Hello everyone

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Hello everyone
18
Wed, 01-04-2006 - 9:50pm

How are you? I hope all of you are doing well at the start of this year.

Have not been on-line really for a while d/t the usual --- school, work, holidays, radiation daily --- you know the grind :)!!!

Anyway, I am excited, tomorrow is my last radiation therapy day!!!! YIPPEE. I am so glad that this part will be over --- it has been tough finding the time and energy to get there every day.

My UC has been bothering me on and off, but knock-on-wood, right now it is quiet.
My dr. upped my ASACOl to 8/day from 6 and it seems to be working.

Well, I just wanted to check in --- and hopefully will have more time for posting now that I will be getting back 2 hours/day of my life :)!!!

Ellen

 

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Community Leader
Registered: 10-01-2002
In reply to: ewk1999
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 12:30pm

I am so glad things are up to par now for you and yours


I too have been busy but around ..


Welcome back and

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2004
In reply to: ewk1999
Thu, 01-05-2006 - 9:25pm

Hello Ellen!

Well as usual I'm "a day late and dollar short" but still wanted to say congrats on your last radiation treatment! and I hope that you will get good results from them

I agree that this time of year is usually a busy time getting ready for the holidays along with the usual daily grind plus for me personally December and early January are one of our 3 busy cycles at work!

I've been lurking more than posting. I often have more questions than answers anyway! Am still juggling a couple of medical issues and looking for resolutions to them - need to have a 3 month follow-up MRI on January 25 to determine what the indeterminate lesion on my liver is, this coming Monday I am off to the Gyn office for a transvaginal ultrasound at 9 to check the thickness of my endo lining (I'm in peri and it has been thickening) and then at 9:30 I see the doctor for a colposcopy and cervical biopsy (I had my first ever abnomral pap test in july and then again in October so he needs to check it out. My other big dilemma is that my GI doc gave me a presciption for Reglan to help with my severe GERD and upper left quadrant pain and I'm afraid to fill it because of possible side effects. I know I should post for advice but have been trying to avoid the subject.

Well I'm sorry to have rambled. It was good to see your post and I'm really happy for you about your good day today!

Sue
:)

P.S.I wish you a very Happy New Year!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2004
In reply to: ewk1999
Fri, 01-06-2006 - 10:18am

Hi Sue, I don't want to butt in but it sounds like we are going through some similar things. I was having pain on my right under my ribcage so went for a catscan and instead they found a lesion on my liver and some ovarian cysts. So I had a second catscan to take a closer look at my liver and they confirmed it is a hemangioma (did they mention that could be what yours is?). But my cysts looked complex and one was growing and bleeding so had to go to get an ultrasound and my obgyn tech was not worried, the one that was growing had shrunk back down and they looked simple. In the meantime I started getting pain on my left under my ribcage so I go see a GI dr next week. I also had a hida scan, and my gb is not functioning properly so have surgery scheduled the 16th to remove it. When it rains, it pours it seems.

What are the possible side effects of Reglan?

Hope all your results come back ok!

Vicki

2009 siggy
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
In reply to: ewk1999
Fri, 01-06-2006 - 2:13pm

Ellen,


Glad to hear that things are going better for you.

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2004
In reply to: ewk1999
Sat, 01-07-2006 - 8:44am


Hi Vicki,

So nice to hear from you - sorry you're having so many issues as well. Shall we share a big umbrella???? LOL

I may have a hemangioma as well but tney are not really sure. It's a long story how they found it. I've been seeing a GI doc for my GERD and IBS since last February. In July he sent me for an abdominal Cat scan which showed a possibly enlarged and thickened appendix. GI Doc sent me to a surgeon who wasn't anxious to remove my appendix since I wasn't having symptons (my pain is all on my left side and in upper chest). He reommended another Cat scan in October which did not show the enlarged appenix anymore but did show a "2.2 cm indeterminate lesion" on the right lobe of my liver. Radioogist report said "as it does not have the typical appearance for benign hemangioma, it may be worthwhile to do a MRI." I had the MRI on October 18 and the radiologist report says "this does not have any of the typical characteristics of a malignant lesion but is also somewhat atypical for a benign lesion as well" He recommended a repeat study in 3 - 4 months so I'm off for another MRI on January 25. The GI doc also sent me for a whole series of blood tests that checked for cancer markers that all came back negative thank God! but it was a pretty scary few weeks and I still don't know what is going on with my liver.

In the meantime the MRI found evidence of gallstones so I had to have a ultrasound and all that showed was "the gallbladder is physiologically distended with a sizeable mobile stone measuring 1.2 cm".

