Attn: Leah

Feel free to discuss any topic of general interest, so long as nothing you post here is likely to be interpreted as insulting, and/or inflammatory, nor clearly designed to provoke any individual or group. Please be considerate of others feelings, and they will be considerate of yours.

Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh

User avatar
Gabes-Apg
Emperor Penguin
Emperor Penguin
Posts: 8332
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia

Attn: Leah

Post by Gabes-Apg »

Hello Leah
Was wondering how your treatment is going??
Is your body namely the gut, coping ok?.

Think of you often and hope you are ok
Healing hugs
Xo
Gabes Ryan

"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Marcia K
Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Posts: 1397
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2014 10:39 am
Location: PA

Post by Marcia K »

I've been wondering how she is doing, too.

Marcia
User avatar
nancyl
Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Posts: 780
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:42 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Post by nancyl »

Leah,
I've been wondering also, you haven't mentioned anything. I hope all is going well.

Nancy
Leah
King Penguin
King Penguin
Posts: 2533
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:16 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Post by Leah »

Hi Wonderful ladies. I try not to complain or make things about me very often, but thanks for thinking of me.

The radiation treatments are going well. my breast is starting to hurt a bit, but nothing I can't take. I'm more worried about how I will feel after I start taking Tamoxifen!

It's funny you should ask about my gut because I was just about to ask Tex if it's possible that the treatments could be giving me issues. I started to have issues last Monday and haven't been able to rein it in. Don't get me wrong… I'm not running to the bathroom multiple times a day, but more gas and D has returned. Going back to just meat is a depressing thought, so I haven't done it yet, but I have been careful with what I eat and I am still having issues. Could it be the stress to my body?

Leah
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35067
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Hi Leah,

I have no idea how your radiation treatments are being directed/focused/controlled, but I would hope that non-target areas (such as your abdominal cavity) are being shielded, because radiation enteritis is a well-known problem when radiation is directed at any part of the digestive system. Normally though, symptoms of radiation enteritis don't show up until roughly 6 months or more after radiation treatment, so this is probably not the cause of your current symptoms.

That leads me to believe that your symptoms are not due to inadvertent radiation damage to your intestines, but rather they're being caused (as you suspect) by the added stress on your body, and by the fact that radiation activates mast cells and and their response adds to the primary inflammatory response caused by the radiation process itself. Of course this should be strictly a local effect on the targeted area, but as we have learned, mast call activation virtually anywhere in the body can adversely affect the digestive system.

How much longer do you have to take the treatments?

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Leah
King Penguin
King Penguin
Posts: 2533
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:16 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Post by Leah »

I am done next Thursday, so I have 7 more treatments. … all directed on the one breast. It's pretty high tech, so they don't need to cover the rest of my body.

I suspect that it is just stress on my body and hopefully once the cells normalize, things will get better for my gut.

Thanks for chiming in Tex :)
User avatar
tex
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 35067
Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

That's good news that the treatments will soon be finished. With any luck at all, the symptoms should settle down soon after they're completed.

You're most welcome.

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
User avatar
carolm
Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Posts: 1346
Joined: Fri Sep 02, 2011 7:27 pm
Location: Kansas City

Post by carolm »

Leah, wishing you the best. I hope things settled down soon. It's good to hear from you.

Carol
“.... people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
User avatar
Heady
Adélie Penguin
Adélie Penguin
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2014 11:27 am
Location: Alberta

Post by Heady »

Leah, think of you often when I get on my exercise equip. Glad to hear you are tolerating your treatments and hope the future treatments continue to to be friendly to your MC. Hugs
Diabetic DX June 2012
Diverticulosis/ MC DX Feb.2014

I am thankful for my struggle because without it I wouldn't have stumbled across my strength.

What are you willing to let go of so you can live the life you know you deserve?
User avatar
Lesley
King Penguin
King Penguin
Posts: 2920
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:13 pm
Contact:

Post by Lesley »

Hey Leah! Happy you are doing well. Really! I hope things continue to go well for you.
Polly
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5185
Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 3:34 am
Location: Maryland

Post by Polly »

Leah,

I heard on the news yesterday about a new topical gel form of tamoxifen that has been tested. It avoids the GI tract, has fewer side effects, and apparently is just as effective as the standard treatment. You might want to ask about it if you haven't already considered it. (I don't know if it's readily available yet).

Great news that the radiation is almost over. Good luck!!!

Love,

Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Pat
Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper Penguin
Posts: 1068
Joined: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Pat »

Praying for you, Leah!

Pat
Leah
King Penguin
King Penguin
Posts: 2533
Joined: Thu Feb 02, 2012 10:16 pm
Location: San Francisco Bay Area

Post by Leah »

Thanks all! And Polly, I will ask about it
Leah
User avatar
Gabes-Apg
Emperor Penguin
Emperor Penguin
Posts: 8332
Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia

Post by Gabes-Apg »

Glad to hear that you are 'semi' ok
I am sure the gut will settle once there is a bit less intensity/stress etc.

take care
healing hugs
xo
Gabes Ryan

"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
alcyone
Adélie Penguin
Adélie Penguin
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2014 1:59 pm
Location: Texas

Post by alcyone »

Hi, Leah!

Glad to hear you are almost done with the radiation, but sorry your digestive system is suffering. I'm keeping you in my prayers and hoping you'll be feeling better soon.

Love,
Erin
Post Reply

Return to “Main Message Board”