have fun.

estherdragonbat

I've just been treated for bladder cancer. Fortunately, I have the non-invasive kind, where 92-93% of the time it just sits in the bladder and doesn't spread. But because of that other 7-8%, it needs to be dealt with. Two weeks ago, I had surgery to remove the lesions and on December 13th, I start a 6-week regimen of BCG (a weakened form of bovine TB) sessions to try to stop it from coming back.

Thankfully, bladder cancer has a 98% cure rate when it's non-muscle invasive, so I'm extremely hopeful. But like you, I wasn't in any of the high-risk categories for contracting it. (Known risk factors are smoking, exposure to certain chemicals like those used in manufacturing or leather-treatment, being male, being over 55, and a few other categories none of which describe me).

Right now, I'm just concentrating on being thankful that if I 'had' to get cancer, I got one of the highly-treatable ones. That having dropped 90lbs in the last year, I was facing fewer risks going into surgery. That I came through the surgery with no complications and seem to have recovered pretty well. But they're still going to monitor me every few months for the foreseeable future to make sure they lesions don't come back.

Unknown

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saraonly9913

I am so sorry. I wish you healing. I don't have cancer that I know of but I have a family history of cancer I'm my family. Hang in there. Be strong. Get well.

marygraci999

MellowGa wrote: »

well I have been working out for some time now, I am in decent shape, I eat well (70/30) I do not smoke, never have, I drink modestly, been with my wife for 27 years.

But on Monday I was given the news I have Stage three Throat cancer, this is due to the HPV virus that sits in 90% of adults, it effects 1% and of that 1% it turns into cancer, unfortunately I am in that one percent.

My team of doctors have said I have done everything right, I eat well, good shape, no drugs/smoking modest drinker, healthy lifestyle, etc. Nothing I have externally has caused this, it just "popped up" from the HPV virus.

I was given a clean bill of health last march, since then I have a tumor at the back of my throat and two in my lymph nodes, It has sprouted up since then.

I will soon start my regiment of Chemo/Radiation therapy, luckily it has a 85% cure rate.

But I am starting this thread as my own little therapy as I am not broadcasting it on my social media sites where my family and friends know me, my family knows and some friends, but not broadcasting it on there due to other people. So this will be my own little therapy.

If you have dealt with cancer in your life, any cancer, feel free to join me on this journey as the fight will never stop.

If you read this and your children have not been vaccinated for the HPV virus, I urge you to do so, my kids have been vaccinated and I am glad that they will not face this in their lifetime, but only watch me go through this.

So my friends, thank you for allowing me to express my feelings on here as I am normally an upbeat go lucky happy fellow. I can't fight this by being sad, I need to laugh and have fun.

Wow.. SO sorry for this news.. I am a 3 year breast cancer survivor and I had 4 rounds of chemo Lost my hair but I rocked the bald head I didnt wear any wigs.. Couldnt stand them.. The cancer took my left breast but it did not take my spirit!! I took it on with full force and I kicked it right out the door!!! If you need inspiring if your having a bad day hit me up!!! You got this!!! Dont let it get you Put your gloves on and start fighting!!!

Marjayhan

So sorry to hear the news. That must have been an awful shock and a huge upset. Especially since you've looked after your general health. Just goes to show that anything can happen to us all at any time. Anyway, i wish you a healthy and speedy full recovery. Keep us posted on your progress if you can. Keep fighting the good fight

mewilmes

I will be at 4 years next month. Mine was stage 3 C inoperable breast cancer. All my lymph nodes were involved. Tumor had invaded the chest wall so I did chemo prior to surgery and then radiation.

You can do this.

I gained 40 pounds during chemo but eating what I wanted and what sounded good. (Strawberry cheesecake ice cream and sour cream onion potato chips with dip. Oh and Good and Plenty candy)

So sorry that you have to go through this.

MellowGa

thanks all, I am ok going through this, it is my Kids and wife I ache for, they have to sit by and watch me fight this. My kids friends are all "part of our family" as we are the family where the kids feel at ease, can hang out, and have fun....they all know I have this now, the awkwardness is evident, I am trying to lighten things up. It will be a long and grueling process I understand that.

Those whom have had cancer, did you try and work out strength wise help keep some muscle mass? or were you just to fatigue? Nutrition wise any advice?

marygraci999

JerSchmare wrote: »

Stay strong. I watched my mom battle breast cancer for 15 years. It eventually got her, but I think her positivity and outlook helped her. Even through the worst of it, you wouldn’t know she was suffering. Stay positive. Sounds like you got this in the bag.