GI doc says not to worry about liver or gallbladder - they are not causing my symptons. Easy for him to say.

I think this message is getting rather long so I may start one of my own to ask for recommendations about the reglan. I've been meaning to for awhile but keep putting it off.

I wish you luck at your appointnment next week. Keep us posted!

Take Care!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
In reply to: ewk1999
Sun, 01-08-2006 - 2:10pm

Hey Susie,


Wow, girl!

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2004
In reply to: ewk1999
Sun, 01-08-2006 - 9:54pm

Lynn,

I'd love to share my umbrella with you!!!

thanks for the kind thoughts - I need them tomorrow at 9:30 when I will be at the Gynecologist. UGH!!!! I dread it! Perhaps that is why my gut has been acting up all weekend! And I was told to take Advil before the procedure and that always bothers my stomach.

MRI for my liver is on January 25. Don't know the answers to the "what if" questions. GI Doc was not too concerned.

Well it is getting late so I'll talk to you soon!

Susie Q

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2004
In reply to: ewk1999
Mon, 01-09-2006 - 2:50pm

Susie, how did your appt go?

Vicki

2009 siggy
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-06-2004
In reply to: ewk1999
Mon, 01-09-2006 - 3:03pm

Hi Vicki!

thanks so much for asking about my doctor's appointment today!

At 9:00 I had an internal ultrasound – my 4th since July 04. I then had a 9:30 appointment (well I didn’t actually see him until 10:05) with the Gyn to discuss the U/S and have a colposcopy. He gave me preliminary good news for both!

The reason for the ultrasound is that I’m 55 and my periods have been irregular and bloodwork shows I have no progesterone and ultrasounds showed the endometrium lining was thickening (5mm in July 04, then 9mm, 7.5 mm and 8mm in July 05). Today the lining was only 2.9mm! So he said not to worry about that. U/S showed lots of fibroids but since they don’t give me any trouble he is not concerned. He will call me later in the week with details from radiologist’s official report.

He also thinks all is okay in my cervix. He didn’t see anything that would make him worry but he did do a biopsy and will have those results next week. He wants me back in April for another pap. The reason for the colposcopy was that my annual pap in July came back abnormal for the first time ever! When the Nurse Practitioner called to tell me, she said that it was probably because I was in perimenopause and not to worry but come back for another in 3 months. My follow-up in November was also abnormal. Thus the colposcopy today.

I was absolutely dreading having this procedure. Since I’ve never been pregnant and have been fortunate and have not had any Gyn problems until this past year my experience in this area was lacking and thus the fear. I had an endo biopsy in Feb 05 and it was horrible. I have to admit that the colposcopy was not as bad as I expected. However, it did seem to take forever – definitely way longer than a pap test – and the biopsy was a little pinchy and gave me cramps and I could feel him touching the cervix with those long “Q-tips” first to clean it, then to paint it with the acid and then patch it with silver nitrate when done. He is such a patient doctor and explains everything he is going to do. And kept reassuring me that I was doing fine! Since I was so frightened I had my DH switch his hours at work so he could drive me and I’m kind of glad that he did. He was good company on the way over and while waiting and it made it nice to just sit back and relax on the drive home. I had a cup of tea when we got home and took 2 more Tylenol (had some bad cramps way low in my pelvis) and then took a nice long nap ( I think I was wiped out just from nerves.)

So all in all it was okay – although I’m not signing up for another real soon! I’m crossing my fingers the biopsy is negative and my April pap is normal. So now I can devote my energy to my GI and liver problems! (Of course my gut was churning all weekend and I had 2 diarrhea BM this morning before I left the house)

Never a dull moment!

Good luck at your GI appointnment tomorrow morning. Ask lots of questions!

Susie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: ewk1999
Mon, 01-09-2006 - 8:47pm

I am glad you came through your tests and appts. well today --- take it easy and rest.

I am feeling for ya :)!!!

I am 46 and my periods have been horrible for the last year or so === had a D&C this summer and was told that my uterous is very fibrous --- I am very low on progesterone, etc. etc. Was put on a progesterone hormone replacement to help with the bleeding and the majorly bad cramps --- but only lasted a month, because was then dx. with the breast cancer. Now they want to do a hysterectomy and take my ovaries because I am hormone positive on the cancer --- it never ends.

I love getting ready for tests and surgeries as well --- I always have diarrhea the morning of and usually for a couple of days before (I have ulcerative colitis and gerd as well).

So I am really feeling where you are coming from.

I do hope everything turns out well for you on the biopsies, etc. Waiting is 3/4's of the battle.

I find it very interesting though, how many of us have multiple issues ---

Ellen

 

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