going crazy, so anxious/worried

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2008
going crazy, so anxious/worried
4
Sat, 02-02-2008 - 11:11pm

I know there is no way to really tell me anything, but I am going absolutely crazy w/ worry. Husband went to dr. after being sick w/ cold/cough/fever for over month. his chest/shoulder area had begun to hurt w/ sharp pain while coughing or even lying on back. xrays didn't show anything but a cat-scan showed some masses on lungs. Per the pulmonary doc he has a mass on each lung AND quote "something" on his spleen. This coming week he will go in one day for another cat-scan and a biopsy on the larger mass in the r. lung and then go back for a p.e.t scan on the left lung and the spleen. Thus far, from what i can find it, doesn't sound too promising. He is a smoker, as well as having a history working in the demolition business where he was exposed to asbestos and some other chemicals he & dr. discussed. After answering the questionare in dr. office, H seemed to have half the symptoms described! chronic cough, fever, chills, fatigue, weight loss.....

I just can't imagine what, other than spreading cancer, this could be? To be in 3 places? and I guess there could be a mistake somewhere, but he showed us the computer images and pointed out the emphysema in the right lung. I don't know,,, I just don't know what to expect? 5 years, 10, 20? We're both in our 30's but have only been married for almost 3. I love this man w/ ALL my heart. We've been thru so much in a short amount of time and I just can not stand the thought of losing him this way. You know, as a former smoker myself, I know we expect one day those cigarettes will be the cause of something wrong w/ us, but he is 38 !! its just something I guess i imagined happening in 20 years or something....Not now!

Well, as I said , I already know no one can "answer" me - but this waiting is giving me too much time to read up on what it COULD be. With any luck (which I seem to not have), in 2 weeks I can come back and say it was nothing, but I'm not betting on it.

Any info on the testing being done, and any advice for me and/or him during this, is much appreciated.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 02-03-2008 - 12:15am

Hello and welcome to the board.

Hope everyone has a great Summer!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-02-2008
Sun, 02-03-2008 - 2:56pm

Sorry to hear!
Have you asked for a brachoscopy to look inside the lungs with a micro camera? Saw it on Discovery channel's Discovery Health "Diagnosis Mystery."

Husband with stage 4 colon cancer with liver mets (80% in liver), learned only a PET scan can show cancer metabolic activity (growth), whereas CTs show size, location. You probably know that, and HMOs pay for one every two months,which we learned is often necessary during treatments.
Also, CEA blood test # is one of the key factors used as a marker to see how cancer is responding to treatments with two (2) being normal. My husband's CEA went from over 100 down to six (2.5), following first chemo of Folfox 4 with Avastin the wonder drug that shrinks tumor blood vessels. Chemo followed by SIRTS--radioactive beads implanted in liver--has kept his number low. Third SIRT will be coming up followed by Folfiri with Avastin. We are avoiding all Oxiliplatin (containing real platinum), due to severe neuropathy side effects--numbness in legs, feet, hands, lips, etc. Oxiliplatin is known to cause neuropathy!!

RFA (radio frequency ablation --interventional radiology) is being used more and more for lung cancer, blasting the tumors. Go to: American Society of Clinical Oncologist for more info; this is a web site used by doctors as well. Their recent 2008 conference has some new news on cancer treatments. Hope you will ask you doc about RFA, as seen on the Ted Koppel ABC tv special "Living with Cancer" in which RFA made Koppel's best friend, Leroy Siever, cancer-free with RFA. His first doc was so negative, said he would die soon, so he found a great doc at John Hopkins (I think), who used RFA for Siever's mets. He said the difference in being cancer free was finding not a good doctor, but a "great" doctor. We have found out the same, so don't let your PCP make you think you have to settle for less than is available, and if you have an HMO, expect to argue if you get a denied referral to a super specialist.

Don't know where you live, but there are 20 or so comprehensive cancer centers in US, so look for one for a team of cancer experts. We were told you need a team: radiology oncologist, medical oncologist, etc..

take care!
Helen

Diagnosed: 12/06
Colon Resection: 12/06
Chemo: Folfox4 with Avastin: 1/15/07
stopped chemo May 1, 2007
Got second and third opinions to stop chemo, go to SIRTS
SIRTS: 10 and 11/07
3rd SIRTS is planned for near future
Folfiri is planned mid 2007

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2007
Tue, 02-05-2008 - 9:29pm

Welcome to the board.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-05-2008
Tue, 02-05-2008 - 11:07pm

Thank you for your kind words. It means a lot.
I'm really proud of him; he went from 2 packs a day to 1 pack lasting him a day and a half, in six days. On the seventh day, he smoked 2 all day! He really shocked me; but made me very proud. I just hate that this scare is the reason he finally found that determination.

I like that "precious energy" thing. I need to remember that daily b/c even before this, I find myself in a constant state of worry.

Now .... 2 more days before the scans start....
Again, thank you, and Hoping for the Best..................