I am a 3 year Breast cancer survivor..

vingogly

I have prostate cancer but it's in a wait and see stage - the doc says it doesn't appear to be aggressive and there's a good chance something else will kill me before the cancer does. Plus, he notes that there's new research constantly happening, and the longer I can wait the better the chance that there will be less intrusive and more effective treatments available. I get a PSA test every three months and see my urologist twice a year. I've had a biopsy, but the last PSA test I had showed a slight increase in PSA after a period of decrease so I'm in process of getting a genetic test run on the biopsy (Prolaris) that will clarify exactly how aggressive the cancer is so the doc and I can factor that into planning for the future.

So I don't know what my future holds -- chemo or radiation or surgery or none of them -- but no one can foretell their futures. I haven't been doing strength training but I'm going to be starting in the next few days now that I'm retired and have more free time. If I feel the need for it, I'll seek out a support group with other cancer survivors, but for now I'm just doing lifestyle and diet adjustments. My doctor is skeptical that what I'm doing will do anything, but whatever. Nothing I'm doing can hurt and they're all good for me in any case.

I'm getting enough sleep, and starting to exercise. From a dietary perspective: eating less meat and more vegetable protein, getting enough fiber and other nutrients. As a result of my readings on prostate cancer and diet, I've gathered the following list of things that might (or might not) help with prostate cancer so I try to make sure at least some of them are in my weekly diet: Green tea, coffee, salmon, soy products, tomato sauce, berries, avocados, brazil nuts, walnuts. I'm limiting my intake of red meat and dairy (and meat in general).

In addition, I'm taking 2000IUs of Vitamin D and a couple of pomegranate extract capsules a day, and a couple of pomegranate extract capsules because some studies suggest they might help.

estherdragonbat

MellowGa wrote: »

thanks all, I am ok going through this, it is my Kids and wife I ache for, they have to sit by and watch me fight this. My kids friends are all "part of our family" as we are the family where the kids feel at ease, can hang out, and have fun....they all know I have this now, the awkwardness is evident, I am trying to lighten things up. It will be a long and grueling process I understand that.

Those whom have had cancer, did you try and work out strength wise help keep some muscle mass? or were you just to fatigue? Nutrition wise any advice?

Well, in my case, as soon as it was detected, I went on the list for surgery. Had it two weeks ago and have just come off of a medical restriction to not lift more than 3 lbs. I've now been cleared for up to 40 "if my body is okay with it; if not, stop". So, this Sunday, I'm going to try lifting again. I don't do heavy. I'd just worked my way up to a pair of 15lb dumbbells and a lot of my exercises were "3 sets; 2 sets of 12 with a pair of 12lb dumbbells and 1 set of 8 with the 15s". I'm probably going to see how I do with one set of 12s on Sunday, maybe 2 sets, but hold off on the 15s for at least another week. (And that's as much to avoid muscle cramps from 2 weeks of not working out as it is to avoid post-surgery complications.)

I've been given no specific dietary advice, but I generally eat healthy overall. (I'm an ovo-lacto vegetarian and I aim to hit protein and iron targets on MFP and let the rest fall where it falls.)

mewilmes

I tried to walk as often as I could. I used a route with a hill and tried to take more laps on the hill to feel like I was achieving something. In terms of diet, pretty much everything tasted like crap to me, but I did try to eat a plate of veggies every day. You will probably get specifics about what you can not eat (maybe raw veggies) from your doc.

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KANGOOJUMPS

Well I wish you all the luck in the world! Just lost my parents back to back and mother in law a week after my own mother.My father in law died of cancer and so did my mother. My mom was a health nut!, never ever smoked or drank,and they kept insisting she was a drinker, SHE WAS NOT!! they really pissed me off!, Her form was so aggressive, it attacked so hard,I left my family and kids and moved to her home to care for her.She wanted to see her gardens, and did not want to be in the hospital, it was utter HELL but I am glad I did it.CANCER IS HELL AND WE NEED TO KICK ITS BUTT!, My mom was gone fast, first time was breast cancer years ago, and it just kept coming back, last was the worst, I am glad it was fast, so sick of suffering.We said no to chemo the last time when it was in her belly, I did not want to see her puking and unwell and hair loss etc...AND THEY WERE QUITE IGNORANT WE WERE REJECTING IT. she lived one month of bliss in her gardens, and was well enough to know and say goodbye to those she loved. glad we chose it that way.I am here any time, night and day.

LearningToFly13

I wouldnt worry too much about losing weight or training whilst going through cancer treatment. Infact, when I had my chemotherapy I put on a lot of weight and my doctor was pleased about that. Cancer treatment is different for everyone but none of it is fun. Concentrate on healing, eating well, walking when you can and spending quality time with loved ones. Youll have plenty of time for weight training etc when treatment finishes and you get your strength back. Oh and if you can, invest in some matcha green tea powder. Full of powerful antioxidants and very calming. Best of luck, stay strong and positive. This too shall pass

MellowGa

so the big challenge so far is sleeping, my tumor makes sleeping very difficult breathing wise, just a ton of pressure and the loudest snoring because I am gasping for breathe and extremely dry mouth. So I have positioned my pillows so now basically I sleep in an upright position, this seems to be working for me...and my wife, we are both getting more sleep, I still wake up and snore, but not as often and getting longer then 20 min intervals, getting a few hours each now.

Cut out alcohol all together, trying to UP my calorie intake and stronger lifts to add any weight and muscle before starting Chemo/Radiation.

Reading all of your stories, is very touching, and as we know we are not alone, there are many of us fighting this ugly disease in some form or fashion. Keep the faith my friends! We will win this battle!

I will definitely get the Matcha Green tea powder, I drink green tea to begin with, so I will add this to my list, Thanks so much

Maaike84

Sorry that you are part of this club, but I am happy to hear you have such a good outlook! I am currently going through treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma, luckily it's stage 1a so my prognosis is also above 90 percent. Weird thing for me is that it was caught during my prenatal screening, so I am going through cancer treatment whilst I am also pregnant with my first child. (it's possible, the placenta protects the baby from the toxic drugs. I also have an aggressive cancer, so really no option to wait). Talk about your body feeling alien and weird to you!

Your positive attitude will be half the battle, and good prep for treatment does help. I have been lucky with no nausea and relatively little side effects (hair is really thinning out), and after four chemo's have got a bit of a routine down. It helps to take some snacks, and methods of hydration that you like. You want to really drink a lot of fluids to help your liver clean everything out, so to speak. Cutting down on alcohol will also probably be recommended. I am actually quite hungry on the chemo (pregnancy will be partially to blame for this, but I also have to take steroids for a couple of days and they really give you an appetite) but you will see how you feel. With radiation, I imagine it might be harder to swallow foods some days, so looking into some easier to swallow recipes (soups, protein shakes, stuff like that) might help? I really like foods that are saucy after chemo anyhow, as it makes my mouth quite dry. I also suck on ice chips for part of the chemo cycle as that supposedly helps protect against getting mouth ulcers. Ask your doctors about this, it can't hurt right?

For exercise - I think it's really good to keep walking and moving at your current level, but you don't need to do anything very high intensity to keep up your condition. But getting out of the house and walking around the block has really helped me shake off some of the chemo fatigue. It's getting harder now as I am almost 36 weeks pregnant, so it's more wobbling than walking Do talk to your doctor about going to the gym, it might be that your chemo also compromises your immune system for at least some days of each chemo cycle, and on those days it might be smarter to stay clear of gyms, pools, and other busy places where a lot of bacteria might be hanging around.

I hope I helped a bit. Feel free to add me, we can support each other!

MellowGa

awe, Maaike84, I am super happy for the buddle of Joy you are carrying, talk about a brutal fight on your hands, mine is nothing compared to what you and others before me on this thread have gone through. We are with you, hubby and baby 10000%. Team effort my friends, we will not let this SOB beat us, we are strong, we are good, we are all here for each other.

MellowGa

met with Doctors yesterday, they said adding weight and keeping my lifting routine is ideal, to do what I can before and during.

marygraci999

Maaike84 wrote: »

Sorry that you are part of this club, but I am happy to hear you have such a good outlook! I am currently going through treatment for non-hodgkins lymphoma, luckily it's stage 1a so my prognosis is also above 90 percent. Weird thing for me is that it was caught during my prenatal screening, so I am going through cancer treatment whilst I am also pregnant with my first child. (it's possible, the placenta protects the baby from the toxic drugs. I also have an aggressive cancer, so really no option to wait). Talk about your body feeling alien and weird to you!

Your positive attitude will be half the battle, and good prep for treatment does help. I have been lucky with no nausea and relatively little side effects (hair is really thinning out), and after four chemo's have got a bit of a routine down. It helps to take some snacks, and methods of hydration that you like. You want to really drink a lot of fluids to help your liver clean everything out, so to speak. Cutting down on alcohol will also probably be recommended. I am actually quite hungry on the chemo (pregnancy will be partially to blame for this, but I also have to take steroids for a couple of days and they really give you an appetite) but you will see how you feel. With radiation, I imagine it might be harder to swallow foods some days, so looking into some easier to swallow recipes (soups, protein shakes, stuff like that) might help? I really like foods that are saucy after chemo anyhow, as it makes my mouth quite dry. I also suck on ice chips for part of the chemo cycle as that supposedly helps protect against getting mouth ulcers. Ask your doctors about this, it can't hurt right?

For exercise - I think it's really good to keep walking and moving at your current level, but you don't need to do anything very high intensity to keep up your condition. But getting out of the house and walking around the block has really helped me shake off some of the chemo fatigue. It's getting harder now as I am almost 36 weeks pregnant, so it's more wobbling than walking Do talk to your doctor about going to the gym, it might be that your chemo also compromises your immune system for at least some days of each chemo cycle, and on those days it might be smarter to stay clear of gyms, pools, and other busy places where a lot of bacteria might be hanging around.

I hope I helped a bit. Feel free to add me, we can support each other!

You got this!! I am a 3 year breast cancer survivor.. Its all about the attitude.. Go in kicking *kitten*!!!

Ohwhynot

Best of luck to you!!! We're all pulling for you!

RachelElser

My mother is on chemo right now for breast cancer. Her dr said being overweight can increase your chances of getting it. So that is some great motivation for me!

Please feel free to add me, I'm a pretty cheerful person in general!

clicketykeys

MellowGa wrote: »

thanks all, I am ok going through this, it is my Kids and wife I ache for, they have to sit by and watch me fight this. My kids friends are all "part of our family" as we are the family where the kids feel at ease, can hang out, and have fun....they all know I have this now, the awkwardness is evident, I am trying to lighten things up. It will be a long and grueling process I understand that.

Those whom have had cancer, did you try and work out strength wise help keep some muscle mass? or were you just to fatigue? Nutrition wise any advice?

So, I used to have RIDICULOUSLY thick hair, and I would shed a LOT. My husband had said he'd help me shave my hair if/when it started coming out from the chemo. So when I noticed it, I told him it was time to cut it off, and then shave the rest. And... he kind of balked at it. Asked if I wasn't being premature, if it wasn't just typical shedding. He was really resistant until I finally reached up, ran my fingers through my hair, and produced a thick handful of what came out and said, "THIS is not typical." So we went out to the back porch, I leaned over the railing, and he took a pair of shears to my hair. It looked pretty silly because it was so uneven, but he looked at me and started to tear up. He said, "This is the first really visible evidence I've seen of how sick you are." It was SO HARD seeing him upset, and there wasn't really much I could do about it.

I didn't really work out any differently when I was going through chemo or radiation than I had before... which is to say, not much at all! Nutritionally, I always suggest eating what makes you feel good - things that make you want to get better. That's going to vary from person to person.

MellowGa

my chest has been hurting lately, I guess I am over stressing as I wait to take my PET scan tomorrow and have the board meeting on Tuesday and Radiation "fitting" on Wednesday. I guess this I normal, tight chest, nightmares. etc.

any calming tactics you have used to get by this without drugs?

LearningToFly13

Praying and laughing... I did alot of both. Walk if you can as well, great mood boost and clears your head. Find someone to talk to, outside of your family, someone who isn't emotionally invested in you and won't panic if you tell them how you really feel. I had a Macmillan cancer nurse who was my rock during and following treatment. She was the only one who ever saw me cry, I kept a brave face for my family at all times and I'm sure you're doing the same. But you can't keep all your fear bottled up... That can cause chest pain and nightmares Feel free to add me if you need to chat.

mewilmes

Yes, I think it is very normal. I felt the same way. The entire world as you know it has been turned on end. My health care provider had on-line relaxation videos that helped me a lot. If you aren't able to sleep, drugs might be a short-term answer.

Laughing for sure--dumb movies helped me a lot--Will Ferrell. Also old Saturday Night Live youtube videos.

MellowGa

OK I had my PET scan yesterday, they have located Six Tumors in my Throat, neck area, no where else in the body, so I remain a Stage 3 patient. Today the board meets looks like we will be doing the Chemo/Radiation for seven weeks. Tomorrow I go for my Radiation fitting.

My lab work came back good, numbers look great, my blood pressure was back to normal.

thanks for the help my friends

mewilmes

you are very welcome. Glad your bp is normal and the lab work is good. Keeping you in my thoughts.

LearningToFly13

It's reassuring to hear it hasn't spread. Keep us posted. Thinking of you too

estherdragonbat

Glad to hear your numbers are looking great! Hang in there!

MellowGa

OK the fitting is done, we are all set, we are going to start the treatment on Jan 3rd, this way I can visit my family in the North east for Christmas. So things are getting ready to role my friends.